<div style="text-align: justify;">Relatives slit the throat of a young mother, who was pregnant with her second child, after she married against their will in eastern Pakistan, the latest in a spate of so-called &quot;honour killings&quot;,&nbsp;officials said on Friday. 
 
Muqaddas Bibi, 22, married Taufiq Ahmed three years ago in defiance of her family, who considered a marriage for love, rather than an arranged marriage, said police investigator Mohammad Arshad.&nbsp; 
 
Bibi&#39;s ties with her family were severed after the marriage, Arshad said, but her mother and brother allegedly approached her at a clinic where she was having a check-up on Thursday and convinced her to come home, saying they accepted her decision. 
 
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EHw8cAULxg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 
Local police station chief Gohar Abbas said that when Bibi reached her parents&#39; house, her father, brother and mother cut her throat with a knife and she died on the spot. 
 
Bibi had a 10-month-old daughter and was seven months pregnant when she was killed, he added. 
 
Abbas said that her family fled from their house after the murder in the village of Buttaranwali, 75 kilometres (46 miles) north of Punjab provincial capital Lahore. 
 
Police are hunting for them and have already detained another relative for inciting the killing, Abbas added. 
 
Hundreds of women are murdered by their relatives in conservative Pakistan each year on the pretext of defending what is seen as family honour. 
 
Last week, 16 year-old Zeenat Bibi was killed in Lahore by her mother for marrying a man of her own choice in a case that sparked condemnation throughout the country. 
 
It was swiftly followed by the killing&nbsp;of a couple in Lahore who married without their family&#39;s consent. 
 
On Sunday a young girl was killed by her brother for insisting on marrying the man of her choice in the city of Sialkot in Punjab.&nbsp; 
 
A film on honour killings in Pakistan won an Oscar for best documentary short in February.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to eradicate the &quot;evil&quot; amid publicity for the film, &quot;A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness&quot;, but as yet no fresh legislation has been tabled. 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;</div>

Muqaddas Bibi had married a man of her choice and was seven-months pregnant when her parents and brother murdered her

Relatives slit the throat of a young mother, who was pregnant with her second child, after she married against their will in eastern Pakistan, the latest in a spate of so-called "honour killings", officials said on Friday. Muqaddas Bibi, 22, married Taufiq Ahmed three years ago in defiance of her family, who considered a marriage for love, rather than an arranged marriage, said police investigator Mohammad Arshad. Bibi's ties with her family were severed after the marriage, Arshad said, but her mother and brother allegedly approached her at a clinic where she was having a check-up on Thursday and convinced her to come home, saying they accepted her decision. Local police station chief Gohar Abbas said that when Bibi reached her parents' house, her father, brother and mother cut her throat with a knife and she died on the spot. Bibi had a 10-month-old daughter and was seven months pregnant when she was killed, he added. Abbas said that her family fled from their house after the murder in the village of Buttaranwali, 75 kilometres (46 miles) north of Punjab provincial capital Lahore. Police are hunting for them and have already detained another relative for inciting the killing, Abbas added. Hundreds of women are murdered by their relatives in conservative Pakistan each year on the pretext of defending what is seen as family honour. Last week, 16 year-old Zeenat Bibi was killed in Lahore by her mother for marrying a man of her own choice in a case that sparked condemnation throughout the country. It was swiftly followed by the killing of a couple in Lahore who married without their family's consent. On Sunday a young girl was killed by her brother for insisting on marrying the man of her choice in the city of Sialkot in Punjab. A film on honour killings in Pakistan won an Oscar for best documentary short in February. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to eradicate the "evil" amid publicity for the film, "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness", but as yet no fresh legislation has been tabled. (AFP)

Pak woman killed for 'honour'

&nbsp;All-rounder Chris Woakes is confident that England selectors will be able to squeeze both Ben Stokes and himself into the starting lineup for the four-match test series against Pakistan starting next month. 
 
Woakes was called up to the side last month after fellow all-rounder Stokes injured his knee during the first test victory over Sri Lanka in Leeds. 
 
The 27-year-old went on to score 105 runs in three innings and picked up eight wickets as England romped to a 2-0 series victory over the Sri Lankans following a comfortable win in Durham and a rain-affected draw at Lord&#39;s. 
 
&quot;I&#39;d be stupid to think that, if Ben (Stokes) is fit, I&#39;m going to play (over him), but I might have given them (the selectors) a headache. I might be able to fit into the team even if he is involved again,&quot; Woakes told British media. 
 
Meanwhile, test team mate Stuart Broad has set his sights on representing England at the 2019 50-overs World Cup after the seamer was omitted from the squad for the Sri Lanka one-day series announced earlier this week. 
 
&quot;A big aim of mine is to be in that World Cup squad in 2019. The two major tournaments coming up are that and the Champions Trophy and I&#39;ve got to plot a way back in really,&quot; said Broad, who is England&#39;s third-highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m still only 29... A lot of people have played at World Cups at 32 and that&#39;s certainly not an old age for a cricketer, so I&#39;ve got huge goals to be a part of that and have to pick some stuff to get involved in.&quot; 
 
The 2019 World Cup is being hosted by England and Wales. 
(Reuters)

He was called up after his fellow all-rounder hurt his knee

All-rounder Chris Woakes is confident that England selectors will be able to squeeze both Ben Stokes and himself into the starting lineup for the four-match test series against Pakistan starting next month. Woakes was called up to the side last month after fellow all-rounder Stokes injured his knee during the first test victory over Sri Lanka in Leeds. The 27-year-old went on to score 105 runs in three innings and picked up eight wickets as England romped to a 2-0 series victory over the Sri Lankans following a comfortable win in Durham and a rain-affected draw at Lord's. "I'd be stupid to think that, if Ben (Stokes) is fit, I'm going to play (over him), but I might have given them (the selectors) a headache. I might be able to fit into the team even if he is involved again," Woakes told British media. Meanwhile, test team mate Stuart Broad has set his sights on representing England at the 2019 50-overs World Cup after the seamer was omitted from the squad for the Sri Lanka one-day series announced earlier this week. "A big aim of mine is to be in that World Cup squad in 2019. The two major tournaments coming up are that and the Champions Trophy and I've got to plot a way back in really," said Broad, who is England's third-highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket. "I'm still only 29... A lot of people have played at World Cups at 32 and that's certainly not an old age for a cricketer, so I've got huge goals to be a part of that and have to pick some stuff to get involved in." The 2019 World Cup is being hosted by England and Wales. (Reuters)

Woakes thinks there'll be room for him, and Stokes on the England team

Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq hopes the upcoming test series in England will help spur the return of international cricket to the South Asian nation after a seven-year absence due to security fears. 
 
Pakistan has not staged test matches since a 2009 gun attack on Sri Lanka&#39;s team bus in Lahore killed six Pakistani policemen and a van driver. Some players and a local umpire were injured. 
 
Improved security in Pakistan in recent years has prompted calls for international teams to return but test playing nations have so far refused to tour a country where Islamist militants still pose a threat. 
 
Misbah told Reuters he hoped the four-test series in England &quot;would help revive cricket series in Pakistan&quot;. 
 
Pakistan last played test matches in England in 2012 and the 42-year-old batsman said he expected an &quot;exciting&quot; tour after such a long gap. 
 
&quot;It is a big tour for Pakistan,&quot; Misbah said late on Thursday during a send-off dinner for the Pakistani team hosted by Britain&#39;s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew. 
 
Britain&#39;s Prime Minister David Cameron also sent a good luck message to Pakistan&#39;s team, saying: &quot;I hope that one day in the not too distant future I will be able to wish the England cricket team a successful tour of Pakistan.&quot; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s formidable pace attack, spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, will face a resurgent and youthful England team captained by Alastair Cook, who last month became the first England cricketer to reach 10,000 test runs. 
 
&quot;England cricket team is a strong and balanced one,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s experienced all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez said. &quot;Pakistan team has plenty of talent. We will try to give a quality series to the spectators and cricket fans.&quot; 
 
Since 2009, Pakistan&#39;s national team has been hosting foreign teams in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan defeated England in a three-test series in 2015, winning two matches and drawing the third. 
 
The coming test series will see the return of Amir to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England. 
 
It will also be the first test series for leg-spinner Yasir Shah since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. 
 
Shaharyar Khan, chairman of Pakistan&#39;s cricket board, said he was confident Misbah&#39;s squad would hold its own against England and urged them to show their worth. 
 
&quot;I would say, play hard, giving no quarter to England for under Alastair Cook they are too good an outfit to not make you regret it,&quot; he said. 
 
Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Country has not hosted a game since a 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore killed six Pakistani policemen and a van driver

Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq hopes the upcoming test series in England will help spur the return of international cricket to the South Asian nation after a seven-year absence due to security fears. Pakistan has not staged test matches since a 2009 gun attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore killed six Pakistani policemen and a van driver. Some players and a local umpire were injured. Improved security in Pakistan in recent years has prompted calls for international teams to return but test playing nations have so far refused to tour a country where Islamist militants still pose a threat. Misbah told Reuters he hoped the four-test series in England "would help revive cricket series in Pakistan". Pakistan last played test matches in England in 2012 and the 42-year-old batsman said he expected an "exciting" tour after such a long gap. "It is a big tour for Pakistan," Misbah said late on Thursday during a send-off dinner for the Pakistani team hosted by Britain's High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron also sent a good luck message to Pakistan's team, saying: "I hope that one day in the not too distant future I will be able to wish the England cricket team a successful tour of Pakistan." Pakistan's formidable pace attack, spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, will face a resurgent and youthful England team captained by Alastair Cook, who last month became the first England cricketer to reach 10,000 test runs. "England cricket team is a strong and balanced one," Pakistan's experienced all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez said. "Pakistan team has plenty of talent. We will try to give a quality series to the spectators and cricket fans." Since 2009, Pakistan's national team has been hosting foreign teams in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan defeated England in a three-test series in 2015, winning two matches and drawing the third. The coming test series will see the return of Amir to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England. It will also be the first test series for leg-spinner Yasir Shah since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. Shaharyar Khan, chairman of Pakistan's cricket board, said he was confident Misbah's squad would hold its own against England and urged them to show their worth. "I would say, play hard, giving no quarter to England for under Alastair Cook they are too good an outfit to not make you regret it," he said. Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Misbah hopes England series will lead to Test matches in Pakistan

A Pakistani woman, who allegedly threw acid on her boyfriend causing life-threatening injuries after he refused to marry her, officials said today, and was arrested in a rare case of a woman attacking a man. 
 
Momil Mai, a married mother-of-four, had been in a relationship with 25-year-old Saddaqat Ali, who was also married, for several years, police near Multan city in Punjab province told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
Mai was demanding Ali make her his second wife, officials said. Polygamy is legal but rare for men in conservative Muslim Pakistan, however, a woman would have to divorce before being allowed to marry again. 
 
&quot;On Wednesday night, Ali went to see Mai as usual and she threw acid on his body after he once again refused to marry her,&quot; Bashir Ahmed, a local police official, told AFP. 
 
Ali had time to turn, he said, with the acid burning his back but not his face. 
 
Ashiq Malik, medical superintendent at the government hospital in Multan where Ali is being treated, said that the victim received burns to about 60 per cent of his body. 
 
Doctors are fighting to save Ali`s life, he said. 
 
A criminal case was registered against Mai, whose current husband is a labourer, after a complaint by Ali`s family. 
 
Acid attacks, which disfigure and often blind their overwhelmingly female victims, have long been used to settle personal or family scores in Pakistan, with hundreds of cases reported each year. It is rare for a woman to attack a man.&nbsp; 
 
Acid is readily available in agricultural southern Punjab because of its use in farming. 
(AFP)

She pressured him to take her as his second wife in spite of being married and a mother of four. Around 60 per cent of his body is burnt

A Pakistani woman, who allegedly threw acid on her boyfriend causing life-threatening injuries after he refused to marry her, officials said today, and was arrested in a rare case of a woman attacking a man. Momil Mai, a married mother-of-four, had been in a relationship with 25-year-old Saddaqat Ali, who was also married, for several years, police near Multan city in Punjab province told AFP. Mai was demanding Ali make her his second wife, officials said. Polygamy is legal but rare for men in conservative Muslim Pakistan, however, a woman would have to divorce before being allowed to marry again. "On Wednesday night, Ali went to see Mai as usual and she threw acid on his body after he once again refused to marry her," Bashir Ahmed, a local police official, told AFP. Ali had time to turn, he said, with the acid burning his back but not his face. Ashiq Malik, medical superintendent at the government hospital in Multan where Ali is being treated, said that the victim received burns to about 60 per cent of his body. Doctors are fighting to save Ali`s life, he said. A criminal case was registered against Mai, whose current husband is a labourer, after a complaint by Ali`s family. Acid attacks, which disfigure and often blind their overwhelmingly female victims, have long been used to settle personal or family scores in Pakistan, with hundreds of cases reported each year. It is rare for a woman to attack a man. Acid is readily available in agricultural southern Punjab because of its use in farming. (AFP)

Jilted Pakistani woman 'throws acid on boyfriend for refusing marriage'

Last&nbsp;year &ndash; 2015 &ndash; was the worst year ever to be a journalist in South Asia.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Reporters are routinely threatened, attacked, jailed, and murdered every year in the region according to a new Reporters Without Borders report.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Working with the constant fear of being killed or hurt is no easy task. The feeling that something bad could happen at any time&nbsp;affects every aspect of your life. And you suddenly start feeling unsafe everywhere&nbsp;and all the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the World Press Freedom Index 2016,&nbsp;there has been a &ldquo;deep and disturbing&rdquo; decline in media freedom around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The news from South Asia is particularly bad. &ldquo;The media freedom situation worsened significantly or stagnated&rdquo; in the region the report says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Maldives came in at 112 out of 180 countries on the index. It turns out the country is not just an earthly paradise of palms and coral. Radical Islam has been gaining in strength in the archipelago; freedom of the press has been one of its victims.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Communication Authority of the Maldives&nbsp;which controls all communication in the country,&nbsp;including the media,&nbsp;launched the first attack on the press in 2011 by shutting down journalist Ismail&nbsp;Khilath&nbsp;Rasheed&#39;s blog accusing him of producing anti-Islamic material.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rasheed fought back&nbsp;by&nbsp;organising&nbsp;a small rally in the capital&nbsp;Mal?&nbsp;in support of the freedom of expression. He was attacked by a group of men armed with stones.&nbsp;They ended up fracturing his skull. A year later, while he was walking near his home, a man tried to slit his throat. Fortunately, the attacker missed a vital artery and Rasheed survived,&nbsp;but his attacker remains unidentified and at large.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The situation has not improved since. This April, the Maldivian police attacked a rally&#39;s participants demanding greater press freedom. Sixteen journalists were arrested.&nbsp;Four other reporters covering demonstrations against the imprisonment of former&nbsp;president&nbsp;Mohamed&nbsp;Nasheed&nbsp;were imprisoned.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There was good news,&nbsp;at least on paper,&nbsp;from Sri Lanka. The country moved 24 positions up the rankings as compared to 2014. Newly-elected President&nbsp;Maithripala&nbsp;Sirisena&#39;s government seems to be better for journalists. It lifted restrictions on foreign journalists visiting the country &ndash; they are now free to move about and no longer have to get their visas cleared by the&nbsp;defence&nbsp;ministry. And all exiled journalists have been invited to return to the country.&nbsp;

During the 10 years that Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, reporters allegedly received constant threats,&nbsp;and as many as 34 lost their lives. The murder of&nbsp;Lasantha&nbsp;Manilal&nbsp;Wickrematunge, founder of the newspaper The&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;Leader, remains unsolved. In 2009, while he was driving to office, armed motorcyclists flanked his car and shot him. The Sirisena government has now decided to reopen the case and, interestingly, his brother has been appointed Sri Lanka&#39;s consul general in Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pakistan remains the most dangerous place to work. Journalists in the country are faced with threats from all fronts &ndash; extremist groups,&nbsp;hardline&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;and government institutions. The resulting atmosphere of fear often leads to high levels of self-censorship.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bangladesh,&nbsp;too,&nbsp;has become increasingly deadly for journalists. Several bloggers critical of Islamist extremists have recently been hacked to death; fundamentalist groups claimed responsibility for a number of the killings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India is also surprisingly bad for reporters. Despite a lively media scene, the world&#39;s largest democracy does not seem to be a good place for a free press. India ranked 133rd on the World Press Freedom Index.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is also among the top 15 countries in which a reporter is most likely to face abuse&nbsp;and even Afghanistan fares better. The report states: &ldquo;The governments of India&hellip; took little action in response to violence against media personnel and were sometimes directly involved in violations of their freedom.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The report&#39;s findings are not just bad news for journalists, they&nbsp;are bad news for everybody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Journalists&nbsp;can end up self-censoring if they&nbsp;find&nbsp;themselves threatened. That is perhaps the most dangerous threat to journalism.&nbsp; A journalist must question, verify versions, and find discrepancies. And if he does his job honestly and professionally&nbsp;it should be made public. Sometimes&nbsp;this means exposing influential people. A reporter who fears for his or her life might decide to look away, to pretend something just did&nbsp;not happen. That is exactly what ruins a good investigation. Fortunately, some journalists have been brave enough to continue reporting despite having&nbsp;been&nbsp;badly&nbsp;threatened,&nbsp;but this cannot&nbsp;and should not&nbsp;be the norm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Media is useful to society so long as it is independent and safe -- rights that any democratic government should protect.&nbsp;Media&nbsp;needs to be free to do its job without fear&nbsp;and&nbsp;to be effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Journalists in India more likely to face abuse than those in Afghanistan: Reporters Without Borders

Last year – 2015 – was the worst year ever to be a journalist in South Asia. Reporters are routinely threatened, attacked, jailed, and murdered every year in the region according to a new Reporters Without Borders report. Working with the constant fear of being killed or hurt is no easy task. The feeling that something bad could happen at any time affects every aspect of your life. And you suddenly start feeling unsafe everywhere and all the time. According to the World Press Freedom Index 2016, there has been a “deep and disturbing” decline in media freedom around the world. The news from South Asia is particularly bad. “The media freedom situation worsened significantly or stagnated” in the region the report says. The Maldives came in at 112 out of 180 countries on the index. It turns out the country is not just an earthly paradise of palms and coral. Radical Islam has been gaining in strength in the archipelago; freedom of the press has been one of its victims. The Communication Authority of the Maldives which controls all communication in the country, including the media, launched the first attack on the press in 2011 by shutting down journalist Ismail Khilath Rasheed's blog accusing him of producing anti-Islamic material. Rasheed fought back by organising a small rally in the capital Mal? in support of the freedom of expression. He was attacked by a group of men armed with stones. They ended up fracturing his skull. A year later, while he was walking near his home, a man tried to slit his throat. Fortunately, the attacker missed a vital artery and Rasheed survived, but his attacker remains unidentified and at large. The situation has not improved since. This April, the Maldivian police attacked a rally's participants demanding greater press freedom. Sixteen journalists were arrested. Four other reporters covering demonstrations against the imprisonment of former president Mohamed Nasheed were imprisoned. There was good news, at least on paper, from Sri Lanka. The country moved 24 positions up the rankings as compared to 2014. Newly-elected President Maithripala Sirisena's government seems to be better for journalists. It lifted restrictions on foreign journalists visiting the country – they are now free to move about and no longer have to get their visas cleared by the defence ministry. And all exiled journalists have been invited to return to the country. During the 10 years that Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, reporters allegedly received constant threats, and as many as 34 lost their lives. The murder of Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge, founder of the newspaper The Sunday Leader, remains unsolved. In 2009, while he was driving to office, armed motorcyclists flanked his car and shot him. The Sirisena government has now decided to reopen the case and, interestingly, his brother has been appointed Sri Lanka's consul general in Sidney. Pakistan remains the most dangerous place to work. Journalists in the country are faced with threats from all fronts – extremist groups, hardline Islamist organisations and government institutions. The resulting atmosphere of fear often leads to high levels of self-censorship. Bangladesh, too, has become increasingly deadly for journalists. Several bloggers critical of Islamist extremists have recently been hacked to death; fundamentalist groups claimed responsibility for a number of the killings. India is also surprisingly bad for reporters. Despite a lively media scene, the world's largest democracy does not seem to be a good place for a free press. India ranked 133rd on the World Press Freedom Index. It is also among the top 15 countries in which a reporter is most likely to face abuse and even Afghanistan fares better. The report states: “The governments of India… took little action in response to violence against media personnel and were sometimes directly involved in violations of their freedom.” The report's findings are not just bad news for journalists, they are bad news for everybody. Journalists can end up self-censoring if they find themselves threatened. That is perhaps the most dangerous threat to journalism. A journalist must question, verify versions, and find discrepancies. And if he does his job honestly and professionally it should be made public. Sometimes this means exposing influential people. A reporter who fears for his or her life might decide to look away, to pretend something just did not happen. That is exactly what ruins a good investigation. Fortunately, some journalists have been brave enough to continue reporting despite having been badly threatened, but this cannot and should not be the norm. Media is useful to society so long as it is independent and safe -- rights that any democratic government should protect. Media needs to be free to do its job without fear and to be effective.

2015 worst year for press freedom in South Asia

To meet their ever-growing energy needs, countries in South Asia are focussing on renewable energy in the long run. Some are also turning to nuclear power to bridge existing energy deficits in the short run. 
 
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the three biggest economies of South Asia, are all on a growth trajectory. They grew by 7.3, 4.24 and 6.5 per cent respectively in 2015 (World Bank). The International Monetary Fund estimated that the world&rsquo;s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1 per cent in the corresponding period. Since sustained economic growth is inextricably linked to energy security, these countries need to take urgent measures to increase power generation, expand grid mapping and to check transmission losses. India and Pakistan have embarked on ambitious programmes of meeting their energy security needs by reducing dependence on conventional (fossil fuel dependent: oil, coal, gas) energy. And both New Delhi and Islamabad have placed the emphasis on tapping renewable and nuclear energy to achieve their goals. Bangladesh has modest renewable energy plans. It has steered clear of nuclear energy thus far. This is the way to go. 
 
According to the Indian Ministry of Renewable Energy, the country has plans to increase the contribution of nuclear power to overall electricity generation capacity (also called installed capacity) from 3.0 per cent to 9 per cent by 2035. New Delhi aims to draw 25 per cent of its total electricity supply from its nuclear power plants by 2050. India&rsquo;s nuclear power generation is by and large dependent on imported uranium. But due to earlier sanctions and lack of substantial uranium reserves, it has put a lot of resources to develop a unique nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its copious thorium deposits. However, the reactor is an experimental one and it will be a long while before it can be scaled up. 
 
India targets to achieve 40 per cent of total power generation capacity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, by 2030. This would translate to around 3,50,000 Megawatts by 2030. Clearly, in the long run, the Indians are hedging their bets on the renewable path. 
 
The picture is strikingly similar in Pakistan which grapples with six to eight hours daily power outages in its cities. Islamabad plans to construct 32 nuclear power plants by 2050. The Nuclear Vision 2050 document states generation of more than 40,000 Megawatts of nuclear power by 2050 which translates into 15 per cent of the projected capacity. 
 
The last Pakistan government in power announced that by 2030, almost 50 per cent of the country&rsquo;s installed capacity would come from renewable sources. The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Plant which is being built with Chinese help has been a step in the right direction. The largest solar project in the world, as Ecowatch calls it, started selling electricity to the grid in 2015. When completed in 2017, its installed capacity will touch 1000 Megawatts, according to China Dialogue. 
 
Bangladesh has set a target of getting 3168 Megawatts of renewable energy installed by 2021 which will account for 10 per cent of its total capacity, according to the country&rsquo;s Power Ministry. 
On the surface, it is surprising for countries, ranked medium to low in terms of human development indices and per capita GDP, to opt for the expensive renewable highway. Renewable power projects are many times costlier to build than nuclear ones. 
 
The cheapest power station to build are the ones which run on coal, oil and gas. But their operational costs are the highest and vary according to price fluctuations in international crude and coal markets. It is unsustainable in the long run and does not help in reducing carbon emission. 
 
Nuclear plants are many times expensive than those running on fossil fuels. But they are several times cheaper than solar or wind energy stations and require less space. 
 
But its operational cost in countries like India and Pakistan is not nominal as the reactors use expensive fuel such as uranium or plutonium which need to be imported. Alongside, nuclear plants require the most rigorous safety and maintenance standards which involve high costs. 
 
And in case of an accident at the plant in a country as densely populated like India, the financial and humanitarian cost may assume monumental proportions. The passing of the Nuclear Liability Act by the Indian Parliament in 2010 effectively absolved the reactor-selling nations such as Russia, France or the US of any liability in case of an accident. This is a gambit that goes horribly wrong when it does. 
 
There was widespread opposition to ratification of the Nuclear Liability Act. Protests even spread to rural pockets leading to clashes between agitators and policemen. But India&rsquo;s energy demand doubled between 1991 and 2011 and the government pushed the pedal. 
 
Renewable energy projects cost a bomb but are the cheapest to run. They have zero raw material costs, negligible maintenance costs and zero carbon emission. And last but not the least, in case of any critical failure, they do not endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands or pose a threat to the natural environment. 
As technology advances and economies of scale kick in, and they are scaling rapidly, the costs will come down. 
 
Ideally, countries in South Asia must collaborate, taking into account each other&rsquo;s strong points to offset the high costs of renewable power projects. For example, cement and other construction materials in Pakistan are cheaper than India. In technology components, India enjoys a cost advantage because of the economies of scale. The countries in the region are already discussing buying from and selling electricity to each other. It would be a good idea to involve Nepal and Bhutan as well. The point is to take the &lsquo;power&rsquo; equation in the region to the next level.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries must work with each other to offset the high costs of renewable power projects

To meet their ever-growing energy needs, countries in South Asia are focussing on renewable energy in the long run. Some are also turning to nuclear power to bridge existing energy deficits in the short run. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the three biggest economies of South Asia, are all on a growth trajectory. They grew by 7.3, 4.24 and 6.5 per cent respectively in 2015 (World Bank). The International Monetary Fund estimated that the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1 per cent in the corresponding period. Since sustained economic growth is inextricably linked to energy security, these countries need to take urgent measures to increase power generation, expand grid mapping and to check transmission losses. India and Pakistan have embarked on ambitious programmes of meeting their energy security needs by reducing dependence on conventional (fossil fuel dependent: oil, coal, gas) energy. And both New Delhi and Islamabad have placed the emphasis on tapping renewable and nuclear energy to achieve their goals. Bangladesh has modest renewable energy plans. It has steered clear of nuclear energy thus far. This is the way to go. According to the Indian Ministry of Renewable Energy, the country has plans to increase the contribution of nuclear power to overall electricity generation capacity (also called installed capacity) from 3.0 per cent to 9 per cent by 2035. New Delhi aims to draw 25 per cent of its total electricity supply from its nuclear power plants by 2050. India’s nuclear power generation is by and large dependent on imported uranium. But due to earlier sanctions and lack of substantial uranium reserves, it has put a lot of resources to develop a unique nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its copious thorium deposits. However, the reactor is an experimental one and it will be a long while before it can be scaled up. India targets to achieve 40 per cent of total power generation capacity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, by 2030. This would translate to around 3,50,000 Megawatts by 2030. Clearly, in the long run, the Indians are hedging their bets on the renewable path. The picture is strikingly similar in Pakistan which grapples with six to eight hours daily power outages in its cities. Islamabad plans to construct 32 nuclear power plants by 2050. The Nuclear Vision 2050 document states generation of more than 40,000 Megawatts of nuclear power by 2050 which translates into 15 per cent of the projected capacity. The last Pakistan government in power announced that by 2030, almost 50 per cent of the country’s installed capacity would come from renewable sources. The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Plant which is being built with Chinese help has been a step in the right direction. The largest solar project in the world, as Ecowatch calls it, started selling electricity to the grid in 2015. When completed in 2017, its installed capacity will touch 1000 Megawatts, according to China Dialogue. Bangladesh has set a target of getting 3168 Megawatts of renewable energy installed by 2021 which will account for 10 per cent of its total capacity, according to the country’s Power Ministry. On the surface, it is surprising for countries, ranked medium to low in terms of human development indices and per capita GDP, to opt for the expensive renewable highway. Renewable power projects are many times costlier to build than nuclear ones. The cheapest power station to build are the ones which run on coal, oil and gas. But their operational costs are the highest and vary according to price fluctuations in international crude and coal markets. It is unsustainable in the long run and does not help in reducing carbon emission. Nuclear plants are many times expensive than those running on fossil fuels. But they are several times cheaper than solar or wind energy stations and require less space. But its operational cost in countries like India and Pakistan is not nominal as the reactors use expensive fuel such as uranium or plutonium which need to be imported. Alongside, nuclear plants require the most rigorous safety and maintenance standards which involve high costs. And in case of an accident at the plant in a country as densely populated like India, the financial and humanitarian cost may assume monumental proportions. The passing of the Nuclear Liability Act by the Indian Parliament in 2010 effectively absolved the reactor-selling nations such as Russia, France or the US of any liability in case of an accident. This is a gambit that goes horribly wrong when it does. There was widespread opposition to ratification of the Nuclear Liability Act. Protests even spread to rural pockets leading to clashes between agitators and policemen. But India’s energy demand doubled between 1991 and 2011 and the government pushed the pedal. Renewable energy projects cost a bomb but are the cheapest to run. They have zero raw material costs, negligible maintenance costs and zero carbon emission. And last but not the least, in case of any critical failure, they do not endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands or pose a threat to the natural environment. As technology advances and economies of scale kick in, and they are scaling rapidly, the costs will come down. Ideally, countries in South Asia must collaborate, taking into account each other’s strong points to offset the high costs of renewable power projects. For example, cement and other construction materials in Pakistan are cheaper than India. In technology components, India enjoys a cost advantage because of the economies of scale. The countries in the region are already discussing buying from and selling electricity to each other. It would be a good idea to involve Nepal and Bhutan as well. The point is to take the ‘power’ equation in the region to the next level.

South Asian mandate to renewable energy for sustainable growth

The US has appealed Pakistan and Afghanistan to reduce the ongoing tension following recent cross-border firing gunfire over the contentious fencing issue at north-western Torkham border crossing which resulted in casualties on both sides. 
 
&quot;I could tell you we are all watching the tensions very closely, that we are in touch with officials on both sides,&quot; State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. 
 
He was responding to questions on tensions between the two South Asian neighbours in aftermath of the cross firing across the border. 
In the firing, an Afghan border guard was killed while three Pakistani soldiers, including a senior army official and and nine civilians were injured. 
 
&quot;We continue to urge a calm resolution to the tension. We obviously don&#39;t want to see clashes; we don&#39;t want to see violence; we don&#39;t want to see it get worse,&quot; he said. 
 
The Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, was in the two countries over the weekend. 
 
In Islamabad, Olson met with government officials, including Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues. 
 
In Kabul, he met with Afghan government officials to include President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar. 
 
He also met with Resolute Support Commander, General John Nicholson, Kirby said. 
(PTI)

Cross-border firing on June 13 at the north-western Torkham border have escalated tensions between the two neighbouring countries

The US has appealed Pakistan and Afghanistan to reduce the ongoing tension following recent cross-border firing gunfire over the contentious fencing issue at north-western Torkham border crossing which resulted in casualties on both sides. "I could tell you we are all watching the tensions very closely, that we are in touch with officials on both sides," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. He was responding to questions on tensions between the two South Asian neighbours in aftermath of the cross firing across the border. In the firing, an Afghan border guard was killed while three Pakistani soldiers, including a senior army official and and nine civilians were injured. "We continue to urge a calm resolution to the tension. We obviously don't want to see clashes; we don't want to see violence; we don't want to see it get worse," he said. The Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, was in the two countries over the weekend. In Islamabad, Olson met with government officials, including Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues. In Kabul, he met with Afghan government officials to include President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar. He also met with Resolute Support Commander, General John Nicholson, Kirby said. (PTI)

US appeals to Afghanistan and Pakistan to calm tensions

A militant and an Indian soldier were killed in the ongoing encounter with a group of terrorists intercepted by the Indian Army near the Line of Control (LoC) when they were trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 
 
Five soldiers were injured in the operation that started yesterday and one of the soldiers later succumbed to his injuries, an army official said today. 
 
A militant was also killed in the operation which started when infiltrators were attempting to sneak in through Macchil sector of Kupwara district of Kashmir and were confronted by the army. 
 
The operation is still going on in the area. 
 
PTI

Five armymen were wounded yesterday after gunmen tried to cross over from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

A militant and an Indian soldier were killed in the ongoing encounter with a group of terrorists intercepted by the Indian Army near the Line of Control (LoC) when they were trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Five soldiers were injured in the operation that started yesterday and one of the soldiers later succumbed to his injuries, an army official said today. A militant was also killed in the operation which started when infiltrators were attempting to sneak in through Macchil sector of Kupwara district of Kashmir and were confronted by the army. The operation is still going on in the area. PTI

Indian soldier and militant killed in ongoing encounter near the Line of Control

England test captain&nbsp;and&nbsp;skipper, Alastair Cook, believes his batsmen are well-prepared to deal with Pakistan&#39;s fiery attack next month after getting plenty of practice in the middle against a weakened Sri Lanka side. 
 
England crushed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-test home series that concluded on Monday, facing little resistance from a team shorn of frontline pacemen Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad through injury at different stages during the tour. 
 
However, Cook&#39;s side can expect a far bigger challenge from a formidable Pakistani pace attack spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, supplemented by tricky leg-spinner Yasir Shah. 
 
&quot;They&#39;ve got a very good pace attack, backed up with spinners,&quot; Cook said after the rain-hit final test against Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at Lord&#39;s. 
 
&quot;But we&#39;re ready for them. We scored a lot of runs against Australia&#39;s attack here last year. I think it&#39;s going to be a brilliant series.&quot; 
 
Amir will be returning to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England, while the four-test series will be Shah&#39;s first since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. 
 
Cook will also be delighted to have finally found a stable opening partner in Alex Hales, who finished the series against Sri Lanka as the second highest scorer on 292 runs from five innings. 
 
His performance marked a significant improvement by the 27-year-old Hales, who averaged just 17 in his debut test series in South Africa earlier this year as he struggled to make the transition from limited-overs cricket. 
 
&quot;Three scores of 80 and above from Alex Hales was really pleasing,&quot; Cook said of his eighth opening partner since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s certainly tightened up his game from South Africa and probably just learned about test cricket.&quot; 
 
It was a satisfying series for Jonny Bairstow too, the English wicketkeeper-batsman emerging as the top-scorer and walking away with the man-of-the-series award. 
 
Cook hailed Bairstow&#39;s batting prowess but admitted the 26-year-old had room for improvement behind the stumps. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s great to have an attacking batsman coming in and taking it to the opposition. He&#39;s been very similar to Matt Prior when he was at his best.&quot; 
 
&quot;He knows how hard he has to work at his keeping... He knows a couple of chances have gone down, but you don&#39;t become a world-class wicketkeeper overnight. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s made big strides since that South Africa series and is certainly heading in the right direction.&quot; 
 
Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7. 
 
(Reuters)

They've just come off a 2-0 win against Lanka but Pak's pace attack is going to be a lot more fiery

England test captain and skipper, Alastair Cook, believes his batsmen are well-prepared to deal with Pakistan's fiery attack next month after getting plenty of practice in the middle against a weakened Sri Lanka side. England crushed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-test home series that concluded on Monday, facing little resistance from a team shorn of frontline pacemen Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad through injury at different stages during the tour. However, Cook's side can expect a far bigger challenge from a formidable Pakistani pace attack spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, supplemented by tricky leg-spinner Yasir Shah. "They've got a very good pace attack, backed up with spinners," Cook said after the rain-hit final test against Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at Lord's. "But we're ready for them. We scored a lot of runs against Australia's attack here last year. I think it's going to be a brilliant series." Amir will be returning to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England, while the four-test series will be Shah's first since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. Cook will also be delighted to have finally found a stable opening partner in Alex Hales, who finished the series against Sri Lanka as the second highest scorer on 292 runs from five innings. His performance marked a significant improvement by the 27-year-old Hales, who averaged just 17 in his debut test series in South Africa earlier this year as he struggled to make the transition from limited-overs cricket. "Three scores of 80 and above from Alex Hales was really pleasing," Cook said of his eighth opening partner since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. "He's certainly tightened up his game from South Africa and probably just learned about test cricket." It was a satisfying series for Jonny Bairstow too, the English wicketkeeper-batsman emerging as the top-scorer and walking away with the man-of-the-series award. Cook hailed Bairstow's batting prowess but admitted the 26-year-old had room for improvement behind the stumps. "It's great to have an attacking batsman coming in and taking it to the opposition. He's been very similar to Matt Prior when he was at his best." "He knows how hard he has to work at his keeping... He knows a couple of chances have gone down, but you don't become a world-class wicketkeeper overnight. "He's made big strides since that South Africa series and is certainly heading in the right direction." Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7. (Reuters)

England ready for Pakistan, says Cook

Pakistan is considering buying used F-16 fighter jets from Jordan, media reported today, after a plan to buy eight of the aircraft from the United States fell through because of the refusal of the US Congress to finance the deal. 
 
Some of Pakistan&#39;s fleet of F-16 jets are due to be decommissioned in the next few years and the government says it needs the aircraft to fight Islamist militants in remote mountains near Afghanistan. 
 
The military also sees the aircraft as vital in case of war against old rival India. The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since they gained independence from Britain in 1947. 
 
&quot;We are now going for a third-party transfer of F-16s and have an offer from Jordan,&quot; defence secretary Alam Khattak told a joint sitting of the senate defence and foreign affairs committees on Monday, newspapers reported. 
 
An air force spokesman declined to say how many F-16s Pakistan has but the number of the aircraft in service is believed to be about 70. 
 
Jordan had offered to sell Pakistan 16 used F-16s of the Block-30 variant, an older version than the Block-52s that Pakistan would have obtained from the United States, the Dawn newspaper reported. 
 
The US deal, valued at $699 million, came unstuck after the US Congress refused to authorise the use of government funds to pay for the aircraft under the foreign military financing (FMF) programme. 
 
Members of the US Congress, led by Republican Chairman of the senate foreign relations committee Bob Corker, demanded that Pakistan stop harbouring militant groups like the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network, which are leading an insurgency against a US-backed government in Kabul. 
 
Pakistan says it is acting against the militants, citing military operations in lawless ethnic Pashtun lands that border Afghanistan. 
 
Pakistan says the F-16s, with their precision strike ability and night-flying capability, are essential for that fight. 
 
The difficulty over the F-16 deal was the latest sign of increasingly frayed ties between Pakistan and the United States. 
 
Last month, a US drone killed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the then chief of the Afghan Taliban, on Pakistani soil. 
 
Pakistan condemned the strike as a violation of its sovereignty, and as not being conducive towards encouraging the Taliban to enter talks with the Afghan government. 
 
Pakistan has bought Jordanian F-16s before, procuring 13 of them in 2014, Dawn reported. The current batch on offer were manufactured between 1988 and 1990, and were upgraded in 2001/02, Dawn said.

You'll get the jets when you stop harbouring militant groups like the Afghan Taliban, said the US

Pakistan is considering buying used F-16 fighter jets from Jordan, media reported today, after a plan to buy eight of the aircraft from the United States fell through because of the refusal of the US Congress to finance the deal. Some of Pakistan's fleet of F-16 jets are due to be decommissioned in the next few years and the government says it needs the aircraft to fight Islamist militants in remote mountains near Afghanistan. The military also sees the aircraft as vital in case of war against old rival India. The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since they gained independence from Britain in 1947. "We are now going for a third-party transfer of F-16s and have an offer from Jordan," defence secretary Alam Khattak told a joint sitting of the senate defence and foreign affairs committees on Monday, newspapers reported. An air force spokesman declined to say how many F-16s Pakistan has but the number of the aircraft in service is believed to be about 70. Jordan had offered to sell Pakistan 16 used F-16s of the Block-30 variant, an older version than the Block-52s that Pakistan would have obtained from the United States, the Dawn newspaper reported. The US deal, valued at $699 million, came unstuck after the US Congress refused to authorise the use of government funds to pay for the aircraft under the foreign military financing (FMF) programme. Members of the US Congress, led by Republican Chairman of the senate foreign relations committee Bob Corker, demanded that Pakistan stop harbouring militant groups like the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network, which are leading an insurgency against a US-backed government in Kabul. Pakistan says it is acting against the militants, citing military operations in lawless ethnic Pashtun lands that border Afghanistan. Pakistan says the F-16s, with their precision strike ability and night-flying capability, are essential for that fight. The difficulty over the F-16 deal was the latest sign of increasingly frayed ties between Pakistan and the United States. Last month, a US drone killed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the then chief of the Afghan Taliban, on Pakistani soil. Pakistan condemned the strike as a violation of its sovereignty, and as not being conducive towards encouraging the Taliban to enter talks with the Afghan government. Pakistan has bought Jordanian F-16s before, procuring 13 of them in 2014, Dawn reported. The current batch on offer were manufactured between 1988 and 1990, and were upgraded in 2001/02, Dawn said.

After America says no, Pakistan mulls buying used F-16s from Jordan

China is leading opposition to a push by the United States and other major powers for India to join the main club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology, diplomats said on today&nbsp;as the group discussed India&#39;s membership bid. 
 
Other countries opposing Indian membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) include New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria, diplomats said. 
 
The 48-nation NSG aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by restricting the sale of items that can be used to make those arms. 
 
India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact. 
 
Opponents argue that granting it membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India&#39;s rival Pakistan, which responded to India&#39;s membership bid with one of its own and has the backing of its close ally China. 
 
&quot;By bringing India on board, it&#39;s a slap in the face of the entire non-proliferation regime,&quot; a diplomatic source from one of the countries resisting India&#39;s push said on condition of anonymity. 
 
A decision on Indian membership is not expected before an NSG plenary meeting in Seoul on June 20, but diplomats said Washington had been pressuring hold-outs, and today&#39;s&nbsp;closed-door meeting was a chance to see how strong opposition was. 
 
US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry wrote to members asking them &quot;not to block consensus on Indian admission to the NSG&quot; in a letter dated Friday. 
 
China, however, showed no sign of backing down from its opposition to India joining, unless Pakistan becomes a member.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;China, if anything, is hardening (its position),&quot; another diplomat said. 
 
Most of the hold-outs oppose the idea of admitting a non-NPT state such as India and argue that if it is to be admitted, it should be under criteria that apply equally to all states rather than under a &quot;tailor-made&quot; solution for a US&nbsp;ally. 
 
Mexico&#39;s president said on Wednesday that his country supports India&#39;s membership bid, but one Vienna-based diplomat said it still opposed the idea of it joining under conditions that did not apply equally to all.

The country says it will not back down unless India's rival Pakistan too becomes a member

China is leading opposition to a push by the United States and other major powers for India to join the main club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology, diplomats said on today as the group discussed India's membership bid. Other countries opposing Indian membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) include New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria, diplomats said. The 48-nation NSG aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by restricting the sale of items that can be used to make those arms. India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact. Opponents argue that granting it membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India's rival Pakistan, which responded to India's membership bid with one of its own and has the backing of its close ally China. "By bringing India on board, it's a slap in the face of the entire non-proliferation regime," a diplomatic source from one of the countries resisting India's push said on condition of anonymity. A decision on Indian membership is not expected before an NSG plenary meeting in Seoul on June 20, but diplomats said Washington had been pressuring hold-outs, and today's closed-door meeting was a chance to see how strong opposition was. US secretary of state John Kerry wrote to members asking them "not to block consensus on Indian admission to the NSG" in a letter dated Friday. China, however, showed no sign of backing down from its opposition to India joining, unless Pakistan becomes a member. "China, if anything, is hardening (its position)," another diplomat said. Most of the hold-outs oppose the idea of admitting a non-NPT state such as India and argue that if it is to be admitted, it should be under criteria that apply equally to all states rather than under a "tailor-made" solution for a US ally. Mexico's president said on Wednesday that his country supports India's membership bid, but one Vienna-based diplomat said it still opposed the idea of it joining under conditions that did not apply equally to all.

China leads opposition to India joining Nuclear Suppliers Group

Voicing concern that a conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear weapons, the US has asked the two countries to engage in a &quot;sustained&quot; bilateral dialogue process and exercise &quot;maximum restraint&quot; to boost peace. 
&quot;We are concerned by nuclear and missile developments in South Asia,&quot; a State Department spokesperson told PTI when asked about the recent statement of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, 80, the father of Pakistan&#39;s nuclear programme, that Islamabad has the ability to target New Delhi in five minutes. 
&quot;We are concerned by the increased security challenges that accompany growing stockpiles and the increased risk that a conventional conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear use. 
&quot;It is important that there be a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours, and that all parties in the region continuously act with maximum restraint and work collaboratively toward reducing tensions,&quot; the spokesperson said. 
Improvements in Indo-Pak bilateral relations would greatly enhance prospects for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the official said yesterday. 
Meanwhile, the State Department said it is looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s visit to the US. 
&quot;We look forward to the prime minister&#39;s visit and we want it to be successful,&quot; State Department John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. 
Modi will embark on a five-nation visit from June 4 which will cover Afghanistan, Qatar, Switzerland, the US and Mexico. 
He will travel to the U.S. on June 7 at the invitation of US President Barack Obama, with whom he will review the progress made in key areas of defence, security and energy, and will also address a Joint Meeting of the US Congress.

American President Barack Obama has impressed on India and Pakistan the need for a ?sustained and resilient? dialogue aimed at resolving all disputes, including Kashmir, between the two countries through peaceful means

Voicing concern that a conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear weapons, the US has asked the two countries to engage in a "sustained" bilateral dialogue process and exercise "maximum restraint" to boost peace. "We are concerned by nuclear and missile developments in South Asia," a State Department spokesperson told PTI when asked about the recent statement of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, 80, the father of Pakistan's nuclear programme, that Islamabad has the ability to target New Delhi in five minutes. "We are concerned by the increased security challenges that accompany growing stockpiles and the increased risk that a conventional conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear use. "It is important that there be a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours, and that all parties in the region continuously act with maximum restraint and work collaboratively toward reducing tensions," the spokesperson said. Improvements in Indo-Pak bilateral relations would greatly enhance prospects for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the official said yesterday. Meanwhile, the State Department said it is looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US. "We look forward to the prime minister's visit and we want it to be successful," State Department John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. Modi will embark on a five-nation visit from June 4 which will cover Afghanistan, Qatar, Switzerland, the US and Mexico. He will travel to the U.S. on June 7 at the invitation of US President Barack Obama, with whom he will review the progress made in key areas of defence, security and energy, and will also address a Joint Meeting of the US Congress.

US calls for 'sustained and resilient' dialogue between India and Pakistan

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, will be able to handle the pressure of returning to England if he is granted a visa for their upcoming tour, said team mate Azhar Ali.

Amir was considered one of the most exciting fast bowlers in the world before a 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.

The trio were cleared to return to the sport by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last September after serving suspensions.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has requested a visa for Amir, who has already toured New Zealand for a limited over series, played in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and featured in the World Twenty20 in India since serving his ban.

Azhar had offered his resignation as one-day captain when Amir was brought back into the Pakistan fold but is now keen to move on and says the team will support the 24-year-old quick if he needs it in England.

&quot;(What happened in) 2010 is in the past and now we need to look forward,&quot; Azhar told reporters on Tuesday.

&quot;It has been a while now since he has been with us. It could have been tough, had he come in straight on such a tour, but now, after playing with us for a long time, things have settled.

&quot;Even he isn&#39;t under pressure because he has already made his comeback a few months ago and the toughest phase is over for him,&quot; Azhar said.

&quot;I know England was the place where the incident happened but hopefully he can handle the pressure like he did on his comeback. But still if anything happens, we, as a team, will handle it.&quot;

Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Azhar Ali gives his vote of confidence to Mohammad Amir ahead of the England tour

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, will be able to handle the pressure of returning to England if he is granted a visa for their upcoming tour, said team mate Azhar Ali. Amir was considered one of the most exciting fast bowlers in the world before a 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif. The trio were cleared to return to the sport by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last September after serving suspensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board has requested a visa for Amir, who has already toured New Zealand for a limited over series, played in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and featured in the World Twenty20 in India since serving his ban. Azhar had offered his resignation as one-day captain when Amir was brought back into the Pakistan fold but is now keen to move on and says the team will support the 24-year-old quick if he needs it in England. "(What happened in) 2010 is in the past and now we need to look forward," Azhar told reporters on Tuesday. "It has been a while now since he has been with us. It could have been tough, had he come in straight on such a tour, but now, after playing with us for a long time, things have settled. "Even he isn't under pressure because he has already made his comeback a few months ago and the toughest phase is over for him," Azhar said. "I know England was the place where the incident happened but hopefully he can handle the pressure like he did on his comeback. But still if anything happens, we, as a team, will handle it." Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Pakistan's ODI skipper backs Amir in England return

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