SRINAGAR: Anger in Indian-administered Kashmir escalated on Monday over sweeping detentions in the hunt for the gunmen who carried out a deadly attack last week that New Delhi blames on arch-rival Pakistan.
New Delhi has accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after gunmen killed 26 people on April 22, the worst attack on civilians in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir for a quarter of a century.
Islamabad has denied any role, calling attempts to link Pakistan to the attack “frivolous” and vowing to respond to Indian action.
Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals have plunged to their lowest level in years, sparking worries by analysts of possible military action.
The attack also sparked a huge manhunt for the gunmen in Kashmir, with Indian security forces blowing up nine homes of suspected rebels, as well as detaining nearly 2,000 people for questioning, a senior police official told AFP.
“Punish the guilty, show them no mercy, but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage,” Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a statement.
Aga Ruhullah, a federal lawmaker from Kashmir, said: “Kashmir and Kashmiris are being given a collective punishment.”
Security operations in the search for the gunmen come as India and Pakistani forces have exchanged fire across the de facto border in the rugged and remote high-altitude Himalayan outposts.
India’s army said on Monday its troops and Pakistani forces had fired at each other for a fourth night in a row.
There were no reported casualties. Islamabad did not immediately confirm the gunfire from Pakistan.
“During the night of April 27-28... Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control,” the Indian army said in a statement, referring to the de facto border in contested Kashmir.
“Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively,” it said.
Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947.
Both claim the territory in full.
Rebels in the Indian-run area have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Indian police have issued wanted posters for three men — two Pakistanis and an Indian — who they say are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organization.
They have announced a two million rupee ($23,500) bounty for information leading to each man’s arrest.
India is also hunting several of its own citizens in connection to the killings, sweeping up those they suspect may have information on the attackers.
“It’s a revolving door in police stations as part of the ongoing investigation,” said a senior police official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
“Some have already been let go, and more are being summoned to police stations,” the officer said.
The homes of men suspected of having links to the attackers have also been blown up at night.
Yasmeena, the sister of fugitive accused Ashif Sheikh, said her family was being punished, with their home demolished even though they had not seen her brother for three years.
“If my brother is involved, how is it the family’s sin?” she said.
“This house doesn’t belong to him alone.”
New Delhi has downgraded diplomatic ties since the attack, withdrawn visas for Pakistanis, suspended a water-sharing treaty, and announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan.
In response, Islamabad ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, canceled visas for Indian nationals and barred its airspace to Indian airplanes.
India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday after warning last week that those responsible for the attack in Kashmir would see a response “loud and clear.”
The United Nations has urged the arch-rivals to show “maximum restraint” so that issues can be “resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagement.”
China, which shares a border with both India and Pakistan, urged both sides on Monday to “exercise restraint, meet each other halfway” and “properly handle relevant differences through dialogue,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.
Iran has already offered to mediate, and Saudi Arabia has said Riyadh was trying to “prevent an escalation.”
Indian-administered Kashmir crackdown sparks anger as Pakistan tensions escalate
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Indian-administered Kashmir crackdown sparks anger as Pakistan tensions escalate
- New Delhi has accused Pakistan of supporting ‘cross-border terrorism’ after gunmen killed 26 people in Kashmir on Apr. 22
- Islamabad has denied any role and called attempts to link Pakistan to the attack ‘frivolous,’ vowing to respond to Indian action
Pakistan, China discuss regional security, agree to strengthen multilateral institutions
- Fifth round of Pakistan-China Consultations on Multilateral Issues held in Beijing, says Pakistan’s foreign office
- Discussions take place amid regional tensions following recent India-Pakistan and Iran-Israel military conflicts
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Chinese delegations on Thursday discussed regional and international security, reiterating their commitment to strengthen multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, the Pakistani foreign office said.
These discussions took place during the fifth round of the Pakistan-China Consultations on Multilateral Issues in Beijing on Thursday. The Pakistani delegation was led by Special Secretary (UN) Ambassador Nabeel Munir while the Chinese side was headed by Shen Bo, director general of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Chinese foreign ministry.
The discussions took place amid regional tensions in South Asia and Middle East following India’s conflict with Pakistan in May, and Iran’s recent military confrontation with Israel. Though both conflicts resulted in a ceasefire, they triggered fears of a wider war breaking out in the region.
“During the consultations, the two sides exchanged views on a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to the United Nations, in particular matters related to regional and international peace and security on the agenda of the UN Security Council,” Pakistan’s foreign office said.
“The two sides expressed satisfaction at the strong convergence of views on all issues of mutual concern, and reiterated their commitment to continue working together for strengthening multilateral institutions, especially the United Nations.”
The foreign ministry said Munir separately met China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu on the sidelines of the consultations. The two sides expressed their desire to continue working together to take the “historic relations” between Pakistan and China to new heights, the statement said.
China enjoys cordial relations with Pakistan and is also a major ally and investor of Islamabad. Bejing has invested in a multi-billion-dollar project that connects China and Pakistan through a network of highways, railways and pipelines.
Since its initiation in 2013, CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funneled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan. But the undertaking has been hit by Islamabad struggling to keep up its financial obligations as well as attacks on Chinese targets by militants.
While Pakistan has a historic rivalry with nuclear-armed India, Beijing’s border disputes with New Delhi also means that its ties with India are frosty. Pakistan and China enjoy military, defense and economic ties as Beijing remains wary of India’s influence in the region.
Pakistan will continue to play ‘constructive role’ for Middle East peace, PM Sharif tells US
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, says Sharif’s office
- Both agreed to continue working closely to strengthen Pakistan-US ties, particularly through enhanced trade, says PMO
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, telling him Islamabad will continue to play a “constructive role” to bring peace in the Middle East, the Pakistani premier’s office said amid regional tensions following the Iran-Israel military conflict.
The 12-day war between Iran and Israel began on June 13 after Israel carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, killing several senior military commanders and scientists, while officials in Tehran were engaged in nuclear negotiations with the US. The conflict worsened when before the ceasefire announced by Trump, US forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites last week. The American president claimed the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program by years.
Pakistan had remained engaged in talks with regional partners Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Qatar and other states to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. Sharif said on Thursday Tehran had thanked Pakistan’s political and military leadership for playing a constructive role during the war.
“While exchanging views on the current situation in the Middle East, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role for bringing peace to the Middle East,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
“While appreciating these efforts, Secretary Rubio said the US would like to work with Pakistan for promoting peace and stability to the region.”
Pakistan and India also engaged in a days-long conflict last month before US President Donald Trump announced on May 10 that both countries had agreed to a ceasefire. India and Pakistan had pounded each other with missiles, fighter jets, artillery fire and drone strikes during the four days of conflict that killed over 70 on both sides.
Pakistan has repeatedly thanked Trump for his mediation during the crisis and decided to formally nominate him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The American president has claimed he convinced both sides to back down by threatening not to do a trade deal with them.
During their conversation, Sharif thanked Rubio for the “key role” Washington played in the Pakistan-India ceasefire, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
“The Prime Minister and Secretary Rubio agreed to continue working closely to strengthen Pakistan-US relations particularly through enhanced trade,” the statement said.
While the May 10 ceasefire continues to persist between the nuclear-armed nations, tensions simmer as New Delhi refuses to budge from its earlier stance of suspending a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan.
Pakistan has said any attempts to stop or divert its flow of water by India will be regarded as an “act of war” and will be responded to with full force.
Pakistani stocks decline by 715 points over profit-taking after two days of gains
- KSE-100 Index closes at 122,046.46 points, witnessing a decline of 0.58 percent, as per stock market data
- Profit-taking driven by fiscal year-end considerations, short-term portfolio rebalancing, says financial analyst
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a bearish trend on Thursday after two days of gains, losing 715.18 points to close at 122,046.46 points, which a financial analyst attributed to profit-taking driven by fiscal year-end considerations.
The PSX closed at 122,046.46 points when trading ended on Thursday, witnessing a negative change of 0.58 percent. The KSE-100 had closed at 122,761.64 points on Wednesday and before that on Tuesday, it surged by 6,079 points or 5.23 percent to close at 122,246 points. Analysts attributed the surge on Tuesday to the ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel.
As many as 473 companies transacted their shares in the stock market on Thursday, with 200 of them recording gains and 237 sustaining losses, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said, adding that the share price of 36 companies remained unchanged.
“After two consecutive sessions of strong gains, the local bourse witnessed a round of profit-taking today, driven by fiscal year-end considerations and short-term portfolio rebalancing,” Maaz Mulla, the vice president of equity sales at Topline Securities Limited, said in a statement.
Mulla said the benchmark KSE-100 index saw a “volatile ride“— climbing 656 points intraday before losing 715 points at close of business. He said the closing figure of 122,046 points reflected “a cautious investor mood” as the quarter draws to a close.
He said despite the decline at the end of the day, the overall market activity remained “vibrant.”
“Total traded volume clocked in at 750 million shares, with a traded value of PKR 29.8 billion,” Mulla said.
APP reported that the three top trading companies on Thursday were Pak Int. Bulk with 37,503,501 shares traded at Rs 8.52 per share, WorldCall Telecom with 33,285,442 shares at Rs 1.45 per share and Pervez Ahmed Co. with 32,962,174 shares at Rs 3.29 per share.
Pakistan’s National Assembly passes $62 billion budget for next fiscal year
- Budget reflects Pakistan’s attempt to balance security concerns with fiscal reform efforts under $7 billion IMF loan program
- Government has aimed to reduce fiscal deficit to 3.9% of GDP for next year’s budget, increase defense spending by over 20%
ISLAMABAD: The lower house of Pakistan’s parliament passed the federal budget for the next fiscal year on Thursday, which has a total outlay of Rs17.57 trillion [$62 billion] and projects economic growth at 4.2%, state-run media reported.
The federal government unveiled the federal budget on June 10, which reflects a 7% decrease in overall spending compared to the current fiscal year. The largest portion of the budget – Rs8.21 trillion ($29 billion), or nearly half of total expenditures – will go toward debt servicing, continuing to strain Pakistan’s fiscal space.
Another salient feature of the budget is Pakistan’s move to increase defense spending by more than 20% in the 2025-26 fiscal year to Rs2.55 trillion ($9.04 billion). Islamabad seeks to bolster military capabilities following Pakistan’s worst confrontation with India in nearly three decades in May.
“The National Assembly has passed the federal budget for the next fiscal year, with a total outlay of 17,573 billion rupees, focusing on sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The House passed the budget with certain amendments, giving effect to the federal government’s proposals for the financial year set to begin from July 1.
The bill was read out in the National Assembly and approved clause by clause before the session was adjourned until 11 am, Friday.
Pakistan remains under a $7 billion IMF loan program approved last year, and the budget reflects an attempt to balance security concerns with ongoing fiscal reform efforts.
The government has aimed to reduce the fiscal deficit to 3.9% of the GDP for the next year’s budget. While it has projected a growth of 4.2% for the upcoming year, Pakistan’s economy grew just 2.6% in 2024/25, falling short of its 3.6% target due to weak agriculture and industrial output. Inflation has been projected for next year’s budget at 7.5%.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s main tax authority, has been tasked with collecting Rs14.1 trillion of the projected Rs19.3 trillion in gross revenue in the budget, marking a 19% year-on-year increase.
While announcing the budget on June 10, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had announced plans to grow IT exports to $25 billion over the next five years and forecast a rise in workers’ remittances to $38 billion by the end of the current fiscal year.
Pakistan issues rain and flood alert for multiple regions from June 26–28
- Rains lashed Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province over last 24 hours, killing at least four and injuring 19
- Disaster management authority calls for drain clearance, deployment of emergency services measures
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued a rain and flood alert for multiple regions in the country from June 26-28, warning local authorities to ensure preemptive measures are in place with the monsoon season expected to trigger heavy downpours in the coming days.
The Pakistan Meteorological (Met) Department forecast on Monday that several parts of the country are expected to receive heavy monsoon rains from June 25 onwards, urging masses to take precautions against the resulting flash floods and landslides in low lying and hilly areas. Rains have also lashed Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province over the last 24 hours, the provincial disaster management authority said on Thursday, killing at least four people and injuring 19 in rain-related incidents.
“National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of NDMA has issued impact-based alerts due to expected widespread monsoon rainfall and associated flooding risks across several regions of Pakistan from 26th to 28th June,” the NDMA said in a press release.
It said heavy rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms are likely in multiple districts of Punjab including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Islamabad cities.
“Urban flooding is particularly expected in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan, with possible disruption of transportation, drainage overflow and interruption of essential services,” the statement said.
The disaster management authority said urban flooding is anticipated in Sindh’s Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Jamshoro, Shahid Benazirabad, and Sujawal cities due to rain and thunderstorm with isolated and heavy falls in the same period.
It said widespread moderate to heavy rainfall may affect Jacobabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Kashmore, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Badin in Sindh, posing threats of waterlogging, road blockages, and infrastructure damage.
“In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, and Battagram may experience moderate to heavy rainfall with possible flash flooding and landslides, particularly in vulnerable mountainous terrain,” the NDMA warned.
It said in Azad Kashmir, including Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Rawalakot, Haveli, and Hattian Bala, the forecast predicts moderate to heavy rainfall with the risk of flash floods, landslides, and riverine overflow. It said the Potohar region is also likely to be affected by similar weather patterns.
“NEOC has advised all provincial and district disaster management authorities to ensure preemptive measures such as drain clearance, public adviseries, deployment of emergency services, and readiness for evacuation or rescue operations where needed,” the disaster management authority said.
It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement.
The authority called on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential response operations, urging people to stay updated with real-time alerts and guidance from the official NDMA mobile application.
The NDMA’s warning comes as Pakistan braces for another season of extreme weather, following deadly heatwaves and catastrophic floods in recent years. Ranked among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Pakistan is ramping up preparedness efforts, especially in Punjab, where authorities expect significantly above-average rainfall this monsoon.
