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Imran Khan’s speech at UNGA draws flak

Imran Khan dedicated significant time towards security issues and Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran khans speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) drew the attention of a large number of Pakistanis, who feel that the UN platform should not just be used for sabre rattling with India and on security issues, but should also be used for issues critical to Pakistan, focusing on the countrys growth and progress.

Today Pakistan is in a difficult situation economically and there is growing frustration across the country on the utter lack of employment and the high levels of inflation. There are serious problems of electricity, water and gas supplies in the country and political parties have been rearing to clash with the government on these issues.

Some of the core issues on which Imran Khan could have focused are sustainable development, climate change, the impact of the Covid pandemic and how the country needs support and assistance to pull out of the present state of economic deprivation and socio-political morass, among other issues.

Instead, Imran Khan dedicated significant time towards security issues and Kashmir.

On Afghanistan, his mention of how the US compelled Pakistan to tackle the Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion and then again post 9/11, drew criticism from different quarters in Pakistan.

In his excitement, Imran khan mentioned that Pakistan had to work with the Mujahideen and a number of other groups, “including the Al Qaeda”, thereby officially confirming Pakistani role in sustaining the Al Qaeda and other such entities.

He even mentioned that the Mujahideen were invited to the White House during the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. He went onto mention that the Mujahideen were considered “heroes”.

He spoke at length on how poor nations suffered as the rich nations failed to bring in trillions of amount stashed in the tax havens at the cost of suffering of the poorer nations.

The long rhetoric on this issue would have certainly made the Americans smirk, as they are privy to how adept Pakistan has been in diverting huge funds that the US catered for development work and also as part of defence cooperation to Pakistan.

According to some US estimates, as much as 50 per cent of the total amount provided under different heads often went to different sources associated with Pakistan’s agenda of sustaining various militant groups and terror entities.

While the Americans knew of this siphoning off exercise, they realised that this was part of a give and take arrangement where the Pakistanis would prefer them to look away on their spending and instead focus on Pakistani support to their military operations in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has always used the tribal belts for breeding terror groups and encouraged growth of numerous radical Islamic entities which have morphed into larger entities, at times even targeting the Pakistan Army.

As a civilised nation with a strong and powerful military, a fact that Imran Khan reiterated during his speech, Pakistan should have prevented such localised activities by radical entities in the tribal areas.

In fact, during the speech, he admitted that once these terror entities turned against Pakistan post 9/11, hitting out at soft and hard targets, the Pakistan Army was compelled to move into the tribal areas “where they had never ventured in the past”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, USA on September 25, 2021 (PIB)

This latter statement by Imran khan comes as a surprise and lends credence to the fact that the Pakistani state and the Army never bothered to secure an area which has historically been known to be hotbed of criminal and terror related activities.

It was an intentional and planned strategy to let these groups mushroom in this “safe sanctuary” catered by the Pakistani state.

On the Kashmir issue and specifically on Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Imran Khan dedicated significant time and energy ranting out the traditional lines which the UNGA is used to listening.

A copy-paste version of previous UNGA speeches by heads of past Pakistani delegations, the script on Kashmir had nothing new. Moreover, committing so much of this precious time slot to highlight the Geelani episode instead of a host of other relevant issues affecting his country goes to show that ‘Kashmir and Geelani’ were more of a diversionary tactics drawing away public attention from Pakistan’s internal problems.

Geelani was the favourite of Pakistan as he pursued the maximalist and hardline agenda, which included merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. He had also encouraged violence as part of his political charter. However, that said, speaking at length at the UNGA on Geelani was not appreciated by Pakistanis all across.

Imran Khan’s mention of how the US had left Pakistan high and dry also does not hold much credibility as the US took some time to realise that they cannot carry on with the duplicitous game of Pakistan and be part of an endless marathon which tends to benefit Pakistan at the cost of American lives.



There is firm belief in the American establishment that the situation Pakistan faces today is a result of its own creation. The US also realises that Pakistan today finds itself in a tight spot and knows very well that handling Afghanistan on its own is going to be an impossible task and hence they have been building the narrative of Afghanistan once again becoming a haven for terrorist activities, if not bailed out by the international community.

Some US analysts feel that Pakistan maintains significant control over the Taliban and should be given the responsibility of managing the government in Afghanistan and face the resultant consequences as well.

There is a feeling among such experts that the constant US hand holding of Pakistan and not questioning their linkages with terror entities has led to an “irresponsible” Pakistan. They thus feel it is about time Pakistan should learn to be “responsible”.

In spite of the pleading by Imran Khan at the UNGA, the western world is bound to support, aid and assist Afghanistan only if the Taliban strive for an inclusive government, remain diligent on human rights and ensure transparency in their functioning.

Imran khan reiterated these elements as part of the deal with the Taliban. The world is going to closely watch the Taliban’s commitment towards these issues and only after a thorough time-tested vetting would the western countries extend support to the Taliban government.

Till such time, Pakistan would have to bear the responsibility of sustaining the Taliban government and mentor it to become acceptable in the civilised global community.

ALSO READ: Modi Targets Pakistan At UNGA

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Arsonist Disguising As Firefighter: India’s Reply To Pakistan

India at UN said Pakistan “still holds the despicable record in our region of having executed a religious and cultural genocide against the people of what is now Bangladesh, reports Arul Louis

 India has denounced Pakistan as a patron of terrorism and a suppressor of minorities in reply to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tirade against the country.

“This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter,” Sneha Dubey, a First Secretary in India’s UN Mission, said on Friday.

“Pakistan nurtures terrorists in their backyard in the hope that they will only harm their neighbours. Our region, in fact, the entire world has suffered because of their policies.

“Today, the minorities in Pakistan, the Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, live in constant fear and state-sponsored suppression of their rights. This is a regime where anti-Semitism is normalised by its leadership and even justified,” she said.

Responding to Khan’s claims about treatment of minorities in India, Dubey said: “Pluralism is a concept which is very difficult to understand for Pakistan which constitutionally prohibits its minorities from aspiring for high offices of the State. The least they could do is introspect before exposing themselves to ridicule on the world stage.

“Unlike Pakistan, India is a pluralistic democracy with a substantial population of minorities who have gone on to hold highest offices in the country including as President, Prime Minister, Chief Justices and Chiefs of Army staff. India is also a country with a free media and an independent judiciary that keeps a watch and protects our Constitution.”

As for Khan’s allegations of “war crimes” by India, Dubey recalled the genocide perpetrated in Bangladesh in 1971 during and before the War of Independence in which more than 300,000 people were killed by Pakistan and hundreds of thousand women raped.

Pakistan “still holds the despicable record in our region of having executed a religious and cultural genocide against the people of what is now Bangladesh. As we mark the 50th anniversary this year of that horrid event in history, there is not even an acknowledgement, much less accountability”, she said.

Khan in his speech said that after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, “terrorism has been associated with Islam by some quarters” and “increased the tendency of right-wing, xenophobic and violent nationalists, extremists and terrorist groups to target Muslims”.

He then went on to link this to the BJP and the RSS.

Dubey said: “We marked the solemn occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks a few days back. The world has not forgotten that the mastermind behind that dastardly event, Osama Bin Laden, got shelter in Pakistan. Even today, Pakistan leadership glorify him as a ‘martyr’.

Pakistan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan (Source: ANI)

“Regrettably, even today we heard the leader of Pakistan trying to justify acts of terror. Such defence of terrorism is unacceptable in the modern world.”

Pakistan has made an annual ritual of using up most it time at the high-level General Assembly session to attack India, which it also does at all meetings, regardless of the topic.

Dubey said: “This is not the first time the leader of Pakistan has misused platforms provided by the UN to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country, and seeking in vain to divert the world’s attention from the sad state of his country where terrorists enjoy free pass while the lives of ordinary people, especially those belonging to the minority communities, are turned upside down.

“This is a country which has been globally recognized as one openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists as a matter of State policy. It holds the ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council.”

Khan said that Pakistan “desires peace with India” but it is “contingent upon resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and the wishes of the Kashmiri people”.

Pakistan, however, is in violation of Security Council Resolution 47 adopted in 1948 that requires it to withdraw all its personnel from Kashmir.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Council of Heads of State Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on June 14, 2019. (File Photo: IANS)

Dubey declared: “Let me reiterate here that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. This includes the areas that are under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation.”

On the conditions for peace, she said: “We desire normal relations with all our neighbours, including Pakistan. However, it is for Pakistan to work sincerely towards creating a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible actions to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross border terrorism against India in any manner.”

Khan blamed the US for the developments in Afghanistan, recalling the support Washington under President Ronald Reagan gave mujahidin fighting the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

“We were left with sectarian militant groups which were never existed before,” he said.

After 9/11, the US needed Pakistan’s help to invade Afghanistan, he said.

As a result, the same Mujahidin also turned against Pakistan and the Taliban attacked his country, he claimed.

After Dubey gave the right of reply speech, a Counsellor in Pakistan’s UN Mission, Saima Saleem, replied to the right of reply.

Saleem repeated many elements of Khan’s speech, in addition to quoting Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and UN human rights bodies, ignoring their scorching criticism of her country.

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Miscreants blow under construction girl’s school building

The school building has been completely destroyed in the blast while no causality has been reported…reports Asian Lite News

Several unknown miscreants in Pakistan on Wednesday blew an under-construction building of a girl’s school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district.

The school building has been completely destroyed in the blast while no causality has been reported, Dawn reported.

“Four to five kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast, Police have also lodged an FIR against unknown miscreants and started investigations,” in the matter, said Tank district police officer.

Pakistan has been described as “among the world’s worst-performing countries in education with girls particularly missing out on education in unacceptable numbers.”

The new government, elected in July 2018, stated in their manifesto that nearly 22.5 million children are out of school in Pakistan, girls are particularly affected, Human Rights Watch informed.

Thirty-two per cent of primary-school-age girls are out of school in Pakistan, compared to 21 per cent of boys. By grade six, 59 per cent of girls are out of school, versus 49 per cent of boys.

This data shows the lack of access to education for girls and this is a part of gender inequality in Pakistan.

The country has one of Asia’s highest rates of maternal mortality. Violence against women and girls–including rape, so-called honour killing and violence, acid attacks, domestic violence, forced marriage and child marriage–is a serious problem, and government responses are inadequate, Human Rights Watch reported. (ANI)

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Pak bats for Taliban, even as tensions rock across Durand Line

The Taliban are struggling to accommodate other senior and influential commanders in the ruling setup who have not yet found any place…reports Asian Lite News

“The good news…the Taliban are listening, and they are not insensitive to what is being said by neighbours and the international community,” claims the Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, one of the biggest backers of the insurgent group.

But “how does he know they (Taliban) are listening?” asked the AP correspondent who interviewed Qureshi on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York on Wednesday. Qureshi has all the details of the future planning of the Taliban after all it is the Pakistani military establishment’s ISI that is running the show and right from the top- the Pakistani Prime Minister to radical extremists organisations are heaping praises over the Taliban and its regime.

In defence of the Taliban, Qureshi said the group has included a few members of minority ethnic Shia community – Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras in their government to show the world their promise of an inclusive government. But changes are cosmetics and there is no woman in the Taliban regime.

“Yes, there are no women yet,” but let us let the situation evolve,” Qureshi told AP.

Interestingly, the Taliban had previously scoffed at Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for making change in the present “interim” government for an inclusive government, Reacting sharply, Mohammad Mobeen, a Taliban leader said that the group does not “give anyone the right to call for an inclusive government”.

ALSO READ: Pakistan wants strong ties with US: FM Qureshi

“Our system is inclusive even if someone likes it or not. Like Pakistan to decide its own system. Does the inclusive government mean that the neighbours have their representatives and spies in the system? Like Pakistan, we reserve the right to have our own system,” Mobeen told Afghanistan’s Ariana TV.

But according to multiple sources, the group is under internal pressure. The Taliban are struggling to accommodate other senior and influential commanders in the ruling setup who have not yet found any place. According to an estimate, 13 members of the Taliban’s powerful Rahbari Shura also known as Quetta Shura are waiting to be included.

Pakistan is also waiting. Despite being the “patron” of the Taliban, it has not recognised their regime yet, unlike in 1996 where it was first to do so.

On Tuesday, the UN said that the Taliban had sacked the Ghani appointed permanent rep, and , instead nominated Suhail as the new Afghan representative. The group asked the world body to allow their foreign minister to address the current session of the UNGA but since the Taliban regime is yet to get recognition, it was not possible. The Taliban’s deputy information minister Zabihullah Mujahid made it clear that the group would address international human rights concerns only after formal recognition by those countries.

“As long as we are not recognised, and they make criticisms over rights violations, we think it is a one-sided approach. It would be good for them to treat us responsibly and recognise our current government as a responsible administration,” Mujahid told the TOLO news.

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Pakistan policy over last five decades results proxies in Kabul

Creating a range of new vulnerabilities even Even after the effective US withdrawal from the region in 1989, Pakistan relied on the principle of “positior their own country…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s policy for over half a century in pursuit of strategic depth while planning for the recent invasion of Afghanistan has culminated in several years of diversionary diplomacy resulting in Pakistan’s generals managing to re-install their proxies at Kabul, says a recent analysis.

Creating a range of new vulnerabilities even Even after the effective US withdrawal from the region in 1989, Pakistan relied on the principle of “positior their own country, Pakistan during this entire period, which included US withdrawal from the region in 1989 and the presence of Western troops from 2001 to 2021, the US has misread Pakistan’s strategic intent.

Chris Alexander, a former Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament, and diplomat from Canada wrote in European Eye on Radicalization that after Pakistan’s defeat by India in conventional warfare in 1971 led their military establishment to rely increasingly on a policy of “strategic depth” by w542ich they would seek to dominate their western flank by irregular warfare, support for terrorism and “global jihad.”

He added that the strategic focus of this policy has been Afghanistan for fifty years.

In doing so, the US has done its own national interest enormous harm, while undermining the confidence of NATO allies. By failing to see the forest for the trees, and by postponing a reckoning with Pakistan over these threats to international peace and security, Biden and his three predecessors since 9/11 have disoriented the US and key allies on an issue of great strategic importance.

“For one decade of this half century, Pakistan had the US as a strategic ally and source of funding as it engaged in irregular warfare through proxies against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. For two more decades of this half century (from 2001 to 2021), Pakistan controlled the principal ground and air lines of communication and supply for US forces based in Afghanistan, effectively preventing any concerted effort either fully to map or to end Pakistan’s support for groups fighting US and Afghan forces,” Chris who was the first resident Canadian Ambassador to Afghanistan said.

He added that in other words, even while providing comprehensive support to leading terrorist groups, Pakistan’s military has considered itself and remained a de facto strategic US ally for most of the period it has been waging its proxy war in Afghanistan.

Even after the effective US withdrawal from the region in 1989, Pakistan relied on the principle of “positive symmetry” laid out by Secretary of State George Schultz in a letter to his Soviet counterpart on 30 March 1988 to justify its continuing military support for the Mujahidin, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other proxies fighting in Afghanistan.

Stating that Pakistan’s support for the Taliban and other proxies led to the death of approximately 3,500 US, other NATO, and partner military members over the twenty years after 2001, the author noted that the US failed to see the forest for the trees.

“US policy consistently pursued incremental change with Pakistan without tackling strategic realities. In particular the U.S. approach to Pakistan failed on three levels: (1) it under-estimated the determination of Pakistan’s military to orchestrate the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan; (2) it did not assess the creation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in late 2007 and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in 2014 as means to this end; and (3) it overlooked the influence of a small group of ideologically-committed generals,” he said further.

Meantime, after concluding that the US was sufficiently distracted by the impending invasion of Iraq, Pakistan’s military leaders made a strategic calculation to restart military operations in Afghanistan.

The Iraq invasion commenced on 19-20 March. One week later, Swiss-Salvadorean International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegate Ricardo Munguia was killed in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province on orders from Mullah Dadullah Akhund, the Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan. Over the remainder of 2003 and beyond, the Taliban military offensive in the south escalated swiftly, the analysis said. (ANI)

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‘World shouldn’t repeat mistake of disengaging with Afghanistan’

Pakistan’s foreign minister Qureshi stressed Pakistan commitment to an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News

US top diplomat Antony Blinken and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly session on Thursday.

According to Dawn, the meeting began at 1 pm New York time at Palace Hotel in New York City.

This is the first in-person meeting between the two leaders.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Qureshi stressed Pakistan commitment to an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.

He also emphasised the importance of the international community holding the Taliban to their commitments and recognise its moral obligation to help the Afghan people with the growing humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

“The world should not repeat the mistake of disengaging with Afghanistan,” he stressed.

Following the meeting, Qureshi said he had reiterated Pakistan’s focus on a relationship with the US based on trade, investment, energy and regional connectivity.

Meanwhile, Blinken said: “We have had many opportunities to speak on the phone these many months, but finally now an opportunity at the UN General Assembly to see each other in person. A lot to focus on, starting with Afghanistan and the importance of our countries working together and going forward on Afghanistan.”

“I thought a time would come where we’d be talking beyond Afghanistan, but it seems Afghanistan is there, we can’t wish it away, and we have to find a way of collectively working to achieve our common objective, which is peace and stability.

Earlier, Qureshi said that Islamabad wants strong ties with the US amid the frayed ties between the two countries post messy military drawdown from Afghanistan.

Speaking at the session of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, the minister said both Pakistan and the US have the ingredient to build a broad-based relationship between the two countries, reported Radio Pakistan.

This comes as the US has expressed its desire to reassess ties with Pakistan. Blinken informed Congress last week that Washington is going to be looking at its ties with Pakistan in the coming weeks to formulate the role America wants Islamabad to play in the future of Afghanistan.

During his first testimony in Congress after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, Blinken noted that Pakistan has “harboured” members of the Taliban including the terrorists from the proscribed Haqqani network.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

During an interactive session in New York on Tuesday, Qureshi stated that Pakistan wants to leverage its connectivity infrastructure including China Pakistan Economic Corridor to enhance regional trade and economic integration.

The minister added Pakistan’s climate-friendly energy policy offers opportunities for US companies specialised in clean and renewable energy.

Pakistan has shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics and can work with the US through the development of Finance cooperation to general economic activity on the Afghanistan border, the minister added.

Qureshi’s pitch to improve ties comes at a time when Washington is seen giving a cold shoulder to Islamabad.

Notably, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has not received any call from US President Joe Biden since assuming office. The Pakistan Prime Minister recently came to the defence of the US President by saying that Biden faced “unfair criticism” over withdrawal from Afghanistan and it was the “most sensible thing” to do.

“There was so much unfair criticism of President Biden, and what he did was the most sensible thing to do,” said Khan, in an interview given to Russia Today last week. (ANI)

ALSO READ: $45 mn released for Afghanistan’s healthcare system

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PAF trainer aircraft crashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In September 2020, another PAF trainer aircraft had crashed in the Attock district during a routine flight….reports Asian Lite News

A trainer jet of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed in the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, local media said on Wednesday.

A PAF spokesperson said that the jet was on a training mission when it crashed near KP’s Mardan district, ARY News reported. A committee has been constituted to find the cause behind the incident.

In a separate incident, a Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft had crashed near Punjab Province’s Attock city last month during a training session. A PAF statement had said that a board of Inquiry has been ordered to probe the accident.

In September 2020, another PAF trainer aircraft had crashed in the Attock district during a routine flight.

That same year in February, a PAF Mirage aircraft crashed near Shorkot in Punjab province during a routine operational training mission.

Earlier, the Pakistan Air Force had activated an air base on its eastern front in Balochistan area close to Afghanistan, at a time when Pakistani intelligence agencies can be seen openly meddling in Afghan affairs.

Two other satellite bases named Kotli and Rawalkot have also been activated along the border with India, intelligence sources said.

The sources said the Pakistan Air Force has 12 active and an equal number of satellite bases for operations.

“The Pakistan Air Force keeps activating these bases from time to time for operational readiness and the frequency has increased after the Balakot air strike by India in February 2019 where the Indian Mirage 2000 fighters could manage to get in and out of Pakistan territory undetected and unchallenged,” the sources said.

Sources said the Indian agencies are continuously monitoring Pakistani activities as all its bases are effectively covered by Indian radars and other systems round the clock.

Agencies are also keeping a track of the Pakistan Air Force activities on their eastern front where the Shamsi air field in Pakistan has been reactivated to support Taliban operations in the war-torn country, the sources said.

The Shamsi air field has been used in the past by the American forces deployed in Afghanistan to launch attacks against the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists but they were forced to vacate it by Islamabad after Pakistan Army troops got killed in an American air raid. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran focuses on Afghanistan as soaring inflation bites Pakistan

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Pakistan wants strong ties with US: FM Qureshi

This comes as the US has expressed its desire to reassess ties with Pakistan….reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad wants strong ties with the United States (US) amid the frayed ties between the two countries post messy military drawdown from Afghanistan.

Speaking at the session of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, the minister said both Pakistan and the US have the ingredient to build a broad-based relationship between the two countries, reported Radio Pakistan.

This comes as the US has expressed its desire to reassess ties with Pakistan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Congress last week that Washington is going to be looking at its ties with Pakistan in the coming weeks to formulate the role America wants Islamabad to play in the future of Afghanistan.

During his first testimony in Congress after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, Blinken noted that Pakistan has “harboured” members of the Taliban including the terrorists from the proscribed Haqqani network.

During an interactive session in New York on Tuesday, Qureshi stated that Pakistan wants to leverage its connectivity infrastructure including China Pakistan Economic Corridor to enhance regional trade and economic integration.

The minister added Pakistan’s climate-friendly energy policy offers opportunities for US companies specialised in clean and renewable energy.

Pakistan has shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics and can work with the US through the development of Finance cooperation to general economic activity on the Afghanistan border, the minister added.

Qureshi’s pitch to improve ties comes at a time when Washington is seen giving a cold shoulder to Islamabad.

Notably, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has not received any call from US President Joe Biden since assuming office. The Pakistan Prime Minister recently came to the defence of the US President by saying that Biden faced “unfair criticism” over withdrawal from Afghanistan and it was the “most sensible thing” to do.

“There was so much unfair criticism of President Biden, and what he did was the most sensible thing to do,” said Khan, in an interview given to Russia Today last week. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran focuses on Afghanistan as soaring inflation bites Pakistan

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Four arrested from Lahore amid terror threats

The four suspects were identified as Muhammad Mushtaq, Sami Ullah, Adil Jamal and Osama Khalid….reports Asian Lite News

Following the recent terror threats in Pakistan, the counter-terrorism authorities from the country’s Punjab province arrested four persons from Lahore on September 20, the vernacular media said.

The four suspects were identified as Muhammad Mushtaq, Sami Ullah, Adil Jamal and Osama Khalid.

The four were residents of Karachi and were planning strikes against important persons. The CTD recovered explosives from them. Further investigation is underway.

According to media reports, the development may be viewed against the backdrop of recent terror threats, including cancellations of the New Zealand and British cricket matches in Pakistan.

Terrorism.

Earlier this month, Sindh province had issued an alert about possible terror attacks, following intelligence reports amid the investigation of different groups conducted by counterterrorism wings in the country.

Sindh police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar in a circular had warned that the possible sabotage acts could be carried out in September, The News International reported.

The provincial police chief had directed the relevant officials to ensure the provision of security at public places including railway stations, bus terminals, vegetable markets, and other places where people gather in large numbers.

This comes as pedestrian traffic through Pakistan’s south-western Chaman border crossing has increased after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan over the last few weeks. Last month, the province’s CTD had overhauled its structure to make it responsive against future threats due to the unstable situation in Afghanistan. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran focuses on Afghanistan as soaring inflation bites Pakistan

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MQM founder pledges to free Sindh from Pakistan

Further slamming the Pakistan army, he said that every country in the world has an army but the army has a country, i.e, Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News

Founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has said it is his mission to free Sindh province from Pakistan at any cost.

“We’ll achieve our target at any cost even if people stay away and don’t join our struggle,” he said. He expressed these views in a video address to a gathering in the UK on the occasion of his 68th birthday.

He said what he wants from Pakistan is nothing but freedom. Hussain said that though there is a civilian government in Pakistan the fact is that the whole of Pakistan is under the control of the army.

Further slamming the Pakistan army, he said that every country in the world has an army but the army has a country, i.e, Pakistan.

“Pakistan’s army calls me a traitor to the country. I am raising awareness against the military occupation of the country. I am not a traitor, I am a rebel and I want to liberate my motherland Sindh from the control of the army. I have stood firm against the military occupation from day one and will stand firm till the end,” he said.

During the speech, the MQM leader reiterated that he wants freedom from Pakistan.

“I will stand firm against the occupation of the army till the end,” he said.

He paid tribute to the workers, youth, elders, mothers, sisters and children who celebrated his birthday all over the world including Pakistan.

Meanwhile, he concluded his speech with the slogans: Freedom, freedom, freedom.

Farmers protest in Sindh

A large number of farmers on Saturday staged a protest march against the acute shortage of water at Dadu district located in Pakistan’s Sindh province, local media reported.

“A large number of growers staged a march on Saturday to record protest against acute shortage of water at tail-end areas of Johi branch (channel) caused by the “unabated theft of water” by influential political personalities of the area,” Dawn reported.

The marchers led by Abdul Latif Jamali, Mehar Gadehi, Sikandar Jamali and others arrived at Dadu Press Club where they staged a demonstration while raising slogans against irrigation department officials and elected representatives.

The protesters’ leaders complained that political bigwigs of the area were stealing water unabatedly at the head of Johi branch, which had led to acute shortage of water at the tail-end of the branch, a Pakistani publication reported.

They said that 125,000 acres had turned barren in Johi taluka due to persistent water shortage, caused by the unfair distribution of the scarce commodity. Besides, residents of 300 villages were facing problems getting drinking water, Dawn reported.

It further reported that the protestors demanded the federal government deploy Rangers along the branch to stop the menace of water theft.

Earlier experts had also warned that famine-like situations may arise in Pakistan due to the scarcity of water across the country if the issue is not resolved timely. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran Khan slammed over rising inflation in Pakistan