SRINAGAR: Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged fire across the heavily militarized Kashmir frontier that divides the two archrivals, with at least four casualties reported by the Pakistani side Thursday.
Kashmir has been divided between the neighbors since they were carved out of the Asian subcontinent at the end of British colonial rule in 1947.
Both nations claim it in full and have fought two wars and numerous smaller battles over control of the Himalayan territory.
Pakistan state broadcaster PTV, citing unnamed security sources, said Wednesday’s incident injured two soldiers and two civilians, all from that country.
Unnamed Indian security officials told broadcaster NDTV that Pakistani troops had fired unprovoked, prompting India’s forces to return fire.
Pakistan’s military declined to comment when asked by AFP. India army officials did not respond to a request for comment.
The incident comes two days after two Indian army soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device in the region.
A border ceasefire agreement signed by the neighbors in 2003 has largely held in the decades since, but both frequently accuse the other of breaching it.
Last month, India’s army said its soldiers killed two rebel fighters along the Kashmir border as they attempted to cross into the Indian-administered territory.
Several rebel groups have fought Indian forces deployed in the territory, demanding independence for the Muslim-majority region or its merger with Pakistan.
Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict, most of them civilians.
Fighting has decreased since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government imposed direct control of the territory from New Delhi after canceling its partial autonomy.
But last year, thousands of additional troops were deployed across the southern mountainous areas following a series of deadly rebel attacks that left more than 50 soldiers dead in three years.
India regularly blames Pakistan for pushing rebels across their shared frontier to launch attacks on Indian forces.
Pakistan denies the allegation, saying it only supports Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination.
India, Pakistan exchange fire across Kashmir border — media
https://arab.news/6dbbj
India, Pakistan exchange fire across Kashmir border — media
- State broadcaster PTV says two soldiers and two civilians were injured on the Pakistani side
- Indian sources blame Pakistan for the incident, though no officials statements have been issued
Pakistan finance chief heads to UK to court investors, meet British officials
- Aurangzeb aims to highlight Pakistan’s improving economic outlook in meetings with investors
- He will also discuss trade, investment and bilateral economic ties with senior British officials
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb left for London on Tuesday to meet British officials, financial institutions and business groups, as the South Asian nation seeks to attract foreign investment by highlighting its improving economic outlook.
Pakistan is striving to draw overseas investment amid a gradually healing macroeconomic environment after a prolonged downturn that forced Islamabad to seek external financing from friendly nations and multiple loan programs with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government has also pursued aggressive economic diplomacy in recent years, signing several agreements and memoranda of understanding with countries in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Aurangzeb’s visit to the United Kingdom is part of Islamabad’s wider strategy to expand those efforts and engage potential investors from other regions.
“The federal minister for finance, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has departed for London to meet British officials, investors, financial institutions, investment banks, business firms and organizations,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
During the three-day visit, Aurangzeb will attend multiple investment forums and seminars where he will outline Pakistan’s economic trajectory.
He is also scheduled to participate in a roundtable titled “Pakistan Access Days” hosted by Jefferies, a prominent US-based investment bank, and another session with UK tech investors focusing on government-friendly policies in artificial intelligence, mining, health care and other sectors.
Aurangzeb will be joined at the roundtables by Muhammad Ali, the prime minister’s adviser on investment.
In addition to meetings with private sector leaders, Aurangzeb will visit the UK Treasury Department for talks with Financial Secretary Lord Livermore and senior officials.
He will also meet Hamish Nickells-Falconer, the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
The finance minister will also hold meetings with the chief executives of Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered, and meet with Simon Baugh, CEO of the UK’s Government Communication Service.
During the trip, he is expected to hold a series of question-and-answer sessions with selected representatives from international and British media outlets.
Pakistan to crack down on smuggling of seeds from archrival India
- Pakistan’s food security minister says the country is falling behind India in seed quality and yield
- He says National Seed Development Authority will curb fake seeds, enforce stringent regulations
KARACHI: Pakistan said on Tuesday it would launch a crackdown on the smuggling of seeds from archrival India while emphasizing better regulation of the domestic seed market and promotion of local agricultural innovation.
The move comes amid renewed tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after last month’s deadly attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, though Islamabad denied the charge.
Both countries have since taken tit-for-tat measures against each other, downgrading bilateral trade and diplomatic ties. India has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a decades-old pact governing cross-border river flows, raising food security concerns for lower riparian Pakistan in the longer run.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, chaired a high-level meeting focusing on the issue, pointing out that Indian seeds were being smuggled into Pakistan and openly advertised on social media platforms.
“The Ministry is working closely with law enforcement agencies to take strict action against those involved in this illegal activity,” he said.
He also warned that the country, once ahead of India in agricultural innovation, was now falling behind.
“It is unfortunate that we now cite India’s example in seed quality and yield performance,” he added.
Hussain also raised the issue of the widespread sale of non-certified and substandard seeds in local markets, saying the authorities had banned 392 companies found guilty of distributing fake seeds.
The participants of the meeting said more than 50,000 metric tons of cotton seeds were available for the upcoming season, nearly meeting the total requirement of 53,796 metric tons and easing concerns about shortages.
According to a statement circulated after the meeting, the minister addressed the problem of price volatility in the seed market, saying the National Seed Development Authority had been established to monitor seed quality, prevent the sale of fake seeds and enforce stringent regulations.
He also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to protecting farmers’ rights, ensuring food security, and transforming the agriculture sector through transparency, regulation and innovation.
Delegation from Pakistan’s top military university in UAE to discuss academic collaboration
- Delegation members are representatives of National Defense University, Pakistan’s leading military educational institute
- Pakistani delegation will meet UAE officials, think tanks and other institutions during visit, says Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi
ISLAMABAD: A delegation of senior Pakistani military and civil officers has arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enhance bilateral dialogue, academic cooperation and understanding between the two nations, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said on Tuesday.
The delegation are representatives of the National Defense University, Pakistan’s leading military educational institute situated in Islamabad, the embassy said in a statement. It added that the delegation comprises senior military and civil service officers, including those from friendly countries as well.
“The Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi hosted a delegation of National Security and War Course (NSWC) of the National Defense University (NDU), Islamabad, during their foreign study visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” the embassy said in its statement.
“The visit aims to enhance bilateral dialogue, academic collaboration, and mutual understanding between Pakistan and the UAE.”
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi welcomed the delegation, stressing the significance of these exchanges in deepening bilateral cooperation. He stated that the visit also reflects our commitment to strengthening the historic Pakistan-UAE partnership, the embassy said.
“During their visit, the delegation will have high-level interactions with UAE government officials, think tanks, and other institutions of UAE,” the statement said.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE foreign ministry.
It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The two nations have stepped up efforts in recent years to strengthen their business and investment ties. In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure.
Pakistan, Bangladesh resolve to strengthen bilateral ties, maintain high-level contacts
- Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar speaks to Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, says state media
- Islamabad and Dhaka have attempted to rebuild bitter relations since ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government last year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar agreed to strengthen bilateral relationship with Bangladesh and maintain high-level contacts with its leadership, state-run media reported on Tuesday, as Islamabad looks to forge closer ties with the Muhammad Yunus-led government.
Pakistan and Bangladesh, once one nation, split after a brutal 1971 war with Dhaka drawing closer to Islamabad’s arch-rival New Delhi. However, long-time Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted after her government was overthrown in August 2024. She fled via helicopter to India as Dhaka attempts to extradite her.
Relations between India and Bangladesh’s interim government have been frosty since then, allowing Islamabad and Dhaka to rebuild ties slowly. Dar spoke to Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser, over the telephone on Monday, Pakistani state broadcaster said.
“Pakistan and Bangladesh have reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations and maintain regular high-level engagements,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Direct private trade between the countries restarted in November 2024, when a container ship sailed from Pakistan’s Karachi to Bangladesh’s Chittagong. It was the first cargo ship in decades to sail directly between the countries.
Dar discussed Pakistan’s increased regional tensions with India during his conversation with Hossain, in light of New Delhi’s “unfounded” allegations it was involved in an attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Gunmen killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam tourist resort on April 22, straining ties between the two nations as India blamed Pakistan for backing the attack. Islamabad denied involvement and has asked New Delhi to share proof to substantiate its claims, something it hasn’t done yet.
“The Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Adviser expressed concern over the current situation and emphasized the need for de-escalation and exercising restraint by all parties,” Radio Pakistan said.
India and Pakistan — carved out of the subcontinent at the chaotic end of British colonial rule in 1947— have fought multiple wars and remain bitter foes. The two countries claim the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir in full but govern only parts of it separated by a Line of Control (LoC) de facto border.
Peshawar Zalmi thrash Multan Sultans by 7 wickets, keep PSL playoff hopes alive
- Zalmi all-rounder Ahmad Daniyal returns figures of 3/17, Luke Wood and Maaz Sadaqat take two wickets each
- Peshawar will next face Karachi Kings on Wednesday and two-time champions Lahore Qalandars on Friday
ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi continued their impressive run of form on Monday by beating Multan Sultans by seven wickets at their home ground, effectively keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoffs stage alive.
The Sultans batted first at their home turf but were unable to impress, losing a flurry of wickets as Zalmi bowlers kept on taking breakthroughs at regular intervals. The only signs of resistance came from Shai Hope, who top-scored for the Sultans with 23 runs while middle-order batter Tayyab Tahir made 22.
Zalmi’s Ahmad Daniyal was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3/17 from four overs while Luke Wood and Maaz Sadaqat picked two wickets each to ensure the Sultans were bowled out for 108 runs in 19.1 overs.
“In the 25th match of Pakistan Super League, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Multan Sultans by seven wickets in Multan last night,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Zalmi chased the total in 13 overs with seven wickets to spare. Explosive opening batter Saim Ayub scored 49 runs from 33 balls while Max Bryant remained unbeaten on 38 from 20 balls.
Zalmi captain Babar Azam scored 8 runs from 13 balls while Mitchell Owen scored only one run from two balls. For the Sultans, Shahid Aziz returned figures of 2/17 from three overs while David Willey finished with 1/9 from his single over.
The “Yellow Storm” remain at number five on the PSL points table with four wins from a total of eight matches. The top four teams will qualify for the PSL playoffs.
If Zalmi qualify for the playoffs, Azam’s team will remain the only one to qualify for every playoff since the edition began in 2016.
Zalmi will next play Karachi Kings on Thursday before taking on former two-time PSL champions Lahore Qalandars on Friday.
