Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-sc-asks-imran-khan-government-to-lift-travel-ban-on-opposition-leaders-190949&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiO7sKt0_bfAhXLXSsKHa2nCRoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw06uHT0FXyIfItwGXvT9pnu">Prime Minister Imran Khan</a>-led government will not be able to last the full term of five years.

Dubbing Khan as a selected prime minister, Zardari once again said that nobody accepted the results of the general elections and that the cricketer-turned-politician will not be able to complete the stipulated tenure, Geo News reported.

Zardari said that "the prime minister is not from the general public and he will not return to them."

"Now that you are a selected prime minister, learn something," he said.&nbsp;

Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government will not be able to last the full term of five years. Dubbing Khan as a selected prime minister, Zardari once again said that nobody accepted the results of the general elections and that the cricketer-turned-politician will not be able to complete the stipulated tenure, Geo News reported.

Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government will not be able to last the full term of five years. Dubbing Khan as a selected prime minister, Zardari once again said that nobody accepted the results of the general elections and that the cricketer-turned-politician will not be able to complete the stipulated tenure, Geo News reported. Zardari said that "the prime minister is not from the general public and he will not return to them." "Now that you are a selected prime minister, learn something," he said.

Imran Khan won't be able to complete 5-year term: Asif Ali Zardari

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa Friday took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan in a simple ceremony held in Islamabad at the President's House which was also attended by foreign dignitaries, including from India.

President Arif Alvi administered oath to the new Chief Justice who took office after the retirement of Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, judges of higher courts, ministers, diplomats, civil and military officials, lawyers and foreign guests including from India were present at the oath-taking ceremony, the Dawn reported.

Former judge of the Supreme Court of India and President Governing Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur and Sandra E Oxner, former judge and founding president Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Canada took part in the ceremony, the report said.

They arrived through the Wagah border in Lahore on Thursday to attend the ceremony, it said.

Five senior judges of Turkey, South Africa and Nigeria also attended the oath taking ceremony.

Born in 1954 in Dera Ghazi Khan area of the Punjab province of Pakistan, Justice Khosa studied at the University of the Punjab and Cambridge University.

He started his practice as a lawyer in 1977 and was elevated as a high court judge in 1998. He was made judge of the Supreme Court in 2010.

Justice Khosa has decided around 50,000 cases in his long career. He was also part of the benches which disqualified former premiers Yusuf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif.

He was also part of the three-member bench which acquitted Christian woman Asia Bibi in blasphemy case. The judgment triggered countrywide protest and violence by extremists.

Justice Khosa is very well read, having a vast study in different disciplines and often quotes foreign writers in his judgments.

Addressing the retiring ceremony of his predecessor Justice Nisar on Thursday, Justice Khosa said that he would like to decide the more than 1.9 million cases currently piled up in different courts by reforming the judicial system.

He also said that he would try to eliminate the practice of frivolous cases.

Supreme Court lawyer Ali Zafar said Justice Khosa was expected to focus on judicial issues unlike his predecessor who often interfered in issues of governance.

"The practice of suo motu will be rarely used by Justice Khosa as he believes that it should be only used when all other options have been exhausted to address an issues," Zafar said.&nbsp;

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa Friday took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan in a simple ceremony held in Islamabad at the President's House which was also attended by foreign dignitaries, including from India.

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa Friday took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan in a simple ceremony held in Islamabad at the President's House which was also attended by foreign dignitaries, including from India. President Arif Alvi administered oath to the new Chief Justice who took office after the retirement of Chief Justice Saqib Nisar. Prime Minister Imran Khan, judges of higher courts, ministers, diplomats, civil and military officials, lawyers and foreign guests including from India were present at the oath-taking ceremony, the Dawn reported. Former judge of the Supreme Court of India and President Governing Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur and Sandra E Oxner, former judge and founding president Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Canada took part in the ceremony, the report said. They arrived through the Wagah border in Lahore on Thursday to attend the ceremony, it said. Five senior judges of Turkey, South Africa and Nigeria also attended the oath taking ceremony. Born in 1954 in Dera Ghazi Khan area of the Punjab province of Pakistan, Justice Khosa studied at the University of the Punjab and Cambridge University. He started his practice as a lawyer in 1977 and was elevated as a high court judge in 1998. He was made judge of the Supreme Court in 2010. Justice Khosa has decided around 50,000 cases in his long career. He was also part of the benches which disqualified former premiers Yusuf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif. He was also part of the three-member bench which acquitted Christian woman Asia Bibi in blasphemy case. The judgment triggered countrywide protest and violence by extremists. Justice Khosa is very well read, having a vast study in different disciplines and often quotes foreign writers in his judgments. Addressing the retiring ceremony of his predecessor Justice Nisar on Thursday, Justice Khosa said that he would like to decide the more than 1.9 million cases currently piled up in different courts by reforming the judicial system. He also said that he would try to eliminate the practice of frivolous cases. Supreme Court lawyer Ali Zafar said Justice Khosa was expected to focus on judicial issues unlike his predecessor who often interfered in issues of governance. "The practice of suo motu will be rarely used by Justice Khosa as he believes that it should be only used when all other options have been exhausted to address an issues," Zafar said.

Justice Asif Khosa takes oath as new Chief Justice of Pakistan

Political leaders come in all shapes and sizes. United States President Donald Trump was a real estate developer. Former British prime minister David Cameron was a public relations executive. And Iceland’s former prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir was an airline stewardess.

So we shouldn’t dismiss Imran Khan, Pakistan Prime Minister, as a lightweight just because he was a cricketer. Khan’s background isn’t the problem. His credibility is. Shortly after being elected PM, Khan promised to build a ‘Naya Pakistan’. India has reacted cautiously. Old wine in a new bottle is the consensus.

Khan has done nothing to stop terrorist infiltration. His writ stops at the outskirts of Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s army generals are a law unto themselves. Though Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has declared that Islamabad wants peace with India, Pakistan’s rogue Border Action Team (BAT), acting under Bajwa’s overall command, continues to attack Indian targets in the Kashmir Valley.

The Indian Army is eliminating Pakistan-abetted terrorists at the rate of roughly one a day. Over 300 terrorists were killed in 2018, a 50 per cent increase over 2017. But the Indian Army estimates that 280-300 terrorists remain active in the Valley. More are being pushed in by the Pakistani Army across the LoC’s porous terrain of forests, rivers and hillocks.

There have, however, been notable changes. Ceasefire violations across the LoC have fallen significantly since May 2018 when the Pakistani Army, bludgeoned by Indian retaliatory mortar fire, sued for peace. The Indian Army, CRPF and J&amp;K police have meanwhile tightened the tourniquet around Pakistani terror modules in the Valley.

Ever since governor’s rule was imposed in June 2018, followed by President’s rule, Indian security forces have succeeded in targeting the leadership of several Pakistan-backed terror groups active in the Valley.

On former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s watch, the security forces often operated with one hand tied behind their backs. Mufti, along with the other dynast in the Valley, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC), spoke from both corners of the mouth. In Delhi, they spoke of a robust anti-terror strategy. In Srinagar, they spoke the language of separatist appeasement.

It is telling that tourism is again flourishing in the Valley. Over 8 lakh tourists (including 50,000 foreign tourists) holidayed in Kashmir in 2018. The PDP-NC narrative that the Valley is in the throes of its worst crisis plays into the hands of Pakistan. The ISI funds stone-pelters, Hurriyat separatists and a hoary cabal of journalists, ex-army officers, former intelligence operatives and activists to further the narrative of Kashmir under military siege.

Part of the blame lies with the Indian government. Its Pakistan policy has oscillated from conciliatory in 2014 to intransigent in 2019. Is it though a propitious time now to change the status quoist strategy on Pakistan? The conventional wisdom is that nothing will change before the May 2019 Lok Sabha election. Imran Khan has said much the same. He could be wrong.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to make unpredictable policy moves. Pakistan is today in a particularly vulnerable position. Its treasury is bankrupt, kept afloat by loans from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China. Islamabad is under severe pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) over terror financing and could be blacklisted in September 2019 when a final decision is taken by the Paris-based global anti-terror body.

In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the Taliban, Pakistan’s outsourced terror group to keep Kabul in Islamabad’s malign grip, has developed sub-Taliban groups. Many of these are outside the control of the main Taliban leadership. If the Taliban joins a “peace” coalition and the Afghan government following negotiations begin shepherded by the US, the sub-Taliban groups could attack the Pakistan State itself.

Khaled Ahmed of Newsweek Pakistan conceded in a recent column: “The mood in India is punitive. In contrast, the mood in Pakistan is cautiously submissive. For the Pakistan Army, some options are closing, especially one of “championing the Kashmir cause”, but it doesn’t know how to roll back the old agitprop. It is facing a new situation in next door Afghanistan, where India is now firmly entrenched. The Taliban is no longer willing to play ball, and is more inclined instead to listen to India and its patrons in the Gulf. A return to Taliban rule in Kabul will be dangerous for Pakistan because of its jihadi underground.”

Hemmed in on all sides, Pakistan is running out of options. It is an opportune moment for India to realign its Pakistan policy by continuing tough anti-terror operations in the Valley and talking directly to Pakistan Army chief General Bajwa. Talking to Imran Khan, who fantasises about fomenting trouble in Punjab through Khalistani separatists, is a waste of time.

Pakistan is a schizophrenic country. It wants trade with India but won’t grant it reciprocal MFN status. It wants talks with India without stopping abetment of terrorism against India.

Global think tanks project that India’s economy, already nearly 10 times as large as Pakistan’s, will within a few years put it in a different league, well out of Islamabad’s reach. Pakistan too has belatedly realised that its window to gain false equivalence with India will soon slam shut. India’s new policy to deal with ‘Naya Pakistan’ should be based on this hardnosed reality. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-calling-imran-khan-s-bluff-2708745">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Political leaders come in all shapes and sizes. United States President Donald Trump was a real estate developer. Former British prime minister David Cameron was a public relations executive.

Political leaders come in all shapes and sizes. United States President Donald Trump was a real estate developer. Former British prime minister David Cameron was a public relations executive. And Iceland’s former prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir was an airline stewardess. So we shouldn’t dismiss Imran Khan, Pakistan Prime Minister, as a lightweight just because he was a cricketer. Khan’s background isn’t the problem. His credibility is. Shortly after being elected PM, Khan promised to build a ‘Naya Pakistan’. India has reacted cautiously. Old wine in a new bottle is the consensus. Khan has done nothing to stop terrorist infiltration. His writ stops at the outskirts of Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s army generals are a law unto themselves. Though Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has declared that Islamabad wants peace with India, Pakistan’s rogue Border Action Team (BAT), acting under Bajwa’s overall command, continues to attack Indian targets in the Kashmir Valley. The Indian Army is eliminating Pakistan-abetted terrorists at the rate of roughly one a day. Over 300 terrorists were killed in 2018, a 50 per cent increase over 2017. But the Indian Army estimates that 280-300 terrorists remain active in the Valley. More are being pushed in by the Pakistani Army across the LoC’s porous terrain of forests, rivers and hillocks. There have, however, been notable changes. Ceasefire violations across the LoC have fallen significantly since May 2018 when the Pakistani Army, bludgeoned by Indian retaliatory mortar fire, sued for peace. The Indian Army, CRPF and J&K police have meanwhile tightened the tourniquet around Pakistani terror modules in the Valley. Ever since governor’s rule was imposed in June 2018, followed by President’s rule, Indian security forces have succeeded in targeting the leadership of several Pakistan-backed terror groups active in the Valley. On former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s watch, the security forces often operated with one hand tied behind their backs. Mufti, along with the other dynast in the Valley, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC), spoke from both corners of the mouth. In Delhi, they spoke of a robust anti-terror strategy. In Srinagar, they spoke the language of separatist appeasement. It is telling that tourism is again flourishing in the Valley. Over 8 lakh tourists (including 50,000 foreign tourists) holidayed in Kashmir in 2018. The PDP-NC narrative that the Valley is in the throes of its worst crisis plays into the hands of Pakistan. The ISI funds stone-pelters, Hurriyat separatists and a hoary cabal of journalists, ex-army officers, former intelligence operatives and activists to further the narrative of Kashmir under military siege. Part of the blame lies with the Indian government. Its Pakistan policy has oscillated from conciliatory in 2014 to intransigent in 2019. Is it though a propitious time now to change the status quoist strategy on Pakistan? The conventional wisdom is that nothing will change before the May 2019 Lok Sabha election. Imran Khan has said much the same. He could be wrong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to make unpredictable policy moves. Pakistan is today in a particularly vulnerable position. Its treasury is bankrupt, kept afloat by loans from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China. Islamabad is under severe pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) over terror financing and could be blacklisted in September 2019 when a final decision is taken by the Paris-based global anti-terror body. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the Taliban, Pakistan’s outsourced terror group to keep Kabul in Islamabad’s malign grip, has developed sub-Taliban groups. Many of these are outside the control of the main Taliban leadership. If the Taliban joins a “peace” coalition and the Afghan government following negotiations begin shepherded by the US, the sub-Taliban groups could attack the Pakistan State itself. Khaled Ahmed of Newsweek Pakistan conceded in a recent column: “The mood in India is punitive. In contrast, the mood in Pakistan is cautiously submissive. For the Pakistan Army, some options are closing, especially one of “championing the Kashmir cause”, but it doesn’t know how to roll back the old agitprop. It is facing a new situation in next door Afghanistan, where India is now firmly entrenched. The Taliban is no longer willing to play ball, and is more inclined instead to listen to India and its patrons in the Gulf. A return to Taliban rule in Kabul will be dangerous for Pakistan because of its jihadi underground.” Hemmed in on all sides, Pakistan is running out of options. It is an opportune moment for India to realign its Pakistan policy by continuing tough anti-terror operations in the Valley and talking directly to Pakistan Army chief General Bajwa. Talking to Imran Khan, who fantasises about fomenting trouble in Punjab through Khalistani separatists, is a waste of time. Pakistan is a schizophrenic country. It wants trade with India but won’t grant it reciprocal MFN status. It wants talks with India without stopping abetment of terrorism against India. Global think tanks project that India’s economy, already nearly 10 times as large as Pakistan’s, will within a few years put it in a different league, well out of Islamabad’s reach. Pakistan too has belatedly realised that its window to gain false equivalence with India will soon slam shut. India’s new policy to deal with ‘Naya Pakistan’ should be based on this hardnosed reality. (This article was originally published on The 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)

Calling Imran Khan’s bluff: India needs to realign its Pakistan policy

US special envoy to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-8-killed-two-wounded-in-afghanistans-mine-collapse-191019&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiZyubd7_TfAhVKzbwKHRbbAS8QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2oC0bD0pyHhvpOIxEkWqi4">Afghanistan</a> Zalmay Khalilzad Thursday arrived in Pakistan for a fresh round of talks with top civil and military officials during which he is expected to seek Islamabad's help to convince the Taliban to return to the negotiating table to end the 17-year-long Afghan war.

According to US diplomatic officials in Pakistan, the schedule of Khalilzad's meetings will be decided soon and the special envoy will be in Islamabad for one to four days.

They said discussions will largely focus on the Afghan peace process, Pak-Afghan border management efforts and US-Pakistan relations.

Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan two days later than expected.

According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal, Khalilzad is expected to meet Pakistan's civilian and military leaders during his stay and that he will ask Pakistan to help convince the Afghan Taliban to come back to the negotiation table.

"Pakistan has also maintained we want an Afghan-led Afghan-owned solution to imbroglio," Faisal was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

Khalilzad is leading an intra-agency delegation and will meet officials in each country in order to "facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan", the US State Department said in a statement.&nbsp;

The envoy's four-nation trip is expected to end on January 21.

Khalilzad will be accompanied by Deputy Assistant to the US president Lisa Curtis, who is considered as an expert on Afghan affairs, diplomatic sources said.

The US delegation will meet senior civil and military officials to discuss the ongoing Afghan peace initiative, they said.

The US State Department said last week that Khalilzad was visiting India, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan from January 8 to seek the settlement of the Afghan problem.

He has already visited India and met External Affairs Minister <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sushma-swaraj-on-2-day-visit-to-uzbekistan-will-attend-first-india-central-asia-dialogue-189877&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi8gLGQ8PTfAhWOA4gKHThWCIsQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3c_BGpMOxB5UUBN4Mjq0RO">Sushma Swaraj </a>on January 10.

The US official was in Beijing this weekend and held talks with senior Chinese officials.

The Afghan peace initiative has been moving at a snail's pace due to the refusal of the Taliban to sit for talks with the Afghan government officials.

According to officials, the US delegation will seek Pakistan's assistance for arranging talks between Kabul and Taliban to end more than 17-year-old conflict.

Pakistan has been playing a crucial role in the process and last year released senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar from imprisonment, who is reportedly in Qatar.

Baradar was deputy to the late Taliban supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar. He was arrested from Karachi in a joint Pakistan-US operation after reports that he was independently trying to conclude a deal with the Afghan government.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. It sent two former diplomats in "non-official" capacity to a conference on the Afghan peace process in Moscow in November which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries including the US, Pakistan, and China.

India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

Khalilzad visited Pakistan in October before flying to Doha, Qatar where he reportedly held talks with the Taliban representatives.&nbsp;

He has also held three round of talks with the Afghan Taliban in order to reach a settlement that would allow the US to withdraw its army and end a 17-year-old war? America's longest.

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad Thursday arrived in Pakistan for a fresh round of talks with top civil and military officials during which he is expected to seek Islamabad's help to convince the Taliban to return to the negotiating table to end the 17-year-long Afghan war.

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad Thursday arrived in Pakistan for a fresh round of talks with top civil and military officials during which he is expected to seek Islamabad's help to convince the Taliban to return to the negotiating table to end the 17-year-long Afghan war. According to US diplomatic officials in Pakistan, the schedule of Khalilzad's meetings will be decided soon and the special envoy will be in Islamabad for one to four days. They said discussions will largely focus on the Afghan peace process, Pak-Afghan border management efforts and US-Pakistan relations. Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan two days later than expected. According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal, Khalilzad is expected to meet Pakistan's civilian and military leaders during his stay and that he will ask Pakistan to help convince the Afghan Taliban to come back to the negotiation table. "Pakistan has also maintained we want an Afghan-led Afghan-owned solution to imbroglio," Faisal was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. Khalilzad is leading an intra-agency delegation and will meet officials in each country in order to "facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan", the US State Department said in a statement. The envoy's four-nation trip is expected to end on January 21. Khalilzad will be accompanied by Deputy Assistant to the US president Lisa Curtis, who is considered as an expert on Afghan affairs, diplomatic sources said. The US delegation will meet senior civil and military officials to discuss the ongoing Afghan peace initiative, they said. The US State Department said last week that Khalilzad was visiting India, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan from January 8 to seek the settlement of the Afghan problem. He has already visited India and met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on January 10. The US official was in Beijing this weekend and held talks with senior Chinese officials. The Afghan peace initiative has been moving at a snail's pace due to the refusal of the Taliban to sit for talks with the Afghan government officials. According to officials, the US delegation will seek Pakistan's assistance for arranging talks between Kabul and Taliban to end more than 17-year-old conflict. Pakistan has been playing a crucial role in the process and last year released senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar from imprisonment, who is reportedly in Qatar. Baradar was deputy to the late Taliban supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar. He was arrested from Karachi in a joint Pakistan-US operation after reports that he was independently trying to conclude a deal with the Afghan government. India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. It sent two former diplomats in "non-official" capacity to a conference on the Afghan peace process in Moscow in November which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation. The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries including the US, Pakistan, and China. India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country. Khalilzad visited Pakistan in October before flying to Doha, Qatar where he reportedly held talks with the Taliban representatives. He has also held three round of talks with the Afghan Taliban in order to reach a settlement that would allow the US to withdraw its army and end a 17-year-old war? America's longest.

US envoy on Afghanistan arrives in Pakistan for talks

The <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/5-pakistanis-killed-in-retaliatory-fire-across-loc-in-last-few-days-indian-army-190995&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjn9vag4fTfAhWYZt4KHXqMByQQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Ep70_KxuhC-bsOK3ZS7Qo">Pakistan </a>International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday.

The decision was taken "in light of the peoples' sentiments," PIA spokesman Mashhood Tajawar told PTI.

Cash-strapped PIA has been running into huge financial losses. Its current liabilities stand at Rs 431 billion.

For years, the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lose-weight-or-face-the-axe-pakistan-international-airline-tells-obese-cabin-crew-188548&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiAjre84fTfAhUWEnIKHSi6C-wQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w7uJwib6aXuR08RNRPb1s">airline</a> with 18,000 plus employee and a fleet of 32 aeroplanes have only been adding billions to its loss sheets.

"The decision to play Quranic verses and naats (recitation of poetry praising the Prophet) during taxing and landing for flights to Jeddah and Madina has been taken in light of the peoples' sentiments," Tajawar said.

No other music will be available in the in-flight entertainment system, he said, adding that the impression that the PIA has banned music on all routes is incorrect.

"This is only for Jeddah and Madina as the people go there on a holy journey. Therefore playing music/songs on these routes is not appropriate," Tajwar said, adding passengers of other flights will have access to the in-flight entertainment system available on the aircraft.

The PIA has also decided to welcome passengers on board with the Qaseeda Burda Sharif (Islamic hymn) playing in the background instead of soft music.

"A rendition of the Qaseeda Burda Sharif, a popular Islamic hymn, will be played while passengers board PIA aeroplanes for all domestic and international flights," Tajwar said.&nbsp;

The Pakistan International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday.

The Pakistan International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday. The decision was taken "in light of the peoples' sentiments," PIA spokesman Mashhood Tajawar told PTI. Cash-strapped PIA has been running into huge financial losses. Its current liabilities stand at Rs 431 billion. For years, the airline with 18,000 plus employee and a fleet of 32 aeroplanes have only been adding billions to its loss sheets. "The decision to play Quranic verses and naats (recitation of poetry praising the Prophet) during taxing and landing for flights to Jeddah and Madina has been taken in light of the peoples' sentiments," Tajawar said. No other music will be available in the in-flight entertainment system, he said, adding that the impression that the PIA has banned music on all routes is incorrect. "This is only for Jeddah and Madina as the people go there on a holy journey. Therefore playing music/songs on these routes is not appropriate," Tajwar said, adding passengers of other flights will have access to the in-flight entertainment system available on the aircraft. The PIA has also decided to welcome passengers on board with the Qaseeda Burda Sharif (Islamic hymn) playing in the background instead of soft music. "A rendition of the Qaseeda Burda Sharif, a popular Islamic hymn, will be played while passengers board PIA aeroplanes for all domestic and international flights," Tajwar said.

Pak national carrier PIA bans entertainment on flights to Saudi Arabia

The Indian Army said Thursday that five Pakistani soldiers had been killed in the last few days in retaliatory fire across the Line of Control.&nbsp;

Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said "it shows that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bsf-officer-killed-in-pak-sniper-fire-along-ib-in-jks-kathua-190480">Indian Army is always ready to give them a befitting reply</a>".

Singh added that "2018 has been a great year for the security forces: more than 250 terrorists were killed, 54 were caught alive, and four surrendered to the forces".

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Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh: In the last few days, as you mentioned in your question, 5 Pakistanis were killed, it shows that Indian Army is always ready to give them a befitting reply. <a href="https://t.co/YU74PrMFoD">pic.twitter.com/YU74PrMFoD</a>
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Singh was speaking at the inauguration of the Kalai Bridge in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

2018 has been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/analysis-ceasefire-agreement-between-india-and-pakistan-is-as-good-as-dead-139471">one of the bloodiest years along the Line of Control</a> with the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan being broken incessantly.&nbsp;

An assistant commandant of the Border Security Force was on Monday killed along the International Border by sniper fire.&nbsp;

The BSF troops were carrying out a border domination exercise along the IB when snipers of the Pakistan Rangers opened fire on them at around 1050 hours in the Hiranagar-Samba sector of Kathua district, a senior BSF officer told PTI.

The officer told PTI that Assistant Commandant Vinay Prasad was critically injured in the sniper fire. He was rushed to the Military Hospital at Satwari (Jammu), where he died from his injuries.

The Indian Army said Thursday that five Pakistani soldiers had been killed in the last few days in retaliatory fire across the Line of Control. Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said "it shows that Indian Army is always ready to give them a befitting reply".

The Indian Army said Thursday that five Pakistani soldiers had been killed in the last few days in retaliatory fire across the Line of Control. Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said "it shows that Indian Army is always ready to give them a befitting reply". Singh added that "2018 has been a great year for the security forces: more than 250 terrorists were killed, 54 were caught alive, and four surrendered to the forces". Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh: In the last few days, as you mentioned in your question, 5 Pakistanis were killed, it shows that Indian Army is always ready to give them a befitting reply. pic.twitter.com/YU74PrMFoD — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2019 × Singh was speaking at the inauguration of the Kalai Bridge in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. 2018 has been one of the bloodiest years along the Line of Control with the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan being broken incessantly. An assistant commandant of the Border Security Force was on Monday killed along the International Border by sniper fire. The BSF troops were carrying out a border domination exercise along the IB when snipers of the Pakistan Rangers opened fire on them at around 1050 hours in the Hiranagar-Samba sector of Kathua district, a senior BSF officer told PTI. The officer told PTI that Assistant Commandant Vinay Prasad was critically injured in the sniper fire. He was rushed to the Military Hospital at Satwari (Jammu), where he died from his injuries.

5 Pakistanis killed in retaliatory fire across LoC in last few days: Indian Army

Security forces in Pakistan have gunned down four militants, including a top Taliban commander who masterminded the last year's powerful bomb blast in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in which at least 31 people including three Sikhs were killed.

Those killed in the exchange of fire include Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Islam and Mohibullah who were involved in various terror activities, officials said.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from their possession.

Intelligence agencies raided a house near Qazi pump area where the militants were believed to be hiding. The owner of the house was also killed in the firing between the militants and security forces.

In November, 31 people including three Sikhs were killed and over 40 others injured in the bomb blast at the Friday Market (Juma Bazar) near an imambargah, a Shia religious place, in Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

Orakzai, a terror hotbed, is one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal regions of Pakistan which has a porus border with Afghanistan.

Security forces in Pakistan have gunned down four militants, including a top Taliban commander who masterminded the last year's powerful bomb blast in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in which at least 31 people including three Sikhs were killed.

Security forces in Pakistan have gunned down four militants, including a top Taliban commander who masterminded the last year's powerful bomb blast in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in which at least 31 people including three Sikhs were killed. Those killed in the exchange of fire include Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Islam and Mohibullah who were involved in various terror activities, officials said. A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from their possession. Intelligence agencies raided a house near Qazi pump area where the militants were believed to be hiding. The owner of the house was also killed in the firing between the militants and security forces. In November, 31 people including three Sikhs were killed and over 40 others injured in the bomb blast at the Friday Market (Juma Bazar) near an imambargah, a Shia religious place, in Orakzai tribal district's Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan had strongly condemned the terrorist attack. Orakzai, a terror hotbed, is one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal regions of Pakistan which has a porus border with Afghanistan.

Top Taliban commander among 4 militants killed in Pakistan

The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the border with Pakistan, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-change-on-the-ground-under-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-army-chief-bipin-rawat-189394">Army chief General Bipin Rawat</a> said on Tuesday.

The country along India's western border is providing support to terror groups and the Indian Army is dealing with them effectively, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cant-allow-gay-sex-to-perpetrate-into-the-army-general-bipin-rawat-189374">General Rawat</a> said in an obvious reference to Pakistan.&nbsp;

"We are ensuring moral dominance along border in Jammu and Kashmir," he said while addressing Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day in Delhi.&nbsp;

The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the western border, Gen Rawat said.

He said new guidelines are being followed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border in the eastern sector.

"We will keep reviewing the situation along the eastern border," he said, referring to the border with China.

"Our soldiers will not allow any compromise in guarding the border in the eastern sector," he said.&nbsp;

The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the border with Pakistan, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Tuesday.

The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the border with Pakistan, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Tuesday. The country along India's western border is providing support to terror groups and the Indian Army is dealing with them effectively, General Rawat said in an obvious reference to Pakistan. "We are ensuring moral dominance along border in Jammu and Kashmir," he said while addressing Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day in Delhi. The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the western border, Gen Rawat said. He said new guidelines are being followed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border in the eastern sector. "We will keep reviewing the situation along the eastern border," he said, referring to the border with China. "Our soldiers will not allow any compromise in guarding the border in the eastern sector," he said.

Army will not hesitate to take strong action against terror activities along Pak border: General Bipin Rawat

Pakistan has arrested a senior member of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-taliban-claim-responsibility-for-deadly-kabul-car-bomb-attack-190365">the Afghan Taliban</a> here in a bid to put pressure on the militant group to come to the negotiating table to hold talks with the US, a media report said Tuesday.

Hafez Mohibullah, who served as Religious Affairs Minister when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan until 2001, was held in Peshawar, the BBC reported quoting sources in the group.

The US has repeatedly called on Pakistan to end "safe havens" for the Taliban on its soil. Pakistan denies backing the group to retain influence in Afghanistan.

The reported detention of Mohibullah came ahead of US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's visit to Pakistan for a fresh round of talks with top officials to push forward a US-backed ongoing peace process in the war-torn country.

Two high-ranking Taliban figures, talking on condition of anonymity, suggested the former minister had been detained to put pressure on the group into meeting Khalilzad in Pakistan this week, and crucially to agree to meet representatives of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the report said.

"They arrested him [Mohibullah] to send a message," the report said, quoting one senior Taliban figure as saying.

"There was a meeting with Pakistani officials on the upcoming peace talks which ended in arguments. Right afterwards, the authorities raided a number of houses and arrested Mohibullah. After that (Taliban leader) Sheikh Hibatullah sent a message warning everyone to be alert," said another source from the militant group's Quetta Shura or leadership council.

The US wants Pakistan to encourage the militants to reach a settlement in Afghanistan and bring the 17-year war to a close.

The Taliban officials have said they will only begin talks with the Afghan government once a firm date for the withdrawal of American troops from the country has been agreed.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

Hafez Mohibullah, who served as Religious Affairs Minister when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan until 2001, was held in Peshawar, the BBC reported.

Pakistan has arrested a senior member of the Afghan Taliban here in a bid to put pressure on the militant group to come to the negotiating table to hold talks with the US, a media report said Tuesday. Hafez Mohibullah, who served as Religious Affairs Minister when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan until 2001, was held in Peshawar, the BBC reported quoting sources in the group. The US has repeatedly called on Pakistan to end "safe havens" for the Taliban on its soil. Pakistan denies backing the group to retain influence in Afghanistan. The reported detention of Mohibullah came ahead of US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's visit to Pakistan for a fresh round of talks with top officials to push forward a US-backed ongoing peace process in the war-torn country. Two high-ranking Taliban figures, talking on condition of anonymity, suggested the former minister had been detained to put pressure on the group into meeting Khalilzad in Pakistan this week, and crucially to agree to meet representatives of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the report said. "They arrested him [Mohibullah] to send a message," the report said, quoting one senior Taliban figure as saying. "There was a meeting with Pakistani officials on the upcoming peace talks which ended in arguments. Right afterwards, the authorities raided a number of houses and arrested Mohibullah. After that (Taliban leader) Sheikh Hibatullah sent a message warning everyone to be alert," said another source from the militant group's Quetta Shura or leadership council. The US wants Pakistan to encourage the militants to reach a settlement in Afghanistan and bring the 17-year war to a close. The Taliban officials have said they will only begin talks with the Afghan government once a firm date for the withdrawal of American troops from the country has been agreed. India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

Pakistan arrests top Taliban member to put pressure on militant outfit to hold talks with US

Pakistan's top court on Monday ordered a fresh medical report into the condition of a mentally ill prisoner on death row, an NGO representing him said, days after his execution was temporarily suspended.

The case of Khizar Hayat, a former police officer sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague and who has spent more than 15 years in custody, has attracted widespread attention from rights groups and the UN.

"The case was adjourned till the Special Medical Board examines Khizar and files their report before the Court," the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), a rights organisation that is representing Hayat, said in a press release.

It added that the court had "strongly reprimanded" jail authorities for failing to follow prison rules.

The court had temporarily suspended Hayat's death sentence on Saturday. On Sunday, UN experts had urged Pakistan against carrying out an "arbitrary execution".&nbsp;

"During his trial, no evidence or witnesses were called in his defence and no questions were asked regarding his mental health, although he was later diagnosed with a mental health condition and has been receiving treatment for the past 10 years," they said.

Government doctors had diagnosed Hayat as suffering from schizophrenia in 2008.

Two years ago, experts from the World Psychiatric Association also appealed to Pakistan to halt his execution, saying he was suffering from schizophrenia and did not understand the crime he had committed.

A petition to move him to a mental health facility was dismissed on 6 December 2018, the UN experts said.

Pakistan's top court on Monday ordered a fresh medical report into the condition of a mentally ill prisoner on death row, an NGO representing him said, days after his execution was temporarily suspended.

Pakistan's top court on Monday ordered a fresh medical report into the condition of a mentally ill prisoner on death row, an NGO representing him said, days after his execution was temporarily suspended. The case of Khizar Hayat, a former police officer sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague and who has spent more than 15 years in custody, has attracted widespread attention from rights groups and the UN. "The case was adjourned till the Special Medical Board examines Khizar and files their report before the Court," the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), a rights organisation that is representing Hayat, said in a press release. It added that the court had "strongly reprimanded" jail authorities for failing to follow prison rules. The court had temporarily suspended Hayat's death sentence on Saturday. On Sunday, UN experts had urged Pakistan against carrying out an "arbitrary execution". "During his trial, no evidence or witnesses were called in his defence and no questions were asked regarding his mental health, although he was later diagnosed with a mental health condition and has been receiving treatment for the past 10 years," they said. Government doctors had diagnosed Hayat as suffering from schizophrenia in 2008. Two years ago, experts from the World Psychiatric Association also appealed to Pakistan to halt his execution, saying he was suffering from schizophrenia and did not understand the crime he had committed. A petition to move him to a mental health facility was dismissed on 6 December 2018, the UN experts said.

Pakistan court orders fresh report on mentally ill prisoner on death row: NGO

UN experts on Sunday urged Pakistan not to carry out the "arbitrary execution" of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-chief-justice-stays-execution-of-mentally-ill-policeman-190014">former police officer who suffers from mental illness</a>.

The execution of Khizar Hayat, sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague, was suspended by Pakistan's Supreme Court on Saturday, his legal team said, just three days before the 55-year-old was due to be hanged.

"The imposition of capital punishment on individuals with psychosocial disabilities is a clear violation of Pakistan's international obligations," said Agnes Callamard, UN expert on extrajudicial executions and Catalina Devandas, the special rapporteur on disabled rights.

Pakistan's Supreme Court will&nbsp;hold on Monday a hearing into whether the execution can go ahead, according to a press release from Justice Project Pakistan, an NGO handling Hayat's case.

The group welcomed the "timely intervention by the highest seat of justice in the land to prevent a wrongful execution," and also gave Khayat's age as 60.

Hayat, who has spent more than 15 years in custody, has been kept in solitary confinement since 2012, the UN experts said, urging the government to halt the execution and questioning the veracity of his conviction.

"During his trial, no evidence or witnesses were called in his defence and no questions were asked regarding his mental health, although he was later diagnosed with a mental health condition and has been receiving treatment for the past 10 years," they said.

"Implementing the death penalty under these conditions is unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution, as well as a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment," the UN panel said.

Two years ago, experts from the World Psychiatric Association also appealed to Pakistan to halt his execution, saying he was suffering from schizophrenia and did not understand the crime he had committed.

Government doctors had diagnosed Hayat as suffering from schizophrenia in 2008. A petition to move him to a mental health facility was dismissed on 6 December 2018, the experts said.&nbsp;

UN experts on Sunday urged Pakistan not to carry out the "arbitrary execution" of a former police officer who suffers from mental illness. The execution of Khizar Hayat, sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague, was suspended by Pakistan's Supreme Court on Saturday, his legal team said, just three days before the 55-year-old was due to be hanged.

UN experts on Sunday urged Pakistan not to carry out the "arbitrary execution" of a former police officer who suffers from mental illness. The execution of Khizar Hayat, sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague, was suspended by Pakistan's Supreme Court on Saturday, his legal team said, just three days before the 55-year-old was due to be hanged. "The imposition of capital punishment on individuals with psychosocial disabilities is a clear violation of Pakistan's international obligations," said Agnes Callamard, UN expert on extrajudicial executions and Catalina Devandas, the special rapporteur on disabled rights. Pakistan's Supreme Court will hold on Monday a hearing into whether the execution can go ahead, according to a press release from Justice Project Pakistan, an NGO handling Hayat's case. The group welcomed the "timely intervention by the highest seat of justice in the land to prevent a wrongful execution," and also gave Khayat's age as 60. Hayat, who has spent more than 15 years in custody, has been kept in solitary confinement since 2012, the UN experts said, urging the government to halt the execution and questioning the veracity of his conviction. "During his trial, no evidence or witnesses were called in his defence and no questions were asked regarding his mental health, although he was later diagnosed with a mental health condition and has been receiving treatment for the past 10 years," they said. "Implementing the death penalty under these conditions is unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution, as well as a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment," the UN panel said. Two years ago, experts from the World Psychiatric Association also appealed to Pakistan to halt his execution, saying he was suffering from schizophrenia and did not understand the crime he had committed. Government doctors had diagnosed Hayat as suffering from schizophrenia in 2008. A petition to move him to a mental health facility was dismissed on 6 December 2018, the experts said.

UN experts urge Pakistan not to execute mentally ill prisoner

Dispatch: Saudi Arabia to fund 10 billion dollar oil refinery in Pakistan

UN President Maria Fernanda Espinosa will travel to Pakistan next week with an aim to strengthen the world body's ties with the country to promote multilateralism.

Espinosa will travel to Pakistan from January 18-22 at the invitation of the Pakistan Government, the United Nations General Assembly spokesperson said in a statement.

This will be her first official visit to the Asia-Pacific region since she took office in September.

Espinosa, Ecuador's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in June elected president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, becoming only the fourth female president of the organisation in its 73-year history.

The General Assembly President is "looking forward to strengthening the ties between Pakistan and the UN, promoting multilateralism and continuing my work with Pakistan on the priorities for the 73rd Session of the GA."

During the visit, Espinosa will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, as well as representatives of the UN and of civil society and women's organisations, her office said.

UN President Maria Fernanda Espinosa will travel to Pakistan next week with an aim to strengthen the world body's ties with the country to promote multilateralism.

UN President Maria Fernanda Espinosa will travel to Pakistan next week with an aim to strengthen the world body's ties with the country to promote multilateralism. Espinosa will travel to Pakistan from January 18-22 at the invitation of the Pakistan Government, the United Nations General Assembly spokesperson said in a statement. This will be her first official visit to the Asia-Pacific region since she took office in September. Espinosa, Ecuador's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in June elected president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, becoming only the fourth female president of the organisation in its 73-year history. The General Assembly President is "looking forward to strengthening the ties between Pakistan and the UN, promoting multilateralism and continuing my work with Pakistan on the priorities for the 73rd Session of the GA." During the visit, Espinosa will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, as well as representatives of the UN and of civil society and women's organisations, her office said.

UN President Maria Espinosa to visit Pakistan next week

Saudi Arabia is planning to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, the Saudi energy minister said on Saturday.

"Saudi Arabia wants to make Pakistan's economic development stable through establishing an oil refinery and partnership with Pakistan in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters in Gwadar.

Responding to Saudi Arabia's aid, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said, "With setting up of an oil refinery in Gwadar, Saudi Arabia will become an important partner in CPEC".

Pakistan which is suffering from a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-trying-to-deflect-attention-from-financial-crisis-by-mainstreaming-terrorists-india-189631">major financial crisis</a> has been making efforts to attract investment and other financial support.

Since the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power in August, Pakistan has secured economic assistance packages from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China.

In November, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-not-approaching-imf-for-new-bailout-programme-considers-alternative-options-finance-minister-189892">Pakistan extended talks with the International Monetary Fund</a> as it seeks its 13th bailout since the late 1980s to deal with a looming balance of payments crisis.

Saudi Arabia had earlier offered a $6 billion package to Pakistan including aid to finance crude imports.

Khalid al-Falih&nbsp;also said that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman would visit Pakistan in February to sign the agreement adding that Saudi Arabia would also invest in other sectors.

Besides Saudi Arabia, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/how-china-is-stepping-up-investments-in-west-asia-189455">China</a>&nbsp;extended $60 billion as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that involves building power stations, major highways, new and upgraded railways and higher capacity ports.

Beijing's support would help Pakistan to emerge as a major overland route linking western China to the world.

Last month, the UAE said it will soon give $3 billion to Islamabad.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Saudi Arabia is planning to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, the Saudi energy minister said on Saturday. "Saudi Arabia wants to make Pakistan's economic development stable through establishing an oil refinery and partnership with Pakistan in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters in Gwadar.

Saudi Arabia is planning to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, the Saudi energy minister said on Saturday. "Saudi Arabia wants to make Pakistan's economic development stable through establishing an oil refinery and partnership with Pakistan in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters in Gwadar. Responding to Saudi Arabia's aid, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said, "With setting up of an oil refinery in Gwadar, Saudi Arabia will become an important partner in CPEC". Pakistan which is suffering from a major financial crisis has been making efforts to attract investment and other financial support. Since the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power in August, Pakistan has secured economic assistance packages from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China. In November, Pakistan extended talks with the International Monetary Fund as it seeks its 13th bailout since the late 1980s to deal with a looming balance of payments crisis. Saudi Arabia had earlier offered a $6 billion package to Pakistan including aid to finance crude imports. Khalid al-Falih also said that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman would visit Pakistan in February to sign the agreement adding that Saudi Arabia would also invest in other sectors. Besides Saudi Arabia, China extended $60 billion as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that involves building power stations, major highways, new and upgraded railways and higher capacity ports. Beijing's support would help Pakistan to emerge as a major overland route linking western China to the world. Last month, the UAE said it will soon give $3 billion to Islamabad. (With inputs from Reuters)

Saudi Arabia to set up $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan

Thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan, who were eagerly awaiting the passage of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bandh-in-northeast-states-against-police-firing-on-people-protesting-against-citizenship-bill-in-tripura-189902">bill by Parliament that would grant them Indian citizenship</a>, are disappointed that it could not fructify in the just-concluded Winter session but have not given up hope.

These people trickled into India over the last two decades, escaping religious persecution back in Pakistan and found a new home in India.

Most of them, hailing from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions of Pakistan, are staying in places like Amritsar and Ludhiana in Punjab.

Living here on the basis of a temporary visa, which is extended from time to time, these migrants are in a condition of statelessness, because of which they are unable to educate their children.

In 2017, 431 Pakistani Hindus were given Long Term Visa in line with the Modi government's policy to help rehabilitate minorities who fled from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Without any provision for getting long-term visas, Hindu and Sikh migrant families from Pakistan are trying relentlessly to get their visas renewed. Another problem for these families is to find suitable guarantors for their visas. The movement of Pakistani passport holders are also restricted.

While talking to ANI, some of the migrants narrated their problems, recounting the stories of harassment and torture experienced back home in Pakistan.

They were keenly tracking <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/citizenship-bill-ex-assam-cm-tarun-gogoi-says-he-will-violate-prohibitory-order-189616">the fate of the Citizenship Amendment Bill</a> in Parliament during the just-concluded Winter Session in the hope that it would be passed into law.

The bill, which is aimed at amending the Act of 1955, was passed by the Lok Sabha but got stuck in the Rajya Sabha where the Opposition parties insisted on sending the legislation to a Select Committee for thorough scrutiny.

"We have been staying in Amritsar for last 22 years. My grandfather, father and aunt died here seeking the nationality. I request the government and the Opposition to grant us citizenship. I want to fulfill my mother`s last wish of dying as an Indian citizen," said Parminder, who refused to reveal his full identity fearing a backlash to his relatives in Pakistan.

"My sister is being threatened with divorce because her husband's family no longer wants to bear the problem of visa renewal. Most of us struggle to get our daughter and sister married because of our Pakistani nationality. I pray to the government to pass the bill as soon as possible. I do not want her marriage to break just of this," said Shyam, another refugee.

"We are thankful to the government which thought about us and initiated the Citizenship bill," said Balwinder (again name changed).

He said the family hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan. "We tried to stay there as long as possible but then the situation became worse. We were threatened by the Taliban to either change our religion or face prosecution. We thought it would be better to die one day rather than dying very moment," Balwinder added.

His wife Harpreet said, "In Pakistan, we had to obey several compulsions. We had no freedom to live our life. Men were allowed to go outside for work and women were mostly confined to homes. In India, we have got freedom. The only problem is the citizenship. Hope the government grants us citizenship so that we can at least get rid of visa requirement."

"I was only three-years-old when my parents along with other family members fled from Pakistan. I went there in 2008 but I find striking similarity between what my parents told and what I saw after visiting Pakistan after so many years. Nothing has changed. Even today, many Hindus and minorities staying in Pakistan face rampant discrimination and threats on religious grounds. All they want is to return to India for a safer life," said Visah Tiwari.

He went to Pakistan in 2008 for renewing his passport as mandated by the Pakistan government.

Rajinder, originally hailing from Peshawar, came to India in 2012 but he sent his family ahead of him in 2005 after the Taliban came to their area and demanded extortion of Rs 6 crore.

"We were asked to pay the amount then and there or face execution. I somehow managed to send my wife and children to India," he said. His extended family is still in Peshawar.

Ram Charan (name changed), another Hindu migrant from Peshawar, said, "I escaped to India in 1994 at the age of 14. In Peshawar, I saw how people were being bombed. When my father used to go out to earn, I would quietly pray inside our home that I should not hear about his demise. I also have a sister, I used to live in fear because young women were being kidnapped on broad daylight and nobody dares to resist."

As per the existing Citizenship Act, 1955 a migrant is declared 'illegal migrant' if they entered India or overstayed without any travel document. The present amended bill says that citizenship will be provided to people who were forced to flee from their country after being subjected to religious persecution or fear of persecution in their homeland, primarily Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

These people trickled into India over the last two decades, escaping religious persecution back in Pakistan and found a new home in India.

Thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan, who were eagerly awaiting the passage of a bill by Parliament that would grant them Indian citizenship, are disappointed that it could not fructify in the just-concluded Winter session but have not given up hope. These people trickled into India over the last two decades, escaping religious persecution back in Pakistan and found a new home in India. Most of them, hailing from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions of Pakistan, are staying in places like Amritsar and Ludhiana in Punjab. Living here on the basis of a temporary visa, which is extended from time to time, these migrants are in a condition of statelessness, because of which they are unable to educate their children. In 2017, 431 Pakistani Hindus were given Long Term Visa in line with the Modi government's policy to help rehabilitate minorities who fled from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Without any provision for getting long-term visas, Hindu and Sikh migrant families from Pakistan are trying relentlessly to get their visas renewed. Another problem for these families is to find suitable guarantors for their visas. The movement of Pakistani passport holders are also restricted. While talking to ANI, some of the migrants narrated their problems, recounting the stories of harassment and torture experienced back home in Pakistan. They were keenly tracking the fate of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament during the just-concluded Winter Session in the hope that it would be passed into law. The bill, which is aimed at amending the Act of 1955, was passed by the Lok Sabha but got stuck in the Rajya Sabha where the Opposition parties insisted on sending the legislation to a Select Committee for thorough scrutiny. "We have been staying in Amritsar for last 22 years. My grandfather, father and aunt died here seeking the nationality. I request the government and the Opposition to grant us citizenship. I want to fulfill my mother`s last wish of dying as an Indian citizen," said Parminder, who refused to reveal his full identity fearing a backlash to his relatives in Pakistan. "My sister is being threatened with divorce because her husband's family no longer wants to bear the problem of visa renewal. Most of us struggle to get our daughter and sister married because of our Pakistani nationality. I pray to the government to pass the bill as soon as possible. I do not want her marriage to break just of this," said Shyam, another refugee. "We are thankful to the government which thought about us and initiated the Citizenship bill," said Balwinder (again name changed). He said the family hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan. "We tried to stay there as long as possible but then the situation became worse. We were threatened by the Taliban to either change our religion or face prosecution. We thought it would be better to die one day rather than dying very moment," Balwinder added. His wife Harpreet said, "In Pakistan, we had to obey several compulsions. We had no freedom to live our life. Men were allowed to go outside for work and women were mostly confined to homes. In India, we have got freedom. The only problem is the citizenship. Hope the government grants us citizenship so that we can at least get rid of visa requirement." "I was only three-years-old when my parents along with other family members fled from Pakistan. I went there in 2008 but I find striking similarity between what my parents told and what I saw after visiting Pakistan after so many years. Nothing has changed. Even today, many Hindus and minorities staying in Pakistan face rampant discrimination and threats on religious grounds. All they want is to return to India for a safer life," said Visah Tiwari. He went to Pakistan in 2008 for renewing his passport as mandated by the Pakistan government. Rajinder, originally hailing from Peshawar, came to India in 2012 but he sent his family ahead of him in 2005 after the Taliban came to their area and demanded extortion of Rs 6 crore. "We were asked to pay the amount then and there or face execution. I somehow managed to send my wife and children to India," he said. His extended family is still in Peshawar. Ram Charan (name changed), another Hindu migrant from Peshawar, said, "I escaped to India in 1994 at the age of 14. In Peshawar, I saw how people were being bombed. When my father used to go out to earn, I would quietly pray inside our home that I should not hear about his demise. I also have a sister, I used to live in fear because young women were being kidnapped on broad daylight and nobody dares to resist." As per the existing Citizenship Act, 1955 a migrant is declared 'illegal migrant' if they entered India or overstayed without any travel document. The present amended bill says that citizenship will be provided to people who were forced to flee from their country after being subjected to religious persecution or fear of persecution in their homeland, primarily Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Hindu, Sikh refugees from Pakistan hopeful for passage of Citizenship Bill

PM Modi hails Kartarpur corridor

Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal: How people welcome harvest season across India

Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the federal and provincial governments to compensate within a month all those who suffered losses during the violent protests by radical Islamist parties following the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi in a blasphemy case.

The apex court in October overturned the conviction of the 47-year-old mother of four, who was on death row for eight years for blasphemy, in a landmark verdict that sparked nationwide protests, death threats from hardline groups and cheers from human rights advocates.

A two-judge bench headed by Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar issued the order on Saturday while hearing a suo motu case at the apex court's Lahore Registry regarding losses and damages to property during the three-day long nationwide sit-ins staged by religious parties led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

As the proceedings started, a government official submitted a report pertaining to assessment of losses incurred during protests, the paper said.

The top judge asked the Punjab advocate general to tell the court how compensatory payments would be made to the victims.

The advocate general said the federal cabinet has approved a compensation package amounting to Rs 26.2 crore.&nbsp;

Justice Ijazul Ahsan, the other member of the bench, asked if a compensation plan had already been prepared or it was just on paper.

Justice Nisar noted that the government has no plan to compensate the losses.

"Two and half months have passed but the government has not submitted any plan for compensation. It is the court that takes pain. If the court didn't order then this plan would not come either," he added.

A section officer of the Interior Ministry told the court that the government would make compensation payments this month.

Later, the court directed the federal and provincial governments to compensate the victims within a month and submit a compliance report in court, the paper said.

Violent protests erupted in several cities across Pakistan after Asia Bibi's acquittal. She had earlier been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges by the Lahore High Court.

Enraged mobs had blocked several routes across the country for three days, while at some places they had also set fire to vehicles. The demonstrations resulted in countrywide closure of schools, colleges and universities, as well as cancellation of examinations.

After three days, the government and the protesters led by the TLP had reached an agreement. The government, however, later launched a crackdown against the party on November 24 and arrested its top leaders as well as thousands of supporters.

Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the federal and provincial governments to compensate within a month all those who suffered losses during the violent protests by radical Islamist parties following the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi in a blasphemy case.

Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the federal and provincial governments to compensate within a month all those who suffered losses during the violent protests by radical Islamist parties following the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi in a blasphemy case. The apex court in October overturned the conviction of the 47-year-old mother of four, who was on death row for eight years for blasphemy, in a landmark verdict that sparked nationwide protests, death threats from hardline groups and cheers from human rights advocates. A two-judge bench headed by Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar issued the order on Saturday while hearing a suo motu case at the apex court's Lahore Registry regarding losses and damages to property during the three-day long nationwide sit-ins staged by religious parties led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the Express Tribune newspaper reported. As the proceedings started, a government official submitted a report pertaining to assessment of losses incurred during protests, the paper said. The top judge asked the Punjab advocate general to tell the court how compensatory payments would be made to the victims. The advocate general said the federal cabinet has approved a compensation package amounting to Rs 26.2 crore. Justice Ijazul Ahsan, the other member of the bench, asked if a compensation plan had already been prepared or it was just on paper. Justice Nisar noted that the government has no plan to compensate the losses. "Two and half months have passed but the government has not submitted any plan for compensation. It is the court that takes pain. If the court didn't order then this plan would not come either," he added. A section officer of the Interior Ministry told the court that the government would make compensation payments this month. Later, the court directed the federal and provincial governments to compensate the victims within a month and submit a compliance report in court, the paper said. Violent protests erupted in several cities across Pakistan after Asia Bibi's acquittal. She had earlier been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges by the Lahore High Court. Enraged mobs had blocked several routes across the country for three days, while at some places they had also set fire to vehicles. The demonstrations resulted in countrywide closure of schools, colleges and universities, as well as cancellation of examinations. After three days, the government and the protesters led by the TLP had reached an agreement. The government, however, later launched a crackdown against the party on November 24 and arrested its top leaders as well as thousands of supporters.

Pakistan Supreme Court gives govt one month's time to compensate riot victims

Pakistan is traversing minefields as it concludes agreements on investment, the balance of payments support and delayed payment oil deliveries with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth $13 billion that is likely to fawn growing distrust in its relations with neighbouring Iran.

Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan expects to next month sign a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia on a framework for $ 10 billion in Saudi investments, primarily in oil refining, petrochemicals, renewable energy and mining. The signing would take place during a planned visit to Pakistan by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The memorandum follows the kingdom’s rewarding of Khan for his attendance of a foreign investors summit in Riyadh in October that was shunned by numerous CEOs of Western financial institutions, tech entrepreneurs and media moguls as well as senior Western government officials because of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Khan walked away from the summit with a $3 billion deposit in Pakistan’s central bank as the balance of payments support and a promise to defer up to $3 billion in payments for oil imports for a year.

The United Arab Emirates is expected to conclude similar agreements with Pakistan in the coming weeks.

Perhaps the most sensitive investment is likely to be a plan by Saudi national oil company Aramco to build a refinery in the Chinese-backed Baloch port of Gwadar close to both Pakistan’s border with Iran and the Indian-backed Iranian 486-hectare port of Chabahar. Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are monitoring progress in Chabahar with Argus' eyes.

A potential Saudi investment in troubled Balochistan’s Reko Diq copper and gold mine would further enhance the kingdom’s foothold in the strategic province.

As always, the devil could be in the details of the Pakistani-Saudi investment agreement. Haroon Sharif, the chairman of Pakistan’s Board of Investment, cautioned that foreign investment would require a “better law and order situation and ease-of-doing-business opportunities.”

Pakistan’s security situation has somewhat improved in the last year, but the country continues to risk blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international anti-money laundering and terrorism finance watchdog because of the Pakistani military’s selective support of militants and close ties between militants and political parties, including Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Adding an additional layer of complexity is the fact that funds from the kingdom have been flowing into the coffers of ultra-conservative anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian Sunni Muslim madrassahs or religious seminars in Balochistan. It was unclear whether the funds originated with the Saudi government or Saudi nationals of Baloch descent and members of the two million-strong Pakistani Diaspora in the kingdom.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia sees the Pakistani region as a launching pad of a potential effort by the kingdom and/or the United States to destabilize the Islamic republic by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities, including the Baluch. While Saudi Arabia has put the building blocks in place for possible covert action, it has to date given no indication that it intends to act on proposals to support irredentist action.

The flow of funds coincided with the publication in November 2017 of a study by the International Institute for Iranian Studies, formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies, a Saudi government-backed think tank, that argued that Chabahar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate counter measures.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were the target of a rare suicide bombing in December in the port city that killed two people and wounded 40 others.

Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Revolutionary Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif suggested without providing evidence that Saudi Arabia was complicit in the attack.

The attack “underscores the anti-regime sentiment boiling under the surface in provinces such as Sistan and Baluchestan and Khuzestan, as well as security vulnerabilities in Chabahar and beyond,” said Brian M. Perkins, a risk management consultant and former US Navy signals intelligence analyst.

Khuzestan is Iran’s impoverished, oil-rich province that is home to the country’s ethnic Arab community while Chabahar is located in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that boasts the country’s highest unemployment rate.

Saudi thinking about stoking unrest strokes with that of President Donald J. Trump’s national security advisor John Bolton, who before assuming office, publicly advocated destabilization of Iran.

Bolton, in a policy speech in Cairo, asserted this week that the United States had “joined the Iranian people in calling for freedom and accountability… America’s economic sanctions against the (Iranian) regime are the strongest in history, and will keep getting tougher until Iran starts behaving like a normal country.”

Bolton was referring to harsh US sanctions imposed after Trump last year withdrew the United States from a 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program.

Desperately in need of financial support and investment, Pakistan’s agreements with Saudi Arabia and the UAE come at a moment that “Pakistan-Iran relations are at a crossroads, according to Muhammad Akbar Notezai, Dawn newspaper’s plugged in Balochistan correspondent.

A far cry from four years ago when the Pakistani parliament refused a Saudi request that Pakistani troops join the kingdom’s ill-fated military intervention in Yemen, Iran now sees Pakistan as a Saudi ally in the kingdom’s rivalry with Iran.

Similarly, Pakistan fears that Chabahar will allow India to bypass Pakistan in forging closer economic and political ties with Iran as well as Afghanistan and Central Asian nations. Pakistani analysts expect an estimated US$ 5 billion in Afghan trade to flow through Chabahar after India last month started handling the port’s operations.

Pakistan is further concerned that Iran, in response to the Saudi funding that it sees as part of an anti-Iranian US-Saudi plot, could step up support for Baloch nationalists in a bid to raise the stakes for the South Asian nation.

Pakistan is also worried that deteriorating Pakistani-Iranian relations offers India an opportunity to subvert the $45 billion plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a crown jewel of the People’s Republic’s Belt and Road initiative.

In November, the nationalist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial and industrial heartland.

Writing in the Pakistan Security Report 2018, published by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), Notezai noted that “to many in Pakistan, such concerns were materialized with the arrest of Kulbushan Jadhav, an Indian spy in Balochistan who had come through Iran. Ever since, Pakistani intelligence agencies have been on extra-alert on its border with Iran.”

The journalist warned that “the more Pakistan slips into the Saudi orbit, the more its relations with Iran will worsen… If their borders remain troubled, anyone can fish in the troubled water. This is what is (already) happening in the border region.”

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Pakistan is traversing minefields as it concludes agreements on investment, the balance of payments support and delayed payment oil deliveries with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth $13 billion that is likely to fawn growing distrust in its relations with neighbouring Iran.

Pakistan is traversing minefields as it concludes agreements on investment, the balance of payments support and delayed payment oil deliveries with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth $13 billion that is likely to fawn growing distrust in its relations with neighbouring Iran. Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan expects to next month sign a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia on a framework for $ 10 billion in Saudi investments, primarily in oil refining, petrochemicals, renewable energy and mining. The signing would take place during a planned visit to Pakistan by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. The memorandum follows the kingdom’s rewarding of Khan for his attendance of a foreign investors summit in Riyadh in October that was shunned by numerous CEOs of Western financial institutions, tech entrepreneurs and media moguls as well as senior Western government officials because of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khan walked away from the summit with a $3 billion deposit in Pakistan’s central bank as the balance of payments support and a promise to defer up to $3 billion in payments for oil imports for a year. The United Arab Emirates is expected to conclude similar agreements with Pakistan in the coming weeks. Perhaps the most sensitive investment is likely to be a plan by Saudi national oil company Aramco to build a refinery in the Chinese-backed Baloch port of Gwadar close to both Pakistan’s border with Iran and the Indian-backed Iranian 486-hectare port of Chabahar. Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are monitoring progress in Chabahar with Argus' eyes. A potential Saudi investment in troubled Balochistan’s Reko Diq copper and gold mine would further enhance the kingdom’s foothold in the strategic province. As always, the devil could be in the details of the Pakistani-Saudi investment agreement. Haroon Sharif, the chairman of Pakistan’s Board of Investment, cautioned that foreign investment would require a “better law and order situation and ease-of-doing-business opportunities.” Pakistan’s security situation has somewhat improved in the last year, but the country continues to risk blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international anti-money laundering and terrorism finance watchdog because of the Pakistani military’s selective support of militants and close ties between militants and political parties, including Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Adding an additional layer of complexity is the fact that funds from the kingdom have been flowing into the coffers of ultra-conservative anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian Sunni Muslim madrassahs or religious seminars in Balochistan. It was unclear whether the funds originated with the Saudi government or Saudi nationals of Baloch descent and members of the two million-strong Pakistani Diaspora in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia sees the Pakistani region as a launching pad of a potential effort by the kingdom and/or the United States to destabilize the Islamic republic by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities, including the Baluch. While Saudi Arabia has put the building blocks in place for possible covert action, it has to date given no indication that it intends to act on proposals to support irredentist action. The flow of funds coincided with the publication in November 2017 of a study by the International Institute for Iranian Studies, formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies, a Saudi government-backed think tank, that argued that Chabahar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate counter measures.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were the target of a rare suicide bombing in December in the port city that killed two people and wounded 40 others. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Revolutionary Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif suggested without providing evidence that Saudi Arabia was complicit in the attack. The attack “underscores the anti-regime sentiment boiling under the surface in provinces such as Sistan and Baluchestan and Khuzestan, as well as security vulnerabilities in Chabahar and beyond,” said Brian M. Perkins, a risk management consultant and former US Navy signals intelligence analyst. Khuzestan is Iran’s impoverished, oil-rich province that is home to the country’s ethnic Arab community while Chabahar is located in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that boasts the country’s highest unemployment rate. Saudi thinking about stoking unrest strokes with that of President Donald J. Trump’s national security advisor John Bolton, who before assuming office, publicly advocated destabilization of Iran. Bolton, in a policy speech in Cairo, asserted this week that the United States had “joined the Iranian people in calling for freedom and accountability… America’s economic sanctions against the (Iranian) regime are the strongest in history, and will keep getting tougher until Iran starts behaving like a normal country.” Bolton was referring to harsh US sanctions imposed after Trump last year withdrew the United States from a 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program. Desperately in need of financial support and investment, Pakistan’s agreements with Saudi Arabia and the UAE come at a moment that “Pakistan-Iran relations are at a crossroads, according to Muhammad Akbar Notezai, Dawn newspaper’s plugged in Balochistan correspondent. A far cry from four years ago when the Pakistani parliament refused a Saudi request that Pakistani troops join the kingdom’s ill-fated military intervention in Yemen, Iran now sees Pakistan as a Saudi ally in the kingdom’s rivalry with Iran. Similarly, Pakistan fears that Chabahar will allow India to bypass Pakistan in forging closer economic and political ties with Iran as well as Afghanistan and Central Asian nations. Pakistani analysts expect an estimated US$ 5 billion in Afghan trade to flow through Chabahar after India last month started handling the port’s operations. Pakistan is further concerned that Iran, in response to the Saudi funding that it sees as part of an anti-Iranian US-Saudi plot, could step up support for Baloch nationalists in a bid to raise the stakes for the South Asian nation. Pakistan is also worried that deteriorating Pakistani-Iranian relations offers India an opportunity to subvert the $45 billion plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a crown jewel of the People’s Republic’s Belt and Road initiative. In November, the nationalist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial and industrial heartland. Writing in the Pakistan Security Report 2018, published by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), Notezai noted that “to many in Pakistan, such concerns were materialized with the arrest of Kulbushan Jadhav, an Indian spy in Balochistan who had come through Iran. Ever since, Pakistani intelligence agencies have been on extra-alert on its border with Iran.” The journalist warned that “the more Pakistan slips into the Saudi orbit, the more its relations with Iran will worsen… If their borders remain troubled, anyone can fish in the troubled water. This is what is (already) happening in the border region.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Saudi aid puts Pakistan-Iran relations on the spot

An influential US lawmaker has introduced legislation in Congress to terminate the designation of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/time-to-rescind-pakistans-major-non-nato-ally-status-us-expert-24928?amp">Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally</a>.

Introduced by Republican Congressman Andy Briggs, the resolution 73, introduced in the House of Representatives, seeks termination of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally and also sets conditions for its re-designation if any.

The resolution has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action.

It states, for future redesignation, the US President need to certify to the Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in that country.

It also seeks certification from the Congress that Pakistan has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any Pakistani territory as a safe haven and that the Government of Pakistan actively coordinates with the Government of Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, such as the Haqqani Network, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The resolution asks the President to certify that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives.&nbsp;

Introduced by Republican Congressman Andy Briggs, the resolution 73, seeks termination of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally and also sets conditions for its re-designation if any.

An influential US lawmaker has introduced legislation in Congress to terminate the designation of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally. Introduced by Republican Congressman Andy Briggs, the resolution 73, introduced in the House of Representatives, seeks termination of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally and also sets conditions for its re-designation if any. The resolution has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action. It states, for future redesignation, the US President need to certify to the Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in that country. It also seeks certification from the Congress that Pakistan has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any Pakistani territory as a safe haven and that the Government of Pakistan actively coordinates with the Government of Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, such as the Haqqani Network, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The resolution asks the President to certify that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives.

US lawmaker introduces legislation in Congress to terminate Pak as major non-NATO ally

Pakistan's jailed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nawaz-sharif-denied-assistant-told-to-maintain-jail-room-himself-188102">former premier Nawaz Sharif's health condition</a> has deteriorated, his daughter claimed on Friday and alleged that authorities are not letting his cardiologists examine him in the jail here.

Maryam Nawaz on Friday said that Sharif, who has been serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ousted-pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-challenges-his-conviction-in-graft-case-187760">the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case</a>, is suffering from a pain in his arm, "which is most likely to be angina".&nbsp;

A jail spokesman, however, said jail doctors examined Sharif thoroughly and his health is fine. "Nawaz Sharif is in good health," he said.

Taking to Twitter, Maryam complained that Sharif's cardiologists "have been trying to get access to him all day but (the) permission (has) not (been) granted".

"He needs to be examined by the doctors who are privy to his complicated medical history," Maryam said.&nbsp;

Sharif, 69, had undergone an open-heart surgery about three years ago in London.&nbsp;

Maryam, who had visited her father in the jail on Thursday, said his father had a "complicate medical history" and he needed special health care.

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif warned that if anything happened to his elder brother, Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Punjab government will be responsible.&nbsp;

He demanded the jail authorities to immediately allow Sharif's cardiologist to examine him and provide him with the best health facilities.&nbsp;

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on December 24 sentenced the ousted premier to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, concluding a series of three court cases against the Sharif family in the high-profile Panama Papers case.

The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case was about setting up steel mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money.&nbsp;

A jail spokesman, however, said jail doctors examined Sharif thoroughly and his health is fine. 'Nawaz Sharif is in good health,' he said.

Pakistan's jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif's health condition has deteriorated, his daughter claimed on Friday and alleged that authorities are not letting his cardiologists examine him in the jail here. Maryam Nawaz on Friday said that Sharif, who has been serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, is suffering from a pain in his arm, "which is most likely to be angina". A jail spokesman, however, said jail doctors examined Sharif thoroughly and his health is fine. "Nawaz Sharif is in good health," he said. Taking to Twitter, Maryam complained that Sharif's cardiologists "have been trying to get access to him all day but (the) permission (has) not (been) granted". "He needs to be examined by the doctors who are privy to his complicated medical history," Maryam said. Sharif, 69, had undergone an open-heart surgery about three years ago in London. Maryam, who had visited her father in the jail on Thursday, said his father had a "complicate medical history" and he needed special health care. PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif warned that if anything happened to his elder brother, Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Punjab government will be responsible. He demanded the jail authorities to immediately allow Sharif's cardiologist to examine him and provide him with the best health facilities. An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on December 24 sentenced the ousted premier to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, concluding a series of three court cases against the Sharif family in the high-profile Panama Papers case. The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case was about setting up steel mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money.

Former Pak PM Sharif's health deteriorates; daughter claims jail authorities not letting cardiologists examine him

In a first, a Sikh has been appointed as the public relations officer (PRO) to the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, it was announced on Friday.

The announcement of the appointment of Pawan Singh Arora was made by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.

"For the first in history of Governor House, Lahore, first Sikh Public Relations Officer, Pawan Singh Arora, has assumed charge as PRO to Governor, Punjab," Sarwar tweeted.

He also said that Arora was previously working as District Information Officer of Nankana Sahab district.

Sikhs are a small minority in Pakistan and most of them live in Punjab province.&nbsp;

Sikhs are a small minority in Pakistan and most of them live in Punjab province.

In a first, a Sikh has been appointed as the public relations officer (PRO) to the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, it was announced on Friday. The announcement of the appointment of Pawan Singh Arora was made by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar. "For the first in history of Governor House, Lahore, first Sikh Public Relations Officer, Pawan Singh Arora, has assumed charge as PRO to Governor, Punjab," Sarwar tweeted. He also said that Arora was previously working as District Information Officer of Nankana Sahab district. Sikhs are a small minority in Pakistan and most of them live in Punjab province.

Sikh appointed as public relations officer to Pakistan Punjab governor

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, most of the world imagined that the end of an era of confrontation was upon us. That sentiment probably was also present when the Second World War ended in 1945. &nbsp;

However, each time, humanity was disappointed because these events led it from one era of turbulence to another. That is why nations pursue trends and ways they can maximise what is potentially available to their populations, in keeping with their value systems.&nbsp;

Obliquely, that is what national security is all about; the phenomenon by which nations retain their identity, values and the ability of their people to pursue a higher quality of life achieved through stability, security and prosperity.

Each year, we in India undertake this exercise to determine what would be the core concerns of national security. The current one is an effort to identify five such core areas and there is nothing sacrosanct about them.

First on the list is economics. Right from 1991, India has steadfastly pursued an economic policy for better growth, upliftment of a large segment of people from poverty, and improvement in the quality of life. It ensures better infrastructure, education and more equilibrium in society among many other pluses, which are indirect contributions to internal security.&nbsp;

The second domain of focus remains external security to include border security and the pursuance of such policies that it contributes to the stability of the borders and the neighbourhood.&nbsp;

The armed forces, in particular, also have to project deterrence and dissuasion. The foremost issue in this domain is the determination of threats, force structure to meet them and the optimum equipping and manning of the forces to ward off threats.&nbsp;

An allotment of 1.47 per cent of the GDP to defence in the current financial year, does not appear to be sync with the optimum needs of the armed forces and needs revision.&nbsp;

In addition, while there is a flurry of activity in the equipment domain with approvals by the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC), their fructification appears tardy primarily due to antiquated procedures, which despite serious attempts by the government does not appear resolved.&nbsp;

The Make in India programme is conceptually the finest idea, but to make it happen is not easy in the absence of yielding of space to the private sector. With so much investment in DRDO, it’s a severe challenge to let go the strings from the public sector to enable an optimum entry by private players.&nbsp;

In external security, an area of concern remains insufficient resources available to the Indian Navy to meet its responsibilities for maritime security. With India’s expanded role in the Indo-Pacific, much more is required here. The Indian Air Force too is sub-optimally equipped and structured today, needing to expand and modernise.&nbsp;

The Indian Army is in a tenuous position, where its technological needs and manpower levels do not appear to be in conceptual sync. However, premature efforts at resource-based and budget-based restructuring are not going to pay a dividend. The domain of internal security comes next. As a large nation with a young population, India has the inherent disadvantage of being ethnically, regionally, socially and religiously diverse with far too many interest groups that compete for limited resources. &nbsp;

The resultant effect is turbulence in society, which has to be overcome through an efficient internal security system. Unfortunately, even with a large footprint of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the optimisation of internal security is insufficient, necessitating the deployment of the army to meet the demands of stabilisation of the environment. Unfortunately, with hybrid conflict now more the norm than the exception, the early involvement of the Army and the persistent need for it to remain deployed in internal security prevents the emergence of its true potential for conventional defence, deterrence and dissuasion. J&amp;K and the North Eastern states are classic examples.&nbsp;

However, it is also a truism that the presence of the Army in internal security of border states indirectly contributes to border security. In 2019, India’s concerns, besides J&amp;K and the North East, will need to also remain focused on Punjab where an attempt is being made by Pakistan to revive by proxy, elements of separatism.

The fourth domain is the field of active diplomacy. India has an outstanding diplomatic corps, which has dutifully delivered. Yet, the challenges in diplomacy are growing as India’s reach and influence expands and the size of the diplomatic corps needs to grow with that.&nbsp;

An element of prudence appears to dictate India’s foreign policy in that its ardent efforts towards engagement across the international strategic divide, have been of a multilateral nature. While collusive threats from China and Pakistan persist, the decision to engage with China through various forums and the maintenance of robust trade with it (although skewed in its favour) has contributed towards lowering the temperature on the border.&nbsp;

Lastly, unconventional threats appear to be growing. Cybersecurity, information and psychological domain, space and ideological threats are included in this ambit. These are threats, which need to be studied closely and suitable security structures against them created.&nbsp;

The threat from radical ideology has been real and it is only through better cultural awareness across society that such threats will be neutralised. Divisive trends within the nation promoted by interest groups can grow to become existential threats.&nbsp;

The ever-growing social media space, a domain for disinformation and fake news, needs to be optimally monitored with minimal invasiveness on norms of privacy. This last domain, which includes modern technological threats is likely to emerge to higher levels of prominence unless countermeasures are developed in the near term.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-five-security-threats-in-2019-2706078">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, most of the world imagined that the end of an era of confrontation was upon us. That sentiment probably was also present when the Second World War ended in 1945.

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, most of the world imagined that the end of an era of confrontation was upon us. That sentiment probably was also present when the Second World War ended in 1945. However, each time, humanity was disappointed because these events led it from one era of turbulence to another. That is why nations pursue trends and ways they can maximise what is potentially available to their populations, in keeping with their value systems. Obliquely, that is what national security is all about; the phenomenon by which nations retain their identity, values and the ability of their people to pursue a higher quality of life achieved through stability, security and prosperity. Each year, we in India undertake this exercise to determine what would be the core concerns of national security. The current one is an effort to identify five such core areas and there is nothing sacrosanct about them. First on the list is economics. Right from 1991, India has steadfastly pursued an economic policy for better growth, upliftment of a large segment of people from poverty, and improvement in the quality of life. It ensures better infrastructure, education and more equilibrium in society among many other pluses, which are indirect contributions to internal security. The second domain of focus remains external security to include border security and the pursuance of such policies that it contributes to the stability of the borders and the neighbourhood. The armed forces, in particular, also have to project deterrence and dissuasion. The foremost issue in this domain is the determination of threats, force structure to meet them and the optimum equipping and manning of the forces to ward off threats. An allotment of 1.47 per cent of the GDP to defence in the current financial year, does not appear to be sync with the optimum needs of the armed forces and needs revision. In addition, while there is a flurry of activity in the equipment domain with approvals by the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC), their fructification appears tardy primarily due to antiquated procedures, which despite serious attempts by the government does not appear resolved. The Make in India programme is conceptually the finest idea, but to make it happen is not easy in the absence of yielding of space to the private sector. With so much investment in DRDO, it’s a severe challenge to let go the strings from the public sector to enable an optimum entry by private players. In external security, an area of concern remains insufficient resources available to the Indian Navy to meet its responsibilities for maritime security. With India’s expanded role in the Indo-Pacific, much more is required here. The Indian Air Force too is sub-optimally equipped and structured today, needing to expand and modernise. The Indian Army is in a tenuous position, where its technological needs and manpower levels do not appear to be in conceptual sync. However, premature efforts at resource-based and budget-based restructuring are not going to pay a dividend. The domain of internal security comes next. As a large nation with a young population, India has the inherent disadvantage of being ethnically, regionally, socially and religiously diverse with far too many interest groups that compete for limited resources. The resultant effect is turbulence in society, which has to be overcome through an efficient internal security system. Unfortunately, even with a large footprint of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the optimisation of internal security is insufficient, necessitating the deployment of the army to meet the demands of stabilisation of the environment. Unfortunately, with hybrid conflict now more the norm than the exception, the early involvement of the Army and the persistent need for it to remain deployed in internal security prevents the emergence of its true potential for conventional defence, deterrence and dissuasion. J&K and the North Eastern states are classic examples. However, it is also a truism that the presence of the Army in internal security of border states indirectly contributes to border security. In 2019, India’s concerns, besides J&K and the North East, will need to also remain focused on Punjab where an attempt is being made by Pakistan to revive by proxy, elements of separatism. The fourth domain is the field of active diplomacy. India has an outstanding diplomatic corps, which has dutifully delivered. Yet, the challenges in diplomacy are growing as India’s reach and influence expands and the size of the diplomatic corps needs to grow with that. An element of prudence appears to dictate India’s foreign policy in that its ardent efforts towards engagement across the international strategic divide, have been of a multilateral nature. While collusive threats from China and Pakistan persist, the decision to engage with China through various forums and the maintenance of robust trade with it (although skewed in its favour) has contributed towards lowering the temperature on the border. Lastly, unconventional threats appear to be growing. Cybersecurity, information and psychological domain, space and ideological threats are included in this ambit. These are threats, which need to be studied closely and suitable security structures against them created. The threat from radical ideology has been real and it is only through better cultural awareness across society that such threats will be neutralised. Divisive trends within the nation promoted by interest groups can grow to become existential threats. The ever-growing social media space, a domain for disinformation and fake news, needs to be optimally monitored with minimal invasiveness on norms of privacy. This last domain, which includes modern technological threats is likely to emerge to higher levels of prominence unless countermeasures are developed in the near term. (This article was originally published on The 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)

Five security threats in 2019

Australian authorities are investigating several suspicious packages sent to some foreign embassies in Melbourne, including the US, British, Swiss and German diplomatic missions, domestic media reported on Wednesday.

Images taken by 9News showed firefighters and paramedics attending the Indian and US missions in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. There were no immediate reports of any harm to staff.

Police in the southern state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, did not comment immediately when contacted.

A spokeswoman for the British High Commission confirmed its office in Melbourne had received a suspicious package.

"We are liaising closely with the AFP (Australian Federal Police) and the local authorities regarding the situation," she said.

"All our staff are safe and accounted for," she said.

'The Foreign Minister assured that Pakistan would do all to help the people of Afghanistan to see the earliest possible end to bloodshed...,' the Foreign Office stated.

Australian authorities are investigating several suspicious packages sent to some foreign embassies in Melbourne, including the US, British, Swiss and German diplomatic missions, domestic media reported on Wednesday. Images taken by 9News showed firefighters and paramedics attending the Indian and US missions in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. There were no immediate reports of any harm to staff. Police in the southern state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, did not comment immediately when contacted. A spokeswoman for the British High Commission confirmed its office in Melbourne had received a suspicious package. "We are liaising closely with the AFP (Australian Federal Police) and the local authorities regarding the situation," she said. "All our staff are safe and accounted for," she said.

Peace in Afghanistan in Pakistan's own national interest: Foreign minister Qureshi

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