Adani News

Tag: Pakistan

  • Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is a part of India: Rajnath Singh

    Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is a part of India: Rajnath Singh

    New Delhi, 26 June (IANS) “People living in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir  will raise a demand to go with India. Pakistan does not have a locus standi there as it has illegally occupied the area. The Indian Parliament has unanimously passed at least three resolutions which state that PoK is a part of India,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said this on Monday.

    National security is the Government’s top-most priority and it is committed to protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country. This was stated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a National Security Conclave on June 26.

    Rajnath Singh added that the network of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has substantially weakened in the last few years as strict and consistent action is being taken. “Terror funding has been curbed. Supply of arms and drugs to terrorists has been stopped. Along with elimination of terrorists, work is being done to dismantle the network of under ground workers,” he said.

    On the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, he stated that the decision has connected the people of the Union Territory with the country’s mainstream and helped them to usher in a new era of peace and progress.

    He asserted that India has witnessed a paradigm shift in its security scenario in the last nine years. He pointed out that India’s image in 2013-14 was that of a weak nation which allowed its adversaries to create problems, but today the country has the ability to overcome every threat.

    Rajnath Singh stated that no stone is being left unturned to equip the military with latest weaponry and modern technology, assuring the nation that the armed forces are fully capable of protecting the borders and the seas. “Our goal is to bring our armed forces in the frontline of modern militaries,” he said.

    “For a long time, Pakistan has tried to destabilise peace and harmony in the country through cross-border terrorism. However, when we came to power, we launched effective action against terrorism. We showed the world the meaning of ‘zero tolerance against terrorism’. The bold and first-of-its-kind moves to eliminate terrorists following the Uri and Pulwama incidents are proof of India’s ‘zero tolerance against terrorism’ policy and the unmatched valour of the armed forces. Today, most of the countries are united against terrorism. The joint statement issued after the Prime Minister’s meeting with US President Joe Biden is an indication of how India has changed the mindset of the world on the issue of terrorism,” the Defence Minister said.

  • Sikh trader shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in Pakistan

    Sikh trader shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in Pakistan

    Islamabad:  A Sikh trader was shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in Pakistan’s Peshawar, local media reported.

    The incident occurred on Saturday when Singh, who was heading home in Guldara Chowk, was attacked by the motorcyclists, wounding him seriously after which they fled the scene, SP City Abdul Salam Khalid was quoted as saying by the Daily Times.

    He said: “Investigation is underway to determine whether the incident was a case of targeted killing or something else. The final conclusion will only be revealed once the investigation is completed.”

    On Friday, a Sikh shopkeeper, identified as Tarlog Singh was targeted by unidentified gunmen near Guldara Chowk, Peshawar Police spokesperson M Alam said.

    Tarlog, who suffered a gunshot wound in his leg, was later discharged from the hospital.

    fire arm, gun, weapon, pixabay

  • Deepened political ‘crisis’ in Pakistan

    Deepened political ‘crisis’ in Pakistan

    Islamabad. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the second largest party in the ruling coalition government, is not happy with the current policies. Sources have said that the PPP is preparing to separate before the general elections to be held in the country in October. The Express Tribune quoted sources as saying that the PPP wanted to capitalize on anti-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) sentiment in Punjab, the most populous province whose electoral victory would decide who would rule the country. Who will do The PPP may announce its exit from the coalition after the passage of the federal budget for 2023-24.

    PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has started consultations with party leaders in this regard, The Express Tribune reported. Murad Ali Shah, the PPP-appointed chief minister of Sindh province, said during the provincial assembly session on Wednesday that The federal government has increased allocations for those affected by last year’s floods. But, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government are still not satisfied. Center should provide more funds for the flood affected areas of Sindh.

    Whereas, on June 17, while addressing a rally in Swat, Bilawal, the foreign minister in the Shehbaz government, accused his own government of completely ignoring the provinces that bore the brunt of last year’s devastating floods, in the proposed budget.

  • Punjab Cops Bust Pakistan-backed Drugs Smuggling Module, Arrest Model

    Punjab Cops Bust Pakistan-backed Drugs Smuggling Module, Arrest Model

    Punjab Police busted a cross-border smuggling module said to be backed by ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency, with the arrest of two of its operatives from Mohali on Wednesday. The accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gora from Moga and Rohit Singh from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. Police say Gora is a model and singer involved in hawala transactions and allege that he works on the instructions of his Pakistani handlers. The other accused, Rohit Singh, is alleged to have played an active role in collecting drug consignments and operating the network on Indian territory.

    Assistant inspector general Ashwini Kapoor, who is leading the investigation in the case, said that it has come to the fore that Rohit Singh allegedly provided coordinates to Pakistani drug smugglers using which they dropped consignments through drones. AIG Kapoor said because Rohit was aware of the locations near the international borders, he was allegedly sharing coordinates that would help dodge the BSF and local police.

    The senior police official said preliminary investigation suggests that those arrested were key members of a highly-organised cross border smuggling module that had direct links to Pakistan-based drug smugglers. The module was actively involved in the smuggling of contraband across the Indo-Pakistan border, posing a significant threat to national security, he said. During the arrest, police recovered 1.30 bore pistol from the possession of the accused along with live cartridges.

  • Pakistan government orders mass evacuation ahead of cyclone landfall

    Pakistan government orders mass evacuation ahead of cyclone landfall

    KARACHI (IANS) | Pakistani authorities on Monday began efforts to evacuate 80,000 civilians from low-lying coastal areas in southern Sindh province as the rapidly intensifying severe cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make landfall later this week. As Dawn reports, the cyclone is making its way across the Arabian Sea towards the coasts of Pakistan and India, expected to make landfall later this week.

    Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said an emergency had been declared and the army was prepared to help relocate the more than 80,000 people at risk.

    “We will not request people, but will ask them to evacuate,” Don said. He said that this order is being issued through social media, mosques and radio stations.

    A spokesman for Shah said that about 2,000 people had already been moved to safer places from the area of Shah Bandar, a fishing town nestled among a mangrove delta 45 km (28 mi) west of India’s Gujarat state.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that traditional mud and straw houses, which are home to the poorest households in Pakistan, will be vulnerable to being blown apart in strong winds, reports Dawn.

    Karachi – a port city of about 20 million – could also be inundated with dust and thunderstorms gusting to winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

    Media reported that billboards would be removed and 70 vulnerable buildings in the city would be evacuated, while construction would be halted throughout the affected area.

    Heavy rain and strong winds killed 27 people, including eight children, in northwestern Pakistan late on Saturday, officials said.

    Undoubtedly, these are the adverse effects of climate change, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter on Sunday.

    Last summer Pakistan was hit by heavy monsoon rains that inundated a third of the country, damaged two million homes and killed more than 1,700 people.

    –IANS

  • Hindu minor forcibly converted in Pakistan

    Hindu minor forcibly converted in Pakistan

    New Delhi (IANS) | A 14-year-old Hindu minor girl Sohana Sharma Kumari was forcibly converted to Islam in Sindh province of Pakistan. Sukhi Chahal, founder and CEO of The Khalsa Today, said in a tweet that Sohna was abducted at gunpoint in Benazirabad district, then married off and forcibly converted.

    Chahal tweeted, the pain his father Dilip Kumar had to go through is unimaginable. He kept watching the incident helplessly.

    The court’s refusal to reunite Sohna with her victim’s family has further deepened the wounds of injustice. This heinous act is a symbol of a society that has lost its morals.

    Chahal said, how can we witness such atrocities and remain silent? Where is the voice of so-called human rights activists who claim to champion justice? Does humanity still exist, or have we lost sight of compassion and empathy?

    –IANS

  • Cyclone Biparjoy Likely To Make Landfall Between Gujarat’s Kutch And Pakistan’s Karachi: IMD

    Cyclone Biparjoy Likely To Make Landfall Between Gujarat’s Kutch And Pakistan’s Karachi: IMD

    Cyclone “Biparjoy” intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm” on Sunday morning and is likely to make landfall between Kutch district of Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan on June 15, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

    The meteorological office has issued a cyclone alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts. The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’ (pronounced as “Biporjoy”) over the east-central Arabian Sea moved north-north-eastwards with a speed of nine kmph during past six hours, intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and lay centered at 0530 hours over the same region, about 580 km west-southwest of Mumbai, 480 km south-southwest of Porbandar, 530 km south-southwest of Dwarka, 610 km south-southwest of Naliya and 780 km south of Karachi (Pakistan),” the IMD said in a bulletin.

    The cyclone is very likely to move nearly northward till the morning of June 14, then move north-northeast wards and “cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) around noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph”, it said.

    Senior Scientist at the IMD, DS Pai, said the exact place where it will make landfall will become clearer in the coming days.

    There has been considerable uncertainty in the track and intensity of cyclone Biparjoy since it developed on June 6.

    According to meteorologists, the storm underwent rapid intensification in the initial days and has sustained its strength due to a warmer Arabian Sea.

  • OTP sharing scam to Pakistan Intelligence: Another accused arrested

    OTP sharing scam to Pakistan Intelligence: Another accused arrested

    Bhubaneswar: One more accused in OTP Sharing Scam with Pakistani Intelligence Operatives was arrested by Special Task Force.

    The accused has been identified as Pritam Kar of Bhurunga village under Bari Ramchandrapur police limits of Jajpur district. He will be produced before the Bhubaneswar court today.

    Earlier four accused were arrested in this case.  He and his associates are doing this illegal business (OTP sharing, Mule accounts/ pre-activated digital wallets selling to cyber criminals including PIO/ISI agents) since 2017.

    He was in direct touch with at least two PIO/ISI agents and had physically met them multiple times in other states and had recently received Rs 1.5 lakh for selling OTP/ Mule accounts/ digital wallets..

    It is also learned that the SIM and Debit card used by the accused in last year’s Mangalore Auto blast (terror act) was provided by Pritam Kar. He has sold thousands of pre—activated SIM cards, OTPs, and Mule accounts/ digital wallets to date. The accused used to charge up to Rs.1000 per SIM and up to Rs 30,000 per account for mule accounts/ digital wallets.

    Pritam used to sell mule accounts/ digital wallets of India Post Payment Bank (IPPB), FiNO care, HDFC, Axis, Yes Bank, ICICI, Airtel Payment Bank, Paytm Bank, etc. He and his associate used to contact the customers through various WhatsApp groups, Facebook Messenger groups, and Telegram groups.

    He used to make WhatsApp voice calls/chats to many foreign numbers too. The accused was the admin of the Whatsapp group named “All saving AC available” having 113 members.

    He is also a member of numerous such groups like Online-Offline Seller, OTP shop-6, All OTP available, OTP Sell/ Buy Adda, OTC KYC deals, Online Project Daily, Indian top OTP group, KYC Compliance, Best OTP group, KYC Zone, etc.

    Further investigation of this case is underway.

  • Pakistan unlikely to devalue rupee as pressure has eased

    Pakistan unlikely to devalue rupee as pressure has eased

    Islamabad: Amid negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to restart a $6.7 billion bailout programme, Fitch Ratings said that it is unlikely that Pakistan will devalue its currency again as pressure on the rupee has eased, media reported.

    Krisjanis Krustins, a Hong Kong-based director at Fitch, said: “We currently do not expect a large further devaluation of the Pakistan rupee.”

    “Although the currency has been very stable over the past few months, pressure on the reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan has also been contained, which suggests minimal interventions to support the currency,” Krustins said in a response to questions sent by Bloomberg.

    The multilateral lender has said it is working with authorities to fix its currency market and other issues before it resumes the bailout programme, which is set to expire this month.

    The rupee has slumped more than 20 per cent this year after officials devalued the currency in January, making it one of the worst performers globally, Geo News reported.

    The nation’s dollar stockpile has remained stable at about $4 billion since late February, after falling more than 50 per cent in the past 12 months. Funds will be crucial to prop up the economy beset by supply shortages and avert a sovereign default, with billions of dollars of debt payments approaching.

    “We continue to assume that the IMF and Pakistan will conclude the ongoing programme review, likely after the IMF has clarity on the budget,” Krustins said. “However, the window for this is rapidly closing, with the programme originally set to expire in June, and substantive progress unlikely in the immediate run-up to elections due by October.”

  • Pakistan’s inflation touches record high amid turmoil

    Pakistan’s inflation touches record high amid turmoil

    Islamabad: Consumer inflation in Pakistan raced to 38 per cent in May, the highest annual rise in prices on record, driven mainly by skyrocketing costs of food, house rents, electricity and gas bills, and transport, official data revealed.

    Non-perishable foods and transport costs climbed more than 50 per cent over May 2022, while average inflation for this fiscal year has reached 29.2 per cent, Dawn news reported citing the data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

    The May reading exceeded the Finance Ministry’s projection of 34-36 per cent for the month and comes as political turmoil continues to roil the country.

    Years of financial mismanagement, rupee depreciation and the government’s failure to unlock IMF funding have also played a role in taking annual price hikes to such record highs, Dawn reported.

    Official data showed that the average price of a 20 kg wheat flour bag more than doubled to around 2,700 PKR in May compared to the same month a year ago.

    The average price of chicken (live) rose by 38.6 per cent to 435 PKR per kg, that of milk by 41 per cent to 170 PKR a litre, and that of eggs by 85 per cent to 280 PKR a dozen.

    Pulses and vegetables also became costlier, Dawn reported.

    However, monthly inflation — measured by a basket of products and services called the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — is likely to go down from June due to a high-base effect.

    It has been rising since mid-2022 after the government took painful measures as part of fiscal adjustments demanded by the International Monetary Fund to unlock stalled funding.