Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul&rsquo;s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders who operate from Pakistani territory.

&quot;We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

&quot;In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners,&quot; Sanders said.

&quot;We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world,&quot; she said.

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities.

Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an &ldquo;open challenge&rdquo; to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had &ldquo;cleaned out&rdquo; all terrorists, their &ldquo;hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories&rdquo; from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and &ldquo;when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where&rdquo;.

The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan.

&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities

Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders who operate from Pakistani territory. "We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference. "In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners," Sanders said. "We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world," she said. Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an “open challenge” to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had “cleaned out” all terrorists, their “hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories” from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and “when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where”. The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan. (With PTI inputs)

US tells Pakistan to 'immediately arrest or expel Taliban from its soil,' Pakistan asks for proof

A Pakistani cleric was arrested today for allegedly beating an eight-year-old student to death at a religious seminary here, police said.

Muhammad Hussain, who was caught by the cleric while trying to run away, had been given corporal punishments in the past as well after he managed to flee the seminary in Bin Qasim Town, a senior police officer said.

&quot;His parents brought him back to the seminary and Qari Najmuddin took out his anger on the boy,&quot; the officer said.

&quot;He was beaten with a blunt object and stick and there were visible marks of torture on his body,&quot; he said.

The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body.

The police said that they would register a case against Najmuddin.

Religious seminaries have mushroomed all over Pakistan and many parents, who are poor and can&#39;t afford to educate their children in schools, opt to send them to these seminaries run by Islamic groups.

In the recent past, some seminaries have been closed due to their suspected involvement in brainwashing young children and pushing them towards extremism and terrorism.

In one incident, a TV channel had exposed a seminary in Sohrab Goth in which some of the students were found chained in a room as punishments.&nbsp;

The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body.

A Pakistani cleric was arrested today for allegedly beating an eight-year-old student to death at a religious seminary here, police said. Muhammad Hussain, who was caught by the cleric while trying to run away, had been given corporal punishments in the past as well after he managed to flee the seminary in Bin Qasim Town, a senior police officer said. "His parents brought him back to the seminary and Qari Najmuddin took out his anger on the boy," the officer said. "He was beaten with a blunt object and stick and there were visible marks of torture on his body," he said. The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body. The police said that they would register a case against Najmuddin. Religious seminaries have mushroomed all over Pakistan and many parents, who are poor and can't afford to educate their children in schools, opt to send them to these seminaries run by Islamic groups. In the recent past, some seminaries have been closed due to their suspected involvement in brainwashing young children and pushing them towards extremism and terrorism. In one incident, a TV channel had exposed a seminary in Sohrab Goth in which some of the students were found chained in a room as punishments.

Pakistan: Cleric batters child to death for fleeing seminary

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kabul-explosion-death-toll-increases-to-103-30982">killed 103 people</a> and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan.

The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">Kabul</a>, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.&nbsp;

Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security, as the Taliban and the Islamic State group step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.

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I am crossing this way everyday, I am afraid that tomorrow I will not see the guy who was polishing shoes, the one selling pens, the other one selling juice and many other poor civilians who were working on the street to feed their kids. Tragedy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/ucyLPxiOYm">pic.twitter.com/ucyLPxiOYm</a>
&mdash; Abdullah Yadgare (@Abdullahyadgare) <a href="https://twitter.com/Abdullahyadgare/status/957196931637358592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tired of mourning the loss of innocent lives and feeling utterly helpless. Will there ever be an end to all this? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Mursal Juya (@juyamursal) <a href="https://twitter.com/juyamursal/status/957185780606296064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It is a massacre! 
Terrorists targeted populated civilian road next to a hospital where 100s were receiving treatment. 
Almost all of the 180+ casualties are civilians and those getting medical care in the Jamhouriyat Hospital. This is inhuman and barbaric! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Javidfaisal/status/957196169071022080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This time the terrorists used an ambulance as a weapon. The creativity of their depravity is sickening. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelKugelman/status/957235710783782912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At a basic level, people expect govt to provide them w/ security. If a govt can&#39;t guarantee that, then there&#39;s no need for such a govt. Hotel attack killed dozens last week &amp; an ambulance filled w. explosives kill more than 40 today. That&#39;s a lot of blood. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Abid Amiri (@abidamiri) <a href="https://twitter.com/abidamiri/status/957205620255592448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-attack-donald-trump-seeks-decisive-action-against-taliban-30943">decisive action</a> against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922"> Ministry of External Affairs</a> has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb&nbsp;explosion in Kabul.&nbsp;The official release noted that the &quot;barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment.&quot;

<a href="http://wioncms.cloudapp.net/dashboard/webdesk/addeditstory.aspx">Pakistan</a>, on Saturday, strongly condemned the&nbsp;terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 95 people and left 191 wounded

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded. It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on Kabul, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security, as the Taliban and the Islamic State group step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. I am crossing this way everyday, I am afraid that tomorrow I will not see the guy who was polishing shoes, the one selling pens, the other one selling juice and many other poor civilians who were working on the street to feed their kids. Tragedy! #KabulAttack pic.twitter.com/ucyLPxiOYm — Abdullah Yadgare (@Abdullahyadgare) January 27, 2018 × Tired of mourning the loss of innocent lives and feeling utterly helpless. Will there ever be an end to all this? #KabulAttack — Mursal Juya (@juyamursal) January 27, 2018 × It is a massacre! Terrorists targeted populated civilian road next to a hospital where 100s were receiving treatment. Almost all of the 180+ casualties are civilians and those getting medical care in the Jamhouriyat Hospital. This is inhuman and barbaric! #Kabul #KabulAttack — Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) January 27, 2018 × This time the terrorists used an ambulance as a weapon. The creativity of their depravity is sickening. #KabulAttack — Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) January 27, 2018 × At a basic level, people expect govt to provide them w/ security. If a govt can't guarantee that, then there's no need for such a govt. Hotel attack killed dozens last week & an ambulance filled w. explosives kill more than 40 today. That's a lot of blood. #KabulAttack — Abid Amiri (@abidamiri) January 27, 2018 × US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb explosion in Kabul. The official release noted that the "barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment." Pakistan, on Saturday, strongly condemned the terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103

Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 18 runs to win the decisive third and final Twenty20 International at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.&nbsp;

After posting a total of 181 runs, the visitors triumphed to take the series spoils 2-1 after a shoddy fielding display cost the Black Caps dearly at Bay Oval under lights.

Pakistan&#39;s Fakhar Zaman scored 46 off 36 deliveries after Pakistan won the toss and made first use of a batsman-friendly track.

Umar Amin led a late charge that saw 58 runs scored in the final four overs.

With the series tied 1-1, a win for Pakistan would not only give them the series but also propel them over New Zealand to number one in the world T20 rankings.

Barring a powerful half-century from Martin Guptill, who nabbed 59 off 43 balls, the Black Caps&#39; batsmen all made way for middling totals.

They finished their 20 overs on 6-163.

The defeat followed a 48-run loss in the second game, after New Zealand swept the one-day series and won the first T20.&nbsp;

The consecutive defeats, following an unbeaten 13-match winning streak across all formats against the West Indies and Pakistan, had put a dampener on host&#39;s preparation for next month&#39;s triangular series with Australia and England. 
&nbsp;

With this win, Pakistan claims the top international T20 ranking from Black Caps

Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 18 runs to win the decisive third and final Twenty20 International at Mount Maunganui on Sunday. After posting a total of 181 runs, the visitors triumphed to take the series spoils 2-1 after a shoddy fielding display cost the Black Caps dearly at Bay Oval under lights. Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman scored 46 off 36 deliveries after Pakistan won the toss and made first use of a batsman-friendly track. Umar Amin led a late charge that saw 58 runs scored in the final four overs. With the series tied 1-1, a win for Pakistan would not only give them the series but also propel them over New Zealand to number one in the world T20 rankings. Barring a powerful half-century from Martin Guptill, who nabbed 59 off 43 balls, the Black Caps' batsmen all made way for middling totals. They finished their 20 overs on 6-163. The defeat followed a 48-run loss in the second game, after New Zealand swept the one-day series and won the first T20. The consecutive defeats, following an unbeaten 13-match winning streak across all formats against the West Indies and Pakistan, had put a dampener on host's preparation for next month's triangular series with Australia and England.

Pakistan defeat New Zealand by 18 runs to win 3rd T20I, clinch series 2-1

Pakistan today strongly condemned a terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul today, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism.

&quot;No cause or ends justify acts of terrorism against innocent people. We emphasise the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism,&quot; the Foreign Office said.

&quot;We convey our deepest sympathies for those who have lost their loved ones and our sincere prayers and wishes are for early recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this dreadful terror attack,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states

Pakistan today strongly condemned a terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism. An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul today, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism. "No cause or ends justify acts of terrorism against innocent people. We emphasise the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism," the Foreign Office said. "We convey our deepest sympathies for those who have lost their loved ones and our sincere prayers and wishes are for early recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this dreadful terror attack," he said.

Pakistan calls for cooperation for combating terrorism

Apart from China, it is the Saudi Arabian influence that may become more prominent in Pakistan. Despite the waning of US influence, it still has residual influence over Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; it was said that if there were two constants in the affairs of these nations it was Allah &amp; America, in that order.&nbsp;

The tectonic changes wrought in Saudi affairs have perplexed watchers &ndash; what has been done by the young Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was just unthinkable a few years back. It is unlikely that such draconian social reforms and economic changes can be brought about in so traditional a society without some backing. The praise heaped by Donald Trump appears to be the catalyst behind these reforms as is the forging of a pan-Arabic alliance of Sunni countries to combat Iran, Syria and Hezbollah influence in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has indeed become a front line US proxy &ndash; its campaign in Yemen (and obliquely against Iran) is clear proof of that. &nbsp;

Saudi Arabia:&nbsp;fountainhead of Islamic resurgence

&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite recent overtures towards India and increase in trade, we have to bear in mind that Saudi Arabia was the fountainhead of Islamic resurgence worldwide and more so in South Asia. It has actively exported and funded Wahhabi movements in J&amp;K, root cause of our current troubles. It is axiomatic that in any Indo- Pak dispute Saudi Arabia will ally with its Muslim ally rather than us &ndash; we must have no illusions about this. How strong this support will be in the near future, however, is a moot point.&nbsp;

Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (known as MBS) is &ldquo;riding a tiger&rdquo; in changing the status quo in his society &ndash; it is amazing how he has managed to garner loyalty from even the Saudi National Guard &ndash; a branch loyal to late King Abdullah faction of the Al Saud family &ndash; by ousting Prince Mitteb bin Abdullah. MBSs task is cut out and his country is likely to take some time to stabilise, before it can look outwards.&nbsp;

He will need all his wits in managing a major crisis within the royal family, having arrested some of the wealthiest and most powerful of his uncles and cousins, leading his country out of obscurantism, reducing Wahhabi influence at home and abroad. He has effectively subdued the religious hardliners &ndash; evident from unheard of freedom now provided to women. Given these far-reaching changes, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to extend its influence abroad, especially through economic dispensation. India needs to wait and watch how the situation develops, and whether Saudi funding for madrassas and jihadi groups dries up substantially. &nbsp;

MBS is now in full control of the four most important elements of his country &ndash; economy, media, security, and the military (Land, Naval &amp; Air Forces), as well as its counterweight, the Saudi National Guard. He has done away with the ultra-orthodox Department of &ldquo;Propagation of Virtue &amp; Prevention of Vice&rdquo; &ndash; i.e., the dreaded black-robed Wahhabi Muttawas. In one fell stroke, he has defanged the radical and ultra-orthodox elements by bringing under his wing the &lsquo;Council of Senior Clerics&rsquo; and the unofficial &lsquo;Awakening Clerics&rsquo;. This has placed him in an autocratic position to do as he pleases. &nbsp;

&nbsp;With the era of direct American influence in the Middle East waning, Saudi rulers have moved to rapidly build up their military that does not overly rely on the United States and is capable of meeting both Iranian and jihadist threats. It has diversified weapon procurement from Russia.&nbsp;

The Saudi military has been, in many ways, the proverbial &ldquo;chocolate cream soldiers&rsquo; army&rdquo; more familiar with parade ground routines, and to provide employment opportunity to the youth. This benign role suited the monarchy, always fearful of a palace coup. It relied more on the Saudi National Guards, a force comprising more rural and loyal subjects. Defence of the country was outsourced to the US, in exchange for a secure flow of oil and through massive arms purchases.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;This changed thanks to the hard lessons during its first conflict with the Houthis in 2009&ndash;2010, where the Saudi military performed poorly. In response to this, Riyadh has sought to strengthen Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and its own armed forces by urgently enhancing its special forces capabilities, upgrading training across the board, localising military production, reforming the military bureaucracy, getting the retired Pak Army Chief on board as the main strategist, and seeking out new sources of arms.&nbsp;

Pakistan is a vassal state

Appointment of Gen Raheel Sharif as the Commander of the Gulf Coalitions Forces has been a brilliant stroke, and has brought a sea change in the strategic and operational capability of the Saudi Forces. Improved relations with Russia have allowed Saudi Arabia to diversify its arms and equipment purchases and has also augmented the Kingdom&rsquo;s influence over global oil prices. However, for the immediate future, the final arbiter of their fate still remains the US; any disruption in the supply of spares, and 90% of their equipment will turn to junk.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is said the Saudi King can summon the Pak PM and Army Chief at a moment&rsquo;s notice &mdash; even in the midst of a major domestic crisis. So to all intent and purpose, Pakistan is a vassal state, dependent for its existence and economy on external powers, be it China or Saudi Arabia. The latter has little to offer at the present moment, barring platitudes of Muslim solidarity, owing to its dwindling oil economy, expensive war against Yemen, and its confrontation with Qatar-Iran.&nbsp;

There also begs the question, what will be the role of Islamic fundamentalism under the new wave of liberalisation presently underway in the Kingdom? It would be difficult for Saudi Arabia to maintain a dual policy of liberal Islam at home, while supporting Wahhabi style militant organisations abroad. And when he is backed and supported by the Pentagon and Ambassador Nikki Haley, this means that an alliance is taking shape in the region under American leadership. That is certain because he has had the gumption to imprison Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, the wealthiest of Saudi princes.&nbsp;

It may be recalled that the outspoken Al Waleed had a Twitter spat with US President Donald Trump back in 2016. Responding to Trump&#39;s calls for banning Muslims from entering the US, Bin Talal had asked him to drop out of the US Presidential elections, calling him a &ldquo;disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America&rdquo;. Little wonder he has paid for it on US directions. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;Pak-Saudi nuclear and missile linkages &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;On the nuclear front, an unholy nexus existed between Pakistan, China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia, as far back as 1985. Chinese engineers established two missile bases at Al Kharj (some 100 kms south of Riyadh) and at Al Sullaylil (400 kms South of Riyadh). It was rumored, but never positively established, that an arrangement existed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that former would provide nuclear warheads to be mated with Chinese help, with the latter&#39;s CSS2 (Dong Feng) ICBMs, in the event of a strike against Israel.&nbsp;

Likewise, Pakistan was to have a lien on Saudi missiles to strike against India. This mutual pact was touted as the Islamic Bomb. But things have undergone a dramatic shift since those days &ndash; Pakistan now has its own SRMBMs &amp; MRBMs, which can reach most parts of the India sub-continent, so its dependence on Saudi ICBMs is largely hypothetical.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;Can the leopard change its spots? &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;Saudi Arabia has been the main source of funding for practically all Muslim terrorism &ndash; Moros in Philippines, Jihadi groups in Pakistan and J&amp;K, the&nbsp;war in Chechnya, the Al Shabab in Africa, and all Muslim militant activities in Europe and the US. Can it continue to play this double game, or will it change course? Remember this is the same country which in the 1990s said, &ldquo;today, we Muslims are 2 billion strong, out of a world population of 7 billion; in due course, we shall become 5 billion, and rule the world&rdquo;. This scenario might well come true, as Muslim growth rate is 2.4 against a decline in all other faiths. Therefore any radicalisation of the faith can have serious consequences for world peace.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Conclusion &nbsp;

The void created by the USA abandoning Pakistan is likely to be filled by China, both economically and militarily. Naturally, this will have consequences for the Pak, as they will have to cede numerous concessions to the latter. Already Pakistan is deeply indebted to China for the CPEC and its further involvement in the OBOR project will push it deeper into China&rsquo;s arms. With China&rsquo;s strategy to surround India by creating a &lsquo;String of Pearls&rsquo;, i.e., of bases in the Indian Ocean - some in our immediate neighbourhood - it becomes essential for us to evolve a countervailing strategy. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;These developments do not augur well for India, aligned as it is with the US, a nation that can change its stance at a moments notice. It would do well for the security establishment to hedge its bets, and keep the line to Russia open. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Despite recent overtures towards India and increase in trade, we have to bear in mind that Saudi Arabia was the fountainhead of Islamic resurgence worldwide and more so in South Asia.

Apart from China, it is the Saudi Arabian influence that may become more prominent in Pakistan. Despite the waning of US influence, it still has residual influence over Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; it was said that if there were two constants in the affairs of these nations it was Allah & America, in that order. The tectonic changes wrought in Saudi affairs have perplexed watchers – what has been done by the young Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was just unthinkable a few years back. It is unlikely that such draconian social reforms and economic changes can be brought about in so traditional a society without some backing. The praise heaped by Donald Trump appears to be the catalyst behind these reforms as is the forging of a pan-Arabic alliance of Sunni countries to combat Iran, Syria and Hezbollah influence in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has indeed become a front line US proxy – its campaign in Yemen (and obliquely against Iran) is clear proof of that. Saudi Arabia: fountainhead of Islamic resurgence Despite recent overtures towards India and increase in trade, we have to bear in mind that Saudi Arabia was the fountainhead of Islamic resurgence worldwide and more so in South Asia. It has actively exported and funded Wahhabi movements in J&K, root cause of our current troubles. It is axiomatic that in any Indo- Pak dispute Saudi Arabia will ally with its Muslim ally rather than us – we must have no illusions about this. How strong this support will be in the near future, however, is a moot point. Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (known as MBS) is “riding a tiger” in changing the status quo in his society – it is amazing how he has managed to garner loyalty from even the Saudi National Guard – a branch loyal to late King Abdullah faction of the Al Saud family – by ousting Prince Mitteb bin Abdullah. MBSs task is cut out and his country is likely to take some time to stabilise, before it can look outwards. He will need all his wits in managing a major crisis within the royal family, having arrested some of the wealthiest and most powerful of his uncles and cousins, leading his country out of obscurantism, reducing Wahhabi influence at home and abroad. He has effectively subdued the religious hardliners – evident from unheard of freedom now provided to women. Given these far-reaching changes, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to extend its influence abroad, especially through economic dispensation. India needs to wait and watch how the situation develops, and whether Saudi funding for madrassas and jihadi groups dries up substantially. MBS is now in full control of the four most important elements of his country – economy, media, security, and the military (Land, Naval & Air Forces), as well as its counterweight, the Saudi National Guard. He has done away with the ultra-orthodox Department of “Propagation of Virtue & Prevention of Vice” – i.e., the dreaded black-robed Wahhabi Muttawas. In one fell stroke, he has defanged the radical and ultra-orthodox elements by bringing under his wing the ‘Council of Senior Clerics’ and the unofficial ‘Awakening Clerics’. This has placed him in an autocratic position to do as he pleases. With the era of direct American influence in the Middle East waning, Saudi rulers have moved to rapidly build up their military that does not overly rely on the United States and is capable of meeting both Iranian and jihadist threats. It has diversified weapon procurement from Russia. The Saudi military has been, in many ways, the proverbial “chocolate cream soldiers’ army” more familiar with parade ground routines, and to provide employment opportunity to the youth. This benign role suited the monarchy, always fearful of a palace coup. It relied more on the Saudi National Guards, a force comprising more rural and loyal subjects. Defence of the country was outsourced to the US, in exchange for a secure flow of oil and through massive arms purchases. This changed thanks to the hard lessons during its first conflict with the Houthis in 2009–2010, where the Saudi military performed poorly. In response to this, Riyadh has sought to strengthen Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and its own armed forces by urgently enhancing its special forces capabilities, upgrading training across the board, localising military production, reforming the military bureaucracy, getting the retired Pak Army Chief on board as the main strategist, and seeking out new sources of arms. Pakistan is a vassal state Appointment of Gen Raheel Sharif as the Commander of the Gulf Coalitions Forces has been a brilliant stroke, and has brought a sea change in the strategic and operational capability of the Saudi Forces. Improved relations with Russia have allowed Saudi Arabia to diversify its arms and equipment purchases and has also augmented the Kingdom’s influence over global oil prices. However, for the immediate future, the final arbiter of their fate still remains the US; any disruption in the supply of spares, and 90% of their equipment will turn to junk. It is said the Saudi King can summon the Pak PM and Army Chief at a moment’s notice — even in the midst of a major domestic crisis. So to all intent and purpose, Pakistan is a vassal state, dependent for its existence and economy on external powers, be it China or Saudi Arabia. The latter has little to offer at the present moment, barring platitudes of Muslim solidarity, owing to its dwindling oil economy, expensive war against Yemen, and its confrontation with Qatar-Iran. There also begs the question, what will be the role of Islamic fundamentalism under the new wave of liberalisation presently underway in the Kingdom? It would be difficult for Saudi Arabia to maintain a dual policy of liberal Islam at home, while supporting Wahhabi style militant organisations abroad. And when he is backed and supported by the Pentagon and Ambassador Nikki Haley, this means that an alliance is taking shape in the region under American leadership. That is certain because he has had the gumption to imprison Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, the wealthiest of Saudi princes. It may be recalled that the outspoken Al Waleed had a Twitter spat with US President Donald Trump back in 2016. Responding to Trump's calls for banning Muslims from entering the US, Bin Talal had asked him to drop out of the US Presidential elections, calling him a “disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America”. Little wonder he has paid for it on US directions. Pak-Saudi nuclear and missile linkages On the nuclear front, an unholy nexus existed between Pakistan, China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia, as far back as 1985. Chinese engineers established two missile bases at Al Kharj (some 100 kms south of Riyadh) and at Al Sullaylil (400 kms South of Riyadh). It was rumored, but never positively established, that an arrangement existed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that former would provide nuclear warheads to be mated with Chinese help, with the latter's CSS2 (Dong Feng) ICBMs, in the event of a strike against Israel. Likewise, Pakistan was to have a lien on Saudi missiles to strike against India. This mutual pact was touted as the Islamic Bomb. But things have undergone a dramatic shift since those days – Pakistan now has its own SRMBMs & MRBMs, which can reach most parts of the India sub-continent, so its dependence on Saudi ICBMs is largely hypothetical. Can the leopard change its spots? Saudi Arabia has been the main source of funding for practically all Muslim terrorism – Moros in Philippines, Jihadi groups in Pakistan and J&K, the war in Chechnya, the Al Shabab in Africa, and all Muslim militant activities in Europe and the US. Can it continue to play this double game, or will it change course? Remember this is the same country which in the 1990s said, “today, we Muslims are 2 billion strong, out of a world population of 7 billion; in due course, we shall become 5 billion, and rule the world”. This scenario might well come true, as Muslim growth rate is 2.4 against a decline in all other faiths. Therefore any radicalisation of the faith can have serious consequences for world peace. Conclusion The void created by the USA abandoning Pakistan is likely to be filled by China, both economically and militarily. Naturally, this will have consequences for the Pak, as they will have to cede numerous concessions to the latter. Already Pakistan is deeply indebted to China for the CPEC and its further involvement in the OBOR project will push it deeper into China’s arms. With China’s strategy to surround India by creating a ‘String of Pearls’, i.e., of bases in the Indian Ocean - some in our immediate neighbourhood - it becomes essential for us to evolve a countervailing strategy. These developments do not augur well for India, aligned as it is with the US, a nation that can change its stance at a moments notice. It would do well for the security establishment to hedge its bets, and keep the line to Russia open. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Pakistan's terror entente with Saudi Arabia has deep roots

In 1948, when Pakistan attacked the northern part of India, our forces successfully repulsed their attack and were in the process of re-acquiring the lost territory lost when the national leadership announced not only a cease-fire but a UN intervention too. Arguably, this formed the base of the Kashmir conflict. Over the next decades, India had to fight five wars with Pakistan in 1965, 1971, 1984,1999 and the proxy war in Kashmir had been relentless.

&nbsp;

In 1965, India captured about 2000 sq. km of Pakistan&#39;s territory in the sensitive Sialkot and Kashmir sectors but returned it with the hope that this would end eruptions of violence in the future. Despite the wars, the country was forced to fight, like in 1971, India has never dithered from the code of conduct of a winning side.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

After the conclusive victory of 1971, India did hand over 93000 Prisoners of War and 5500 sq km of captured territory. We returned all of these and did not bargain for Kashmir at all.

&nbsp;

In the last decade of the last century, Pakistan started its proxy war in Kashmir, we kept on losing precious lives but did not do anything except strongly condemning all kind of terrorist attacks. Over 30 years of proxy war resulted in establishing the image of our country as a soft-willed one. Anyone can do anything to us and we have only one solution- strongly condemning the terrorist action and wait for another action to condemn again.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We have lost more soldiers in Kashmir than in 1965 and 1971 wars put together.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Having fought in Kashmir for so many years in the peak of insurgency and seeing the valiant soldiers fall to the political aspirations, I ponder at times as to what should be the role of our government, civil society members and the individuals?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

What concerns me deeply is whether Pakistan sees India after all as a soft-willed state and, therefore, goes on to carry these attacks with impunity. Why do we experience the same cycle of events: an incident happens, politicians condemn it, citizens burn few candles and express grief on social media, Forces kept on making plans for revenge which never get a nod from the political leadership and blood continues to flow. After a week or so, everyone falls silent and wait for another incident to happen.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There have been numerous terror incidents, for so many years, Pakistani Army personnel has been coming to this side of the border, decapacitating our boys and taking their severed heads as a trophy and every time we are successful in orally condemning it and that too not strongly. They come to our territory, fire the American missiles on our soldiers, kill them and our political leadership is, once again, successful only in strongly condemning it.

This political weakness of our country is open to the world for last 70 years and the patience of a common citizen is perhaps breaking down. It is high time that the leadership of the nation should do something which can help it to regain the faith of common citizen and prove that India is able to protect ourselves.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

So what should our leaders do now? It is a million-dollar question. Question is not the capability of the armed forces. The question is of a strong political will. The question is of acting, not just verbally condemning, and the most important question is when will it happen.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Last week I was on a panel with one of the national news channels and had a retired Lt General of Pakistan Army as a co-panelist from Pakistan. To my surprise, he was constantly vomiting venom and was very much confident that India will never be able to do any offensive action against Pakistan. Our weak political will has been proving that time and again.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

After so many incidents now, this is the right time to take a hard decision and prove the worthiness of the leadership. I am sure that the government will listen and react instead of just strongly condemning it.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Question is not the capability of the armed forces. The question is of a strong political will.

In 1948, when Pakistan attacked the northern part of India, our forces successfully repulsed their attack and were in the process of re-acquiring the lost territory lost when the national leadership announced not only a cease-fire but a UN intervention too. Arguably, this formed the base of the Kashmir conflict. Over the next decades, India had to fight five wars with Pakistan in 1965, 1971, 1984,1999 and the proxy war in Kashmir had been relentless. In 1965, India captured about 2000 sq. km of Pakistan's territory in the sensitive Sialkot and Kashmir sectors but returned it with the hope that this would end eruptions of violence in the future. Despite the wars, the country was forced to fight, like in 1971, India has never dithered from the code of conduct of a winning side. After the conclusive victory of 1971, India did hand over 93000 Prisoners of War and 5500 sq km of captured territory. We returned all of these and did not bargain for Kashmir at all. In the last decade of the last century, Pakistan started its proxy war in Kashmir, we kept on losing precious lives but did not do anything except strongly condemning all kind of terrorist attacks. Over 30 years of proxy war resulted in establishing the image of our country as a soft-willed one. Anyone can do anything to us and we have only one solution- strongly condemning the terrorist action and wait for another action to condemn again. We have lost more soldiers in Kashmir than in 1965 and 1971 wars put together. Having fought in Kashmir for so many years in the peak of insurgency and seeing the valiant soldiers fall to the political aspirations, I ponder at times as to what should be the role of our government, civil society members and the individuals? What concerns me deeply is whether Pakistan sees India after all as a soft-willed state and, therefore, goes on to carry these attacks with impunity. Why do we experience the same cycle of events: an incident happens, politicians condemn it, citizens burn few candles and express grief on social media, Forces kept on making plans for revenge which never get a nod from the political leadership and blood continues to flow. After a week or so, everyone falls silent and wait for another incident to happen. There have been numerous terror incidents, for so many years, Pakistani Army personnel has been coming to this side of the border, decapacitating our boys and taking their severed heads as a trophy and every time we are successful in orally condemning it and that too not strongly. They come to our territory, fire the American missiles on our soldiers, kill them and our political leadership is, once again, successful only in strongly condemning it. This political weakness of our country is open to the world for last 70 years and the patience of a common citizen is perhaps breaking down. It is high time that the leadership of the nation should do something which can help it to regain the faith of common citizen and prove that India is able to protect ourselves. So what should our leaders do now? It is a million-dollar question. Question is not the capability of the armed forces. The question is of a strong political will. The question is of acting, not just verbally condemning, and the most important question is when will it happen. Last week I was on a panel with one of the national news channels and had a retired Lt General of Pakistan Army as a co-panelist from Pakistan. To my surprise, he was constantly vomiting venom and was very much confident that India will never be able to do any offensive action against Pakistan. Our weak political will has been proving that time and again. After so many incidents now, this is the right time to take a hard decision and prove the worthiness of the leadership. I am sure that the government will listen and react instead of just strongly condemning it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Terrorist attacks continue, what will India's leaders do?

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/always-wanted-to-work-in-films-based-on-social-issues-akshay-kumar-32021" target="_blank">Akshay Kumar</a> starrer&nbsp;&quot;PadMan&quot;&nbsp;released countrywide in India on February 9 amid rave reviews from all corners.&nbsp;

While the film has managed to pull the audience to the theatres, it has been banned in the neighbouring country, Pakistan.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padman-review-akshay-kumars-film-is-warm-relevant-and-serves-its-purpose-32277" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;PadMan review: Akshay Kumar&#39;s film is warm, relevant and serves its purpose</a>

Ever since the ban, women of Pakistan have taken to Twitter to condemn it and ask for a release of the film as it deals with a socially relevant issue and has nothing controversial in it.&nbsp;

Many women have been questioning the intent of the ban with support from some men too.&nbsp;

This is what Twitter users are writing:&nbsp;

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Dear Sir, the film <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Padman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Padman</a> has been released internationally. Your decision-making is embarrassingly slow. Why should a film about menstrual hygein &amp; cheap sanitary napkins denied a release or delayed? Pakistan deserves to become a part of this conversation on reproductive health <a href="https://t.co/tTzZTDvIg7">https://t.co/tTzZTDvIg7</a>
&mdash; Ammara Ahmad (@ammarawrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/ammarawrites/status/962806993638608896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Yes, Pakistani Women menstruate too. I support <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Padman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Padman</a> and menstrual hygiene. Ban on <a href="https://twitter.com/PadManTheFilm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PadManTheFilm</a> in Pakistan is senseless. Release it now. <a href="https://t.co/KpsTL6Rc3a">pic.twitter.com/KpsTL6Rc3a</a>
&mdash; Ammara Ahmad (@ammarawrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/ammarawrites/status/962294732918489088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Banning PadMan in Pakistan is another one of those illogical things that simply affect the business of cinemas in Pakistan. 
Menstruation is a fact of life, and bringing it to mainstream consciousness is neither immoral nor un-Islamic.
&mdash; Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehrTarar/status/962353264074338304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Against our traditions &amp; culture&quot; Oh well, coz women don&#39;t menstruate here... What stupid people sitting at Censor Board ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PadMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PadMan</a> must be allowed in Pakistan ! <a href="https://t.co/S7PUfBV9ak">https://t.co/S7PUfBV9ak</a>
&mdash; Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) <a href="https://twitter.com/GFarooqi/status/962412837321805824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Dear Censor Board of Pakistan 
Yes! We <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistani</a> women get our periods too! Every month we bleed, it&#39;s simple biology. 
 
I condemn the ban on <a href="https://twitter.com/PadManTheFilm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PadManTheFilm</a> in Pakistan!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmPadman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAmPadman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Padman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Padman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnBan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnBan</a> <a href="https://t.co/mnrNLJkROC">pic.twitter.com/mnrNLJkROC</a>
&mdash; The Lodhi (@AnnamL0dhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnamL0dhi/status/962231453839962114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Banning padman in Pakistan just shows how we havent mentally progressed as a nation. Utterly disappointing.
&mdash; Amna Mazhar (@ozilinaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ozilinaa/status/962365366440792064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Those banning should know this &ldquo;taboo&rdquo; topic is the reason they are alive. No menstration means no fertility. No fertility 4 means no babies. Banners were babies 2 na. Nature se bhi panga. Leh. Apas ki baat. ???? Misogyny much? &lsquo;PadMan&rsquo; banned in Pakistan <a href="https://t.co/ANkxyt194i">https://t.co/ANkxyt194i</a>
&mdash; Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) <a href="https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/962476125187436544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Some men also showed support:&nbsp;

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Movies like jism 2 can be shown in Pakistan cinemas but Padman is banned. What a shame it is. Its fine to show half naked women and highly intimidated scenes in movies but a movie based on real issues and everyone loses their minds. 
HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY!
&mdash; T. (@Crushkacrush) <a href="https://twitter.com/Crushkacrush/status/962705139923668992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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1 out of 3 women r died because of cultural taboo. Remaining are victim of nutrition and various virus and cancers.most popular is breast and ovarian cancer but still in pakistan, movie like padman is banned.women in centre r aware what abt 60%in rural areas? <a href="https://twitter.com/saifsamejo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saifsamejo</a>
&mdash; Ali aamir siming (@AamirSiming) <a href="https://twitter.com/AamirSiming/status/962315106536259584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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As of right now, the film has not been previewed by the&nbsp;Central Board of Film Censors of Pakistan.&nbsp;

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The decision to issue an NOC by the Ministry of Information Broadcasting National History and Literary Heritage is yet to be taken on the release of a foreign feature film &quot;Padman&quot; as the film has not yet been pre-viewed by the Central Board of Film Censors. <a href="https://t.co/NExGsWGV8M">pic.twitter.com/NExGsWGV8M</a>
&mdash; Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) <a href="https://twitter.com/pid_gov/status/962591498213699585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Speaking on the issue, the director of &quot;PadMan&quot;, R Balki said,&nbsp; &quot;It is shame that a film that endeavours to eradicate the stigma towards menstrual hygiene is being seen in this negative light.&quot;

&nbsp;

The women took to Twitter to question the reason behind banning PadMan film in Pakistan

Akshay Kumar starrer "PadMan" released countrywide in India on February 9 amid rave reviews from all corners. While the film has managed to pull the audience to the theatres, it has been banned in the neighbouring country, Pakistan. Also Read: PadMan review: Akshay Kumar's film is warm, relevant and serves its purpose Ever since the ban, women of Pakistan have taken to Twitter to condemn it and ask for a release of the film as it deals with a socially relevant issue and has nothing controversial in it. Many women have been questioning the intent of the ban with support from some men too. This is what Twitter users are writing: Dear Sir, the film #Padman has been released internationally. Your decision-making is embarrassingly slow. Why should a film about menstrual hygein & cheap sanitary napkins denied a release or delayed? Pakistan deserves to become a part of this conversation on reproductive health https://t.co/tTzZTDvIg7 — Ammara Ahmad (@ammarawrites) February 11, 2018 × Yes, Pakistani Women menstruate too. I support #Padman and menstrual hygiene. Ban on @PadManTheFilm in Pakistan is senseless. Release it now. pic.twitter.com/KpsTL6Rc3a — Ammara Ahmad (@ammarawrites) February 10, 2018 × Banning PadMan in Pakistan is another one of those illogical things that simply affect the business of cinemas in Pakistan. Menstruation is a fact of life, and bringing it to mainstream consciousness is neither immoral nor un-Islamic. — Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) February 10, 2018 × "Against our traditions & culture" Oh well, coz women don't menstruate here... What stupid people sitting at Censor Board ! #PadMan must be allowed in Pakistan ! https://t.co/S7PUfBV9ak — Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) February 10, 2018 × Dear Censor Board of Pakistan Yes! We #Pakistani women get our periods too! Every month we bleed, it's simple biology. I condemn the ban on @PadManTheFilm in Pakistan!#IAmPadman #Padman #UnBan pic.twitter.com/mnrNLJkROC — The Lodhi (@AnnamL0dhi) February 10, 2018 × Banning padman in Pakistan just shows how we havent mentally progressed as a nation. Utterly disappointing. — Amna Mazhar (@ozilinaa) February 10, 2018 × Those banning should know this “taboo” topic is the reason they are alive. No menstration means no fertility. No fertility 4 means no babies. Banners were babies 2 na. Nature se bhi panga. Leh. Apas ki baat. ???? Misogyny much? ‘PadMan’ banned in Pakistan https://t.co/ANkxyt194i — Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) February 10, 2018 × Some men also showed support: Movies like jism 2 can be shown in Pakistan cinemas but Padman is banned. What a shame it is. Its fine to show half naked women and highly intimidated scenes in movies but a movie based on real issues and everyone loses their minds. HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY! — T. (@Crushkacrush) February 11, 2018 × 1 out of 3 women r died because of cultural taboo. Remaining are victim of nutrition and various virus and cancers.most popular is breast and ovarian cancer but still in pakistan, movie like padman is banned.women in centre r aware what abt 60%in rural areas? @saifsamejo — Ali aamir siming (@AamirSiming) February 10, 2018 × As of right now, the film has not been previewed by the Central Board of Film Censors of Pakistan. The decision to issue an NOC by the Ministry of Information Broadcasting National History and Literary Heritage is yet to be taken on the release of a foreign feature film "Padman" as the film has not yet been pre-viewed by the Central Board of Film Censors. pic.twitter.com/NExGsWGV8M — Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 11, 2018 × Speaking on the issue, the director of "PadMan", R Balki said, "It is shame that a film that endeavours to eradicate the stigma towards menstrual hygiene is being seen in this negative light."

Pakistani women demand 'PadMan' release, say 'We bleed too'

The deputy chief of the Pakistani Taliban has been killed in a US drone strike, the militant group said in a statement Monday, as Washington continues to intensify attacks along the Afghan border region.

Khalid Mehsood, deputy leader of the umbrella Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), died after the pre-dawn strike in North Waziristan tribal agency on February 8, the militants said in the emailed statement.

The group`s leaders have nominated Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud to take his place, the statement said, adding Mehsud has &quot;undeterring trust&quot; in Pakistani Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah.

US officials in Islamabad had no immediate comment. Much of the border with Pakistan`s northwestern tribal areas are off-limits to foreign journalists, and strikes along the porous frontier are difficult to verify.

The statement comes as the US has massively stepped up its air offensive in eastern Afghanistan, targeting Taliban drug labs and Islamic State hideouts as President Donald Trump looks to the sky to force the insurgents to the table.

But militants have reacted violently, launching a wave of deadly attacks across the war-torn country, including in Kabul, in a devastating display of defiance.

Officials admit the US strategy is not without risk, and the longer it runs the more costs will accrue.

More bombing almost invariably means more civilian casualties, which could further mobilise Afghans against the United States.

Khalid Mehsood, deputy leader of the umbrella Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), died after the pre-dawn strike in North Waziristan tribal agency on February 8, the militants said in the emailed statement

The deputy chief of the Pakistani Taliban has been killed in a US drone strike, the militant group said in a statement Monday, as Washington continues to intensify attacks along the Afghan border region. Khalid Mehsood, deputy leader of the umbrella Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), died after the pre-dawn strike in North Waziristan tribal agency on February 8, the militants said in the emailed statement. The group`s leaders have nominated Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud to take his place, the statement said, adding Mehsud has "undeterring trust" in Pakistani Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah. US officials in Islamabad had no immediate comment. Much of the border with Pakistan`s northwestern tribal areas are off-limits to foreign journalists, and strikes along the porous frontier are difficult to verify. The statement comes as the US has massively stepped up its air offensive in eastern Afghanistan, targeting Taliban drug labs and Islamic State hideouts as President Donald Trump looks to the sky to force the insurgents to the table. But militants have reacted violently, launching a wave of deadly attacks across the war-torn country, including in Kabul, in a devastating display of defiance. Officials admit the US strategy is not without risk, and the longer it runs the more costs will accrue. More bombing almost invariably means more civilian casualties, which could further mobilise Afghans against the United States.

Pakistan Taliban confirm No. 2 killed in US drone strike

The multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in Gwadar port off the coast in Pakistan could be under threat if a catastrophe strikes the region, according to experts.

Gwadar, which is located close to the Makran Trench, last saw a huge earthquake of 8.1 magnitudes in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates.

To prevent such a catastrophe, a team of 40 researchers from China and Pakistan boarded the Experimental 3 vessel for the trench last month and did a &#39;CT scan&#39; (geological survey) in the region. However, not much is known about the zone, the South China Morning Post reported.

The Gwadar port has been leased to China for 40 years and any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing&#39;s ambitions to revive the ancient trade route from China through Asia to Africa and Europe.

The CPEC project is also a part of China&#39;s &#39;Belt and Road Initiative&#39;, a vast infrastructure and trade programme to project China&#39;s infrastructural dominance abroad.

Seismologist Yang Hongfeng, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said scientific expeditions in the region were quite rare.

&quot;A lot of important scientific questions remain unanswered. The results will definitely advance our understanding, [while] providing critical data to reduce the risk in the region,&quot; Yang said.

The expedition is being done to have a better understanding of the subduction zone. According to scientists, this is quite unusual since it has a thick deposit of soft sediment several kilometres below the Earth.

Asif Inam, the director general of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) said, &quot;The expedition is a joint effort by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in Guangzhou and the NIO in Pakistan. It is funded largely by the Chinese government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences&quot;.

&quot;The information and data being collected during the expedition would make a significant contribution to coastal developers and planners,&quot; he added.

Meanwhile, the threat of an earthquake or tsunami near Gwadar port is a major concern for both the countries.

&quot;There&#39;s a whole lot at stake. The port, if fully developed and operationalised, can be a critical asset for Pakistan, and there&#39;s no nation that Pakistan would be more comfortable entrusting it to than its close friend China,&quot; Michael Kugelman, said a senior associate for South Asia at the US-based think tank Wilson Centre.

Kugelman said the destructive impact that an earthquake or tsunami could have on the operations of the port should not be overstated, given that actual operations were still limited.

&quot;Still, given issues of proximity and general vulnerability - Pakistan doesn&#39;t cope or respond well to natural disasters, given a lack of resources and incapacity - there&#39;s certainly reason to believe that intense earthquake activity would pose a clear and present danger to Gwadar,&quot; he was quoted as saying in the report.

India is already against the CPEC project since it passes through the disputed Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) region. Reports of China&#39;s proposal of building a second overseas military base could create more headache for New Delhi.

&quot;China, India, and Pakistan are on a collision course. This isn&#39;t to say we&#39;re about to see conflict, but escalations in tensions are highly likely as China steps up its activities in the region, and particularly in Pakistan&quot;, Kugelman said.

&quot;If China built a naval base in Gwadar, as reports had suggested, it could trigger even greater tensions with India&quot;, he stated.

The building of the $62 billion economic corridor gives China access to waterways which is about 40 per cent of the world&#39;s oil passes. When built, it will link Gwadar to Xinjiang region in China.&nbsp;

Gwadar, which is located close to the Makran Trench, last saw a huge earthquake of 8.1 magnitudes in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates

The multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in Gwadar port off the coast in Pakistan could be under threat if a catastrophe strikes the region, according to experts. Gwadar, which is located close to the Makran Trench, last saw a huge earthquake of 8.1 magnitudes in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates. To prevent such a catastrophe, a team of 40 researchers from China and Pakistan boarded the Experimental 3 vessel for the trench last month and did a 'CT scan' (geological survey) in the region. However, not much is known about the zone, the South China Morning Post reported. The Gwadar port has been leased to China for 40 years and any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing's ambitions to revive the ancient trade route from China through Asia to Africa and Europe. The CPEC project is also a part of China's 'Belt and Road Initiative', a vast infrastructure and trade programme to project China's infrastructural dominance abroad. Seismologist Yang Hongfeng, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said scientific expeditions in the region were quite rare. "A lot of important scientific questions remain unanswered. The results will definitely advance our understanding, [while] providing critical data to reduce the risk in the region," Yang said. The expedition is being done to have a better understanding of the subduction zone. According to scientists, this is quite unusual since it has a thick deposit of soft sediment several kilometres below the Earth. Asif Inam, the director general of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) said, "The expedition is a joint effort by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in Guangzhou and the NIO in Pakistan. It is funded largely by the Chinese government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences". "The information and data being collected during the expedition would make a significant contribution to coastal developers and planners," he added. Meanwhile, the threat of an earthquake or tsunami near Gwadar port is a major concern for both the countries. "There's a whole lot at stake. The port, if fully developed and operationalised, can be a critical asset for Pakistan, and there's no nation that Pakistan would be more comfortable entrusting it to than its close friend China," Michael Kugelman, said a senior associate for South Asia at the US-based think tank Wilson Centre. Kugelman said the destructive impact that an earthquake or tsunami could have on the operations of the port should not be overstated, given that actual operations were still limited. "Still, given issues of proximity and general vulnerability - Pakistan doesn't cope or respond well to natural disasters, given a lack of resources and incapacity - there's certainly reason to believe that intense earthquake activity would pose a clear and present danger to Gwadar," he was quoted as saying in the report. India is already against the CPEC project since it passes through the disputed Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) region. Reports of China's proposal of building a second overseas military base could create more headache for New Delhi. "China, India, and Pakistan are on a collision course. This isn't to say we're about to see conflict, but escalations in tensions are highly likely as China steps up its activities in the region, and particularly in Pakistan", Kugelman said. "If China built a naval base in Gwadar, as reports had suggested, it could trigger even greater tensions with India", he stated. The building of the $62 billion economic corridor gives China access to waterways which is about 40 per cent of the world's oil passes. When built, it will link Gwadar to Xinjiang region in China.

China's multi-billion CPEC project under threat in Pakistan

People from the restive Gilgit region staged yet another<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/protest-in-pok-against-pakistan-government-for-diverting-resources-26599" target="_blank"> protest </a>on Saturday, appealing the Pakistan government to bring back prisoners from China.&nbsp;

Calling the relationship between China and Pakistan &quot; totally fallacious&quot;, a former prisoner released from the jail in China&nbsp;said that nobody is aware of the reality of the relationship between the two countries. They just show off (their friendship) to the world.

&quot;I spent 10 years in a Chinese prison. I appeal to the Pakistan Government to bring back prisoners from China. I feel ashamed as the China- Pakistan friendship is totally fallacious. They just show off to the world, but nobody is aware of the reality.&quot;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-why-pakistan-supports-kashmirs-aazadi-and-not-that-of-pok-26042" target="_blank">Opinion: Why Pakistan supports Kashmir&#39;s </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-why-pakistan-supports-kashmirs-aazadi-and-not-that-of-pok-26042" target="_blank">aazadi</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-why-pakistan-supports-kashmirs-aazadi-and-not-that-of-pok-26042" target="_blank"> and not that of PoK</a>

Also&nbsp;read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/anti-pakistan-protests-across-pok-to-mark-1947-invasion-22724" target="_blank">Anti-Pakistan protests across PoK to mark 1947 invasion</a>

The relatives of the imprisoned men staged a protest demanding the release of Pakistanis lodged in China prisons.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gilgit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gilgit</a>: Protests by relatives of people from Peshawar and other areas languishing in jails in China. <a href="https://t.co/eYLj4akrVr">pic.twitter.com/eYLj4akrVr</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/962520332157575168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I spent 10 years in a Chinese prison. I appeal to the Pakistan Government to bring back prisoners from China. I feel ashamed as the China-Pakistan friendship is totally fallacious. They just show off to the world, but nobody is aware of the reality: Nazir Ahmed,protester <a href="https://t.co/1ctByMuPhB">pic.twitter.com/1ctByMuPhB</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/962521464590229505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/anti-pak-slogans-raised-at-this-rally-in-poks-muzaffarabad-8058" target="_blank">Anti-Pak slogans raised at this rally in PoK&#39;s Muzaffarabad</a>

The relatives of the imprisoned men staged a protest demanding the release of Pakistanis lodged in China prisons.

People from the restive Gilgit region staged yet another protest on Saturday, appealing the Pakistan government to bring back prisoners from China. Calling the relationship between China and Pakistan " totally fallacious", a former prisoner released from the jail in China said that nobody is aware of the reality of the relationship between the two countries. They just show off (their friendship) to the world. "I spent 10 years in a Chinese prison. I appeal to the Pakistan Government to bring back prisoners from China. I feel ashamed as the China- Pakistan friendship is totally fallacious. They just show off to the world, but nobody is aware of the reality." Also read: Opinion: Why Pakistan supports Kashmir's aazadi and not that of PoK Also read: Anti-Pakistan protests across PoK to mark 1947 invasion The relatives of the imprisoned men staged a protest demanding the release of Pakistanis lodged in China prisons. #Gilgit: Protests by relatives of people from Peshawar and other areas languishing in jails in China. pic.twitter.com/eYLj4akrVr — ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018 × I spent 10 years in a Chinese prison. I appeal to the Pakistan Government to bring back prisoners from China. I feel ashamed as the China-Pakistan friendship is totally fallacious. They just show off to the world, but nobody is aware of the reality: Nazir Ahmed,protester pic.twitter.com/1ctByMuPhB — ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018 × Anti-Pak slogans raised at this rally in PoK's Muzaffarabad

China- Pakistan friendship 'totally fallacious', says Pakistan prisoner released from China

Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded their bilateral talks on Saturday and had &quot;good discussions&quot;, an official noted.

The dialogue took place in Islamabad&nbsp;under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).&nbsp;

The plan aims to boost cooperation between the two countries and address issues related to counter-terrorism, reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees&#39; repatriation and joint economic development.

Afghanistan&#39;s Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai led a high-level delegation to Islamabad. The Pakistani delegation was headed by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

This dialogue took place in the second round of APAPPS and reflected determination on both sides to pursue policy formulation.

The first round of APAPPS took place on February 3 in Kabul.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-buys-weapons-from-international-companies-sells-to-taliban-through-its-domestic-markets-afghan-envoy-to-us-tells-wion-31297">Pakistan buys weapons from international companies, sells to Taliban through domestic markets: Afghan envoy to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-buys-weapons-from-international-companies-sells-to-taliban-through-its-domestic-markets-afghan-envoy-to-us-tells-wion-31297">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-buys-weapons-from-international-companies-sells-to-taliban-through-its-domestic-markets-afghan-envoy-to-us-tells-wion-31297"> tells WION</a>

Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal took to Twitter and stated that although the meeting witnessed &quot;good discussions&quot; some agreements would require further work.

On the other hand, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said no progress was made on counter-terrorism issues.

In an exclusive interview with WION <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/attack-on-kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-was-planned-in-pakistan-afghan-envoy-to-us-31193">Afghanistan&#39;s envoy to the United States</a>, Majeed Qarar alleged Pakistan&#39;s involvement in the terrorist attack on Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel.&nbsp;

&quot;The country has been supplying military-grade equipment to terror forces. Instead of solving the matter they meddle with our internal issues. We admit that we have issues, we faced wars for years,&quot; noted Qarar.

Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on January 20 and January 27 killed nearly 125 people and injured over 250. Pakistan had offered a joint investigation into the attacks, Kabul had blamed the Haqqani Network for the same.

 
&nbsp;

This dialogue took place in the second round of APAPPS and reflected determination on both sides to pursue policy formulation

Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded their bilateral talks on Saturday and had "good discussions", an official noted. The dialogue took place in Islamabad under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). The plan aims to boost cooperation between the two countries and address issues related to counter-terrorism, reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees' repatriation and joint economic development. Afghanistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai led a high-level delegation to Islamabad. The Pakistani delegation was headed by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. This dialogue took place in the second round of APAPPS and reflected determination on both sides to pursue policy formulation. The first round of APAPPS took place on February 3 in Kabul. Also read: Pakistan buys weapons from international companies, sells to Taliban through domestic markets: Afghan envoy to US tells WION Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal took to Twitter and stated that although the meeting witnessed "good discussions" some agreements would require further work. On the other hand, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said no progress was made on counter-terrorism issues. In an exclusive interview with WION Afghanistan's envoy to the United States, Majeed Qarar alleged Pakistan's involvement in the terrorist attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel. "The country has been supplying military-grade equipment to terror forces. Instead of solving the matter they meddle with our internal issues. We admit that we have issues, we faced wars for years," noted Qarar. Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on January 20 and January 27 killed nearly 125 people and injured over 250. Pakistan had offered a joint investigation into the attacks, Kabul had blamed the Haqqani Network for the same.

No progress made on counter-terrorism issues: Afghanistan on talks with Pakistan

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-passenger-plane-with-71-on-board-crashes-outside-moscow-32499">Russian passenger plane with 71 on board crashes outside Moscow</a>

A Russian passenger plane with 71 on board has crashed outside Moscow. The Saratov Airlines plane was carrying 65 passengers and six crew. The plane crashed outside Argunovo village in the Moscow region.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pregnant-woman-wounded-in-sunjwan-attack-delivers-baby-girl-32488">Pregnant woman wounded in Jammu army camp attack delivers baby girl, death toll at 10</a>

A 35-week pregnant woman who was severely injured in the Sunjawan attack gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday night. The woman was shot in her lower back by four terrorists who had entered the family quarters of the Brigade Army camp in the Sunjwan area of Jammu, opened fire at the security forces and civilians.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-pm-modi-addresses-indian-community-in-dubai-32483">Technology should be used for development, not destruction: PM Modi at World Government Summit in Dubai</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, addressed the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday. The PM began his address by thanking the Gulf countries, which he said provide almost 30 lakh people from India a home-like environment away from home.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/up-cm-yogi-calls-for-simpler-exams-as-10-lakh-students-skip-boards-32487">UP CM Yogi calls for simpler exams as 10 lakh students skip Boards</a>

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasised on the need to make examinations simpler after over 10 lakh examinees skipped the state board tests in the last four days. It is for the first time in over nine-decade history of the UP Board that such a large number of examinees have quit examinations, which experts said could largely be a result of strict anti-cheating measures implemented by the board in accordance with the state government&rsquo;s directives.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-renowned-lawyer-human-rights-activist-asma-jahangir-dead-at-66-32485">Pakistan: Renowned lawyer, human rights activist Asma Jahangir dead at 66</a>

Renowned lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir passed away on Sunday in Lahore due to a cardiac arrest. She was 66. Jahangir was taken to a private hospital on Ferozepur Road after suffering a cardiac arrest where she passed away. She was the head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Russian passenger plane with 71 on board crashes outside Moscow A Russian passenger plane with 71 on board has crashed outside Moscow. The Saratov Airlines plane was carrying 65 passengers and six crew. The plane crashed outside Argunovo village in the Moscow region. Pregnant woman wounded in Jammu army camp attack delivers baby girl, death toll at 10 A 35-week pregnant woman who was severely injured in the Sunjawan attack gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday night. The woman was shot in her lower back by four terrorists who had entered the family quarters of the Brigade Army camp in the Sunjwan area of Jammu, opened fire at the security forces and civilians. Technology should be used for development, not destruction: PM Modi at World Government Summit in Dubai Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, addressed the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday. The PM began his address by thanking the Gulf countries, which he said provide almost 30 lakh people from India a home-like environment away from home. UP CM Yogi calls for simpler exams as 10 lakh students skip Boards Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasised on the need to make examinations simpler after over 10 lakh examinees skipped the state board tests in the last four days. It is for the first time in over nine-decade history of the UP Board that such a large number of examinees have quit examinations, which experts said could largely be a result of strict anti-cheating measures implemented by the board in accordance with the state government’s directives. Pakistan: Renowned lawyer, human rights activist Asma Jahangir dead at 66 Renowned lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir passed away on Sunday in Lahore due to a cardiac arrest. She was 66. Jahangir was taken to a private hospital on Ferozepur Road after suffering a cardiac arrest where she passed away. She was the head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Court Bar Association.

WION Evening News Brief, February 11, 2018

Prevailing cross- border tension may have restricted Indo-Pak bilateral cricketing ties but Shahid Afridi loves to put across a point firmly -- his &quot;cordial relation&quot; with India captain Virat Kohli cannot and will not be defined by political situation.

&quot;My relationship with Virat is not dictated by political situation. Virat is a fantastic human being and an ambassador of cricket for his country, just like I am for my country,&quot; Afridi told PTI during an interaction on the sidelines of the St Moritz Ice Cricket Tournament.

&quot;He (Kohli) has always shown a lot of respect and has even gone out of his way to present a signed jersey for my foundation (Shahid Afridi Foundation),&quot; he added. 
Afridi&#39;s foundation has been working in providing clean and safe drinking water for the economically weaker sections of society.

&quot;There is a lot of warmth and fellow-feeling whenever I have spoken to Virat. It&#39;s not that we get a chance to speak a lot but from time to time, he would drop in a message and I would do the same. I congratulated him recently when I came to know the he was getting married.

&quot;I believe as cricketers we can set examples of how relationship between individuals can be a template for relationship between countries. I think after Pakistan, the two countries where I have received most love and respect are India and Australia,&quot; said the former Pakistan skipper.

For someone, who was a maverick during his international career, Afridi loves Kohli&#39;s aggression and believes that supporting juniors in crisis situations has also helped him in earning respect from youngsters.

&quot;Virat is doing a brilliant job. I have no problem with aggression if it is a controlled one. And Virat&#39;s character is different from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was a composed individual.

&quot;Now suddenly, you cannot change the inherent nature of a person. Virat&#39;s greatest asset is that he can take the team along,&quot; Afridi observed.

Asked to compare Kohli with Pakistan captain Sarfraz Khan, Afridi said: &quot;Sarfraz is still new to the job and he will only get better along the way. The only thing I don&#39;t like is that media running down players during their rough times.

&quot;As long as you are winning, everything is fine and you lose a game and all hell breaks loose. That is grossly unfair. We should not overlook someone&#39;s past achievements just because he is going through a bad patch,&quot; said the cricketer who has been loved and criticised in equal measure.

During the couple of days of Ice Cricket at St Moritz tournament, Afridi at times even beat Virender Sehwag in terms of popularity thanks to the presence of a larger number of expatriate Pakistani fans, who had thronged St Moritz.

The moment he entered the playing area wearing the orange jumper, St Moritz turned into a &#39;Lala Land&#39; as everyone wanted a piece of their beloved &#39;Lala&#39;, as Pakistani fans affectionately call Afridi.

Afridi was a different man at different times.

He autographed the posters, even a Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf flag, obliged all the selfie seekers, seemed a tad irritated with multiple one-on-one interview requests, took his wife and youngest daughter out for a walk down the lake and did not even give a second glance at a young Pakistani woman, who in front of everyone shouted &quot;Lala aapse kabhi alag se mil sakti hoon (Can I meet you somewhere else?).&quot;

And yes, he played cricket too and tried to hit out as he would do often during his green jersey days. And the result was more often than not his downfall. It happened the same way but no one cared.

'My relationship with Virat is not dictated by political situation. Virat is a fantastic human being and an ambassador of cricket for his country, just like I am for my country,' Afridi told said

Prevailing cross- border tension may have restricted Indo-Pak bilateral cricketing ties but Shahid Afridi loves to put across a point firmly -- his "cordial relation" with India captain Virat Kohli cannot and will not be defined by political situation. "My relationship with Virat is not dictated by political situation. Virat is a fantastic human being and an ambassador of cricket for his country, just like I am for my country," Afridi told PTI during an interaction on the sidelines of the St Moritz Ice Cricket Tournament. "He (Kohli) has always shown a lot of respect and has even gone out of his way to present a signed jersey for my foundation (Shahid Afridi Foundation)," he added. Afridi's foundation has been working in providing clean and safe drinking water for the economically weaker sections of society. "There is a lot of warmth and fellow-feeling whenever I have spoken to Virat. It's not that we get a chance to speak a lot but from time to time, he would drop in a message and I would do the same. I congratulated him recently when I came to know the he was getting married. "I believe as cricketers we can set examples of how relationship between individuals can be a template for relationship between countries. I think after Pakistan, the two countries where I have received most love and respect are India and Australia," said the former Pakistan skipper. For someone, who was a maverick during his international career, Afridi loves Kohli's aggression and believes that supporting juniors in crisis situations has also helped him in earning respect from youngsters. "Virat is doing a brilliant job. I have no problem with aggression if it is a controlled one. And Virat's character is different from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was a composed individual. "Now suddenly, you cannot change the inherent nature of a person. Virat's greatest asset is that he can take the team along," Afridi observed. Asked to compare Kohli with Pakistan captain Sarfraz Khan, Afridi said: "Sarfraz is still new to the job and he will only get better along the way. The only thing I don't like is that media running down players during their rough times. "As long as you are winning, everything is fine and you lose a game and all hell breaks loose. That is grossly unfair. We should not overlook someone's past achievements just because he is going through a bad patch," said the cricketer who has been loved and criticised in equal measure. During the couple of days of Ice Cricket at St Moritz tournament, Afridi at times even beat Virender Sehwag in terms of popularity thanks to the presence of a larger number of expatriate Pakistani fans, who had thronged St Moritz. The moment he entered the playing area wearing the orange jumper, St Moritz turned into a 'Lala Land' as everyone wanted a piece of their beloved 'Lala', as Pakistani fans affectionately call Afridi. Afridi was a different man at different times. He autographed the posters, even a Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf flag, obliged all the selfie seekers, seemed a tad irritated with multiple one-on-one interview requests, took his wife and youngest daughter out for a walk down the lake and did not even give a second glance at a young Pakistani woman, who in front of everyone shouted "Lala aapse kabhi alag se mil sakti hoon (Can I meet you somewhere else?)." And yes, he played cricket too and tried to hit out as he would do often during his green jersey days. And the result was more often than not his downfall. It happened the same way but no one cared.

Politics can't define my cordial relation with Kohli: Afridi

A few days back, I was talking to one of the Pakistan Defence Experts on the panel of a renowned news channel over the issue of ceasefire violation at Line of Control. The Indian panelists were in anguish over the recent killings but, surprisingly, the Pakistani panelist who was a retired Lieutenant General mentioned repeatedly in his statement that Pakistan is nuclear capable and any adventure from Indian side will be answered by a nuclear missile.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Before we become a victim to these lies and deceits, we must understand the reality of Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As per the statement of AQ Khan to Newsweek on 16 May 2011, Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme started as a countermeasure of India&rsquo;s first nuclear test in 1974 but he is wrong. If we go back to study the nuclear program of Pakistan, we must start with their humiliating defeat in 1971. Then PM Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto said that Pakistanis will have to make a nuclear bomb even if they have to eat grass.&nbsp; The entire blueprint of Project 706 or the Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) was ready as early as 1973 and the project actually kicked off in 1974. This was the start of a dirty mess created by Pakistan which is still haunting the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

To me the actual father of Pakistani Nuclear program was not AQ Khan, it was Dr Munir Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).&nbsp; Munir was a true genius and fathered Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear weapon programme using Plutonium. AQ Khan, who started Project 706, had the sole objective to develop Pakistan&rsquo;s own nuclear bomb using Uranium as fuel. And, finally, all the devices of Pakistan&rsquo;s Nuclear arsenal were Uranium based only.

&nbsp;

Technically speaking, any nuclear fission device has two major parts. The Device consists of many parts, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic and the detonation mechanism in the body of the bomb is the first part, and the nuclear fuel is the second part. While the first part is not very difficult to obtain, Pakistan could create it easily in 1974 itself. The second part which is the nuclear fuel was the factor which delayed Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme for another 10 years and they could be ready with their first device in 1984 only.

&nbsp;

To understand Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme and the role of AQ Khan in this, we must understand the concept of nuclear fuel. Uranium has several isotopes and the main fissile isotope which acts towards the generation of energy or creation of nuclear bomb is Uranium-235 which is only .5% to .7% in the naturally obtained Uranium. The energy grade uranium has 4-6% of U-235 while in the weapon-grade uranium, the concentration should be more than 90% and that was the main concern for Pakistan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The equipment required to make weapon-grade uranium is an ultra-high-speed gas centrifuge and the technology was not available with Pakistan. The centrifuge is required to spin the gaseous form of Uranium Hexafluoride at more than 100,000 RPM to generate fissile material. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

This was the time when AQ Khan played a vital role. Though he was a nuclear scientist, he was working as a translator in URENCO at Belgium and Netherlands. He approached the Pakistan Government and asked to help them in making the bomb. As per Mr Kuldeep Nayyar, the Pakistan Government was not aware of him and, thus, the ISI was made to run a full background check on him.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Ironically, the ISI declared him incompetent for any nuclear weapon development but still he made his forays in the government set up through his connects in the PAEC and successfully arranged a meeting with Mr Bhutto. Somehow, he was successful in convincing the top leadership and AQ Khan was given the charge of Kahuta Research laboratory after he returned to Pakistan from the Netherlands.

&nbsp;

Khan knew the importance of Pakistan army in the political scenario; he had seen many coups. Hence, to secure his project from any political disturbance, he made this project separated from PAEC and ran it in close connection with the Pakistan Army.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Over the next few years, he established administrative setups at various shell companies in Dubai and the Middle East to route the centrifuge technology. The designs, calculations and blueprints of these centrifuges were stolen by AQ Khan from URENCO and transferred to Pakistan through different international routes. Unconfirmed reports say that certain Middle Eastern Islamic countries also helped him in this on the pretext of having a dedicated Islamic Bomb.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By 1980, Pakistan had developed some prototype centrifuges for uranium enrichment which were called as PakSat-1. They developed the centrifuges further and by 1984 could have enough fissile material required for their first bomb.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I would like to mention here that there were two organisations working in Pakistan towards the development of a nuclear bomb. One was KRL under the Pak Army and AQ Khan which was making a Uranium-based bomb; the other was PAEC itself which continued its 1972 program of the Plutonium-based bomb and established its facilities in Khushab, Jorarabad. By late nineties, Pakistan had the design and capability to produce its Plutonium based device too, however, all the existing devices with Pakistan are Uranium-based and the Plutonium-based device was limited to experiments only.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The bomb was in the making and Pakistan needed the missile technology to drive this project too. Its ally and friend America refused to give any technology to Pakistan on the pretext that it could fall into the wrong hands and the eyes moved to their other friends- China and North Korea.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Under Kim-Jong-Il, North Korea was successful in making its missiles with the help of China and was desperately looking for someone who could help them achieve their mission. When Pak PM Benazir Bhutto visited Pyongyang in 1990, certain secret agreements were signed between both the countries and some classified information about the designs of device and centrifuges was shared with North Korea in 1993 in exchange of missile technology. This missile technology formed the base of most of the missiles of Pakistan which surprisingly resemble North Korean missiles.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was not only North Korea but Iran too. When in 2003, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected Iran and found a large uranium enrichment facility, Iranian government revealed that the centrifuges were obtained from a foreign intermediary through URENCO but surprisingly the design was exactly same as PakSat-1 centrifuge which was invented by Pakistan. Some of the Pakistani centrifuges which were transferred to Iran in 1989 were also recovered.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pakistan was expanding his black market for other countries too and the key person in this was AQ Khan who was working closely with every government and military chief of Pakistan. In 2003 itself IAEA decided to dismantle Libya&rsquo;s nuclear program and to their surprise, they found Pakistani PakSat-1 centrifuges in one of the Libyan uranium enrichment facility. Libyan government openly accepted that they bought this technology from the black market and the supplier was Pakistan. Imagine had that dismantling not been done, the nuclear bomb would have gone into the hands of Islamic terrorists by now as entire Libya is facing turmoils of war with ISIS.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The cost paid for these materials to Pakistan by North Korea, Iran or Libya were not known. It was also not known if Pak government had sold these designs to any other country too. However, as per rough estimates, the payments went into billions of US Dollars which were reportedly used by Pakistan in spreading terror network in Indian and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In 2004, Pakistan government dismissed AQ Khan and initiated an inquiry against him and, ironically, his military connects saved him when Parvez Musharraf took over the country and issued him a presidential pardon. The Pak government said that AQ Khan ran this nuclear black market purely on his own. However, the fact is that he was awarded the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan- &ldquo;Nishan-E-Imtiyaz&rdquo; twice in 1996 and 1999 which proves the undeterred support of Pakistani government to him.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Pakistan's nuclear black market extended through N.Korea, Libya, Iran

A few days back, I was talking to one of the Pakistan Defence Experts on the panel of a renowned news channel over the issue of ceasefire violation at Line of Control. The Indian panelists were in anguish over the recent killings but, surprisingly, the Pakistani panelist who was a retired Lieutenant General mentioned repeatedly in his statement that Pakistan is nuclear capable and any adventure from Indian side will be answered by a nuclear missile. Before we become a victim to these lies and deceits, we must understand the reality of Pakistan’s nuclear programme. As per the statement of AQ Khan to Newsweek on 16 May 2011, Pakistan’s nuclear programme started as a countermeasure of India’s first nuclear test in 1974 but he is wrong. If we go back to study the nuclear program of Pakistan, we must start with their humiliating defeat in 1971. Then PM Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto said that Pakistanis will have to make a nuclear bomb even if they have to eat grass. The entire blueprint of Project 706 or the Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) was ready as early as 1973 and the project actually kicked off in 1974. This was the start of a dirty mess created by Pakistan which is still haunting the world. To me the actual father of Pakistani Nuclear program was not AQ Khan, it was Dr Munir Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Munir was a true genius and fathered Pakistan’s nuclear weapon programme using Plutonium. AQ Khan, who started Project 706, had the sole objective to develop Pakistan’s own nuclear bomb using Uranium as fuel. And, finally, all the devices of Pakistan’s Nuclear arsenal were Uranium based only. Technically speaking, any nuclear fission device has two major parts. The Device consists of many parts, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic and the detonation mechanism in the body of the bomb is the first part, and the nuclear fuel is the second part. While the first part is not very difficult to obtain, Pakistan could create it easily in 1974 itself. The second part which is the nuclear fuel was the factor which delayed Pakistan’s nuclear programme for another 10 years and they could be ready with their first device in 1984 only. To understand Pakistan’s nuclear programme and the role of AQ Khan in this, we must understand the concept of nuclear fuel. Uranium has several isotopes and the main fissile isotope which acts towards the generation of energy or creation of nuclear bomb is Uranium-235 which is only .5% to .7% in the naturally obtained Uranium. The energy grade uranium has 4-6% of U-235 while in the weapon-grade uranium, the concentration should be more than 90% and that was the main concern for Pakistan. The equipment required to make weapon-grade uranium is an ultra-high-speed gas centrifuge and the technology was not available with Pakistan. The centrifuge is required to spin the gaseous form of Uranium Hexafluoride at more than 100,000 RPM to generate fissile material. This was the time when AQ Khan played a vital role. Though he was a nuclear scientist, he was working as a translator in URENCO at Belgium and Netherlands. He approached the Pakistan Government and asked to help them in making the bomb. As per Mr Kuldeep Nayyar, the Pakistan Government was not aware of him and, thus, the ISI was made to run a full background check on him. Ironically, the ISI declared him incompetent for any nuclear weapon development but still he made his forays in the government set up through his connects in the PAEC and successfully arranged a meeting with Mr Bhutto. Somehow, he was successful in convincing the top leadership and AQ Khan was given the charge of Kahuta Research laboratory after he returned to Pakistan from the Netherlands. Khan knew the importance of Pakistan army in the political scenario; he had seen many coups. Hence, to secure his project from any political disturbance, he made this project separated from PAEC and ran it in close connection with the Pakistan Army. Over the next few years, he established administrative setups at various shell companies in Dubai and the Middle East to route the centrifuge technology. The designs, calculations and blueprints of these centrifuges were stolen by AQ Khan from URENCO and transferred to Pakistan through different international routes. Unconfirmed reports say that certain Middle Eastern Islamic countries also helped him in this on the pretext of having a dedicated Islamic Bomb. By 1980, Pakistan had developed some prototype centrifuges for uranium enrichment which were called as PakSat-1. They developed the centrifuges further and by 1984 could have enough fissile material required for their first bomb. I would like to mention here that there were two organisations working in Pakistan towards the development of a nuclear bomb. One was KRL under the Pak Army and AQ Khan which was making a Uranium-based bomb; the other was PAEC itself which continued its 1972 program of the Plutonium-based bomb and established its facilities in Khushab, Jorarabad. By late nineties, Pakistan had the design and capability to produce its Plutonium based device too, however, all the existing devices with Pakistan are Uranium-based and the Plutonium-based device was limited to experiments only. The bomb was in the making and Pakistan needed the missile technology to drive this project too. Its ally and friend America refused to give any technology to Pakistan on the pretext that it could fall into the wrong hands and the eyes moved to their other friends- China and North Korea. Under Kim-Jong-Il, North Korea was successful in making its missiles with the help of China and was desperately looking for someone who could help them achieve their mission. When Pak PM Benazir Bhutto visited Pyongyang in 1990, certain secret agreements were signed between both the countries and some classified information about the designs of device and centrifuges was shared with North Korea in 1993 in exchange of missile technology. This missile technology formed the base of most of the missiles of Pakistan which surprisingly resemble North Korean missiles. It was not only North Korea but Iran too. When in 2003, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected Iran and found a large uranium enrichment facility, Iranian government revealed that the centrifuges were obtained from a foreign intermediary through URENCO but surprisingly the design was exactly same as PakSat-1 centrifuge which was invented by Pakistan. Some of the Pakistani centrifuges which were transferred to Iran in 1989 were also recovered. Pakistan was expanding his black market for other countries too and the key person in this was AQ Khan who was working closely with every government and military chief of Pakistan. In 2003 itself IAEA decided to dismantle Libya’s nuclear program and to their surprise, they found Pakistani PakSat-1 centrifuges in one of the Libyan uranium enrichment facility. Libyan government openly accepted that they bought this technology from the black market and the supplier was Pakistan. Imagine had that dismantling not been done, the nuclear bomb would have gone into the hands of Islamic terrorists by now as entire Libya is facing turmoils of war with ISIS. The cost paid for these materials to Pakistan by North Korea, Iran or Libya were not known. It was also not known if Pak government had sold these designs to any other country too. However, as per rough estimates, the payments went into billions of US Dollars which were reportedly used by Pakistan in spreading terror network in Indian and Afghanistan. In 2004, Pakistan government dismissed AQ Khan and initiated an inquiry against him and, ironically, his military connects saved him when Parvez Musharraf took over the country and issued him a presidential pardon. The Pak government said that AQ Khan ran this nuclear black market purely on his own. However, the fact is that he was awarded the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan- “Nishan-E-Imtiyaz” twice in 1996 and 1999 which proves the undeterred support of Pakistani government to him. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Pakistan's nuclear black market endangers the world

A US drone strike has killed a deputy commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan along with three Haqqani network terrorists in in Afghanistan and North Waziristan of Pakistan.

The strike was carried out on Thursday in Pakistan&#39;s Federally Administered Tribal Areas which killed TTP Deputy Commander Khan Said Sajna when two missiles were fired at a compound close to the Afghan border.&nbsp;

Since US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has assumed office, there has been an increase in drone strikes inside Pakistan in the restive mountainous regions bordering Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Earlier in January the United States&nbsp; carried out its first drone strike of the year near border area of the Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claiming to kill two&nbsp; alleged Taliban commanders.

&nbsp;

The strike was carried out on Thursday in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas which killed TTP Deputy Commander Khan Said Sajna when two missiles were fired at a compound close to the Afghan border.

A US drone strike has killed a deputy commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan along with three Haqqani network terrorists in in Afghanistan and North Waziristan of Pakistan. The strike was carried out on Thursday in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas which killed TTP Deputy Commander Khan Said Sajna when two missiles were fired at a compound close to the Afghan border. Since US President Donald Trump has assumed office, there has been an increase in drone strikes inside Pakistan in the restive mountainous regions bordering Afghanistan. Earlier in January the United States carried out its first drone strike of the year near border area of the Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claiming to kill two alleged Taliban commanders.

US drone strike kills Taliban deputy commander, 3 Haqqani network militants

Pakistan has banned events marking Valentine&#39;s Day, and media coverage of them, for the second year in a row after a court ruled the holiday un-Islamic.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued an advisory on Wednesday warning television and radio stations against any Valentine&#39;s Day celebrations.

&quot;No event shall be held at the official level or at any public place,&quot; Pemra said.

The ban was introduced by Islamabad High Court last year after a petition by a citizen who said the Feb. 14 holiday was a cultural import from the West and &quot;against the teachings of Islam&quot;.

More than 60 percent of the population of the Muslim-majority nation is aged under 30. Many young people and commercial establishments have in recent years embraced Valentine&#39;s Day hearts, flowers and chocolates.

But the country of 208 million has also seen a wave of ultra-religious political activism that has brought a backlash against such celebrations, which some call immoral.

Parties including the Taliban-linked Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam parties have in recent years held rallies to denounce the holiday.

&quot;We&#39;re Muslims. Our religion forbids things like Valentine&#39;s Day,&quot; said Taufeeq Leghari, who was waiting for transport close to a florist&#39;s stall in Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad.

Flower seller Salman Mahmod took a different view.&quot;I don&#39;t know what danger these Islamists would face if I earn a little more from selling flowers and someone can have a chance to celebrate something,&quot; he said.

Young people are not too afraid of the ban.

&quot;I will celebrate,&quot; said 21-year-old university student Abid Ansari in Islamabad. &quot;This is my choice.&quot;

Young people are not too afraid of the ban

Pakistan has banned events marking Valentine's Day, and media coverage of them, for the second year in a row after a court ruled the holiday un-Islamic. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued an advisory on Wednesday warning television and radio stations against any Valentine's Day celebrations. "No event shall be held at the official level or at any public place," Pemra said. The ban was introduced by Islamabad High Court last year after a petition by a citizen who said the Feb. 14 holiday was a cultural import from the West and "against the teachings of Islam". More than 60 percent of the population of the Muslim-majority nation is aged under 30. Many young people and commercial establishments have in recent years embraced Valentine's Day hearts, flowers and chocolates. But the country of 208 million has also seen a wave of ultra-religious political activism that has brought a backlash against such celebrations, which some call immoral. Parties including the Taliban-linked Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam parties have in recent years held rallies to denounce the holiday. "We're Muslims. Our religion forbids things like Valentine's Day," said Taufeeq Leghari, who was waiting for transport close to a florist's stall in Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad. Flower seller Salman Mahmod took a different view."I don't know what danger these Islamists would face if I earn a little more from selling flowers and someone can have a chance to celebrate something," he said. Young people are not too afraid of the ban. "I will celebrate," said 21-year-old university student Abid Ansari in Islamabad. "This is my choice."

Love is in the air, but not on airwaves as Pakistan bans Valentine's Day

According to reports, Pakistan Army violated ceasefire in Poonch&#39;s KG sector earlier today.

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing involving small arms, automatics and mortars at around 4.20pm IST today in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Ceasefire violation by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a> in Poonch&#39;s KG sector, Army retaliating. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a> <a href="https://t.co/IBvAEfKkwY">pic.twitter.com/IBvAEfKkwY</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961563476631130112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Indian Army is reported to have been retaliating so far.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned on Monday after opposition legislators created a ruckus over continuing ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

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Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1620 hours in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control. Indian Army is retaliating. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961589118194069505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Members of the National Conference and Congress raised anti-government slogans over government&#39;s alleged failure to protect the people from Pakistani shelling.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/protect-soldiers-human-rights-army-kids-write-to-nhrc-against-stone-pelters-32210">Army kids</a> have moved the National Human Rights Commission and filed a petition to protect army personnel&#39;s human rights.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Pakistan Army reportedly initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing involving small arms

According to reports, Pakistan Army violated ceasefire in Poonch's KG sector earlier today. Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing involving small arms, automatics and mortars at around 4.20pm IST today in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control. Ceasefire violation by #Pakistan in Poonch's KG sector, Army retaliating. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/IBvAEfKkwY — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2018 × Indian Army is reported to have been retaliating so far. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned on Monday after opposition legislators created a ruckus over continuing ceasefire violations by Pakistan. Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1620 hours in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control. Indian Army is retaliating. #JammuAndKashmir — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2018 × Members of the National Conference and Congress raised anti-government slogans over government's alleged failure to protect the people from Pakistani shelling. Army kids have moved the National Human Rights Commission and filed a petition to protect army personnel's human rights. (With inputs from agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan Army violates ceasefire in Poonch

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said anyone calling an Indian Muslim &quot;Pakistani&quot; should be jailed for three years.

Owaisi raised his demand in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

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AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi demanded today in Lok Sabha that the Centre bring a law to punish with three-year jail term any person who calls an Indian Muslim &quot;a Pakistani&quot; (file pic) <a href="https://t.co/RUzjCdit0e">pic.twitter.com/RUzjCdit0e</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960947335395233792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Owaisi added that Muslims living in the country had rejected Mohammad Ali Jinnah&#39;s two-nation theory.&nbsp;

While demanding the law in Parliament, he added that the current BJP government would not bring in such a law.&nbsp;

He also called the triple talaq bill &quot;anti-women&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Owaisi raised his demand in the Lok Sabha

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said anyone calling an Indian Muslim "Pakistani" should be jailed for three years. Owaisi raised his demand in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi demanded today in Lok Sabha that the Centre bring a law to punish with three-year jail term any person who calls an Indian Muslim "a Pakistani" (file pic) pic.twitter.com/RUzjCdit0e — ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2018 × Owaisi added that Muslims living in the country had rejected Mohammad Ali Jinnah's two-nation theory. While demanding the law in Parliament, he added that the current BJP government would not bring in such a law. He also called the triple talaq bill "anti-women".

Anyone calling an Indian Muslim 'Pakistani' should be jailed: Asaduddin Owaisi

Pakistan has again raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council and accused it of &quot;selectively&quot; implementing its resolution on the matter.

Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Representative to the UN, sought periodic review of the implementation of the UN Security Council&#39;s decades-old resolution on the issue.

&quot;Nothing undermines the credibility of the Council more than &#39;selective&#39; implementation of its resolutions,&quot; Lodhi said during an open debate of the Security Council on its working methods.

&quot;The Council should therefore periodically review the implementation of its resolutions, especially on longstanding issues like the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,&quot; she said.

She said the failure of the Council to enforce its own resolutions &quot;undercuts not just the Council&#39;s standing in the world, but the UN as well&quot;.

According to the top Pakistani diplomat, the best way to enhance the democratic and representative character of the Security Council is to reinforce this norm of accountability, and not to support any actions that threaten to undermine or reverse these ideals.

The Council, she said, should be more transparent and balanced in the working of its subsidiary organs.

Elected members should have a more equitable representation of these organs.

India is opposed to any third-party intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue while Pakistan has continuously sought mediation to sort out the differences. Pakistan often raises the issue at various international platforms.

"Nothing undermines the credibility of the Council more than 'selective' implementation of its resolutions," Lodhi said

Pakistan has again raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council and accused it of "selectively" implementing its resolution on the matter. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, sought periodic review of the implementation of the UN Security Council's decades-old resolution on the issue. "Nothing undermines the credibility of the Council more than 'selective' implementation of its resolutions," Lodhi said during an open debate of the Security Council on its working methods. "The Council should therefore periodically review the implementation of its resolutions, especially on longstanding issues like the Jammu and Kashmir dispute," she said. She said the failure of the Council to enforce its own resolutions "undercuts not just the Council's standing in the world, but the UN as well". According to the top Pakistani diplomat, the best way to enhance the democratic and representative character of the Security Council is to reinforce this norm of accountability, and not to support any actions that threaten to undermine or reverse these ideals. The Council, she said, should be more transparent and balanced in the working of its subsidiary organs. Elected members should have a more equitable representation of these organs. India is opposed to any third-party intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue while Pakistan has continuously sought mediation to sort out the differences. Pakistan often raises the issue at various international platforms.

Pakistan again rakes up Kashmir issue at UN

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country.

Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot by a gang made up mostly of students last April before being thrown from the second floor of his dormitory at Abdul Wali Khan University in the northwestern city of Mardan.

&quot;One of the accused has been awarded a death sentence, (five) were given life imprisonment while 26 have been acquitted,&quot; Saad Abbasi, a defence lawyer, said at the prison where the verdict was announced.

An additional 25 were given three-year sentences, he added, saying he planned to file an appeal against the decision.

The court sentenced Imran Sultan Mohammad to death over his role in shooting Khan during the lynching, a crime he confessed to earlier.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ahead of the verdict, heavy security was enforced at the jail in the city of Haripur where the accused were detained, with the area cordoned off by police and elite commandos.&nbsp;

The proceedings were held in an anti-terrorism court inside the jail for security reasons.&nbsp;

Around 100 relatives of the accused students waited outside the prison walls as news of the verdict trickled out.

&quot;A day will come that the judge will answer the God. The verdict he has announced is unjust,&quot; said Waheedullah, whose son was given a three-year sentence.

The brutality of the attack, which was recorded on mobile phone cameras and posted online, stunned the public and led to widespread condemnation -- including from prominent Islamic clerics. Protests erupted in several cities.

Students who took part were rounded up after being identified through CCTV footage from the university and video clips.

An official report released months later concluded Khan was falsely accused, saying the murder was instigated by members of a secular student group who felt threatened by Khan&#39;s growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and of alleged corruption at the university.

Blasphemy is an enormously sensitive charge in Pakistan and a criminal offence that can carry the death penalty.

While the state has never executed anyone under blasphemy laws, mere allegations have prompted mob lynchings and lesser violence.&nbsp;

Since 1990 vigilantes have been accused of murdering 65 people tied to blasphemy, according to research compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies.

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country. Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot by a gang made up mostly of students last April before being thrown from the second floor of his dormitory at Abdul Wali Khan University in the northwestern city of Mardan. "One of the accused has been awarded a death sentence, (five) were given life imprisonment while 26 have been acquitted," Saad Abbasi, a defence lawyer, said at the prison where the verdict was announced. An additional 25 were given three-year sentences, he added, saying he planned to file an appeal against the decision. The court sentenced Imran Sultan Mohammad to death over his role in shooting Khan during the lynching, a crime he confessed to earlier. Ahead of the verdict, heavy security was enforced at the jail in the city of Haripur where the accused were detained, with the area cordoned off by police and elite commandos. The proceedings were held in an anti-terrorism court inside the jail for security reasons. Around 100 relatives of the accused students waited outside the prison walls as news of the verdict trickled out. "A day will come that the judge will answer the God. The verdict he has announced is unjust," said Waheedullah, whose son was given a three-year sentence. The brutality of the attack, which was recorded on mobile phone cameras and posted online, stunned the public and led to widespread condemnation -- including from prominent Islamic clerics. Protests erupted in several cities. Students who took part were rounded up after being identified through CCTV footage from the university and video clips. An official report released months later concluded Khan was falsely accused, saying the murder was instigated by members of a secular student group who felt threatened by Khan's growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and of alleged corruption at the university. Blasphemy is an enormously sensitive charge in Pakistan and a criminal offence that can carry the death penalty. While the state has never executed anyone under blasphemy laws, mere allegations have prompted mob lynchings and lesser violence. Since 1990 vigilantes have been accused of murdering 65 people tied to blasphemy, according to research compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies.

Pakistan court hands out death sentence over blasphemy lynching

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-moves-bill-to-end-non-defence-aid-to-pakistan-32055">US House of Representatives moves bill to end &#39;non-defence aid&#39; to Pakistan</a>

The bill seeks to divert the money for infrastructure projects in the United States.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-over-200-injured-in-64-magnitude-taiwan-earthquake-32045">2 killed, over 200 injured in 6.4-magnitude Taiwan earthquake</a>

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near the coastal city of Hualien in Taiwan late on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey&nbsp;said. 
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US House of Representatives moves bill to end 'non-defence aid' to Pakistan The bill seeks to divert the money for infrastructure projects in the United States. 2 killed, over 200 injured in 6.4-magnitude Taiwan earthquake A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near the coastal city of Hualien in Taiwan late on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. SpaceX sends a sports car into space with world's most powerful rocket The world's most powerful rocket, SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, roared into space through clear blue skies in its debut test flight on Tuesday. Trump tells Pentagon to plan military parade US President Donald Trump has asked for a military parade to showcase American muscle and underscore his role as commander-in-chief. Prepping for 'No More Tours 2' in spring, Ozzy Osbourne says 'I'm not retiring Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne will kickstart last tour of his life this spring but will continue performing gigs around the world, he confirmed.

WION Morning News brief, February 7, 2018

The US House of Representatives<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-is-the-centre-of-the-taliban-says-afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-31620"> moved a bill to end &quot;non-defence aid&quot; to </a>Pakistan. The bill seeks to divert the money for infrastructure projects in the United States.

President Trump has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/protest-in-kabul-as-afghan-officials-press-pakistan-over-attacks-31477">repeatedly warned Pakistan about </a>stopping aid and lashed out at the government for not doing enough to stop terrorists operating on its soil.

The bill introduced by Congressmen Mark Sanford from South Carolina and Thomas Massie from Kentucky seeks to prohibit the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from sending American taxpayer money to Pakistan.

&ldquo;When the American people support other nations, our generosity shouldn&rsquo;t be used to reward terrorists with US taxpayer dollars,&rdquo; Sanford said while presenting the bill.

Last month the US had suspended security assistance to Pakistan for failing to take &quot;decisive action&quot; against Taliban.

President Trump had earlier said the US has &quot;foolishly&quot; spent $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and &quot;got nothing but lies &amp; deceit&quot; in return. &nbsp;

Foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had earlier said Pakistan is better off without the US aid while addressing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance in Pakistan.

&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden,&rdquo; Senator Paul said.

President Trump has repeatedly warned Pakistan about stopping aid and lashed out at the government for not doing enough to stop terrorists operating on its soil.

The US House of Representatives moved a bill to end "non-defence aid" to Pakistan. The bill seeks to divert the money for infrastructure projects in the United States. President Trump has repeatedly warned Pakistan about stopping aid and lashed out at the government for not doing enough to stop terrorists operating on its soil. The bill introduced by Congressmen Mark Sanford from South Carolina and Thomas Massie from Kentucky seeks to prohibit the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from sending American taxpayer money to Pakistan. “When the American people support other nations, our generosity shouldn’t be used to reward terrorists with US taxpayer dollars,” Sanford said while presenting the bill. Last month the US had suspended security assistance to Pakistan for failing to take "decisive action" against Taliban. President Trump had earlier said the US has "foolishly" spent $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and "got nothing but lies & deceit" in return. Foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had earlier said Pakistan is better off without the US aid while addressing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance in Pakistan. “Let’s bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden,” Senator Paul said.

US House of Representatives moves bill to end 'non-defence aid' to Pakistan

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US House of Representatives moves bill to end 'non-defence aid' to Pakistan