ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has rejected India’s plan to build a river-linking project that would divert water from the Chenab to the Beas river, calling it a “grave violation” of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and other relevant international laws.

“Pakistan retains all options necessary to safeguard its rights and entitlements under the Treaty, and to protect its vital national interests,” the spokesperson stated this while addressing the weekly media briefing on Thursday.

India has neither officially communicated nor shared any notice of these projects, nor has it sought consultations in this regard, he said, adding that these projects confirm that India seeks to weaponise water. This carries dangerous implications not only for Pakistan’s economy, but also for regional stability and international peace and security.

READ MORE: India’s water control: Pakistan says PCA award reinforces IWT limits

Responding to queries, Andrabi said, “We have seen this report, including the public tender document issued by the Government of India. India has invited bids for the Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel Project with the intention of transferring 1.9 million acre-feet of water annually from the Chenab River into the Beas system. This acreage is an estimate right now.

Such an inter-basin diversion of water from the Chenab into the Beas River system constitutes a grave violation not just of the Indus Waters Treaty, but also of the law of treaties, particularly the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, as well as the broader framework of international water law, including the principles reflected in the 1997 UN Convention on Watercourses, the FO spokesperson added.

The second project, Andrabi highlighted, “I would also like to mention here, is the proposed silt flushing of the Salal Dam reservoir in Reasi District of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This is a deeply concerning development. It will provide water-control capability that is not permissible either under the Indus Waters Treaty or the 1978 Salal Agreement.

Andrabi said Pakistan has exercised restraint and responsibility, and we remain committed to dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Such actions amount to further destabilisation of South Asia, with potentially grave consequences for the people of the entire region, he warned.

The international community must call upon India to desist from any form of water coercion, abandon projects that seek to stop, reduce, or divert water flows legally belonging to Pakistan, and restore the full and faithful implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty.

On the Abraham Accords, the spokesperson emphasised that Pakistan’s position on the Abraham Accords remains consistent. Our benchmark is the establishment of a viable, contiguous State of Palestine, with Jerusalem (Al-Quds Al-Sharif) as its capital, within the agreed pre-1967 borders.

To another query, Tahir Andrabi categorically and unequivocally rejected the assertion that the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister shared any intelligence regarding Iran with the US Secretary of State. Such claims are entirely baseless, speculative, and appear to be aimed at undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts and the broader process of dialogue and engagement, he added.

The discussion focused on regional peace, stability, and the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions to ongoing challenges. No intelligence was shared during the course of this dialogue.

Pakistan also welcomes the positive role played by the United States in facilitating the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

The spokesperson said Pakistan is a signatory to several international UN human rights conventions and the ILO labour standards.

He added that Pakistan’s advocacy of dialogue and diplomacy includes Afghanistan as well.

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ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office(FO) on Friday emphasised that the peace process between Iran and the United States is a matter of national importance for Pakistan, reflecting a collective national effort.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace, dialogue, and a lasting resolution to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region.

Addressing a question on whether Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was being “sidelined” in Pakistan’s intermediary role, Andrabi said categorically, “You used the word sideline. I would very categorically reject it.”

READ ALSO: At US-Iran talks, Pakistan’s field marshal takes centre stage

He emphasised that Pakistan’s peace initiatives, including the recent visits by the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, should not be viewed through the narrow lens of departmental divisions.

“Pakistan is united in this cause. I would urge restraint from any speculations in this regard,” he added.

He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the Interior Minister have remained at the forefront of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements.

“In that sense, the Naqvi’s visits should be seen in this vein,” he remarked.

Naqvi undertook two significant visits to Iran this week, on May 16 and May 20, holding key meetings with the Iranian leadership.

On regional security, the spokesperson asserted that India’s involvement in promoting terrorism in Pakistan is well-documented.

“The case of Kulbhushan Jadhav remains a stark example of state-sponsored terrorism. Equally concerning are the recurring incidents of extraterritorial killings orchestrated by Indian terrorist networks,” he said.

On water disputes, Andrabi welcomed the supplemental award by the Court of Arbitration on May 15, regarding the maximum pondage for the Ratle and Kishanganga projects.

He said the award reaffirms Pakistan’s longstanding position that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) places substantive limits on India’s control over the western rivers.

The ruling clarifies that pondage for run-of-the-river projects must be justified by operational requirements, hydroelectric and hydraulic conditions, power system needs, and treaty-mandated information.

“Pakistan will present these interpretations before the Neutral Expert, in accordance with the provisions of the IWT,” he stated.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday welcomed a supplemental award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), saying the decision reinforced Islamabad’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) imposes substantive limits on India’s ability to control water flows on the western rivers of the Indus river system.

The award relates to disputes over the design of the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant and the Kishenganga Hydroelectric Project in occupied Kashmir, particularly concerning “maximum pondage” — the maximum volume of water permitted to be stored in a reservoir under the treaty framework.

In a statement posted on X, the Government of Pakistan said the supplemental award had been issued on 15 May, although the PCA has not yet made the ruling public.

The Pakistani government said the latest award affirmed its “central position” that the treaty’s restrictions on India’s water-control capability were substantive and enforceable at the planning and design stage of hydroelectric projects.

READ MORE: Arbitration initiated against India in relation to IWT: CoA concludes hearing for second phase on merits

“These limits are not formalities,” the statement said. “They apply at the planning and design stage and cannot be satisfied merely by a later assurance of operational restraint.”

According to the statement, the tribunal held that pondage for a run-of-river hydroelectric plant must be justified by actual project requirements, including expected operational needs, site hydrology, hydraulic conditions, power-system requirements and treaty-mandated disclosures.The government said the award built upon the PCA’s earlier ruling on issues of general interpretation of the treaty, issued on 8 August 2025, by clarifying that installed generating capacity and anticipated electricity load must be “realistic, well-founded and defensible”.

“Installed capacity must correspond to actual expected operation, hydrologic and hydraulic data, and treaty requirements,” the statement said.

“Anticipated load must correspond to actual expected operation and to the projected needs of the power system the plant is intended to serve.”

Pakistan said the ruling addressed concerns that India could otherwise seek to justify increased pondage through “imagined capacity, artificial load curves, unrealistic peaking assumptions, or bare assertions of compliance”.

The statement added that the award strengthened Pakistan’s rights to review project data submitted by India under the treaty.

“India must provide Pakistan with sufficient information and explanation to assess treaty compliance,” it said. “If India fails to do so, it fails to carry its burden of establishing that the proposed maximum pondage satisfies Paragraph 8(c) of Annexure D.”

Paragraph 8(c) of Annexure D stipulates that maximum pondage in the operating pool of a run-of-river plant must not exceed twice the pondage required for firm power generation.

Pakistan also said the tribunal had confirmed that any applicable minimum-flow obligations must be considered in calculating pondage requirements and that compliance with Paragraph 15 release provisions did not automatically satisfy such obligations.

The government further noted that the PCA had previously held that arbitral awards under the treaty are final and binding on both parties and carry legal weight in subsequent treaty-related proceedings.

Islamabad said it would place the tribunal’s interpretations before the neutral expert process in accordance with treaty procedures and confidentiality requirements.

Reaffirming its commitment to the treaty and its dispute-resolution mechanisms, Pakistan said it would continue to pursue “every lawful and diplomatic means” to ensure that Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers complied with treaty obligations.

“The award is a strategic consolidation of Pakistan’s treaty position,” the statement said, adding that maximum pondage must be “realistic, evidence-based, hydrologically grounded, power-system justified, treaty-compliant, and incapable of inflation through artificial assumptions”.

India, meanwhile, rejected the PCA’s ruling, describing the tribunal as illegitimate.

Pakistan initiated arbitration proceedings against India under the IWT in 2016. India has continued to boycott the proceedings, though the PCA has shared procedural developments and decisions with the Indus water commissioners of both countries in their ex-officio capacities.

Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty allocates the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — primarily to Pakistan, while the eastern rivers — the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — are allocated to India.

In April 2025, India announced it was suspending its obligations under the treaty following an attack in Pahalgam in occupied Kashmir in which 26 tourists were killed. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the incident, an allegation Pakistan denied.

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ISLAMABAD: The military on Sunday warned that any attempt to target Pakistan could trigger consequences that would neither remain geographically confined nor prove strategically or politically palatable for India.

In a statement issued in response to recent remarks by Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) rejected what it described as “delusional and hallucinational” notions prevailing in Hindutva-led India.

Gen Dwivedi had reportedly said that “Pakistan should decide if it desired to be part of geography and history”.

READ MORE: Marka-e-Haq strengthened country’s strategic deterrence: ISPR

Reacting sharply to the remarks, the military’s media wing said Pakistan was already a globally significant country, a declared nuclear power and an indelible part of South Asia’s geography and history.

The ISPR stated that the comments reflected the Indian leadership’s failure to reconcile with the very idea of Pakistan despite the passage of eight decades.

It said such a “hubristic, jingoistic and myopic mindset” had repeatedly pushed South Asia towards wars and crises.

“Threatening a sovereign nuclear state with elimination from ‘geography’ is neither strategic signalling nor brinkmanship,” the statement said, adding that such rhetoric instead reflected “bankruptcy of cognitive capacities, madness and warmongering”.

The military’s media wing further said India was fully aware that any attempt at “geographic obliteration” would be mutual and comprehensive in nature.

The ISPR maintained that responsible nuclear states demonstrated restraint, maturity and strategic sobriety rather than resorting to the language of “civilisational supremacy or national erasure”.

It also accused India of ignoring what it described as its “historically documented record” of regional destabilisation, sponsorship of terrorism, involvement in transnational assassinations and the running of global disinformation campaigns.

According to the statement, New Delhi’s aggressive posture stemmed less from confidence and more from frustration over its inability to harm Pakistan, which the ISPR insisted had been exposed during Marka-e-Haq, last year in May.

Warning India against pushing South Asia towards another crisis or war, the military’s media wing said the consequences would be devastating for the entire region and beyond.

The statement added that India needed to reconcile itself with Pakistan’s significance and learn to coexist peacefully with it.

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LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly held a special session on Monday to commemorate the first anniversary of Pakistan’s victory in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, passing a unanimous resolution in honour of the armed forces while the session was marked by sharp political exchanges between treasury and opposition benches.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan presided over the session, which began with a delay of nearly one and a half hours, and said that the entire Pakistani nation stood united in its resolve to defend its sovereignty, adding that the anniversary was being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country.

A resolution presented by Minister of Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman was passed unanimously, congratulating the Pakistan Armed Forces on the historic victory. The resolution recalled that India had launched a cowardly attack on Pakistan during the night of May 6th and 7th, 2025, following the Pahalgam false flag operation, targeting civilians, mosques, seminaries, and water reservoirs. It stated that under the command of Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir, the armed forces delivered a decisive response and fulfilled the nation’s trust.

However, the session was not without political tension. Opposition Leader Moeen Qureshi, while paying tribute to the military, used the floor to raise concerns over the alleged mistreatment of PTI-affiliated political prisoners, the legitimacy of the current government, and the events of May 9th, demanding a judicial commission to investigate the matter.

Pakistan Peoples Party parliamentary leader Ali Haider Gilani praised Pakistan’s military response and credited Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his diplomatic efforts, while Mumtaz Chang paid tribute to past civilian leaders for building Pakistan’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan handed a crushing defeat to India in last year’s military conflict that was triggered following false accusations levelled by India against Pakistan under the staged pretext of the Pahalgam incident.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said this on Sunday during his address at the National Bunyan Um Marsoos ceremony 2026 held at the Pakistan Monument to commemorate the one year of military conflict between Pakistan and India named Ma’arka-e-Haq by the former.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, top government officials, armed forces’ commanders, lawmakers, foreign diplomats and other dignitaries attended the event.

READ MORE: Marka-e-Haq: Pakistan emerges victorious in the ‘war of narratives’

“Till date, India has failed to present a shred of evidence to establish Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam incident,” the PM said.

He announced to officially associate 10 May with Ma’arka-e-Haq victory.

PM Sharif paid tribute to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for giving a befitting response to the Indian aggression.

He specifically lauded the role of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu in this regard. “When our Shaheens attacked, the enemies found it hard to save their lives,” he said.

“The enemy attacked in the dead of night. Our armed forces gave a befitting response— we are thankful to Allah for granting us victory and great honour,” he said.

PM Shehbaz lauded the role of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Asim Munir in this regard.

He also thanked President of the United States Donald Trump for “contributing to saving millions of lives.”

Furthermore, PM Sharif also paid homage to President of China Xi Jinping.

On the current regional situation involving Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation between the US and Iran, he said, “Our sincere efforts continue, and the Field Marshal told me a while ago that we have received Iran’s response.”

The PM; however, did not share any specifics on this count.

“I cannot go into more details— I commend the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and congratulate Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has dedicated himself to this cause,” he added.

Before beginning his address, PM Sharif observed a minute’s silence for the martyrs of last year’s conflict.

Earlier, President Zardari said ‘10 May’ has become a golden chapter in the history of Pakistan.

“The armed forces of Pakistan destroyed India’s eight sophisticated fighter jets,” the president said, adding that the armed forces showed exemplary bravery against India under the leadership of the CDS in last year’s armed conflict.

“The coward enemy martyred our mosques and innocent citizens in the dead of night. Our armed forces gave a crushing response to an unimaginably surprising extent,” the president said.

Earlier, in his official message issued regarding Ma’arka-e-Haq, the president stated, “When India, under the guise of the Pahalgam false flag operation, launched unprovoked strikes on our soil, targeting mainly civilian areas besides military installations, Pakistan responded with discipline, precision, courage and unity.

He said the Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, “the decisive centrepiece of Ma’arka-e-Haq, demonstrated what our armed forces are capable of when the country stands behind them as one.”

He further said that Ma’arka-e-Haq showed the world that Pakistan’s deterrence is not a slogan. “It rests on professional competence, tri-service coordination and the resolve of a people who shall not accept aggression lying down,” stated the president.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

For years, Pakistan was widely perceived as a struggling nation—grappling with terrorism, facing recurring economic crises, and enduring persistent political instability.

However, the conflict of May 2025 challenged many of these assumptions, compelling both India and the wider international community to reassess Pakistan’s resilience and strategic capabilities. The Ma’arka-e-Haq (“Battle of Truth”) has emerged as a defining military episode that strategic analysts may study for years to come.

The origins of the conflict can be traced to an incident in Pahalgam, IIOJ&K, last year, which tragically claimed several lives. Within hours, New Delhi directed accusations toward Islamabad. In response, Pakistan condemned the violence, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered support for an impartial investigation through a credible third-party international body.

Despite this conciliatory approach, the Modi administration and sections of the Indian media continued to promote a confrontational narrative. During diplomatic briefings with foreign representatives, Indian officials reportedly faced demands for concrete evidence linking Pakistan to the incident—evidence that, according to Pakistan’s position, was never presented.

Amid rising tensions and heightened war rhetoric, India launched military actions against Pakistan in May 2025. For three consecutive days, Indian drones reportedly violated Pakistani airspace, whereupon Pakistan’s armed forces responded by intercepting and neutralizing them.

On the diplomatic front, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar played a significant role in articulating Pakistan’s position to allies and Western governments. According to Pakistani officials, no major international power publicly endorsed India’s allegations regarding the Pahalgam incident.

Pakistan’s counter-response began on the morning of May 10, 2025, under Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos. According to Pakistani military sources, the operation marked a significant moment in modern aerial warfare. Pakistan claimed to have targeted multiple Indian airbases and disrupted key elements of India’s air defence infrastructure, including the S-400 missile defence system.

During the height of the engagement, reports indicated that more than 150 Indian combat aircraft were deployed in the operational theater. In response, a comparatively smaller contingent of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft maintained defensive and offensive operations. Pakistani sources claimed that several Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, were shot down during the confrontation. The conflict eventually de-escalated following diplomatic intervention led by the United States and other international actors.

The conduct of sections of the Indian media during the crisis also drew criticism. Several outlets broadcast unverified claims regarding territorial advances and military successes, many of which were later questioned by international observers and media organizations. In contrast, Pakistani media outlets were widely viewed domestically as having exercised comparatively greater restraint and responsibility in their coverage of the conflict.

Support from the Pakistani public played an important role during the crisis. Public demonstrations of solidarity, particularly in Punjab, reflected a strong sense of national unity and morale during a period of heightened regional tension.

A considerable share of the credit for Pakistan’s performance during the conflict has been attributed by supporters to the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Their supporters argue that effective civil-military coordination enabled Pakistan to respond cohesively despite facing a significantly larger adversary.

Observers within Pakistan have also highlighted the long-term defence modernization initiatives associated with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In particular, the JF-17 Thunder programme has been described by Pakistani analysts as a major contributor to the country’s evolving air combat capabilities and an increasingly recognized platform in international defence markets.

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu’s leadership and the operational preparedness of PAF pilots were also widely praised within Pakistan and abroad. Supporters contend that the training and professionalism of the “Shaheens” enabled them to effectively counter technologically advanced systems during the conflict.

For many Pakistanis, the Ma’arka-e-Haq represents more than a military confrontation; it symbolizes national resilience, unity, and survival under pressure. The conflict has since become part of a broader national narrative emphasizing solidarity between the state, the armed forces, and the public during a critical moment in the country’s contemporary history.

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan’s strong military response forced India to seek a ceasefire within hours.

Addressing a ceremony organized by the Press Association of Supreme Court to mark one year of victory in “Marka-e-Haq.” Here on Friday, he said the entire nation stood united alongside the armed forces during the conflict and credited Pakistan’s success to national unity, effective diplomacy, military preparedness and a strong narrative strategy.

Tarar praised the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, stating that their vision and strategic leadership ensured victory.

The minister said Pakistan Air Force capabilities and air defence systems earned global recognition, while Indian media’s “baseless claims” exposed its lack of credibility internationally. He appreciated Pakistani media for responsible reporting and acknowledged the role of journalists, overseas Pakistanis, youth and social media users in supporting the national narrative.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to peace, Tarar said Pakistan seeks regional stability but would deliver a decisive response to any aggression.

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EDITORIAL: A year on from the brief but fraught armed conflict between India and Pakistan, analysts are now issuing worrying warnings that another confrontation is becoming more likely and could also prove far more perilous, with escalation risks extending into the nuclear domain. That is a prospect that should be unthinkable in any rational order, yet is becoming harder to dismiss in a geopolitical environment increasingly untethered from international law.

Last year’s crisis, triggered by India’s reckless cross-border action under the pretext of avenging the Pahalgam incident ended in a sharp reversal for New Delhi, most visibly in the downing of multiple Indian fighter jets by the Pakistan Air Force, underscoring its operational brilliance and the air forces’ top command’s agility in calibrating a swift and multi domain, truly effective response.

But the Modi government still appears inclined to test the limits again, driven both by a desire to avenge that humiliation and mounting domestic pressures, particularly on the economic front, that make external confrontation a tempting diversion. Moreover, a recent Washington Post editorial points towards a dangerous lesson that India may have drawn from last year: that a limited conventional war can be fought without crossing the nuclear threshold. In the fog of war, however, escalation pathways are neither linear nor controllable, and miscalculation can swiftly push events towards the unthinkable.

The risks were already evident during Operation Sindoor when India struck the vicinity of the Nur Khan Airbase, dangerously close to the National Command Authority’s headquarters. That move is the point that prompted intervention by the Trump Administration to contain a conflict that was rapidly approaching the brink. In any future crisis, however, India may prove less receptive to international pressure, given the opprobrium the Modi regime faced from the opposition as a result of President Trump’s repeated assertions of having played a central role in halting the conflict.

As one analysis in Foreign Affairs notes, both countries are now treating the last exchange as a blueprint, identifying gaps to close and advantages to exploit should hostilities recur. For Pakistan, this demands readiness across all domains: military, diplomatic, economic, and strategic. The challenge is exacerbated by India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, alongside manipulating river flows into Pakistan. Having already termed the treaty’s suspension an act of war, Islamabad must factor escalating water tensions into its broader preparedness calculus.

It bears noting that regimes practicing exclusionary politics built on hatred towards communities and countries often struggle to demonstrate competence in the more demanding domains of governance as their political energy is consumed by division rather than delivery. In the BJP’s case, its anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan rhetoric has fostered a climate in which a generation has been conditioned into viewing Pakistan through a lens of hostility and dehumanisation. That narrative has boxed the Indian leadership into a corner where it cannot even begin to consider the most rational option i.e., de-escalation and dialogue, as that risk political suicide after a decade entrenching a hard-line anti-Pakistan narrative. Combined with the aftershocks of last year’s humiliation and growing agitation over Pakistan’s pre-eminent diplomatic positioning on the global stage, the space for restraint in India may have narrowed further, heightening the risk that its rulers’ domestic compulsions and divisive politics could push it towards another confrontation with Pakistan.

There are two basic truths that regional actors continue to overlook to their disadvantage. First, geography is immutable, which means neighbours cannot be wished away. And second, conflict between nuclear-armed nations cannot be a viable option, given the unthinkable consequences any escalation could unleash. Dialogue, therefore, must remain the only responsible constant. But given India’s current posture, Pakistan must remain prepared across all fronts, whether on the battlefield, over water resources, or in the diplomatic arena.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump played a significant role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference marking the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq, flanked by State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Naqvi said India had reached out to several countries to seek a ceasefire.

“India did not contact just one country; it reached out to multiple countries for a ceasefire,” he said, adding that Pakistan had been receiving continuous calls for several hours.

“We wanted to teach them a complete lesson,” said Naqvi, claiming that India had repeatedly contacted the United States, including “an important personality” who was in touch with US officials, multiple times. “US President Trump played an important role in mediating the ceasefire,” he added.

Responding to a question about a possible US-Iran deal to end regional tensions, he said he trusted the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, adding that “positive results” would emerge soon.

He said that our armed forces gave a befitting response to the Indian aggression through better coordination. He said that Pakistan did not target the civilians but only Indian military installations. He regretted that India targeted our civilians.

The minister said that Pakistan had major Indian targets within its reach, and that India would have suffered greater losses if a ceasefire had not been reached. Pakistan achieved success in the conflict with the help of God, and nationwide events are being held to mark the occasion.

He claimed that India launched small and medium-sized drones into different areas of the country; the majority of Indian drones were intercepted and destroyed by the Pakistan Rangers at the border. “India attempted cyberattacks, but, according to him, these efforts failed to reach Pakistani systems”, he said.

Naqvi said that Pakistan’s armed forces “raised the nation’s pride” during the conflict and emphasized that drones were used extensively and claimed that Pakistani drones were seen operating over sensitive locations in India, including near the residence of the Indian Prime Minister in New Delhi.

The minister further stated that Pakistan’s security institutions played a central role in what he called “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsooand praised intelligence agencies for providing timely and accurate information during the situation.

He said that Pakistan’s major targets inside India included aircraft and naval installations. He suggested that India might have thought that further escalation would result in more losses for it.

The minister said that India would now think many times before taking any future military action against Pakistan.

To a question about the country’s internal security, he said that internal security is the responsibility of the interior ministry. All possible efforts are being made to ensure internal security and stability. We want to take the country forward and rid the country of the menace of terrorism, he said, adding that if anyone takes two steps for the stability of the country, we will take four.

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LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, strongly criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that India should abandon ambitions of adventurism against Pakistan.

Addressing the Modi government, she remarked, “Mr. Modi, how many more setbacks do you want to face from Pakistan? It would be better to channel your energies into something constructive.”

Azma Bokhari said that when Pakistan presented a clear and firm stance on the water issue, India was forced to retreat. She added that following Pakistan’s strong warning, India opened the gates of the Baglihar Dam “like obedient children,” which demonstrates that India only understands the language of strength.

Commenting on Indian aggression, she said that the impact of Pakistan’s strong response still lingers, with India continuing to feel the effects of its past setbacks. She warned that if India engages in any further misadventure, it will face an even stronger response. According to her, India has now lost the capability to compete with Pakistan in real terms and is instead attempting to cover up its failures by producing films against Pakistan.

She further stated that Pakistan has now decided not to take India’s hollow threats seriously and will treat them merely as material for memes.

Speaking on the broader regional situation, Azma Bokhari emphasized that wars are not a sustainable solution to any problem. Expressing concern over rising tensions between Iran and the United States, she said that Pakistan wishes for an immediate end to the conflict. She stressed that the region cannot afford further wars and instability, urging global powers to act with wisdom and restraint.

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said Pakistan emerged successful in the “war of narratives” during Marka-e-Haq, asserting that truth, national unity and coordinated state strategy defeated what he described as India’s “false propaganda and disinformation campaign.”

Addressing a seminar held to mark one year of Marka-e-Haq, Tarar said the event symbolized Pakistan’s national resolve, collective spirit and strategic vision. He congratulated the nation on the anniversary, saying the confrontation had elevated Pakistan’s standing and strengthened public confidence in the state and its institutions.

The information minister said the nature of warfare had fundamentally changed in the modern era, with narrative-building, information warfare and digital platforms now playing a decisive role alongside conventional military capabilities. He claimed Pakistan succeeded not only militarily and diplomatically, but also in shaping the international narrative.

“Our narrative prevailed because it was based on facts and truth,” Tarar said, adding that the Pakistani nation stood firmly behind the government, armed forces and state institutions during the crisis.

Highlighting the role of the media, Tarar praised Pakistani journalists who visited the Line of Control and challenged Indian claims through on-ground reporting. He contrasted this with what he described as “baseless journalism” by sections of the Indian media during the tensions.

The minister said Pakistan had played a frontline role in the global fight against terrorism and had rendered the greatest sacrifices in that war. He accused India of attempting to divert attention from its internal challenges through external escalation and alleged that New Delhi itself was involved in “state-sponsored terrorism.”

Referring to the Pahalgam incident, Tarar questioned the speed with which an FIR was registered immediately after the attack, calling it suspicious. He reiterated that Pakistan had offered transparent and impartial investigations into the incident but claimed India never responded to the proposal.

“India has a history of false flag operations,” Tarar alleged, while emphasizing that the Kashmir dispute remained an internationally recognised issue and could not be treated as India’s internal matter.

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ISLAMABAD: A year after the military confrontation with India that Pakistan has officially labelled “Operation Marka-e-Haq” (Battle of Truth), the military’s media wing on Thursday presented a detailed strategic assessment of the conflict, claiming that it had fundamentally altered regional perceptions, dismantled New Delhi’s narrative on cross-border terrorism, and re-established the inviolability of deterrence between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Addressing a press conference at the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) headquarters, Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry — flanked by senior officers from the Navy and Air Force — outlined what he termed “10 strategic consequences” of the episode that unfolded between April 22 and May 10, 2025. The briefing marked the first anniversary of the ceasefire that ended the escalation, which Pakistan refers to as its “Bunyan-ul-Marsoos” counter-offensive following the Pahalgam attack.

READ MORE: Operation ‘Bunyan ul Marsoos’: Pakistan destroys Udhampur airbase, Pathankot airfield in India, state media reports

“Today we are not going to revisit operational details that everyone already knows. The purpose is to explain the long-term strategic consequences that have emerged after the conflict,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.

Collapse of Indian narrative: The first and most significant consequence, according to the military spokesperson, was the “burial” of India’s longstanding campaign to portray Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism. He noted that in the year since the Pahalgam incident — in which 26 civilians were killed — India had failed to provide any evidence linking Pakistan to the attack.

He claimed that international journalists who visited the sites of Indian strikes found civilian casualties, including women and children, undermining New Delhi’s claims of targeting militant infrastructure. “This narrative of terrorism is buried forever. Nobody buys this anymore,” he asserted.

The second consequence, he said, was Pakistan’s emergence as a “net regional stabilizer”. Unlike India, which escalated based on “fabricated claims”, Pakistan demonstrated restraint and mature escalation control — a critical factor between two nuclear neighbours, he added.

Politicisation of Indian military: In a striking observation, Lt Gen Chaudhry pointed to what he called the “politicisation of Indian military leadership and militarisation of Indian political leadership” as the third strategic outcome. He alleged that Indian political leaders, driven by Hindutva ideology, had pressured military officials into making politically motivated statements.

“You heard their air chief marshal a few months after Marka-e-Haq saying, ‘I got to know today that even we downed some planes.’ That is politicisation of the military leadership. Why are you trying to make jokers out of your admirals and generals?” he asked.

He warned that the blurring of lines between military professionalism and political ambition was “dangerous” for any country.

The fourth consequence, he said, was growing global recognition that India externalises its internal problems — such as the treatment of minorities and the Kashmir dispute — while internalising international disputes. “Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute. You cannot make demographic changes there,” he said.

Indian media ‘discredited’: The DG ISPR also took aim at Indian media, claiming the fifth consequence was the “exposure of the true face of Indian media and its discredited information operations”. He accused Indian authorities of blocking Pakistani digital platforms and social media accounts during and after the conflict, but argued that misinformation had irreparably damaged the credibility of Indian news outlets internationally.

“The only thing that survives in today’s information domain is truth,” he said.

The sixth consequence, according to Lt Gen Chaudhry, was the reaffirmation that modern warfare has transformed into multi-domain operations encompassing land, sea, air, cyber, and cognitive domains. He said Pakistan’s armed forces had demonstrated readiness across all these arenas during the conflict.

The seventh and eighth consequences were Pakistan’s proven resilience against multifaceted threats and the “loud and clear” re-establishment of deterrence. “Anyone who thinks there is space for war between two nuclear neighbours is crazy. Only a madman can think that,” he said.

The ninth consequence was Pakistan’s elevated geopolitical standing as a responsible middle power. The tenth and “most important”, he said, was the “Bunyan-ul-Marsoos effect” — strengthened synergy between the people, government, and armed forces across ethnic and class lines.

Air Force claims 8 confirmed kills: Air Vice Marshal Tariq Ghazi, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Projects), provided specific operational claims. He said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) initially adopted a strong defensive posture, which later transitioned to an offensive stance.

“The tally is at 8-0,” he said, elaborating that confirmed kills included four Rafale, one Su-30, one MiG-29, one Mirage 2000 and one “expensive multi-role unmanned aerial system”. He added that several other aircraft were damaged and deemed unrecoverable.

“The IAF was not to be seen in the air for the rest of the conflict,” AVM Ghazi claimed.

He further stated that PAF strike assets — including killer drones, stand-off long-range weapons, and hypersonic vectors — hit 16 Indian air bases, critical command and control centres (including Barnala), BrahMos missile sites, and two S-400 air defence batteries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

EDITORIAL: The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) last year continues to have far-reaching and damaging repercussions for Pakistan. Recent reports point to a notable decline in flows in the Chenab River at Marala Headworks on May 2, sharpening concerns over upstream regulation by India.

Official figures show a significant drop to 9,037 cusecs from roughly 20,930 cusecs, with India reportedly restricting releases to impound water at the Baglihar Dam, a clear violation of the IWT. It is also worth noting that historically, Chenab flows at Marala in early May range between 30,000 and 35,000 cusecs. This year, however, the average has plummeted to 14,214 cusecs, underscoring the extent to which India’s upstream interventions are reshaping downstream availability, amplifying pressure on Pakistan’s already strained water system.

This isn’t the first instance of such actions by India ever since it suspended the IWT. In December, erratic and unexplained swings in flows of the Chenab and Jhelum rivers disrupted agricultural planning across Punjab.

Similar concerns had also emerged last summer, when upstream control over releases deepened perceptions that these shared rivers were being manipulated with growing discretion, eroding the predictability the treaty was designed to ensure.

At the same time, India’s push to expand hydropower infrastructure on the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the IWT raises fears regarding the weaponisation of water, as such projects confer a more enduring capacity to shape the timing and volume of downstream flows, well beyond the temporary effects of intermittent release adjustments.

It is imperative, then, that Pakistan must urgently develop and operationalise a multipronged water security strategy that protects it against external manipulation of river flows that could otherwise have disastrous implications for its agriculture, food security, agro-based industries and export performance, with cascading repercussions across the wider economy. Even setting aside pressures from India, Pakistan’s own water management record has been underwhelming, with inefficient irrigation practices, weak conservation efforts and chronic underinvestment in storage infrastructure steadily eroding its capacity to withstand external shocks and the impact of climate change.

Given this context, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s recent call for a cohesive water security policy assumes added urgency and relevance.

First and foremost, Pakistan must significantly expand its water storage capacity beyond the current level of 90 days, which remains well below global and regional benchmarks. For a country that has remained predominantly agrarian for most of its history, this is unacceptable, particularly since the Indus River System still accounts for around 96 percent of national water supply, 78 percent of which originates beyond its borders, a huge vulnerability indeed.

An urgent expansion of water storage capacity, including dedicated floodwater reservoirs, is essential, alongside investments in efficient hill-torrent management, urban rainwater harvesting systems and wastewater recycling.

Equally critical is improving water-use efficiency, especially in agriculture where flood irrigation continues to dominate despite longstanding expert warnings that it consumes excessive volumes of water, contributes to waterlogging and salinity, and ultimately degrades crop yields and quality.

Although modern alternatives such as drip and sprinkler irrigation offer clear gains in efficiency and soil protection, their adoption has been slowed by entrenched interests that benefit from the persistence of outdated practices. If Pakistan wants to overcome the escalating water crisis headed its way, this constraint must now be decisively overcome as a shift away from flood irrigation alone would substantially reduce overall water demand.

In parallel, unchecked groundwater extraction must be curbed as it has driven a sustained fall in water tables, triggered land subsidence, damaged infrastructure, while also harming soil quality and natural ecosystems. What is now required is a far-reaching national water policy that integrates storage, conservation and regulation into a unified framework before existing vulnerabilities deepen further.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has warned that unilateral suspension of Indus Waters Treaty (WT) and India’s attempt to deprive Pakistan of its due share of water will be considered an act of war.

India’s illegal and unilateral decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty and its weaponisation of water is also a matter of grave concern for the international community. “We hope that India will draw the appropriate lessons from the events surrounding its actions and Pakistan’s response under Marka-e-Haq. Any misadventure against Pakistan will be met with full might, resolve, and determination”.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar briefed the Diplomatic Corps on the first anniversary of Marka e Haq, describing it as a symbol of Pakistan’s unity, resilience, and the unwavering resolve of its Armed Forces to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

READ MORE: Indus Waters Treaty: Hague-based CoA endorses Pakistan’s position

DPM Dar added that India’s attempts to utilize water as a means to put pressure on Pakistan will never be accepted.

More recently, Dar noted with concern that on 2 May 2026, the flow of the River Jhelum was observed to rise sharply within a short span of time, before dropping again significantly within the same day. Similarly, during 2-3 May 2026, unusual and unexplained variations were recorded in the River Chenab, including a marked decrease in flow during the early hours of 3 May 2026, well below expected seasonal levels.

“Beyond India’s unilateral decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and its attempts to politicize shared water resources, he stated Pakistan has observed a concerning pattern of irregular and unexplained fluctuations in river flows over the recent period, raising serious questions regarding compliance with established treaty obligations”.

Earlier, in April 2025, we have twice observed unusual, abrupt variation in the flow of the river Chenab, first between 30th April and 21 May 2025 and then again between 7th and 15th December 2025.

Leaders are expected to possess that minimum discerning ability which allows them to read and feel the pulse of the people they lead: the masses. Those who refuse to do that invariably end up being shunted out of their roles, by the force and power of the people. This is more truer in the context of political leadership than corporate leadership since for the latter there is available a legally empowered Board of Directors to take care of any CEO who doesn’t meet the objectives of his job/ entity.

In nascent democracies, stubborn and unpopular leadership is usually removed from power through the military that may or may not have constitutional sanction. In such jurisdictions, there are always available a compliant judiciary, to later give the putsch a legal validation. We have called it the ‘doctrine of necessity’. In this kind of environment, it is the street power of the people that makes possible the toppling of an unpopular leader. History is replete with examples where the rulers were dragged on the streets by their own people.

A great leader is one who knows, when to lead and when to step behind. Not every country can afford to have a political dynastic rule, unabatedly and unashamedly, other than the Kim family of Pyongyang. People, generally, get tired of seeing the same faces , pouring out to them the same old wine in new packaging. They offer nothing better, except Himalayan promises that are rarely delivered or achieved.

In recent time, Dr. Mahathir of Malaysia has been a remarkable exception. The People’s Republic of China’s leadership has done well for its people, but they operate under an entirely different political precept, that is neither entirely socialist, nor is it the unbridled full capitalist orientation; it is a unique political and economic system that not many countries can adventure to adopt. Yet, People’s Republic of China has political changes too, but mostly after long years of stable periods. The underlying principle is the pursuance of consistent economic and political gains.

Narendra Modi in contrast to these ideals of leadership reminds me of the remarks made by Franklin D Roosevelt, “I am reminded of four definitions: A Radical man with both feet firmly planted in the air. A Conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs, who, however, has never learned to walk forward. A Reactionary is a somnambulist walking backwards. A Liberal is a man who uses his legs and his hands at the behest…at the command…of his head”. Modi’s illusions of the grandeur of Akhand Bharat is illustrated in this reference. He is all of those descriptions. A complete sum total of FDR’s views.

Modi arrived into New Delhi with some economic success story achieved in his native state of Gujarat. Although as Chief Minister he had ordered the mass massacre/genocide of Muslims in Ahmedabad and other cities of Gujarat. The tragedy unleashed upon innocent Muslims led him to being denied a visit visa by the United States of America. He swallowed the insult, given the crocodile skin he wears on his persona, which he miserably fails to mask through wearing of Saffron colour clothing.

Modi’s roots lie in the militant wing of BJP (earlier called Jan Sangh), named RSS. This political artery of BJP has since its formation in the 1920s been responsible for the mass murder of Muslims—organised through regular communal riots. It was his “saffron appeal” that led him to the office of becoming chief minister of Gujarat. Thereafter, with rapid speed, he ascended through party ranks, to be hoisted as Prime minister of India. A highly communalist oriented Muslim hater became PM of secular India. A joke. His joining in Indian politics is possibly the longest suicide note in its history. He is taking India to being the wisest foolish country.

Historically, India to begin with wasn’t a country or nation and significantly, nowhere in history, there is any recording of a “Hindu India”. Instead, all history puts to limelight that India had always been secular. In the pre-partition days, India was ruled by several Maharaja(s), Prince(s) and Kings. Hyderabad Deccan, a princely state as large as France, wasn’t part of Indian Union; it was ruled by a Muslim and his subjects were largely Hindus. Junagadh, Kashmir and Patiala, etc. were all independent states. Patel gobbled them by force.

In the BC era, India again wasn’t a Hindu country or area. The Mauryan Empire was largely Buddhist; it also had pre-dominance of Jainism. Brahmanism (Hindu) was a far third religion. Ashoka, with vehemence, pursued to promote Buddhism in India. Ashoka’s moral code’s cornerstone was characterised by peaceful coexistence of all religions. Modi is undoing India’s excellent historical chronicles of being a land of peace and tolerance. Today, the society is polarised. It is being constructed upon “hate”.

Nehru, Gandhi and all of their comrades who led the movement for independence, barring the communalist, Muslim hater the later Home minister Vallabhai Patel, the rest were secularists. They neither raised nor subscribed to the concept of “Hindu India “. Patel was also from Gujarat and active supporter of RSS. He disliked Gandhi and Nehru for their soft corner for Muslims. It is no surprise that it was an active member of RSS, Nathuram Godse, who took out Gandhi from the scene, with just a few bullets that got deposited with ease in his frail body. As a student of history, here, I conjecture that had Vallabhai Patel lived any longer, Nehru too would have been assassinated by RSS under Patel’s guidance.

Modi and his equally tarnished cabinet colleague (fast friend) Amit Shah are true descendents of RSS and active sympathisers of all those who are anti-Muslim. Both have presided over large-scale killings of the minorities, inclusive of Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, etc. The secular architecture of India, of which the country was always proud of until a few decades back, has become the most religiously villainous part of the Indian society. Secularism is in tatters.

Modi’s attempt to internationally isolate Pakistan has boomeranged so badly that his nose now bleeds, endlessly. The false-flag at Pahalgam, followed by the limited air engagement, when Pakistan downed 5 Indian planes (Raffle, considered to be as formidable as any military aircraft), Modi’s popularity has been on the decline. President Trump in his usual “generosity” has until last count increased the number downed to 11 Raffles. In his new found love for Pakistan, he has directly and indirectly, used sarcasm to rub salt into the wounds of Modi (albeit, done rightfully).

India today suffers from total isolation. After his disastrous decision to shake hands with Netanyahu and for back-stabbing Iran, the world community does not see him as an entity to engage. For achieving durable peace Pakistan to Modi’s chagrin has emerged as a loyal, trustworthy and reliable partner in the region. Pakistan is seen in the role of being a net- security provider to the Middle East. Our soldiers and equipment are on Saudi soil, already.

When Pakistan hosted the Iran-US talks, the anchors on Indian TV channels went bonkers; each of them was doing their best to prove to the audience that they indeed were truly an Irrefutable evidence of Charles Darwin’s theory on the origins and evolution of man. In the studio they were jumping jacks, unashamedly, bashing Pakistan. But now, all guns are blazing upon Modi and his inabilities, relating to India being the internationally isolated country.

Pakistan’s diplomacy has been at its best since the last such zenith achieved in 1974 when the Lahore Islamic Summit was hosted. The Indian media is now praising Pakistan, not because they wish to, but for reasons, to criticise and censure, Narendra Modi. Modi has become hugely unpopular. An aspect he refuses to recognise. A devil incarnate, he is vindictive; hence musing while nursing his wounds of the loss to Pakistan last April.

If spot elections are held, Modi will certainly lose. It is therefore best for him to step down and take Amit Shah with him to the lands of political oblivion. If there is anyone, young who hasn’t been indoctrinated by Modi’s falsehood based, Illusions of Akhand Bharat or of Hindu supremacy, he or she should step forward to lead India, back to its ideals of Panchsheel and Secularism.

Modi’s perspective of history is so coloured that he views Muslims as descendents of invaders. He should listen to his able compatriot, Shashi Tharoor’s discourse on how Islam came to Kerala, to get his sense of history corrected.

Intelligent leaders know when the lights will go off the dimming of the flash bulbs on the centre stage has commenced. Lee Kuan Yew, the Indisputable architect of today’s modern Singapore and father of its success, stepped down voluntarily to give space to young leaders. Deng Xiaoping took a back seat. The Shah of Iran, Raza Pahlavi, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, and more recently, Hasina Wajed, stubbornly and wrongfully clung to power and then the wheel of time removed them dishonorably.

Under Narendra Modi, India has lost its character and identity. It is about time the Indians realised the long-term damage their PM is inflicting upon the social fabric. No society in history that feeds itself upon hatred has either progressed or achieved sustainability. Natural justice demands corrections of wrongs. The undoing of India must be stopped by the people of India who are mostly peace loving Hindus; the cardinal principle of Hinduism is “ahimsa”, which is non- violence.

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, alongside all the Hindu zealots must read the wall and see the invisible on the anvil. Disaster looms if they don’t make way for new enlightened leadership to take reins in New Delhi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul delivered one year ago, and reiterated Pakistan’s consistent position on the Pahalgam false flag operation, emphasizing the country’s commitment to counter-terrorism, regional stability and a transparent, impartial investigation into the episode.

He was speaking to media on the key points of the national stance regarding the Prime Minister’s historic address delivered one year ago at Pakistan Military Academy and the Pahalgam false flag operation.

The minister said that the prime minister, while speaking to cadets at PMA Kakul on April 26, 2025, had clearly articulated Pakistan’s stance on the Pahalgam incident, rejecting baseless allegations and calling for an end to the blame game associated with such events.

He recalled that a meeting of the National Security Committee held on April 24 last year had also given a comprehensive response to the allegations, followed by the prime minister’s visit to Kakul where he delivered a historic address responding to the Pahalgam false flag operation.

Tarar said the prime minister had termed the Pahalgam incident a “tragedy” and expressed sympathy with the victims, while conveying Pakistan’s concern and sorrow at the international level. “The prime minister made it clear that the recurring pattern of baseless accusations under the cover of such incidents must stop,” he added.

Contrasting Pakistan’s position with that of India, the minister said Pakistan had consistently condemned terrorism and remained engaged in combating the menace, whereas, he said India had failed to adopt a clear stance in this regard.

He said the distinction between a country fighting terrorism and on of promoting it had become evident before the international community.

Highlighting Pakistan’s sacrifices, Tarar said the country had suffered economic losses amounting to around 600 billion and over 90,000 lives had been lost, including personnel of the armed forces, police, law enforcement agencies and civilians. “Pakistan has been a frontline state against terrorism and continues to deploy all its energies to eliminate this menace,” he said.

Referring to militant groups, the minister said that elements such as the Fitna al- Hindustan (BLA) and Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP) had linkages that traced back to India, and Indian-sponsored terrorism.

He said that when allegations were levelled against Pakistan after the Pahalgam incident, the prime minister, accompanied by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, visited Kakul and reiterated Pakistan’s position, again describing the incident as a tragedy and stressing the need to end the ongoing blame game.

Tarar said the prime minister had also proposed a “transparent and impartial investigation” into the incident, which, he added, reflected Pakistan’s confidence in its stance. “This offer strengthened Pakistan’s position at the diplomatic front and shifted the focus internationally,” he said.

He noted that India did not respond to the proposal, adding that Pakistan’s call for an independent probe was widely appreciated at the international level and contributed to strengthening its diplomatic standing.

The minister further said the prime minister, in his address, had also highlighted Pakistan’s consistent policy on broader issues, including “water security concerns,” stressing that water remained a “red line” for Pakistan.

He warned that any attempt to obstruct or divert Pakistan’s water in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty would be responded to decisively.

Tarar said the Kakul address held significant importance in Pakistan’s recent history, as it not only clarified the country’s position on the Pahalgam incident but also reinforced its broader policy framework.

He said Pakistan’s institutional strength and unity were demonstrated during that period, with the armed forces remaining fully prepared to defend the country.

He expressed confidence in the capabilities of the armed forces under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, stating that they were capable of responding effectively to any misadventure.

He also referred to Pakistan’s response in Marka-e-Haq “battle for truth,” saying the country had demonstrated its defensive capabilities.

The minister said the prime minister had reaffirmed that the Pakistani nation would not compromise on its sovereignty, dignity and honour, and that the country’s position had gained recognition internationally.

He added that Pakistan had maintained a clear and consistent policy against terrorism, while continuing efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. “Truth prevails, and Pakistan’s stance has been vindicated at the global level,” he said. Tarar concluded by saying that the address delivered at PMA Kakul laid the foundation for a sustained diplomatic and strategic narrative, which, he said, had contributed to enhancing Pakistan’s standing internationally, including among overseas Pakistanis.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday categorically dismissed Indian propaganda linking it to last year’s Pahalgam terrorist attack, lamenting that its neighbour had chosen to weaponise its narrative amid an ongoing regional crisis.

The Pahalgam attack occurred on April 22, 2025, and left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. It is now considered one of the deadliest armed attacks in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since 2000. New Delhi held Pakistan responsible for the incident without providing any credible or concrete evidence. However, Pakistan has repeatedly rejected these claims and termed them malicious propaganda, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

“At a time when Pakistan, along with its international partners, is undertaking concerted diplomatic efforts for regional and international peace and security, it is deplorable that India has once again resorted to a campaign of baseless allegations and propaganda to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident,” the spokesperson added.

It is unfortunate that in the midst of an ongoing regional crisis, India remains focused on weaponising its false narrative against Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains.

After receiving a befitting reply to its misplaced adventurism in the form of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos last year, such allegations constitute yet another chapter from India’s playbook of creating a smokescreen for its continued sponsorship of terrorism across the region.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

EDITORIAL: The remarks made by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, at the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable draw urgent attention to a deeply troubling development in South Asia’s already fragile geopolitical environment.

India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, described by the ambassador as a “deliberate weaponisation of water,” goes beyond bilateral discord and poses a serious threat to Pakistan’s water security and regional stability. For more than six decades, the IWT has stood as one of the world’s most durable and effective transboundary water-sharing agreements.

Signed in 1960, it established a stable and predictable framework for managing the Indus River system, which sustains one of the largest contiguous irrigation networks in the world. Its endurance through wars and prolonged political crises has demonstrated—until recently—that even hostile neighbours can cooperate over shared natural resources.

Any unilateral move that undermines this framework, as now threatened by Prime Minister Modi’s far-right Hindu nationalist government, strikes at the credibility of international water governance. The consequences for Pakistan are severe and immediate.

The Indus basin provides over 80 percent of the country’s agricultural water and supports the livelihoods of millions. Unannounced disruptions to downstream water flows and the withholding of critical hydrological data since April 2025 constitute clear and serious violations of treaty obligations.

Water insecurity is increasingly acknowledged as a systemic risk, with cascading impacts on food systems, public health, energy security, and political stability. For Pakistan—a semi-arid, climate-vulnerable lower-riparian state—this risk is not abstract but a lived reality.

Recurrent floods and droughts, accelerated glacial melt, groundwater depletion, and rapid population growth are placing extraordinary pressure on already strained water resources.

The call to formally recognise water insecurity as a global systemic risk ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference is therefore both timely and necessary. Strengthening international frameworks that promote treaty compliance and cooperation is essential to preventing shared water resources from being used as instruments of political pressure.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his commitment to combating poverty, unemployment, and national debt, while vowing to eliminate terrorism from the country for good, declaring that Pakistan would “drown it in the Indian Ocean.”

Addressing members of the Qaumi Paigham-e-Aman Committee, a body comprising religious scholars from various sects, he acknowledged the resurgent threat of terrorism, exacerbated by a dangerous alliance between Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA), with foreign powers providing crucial support.

“We will root out terrorism from Pakistan’s borders and consign it to the depths of the Indian Ocean,” he said, emphasising the importance of safeguarding religious freedom for all Pakistanis.

READ MORE: 13 Indian-backed terrorists killed in KP counter-terror operations: ISPR

The prime minister also reflected on the May 2025 victory against India, attributing the success to divine support, the courage of the Pakistan Army, and the collective prayers of the nation. He highlighted the defeat of Indian forces, led by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s history.

PM Sharif paid tribute to the over 100,000 Pakistanis – including civilians, law enforcement officers, and military personnel – who lost their lives in the battle against terrorism.

He acknowledged that while terrorism remains a persistent threat, particularly due to foreign backing of extremist groups, Pakistan’s Armed Forces will once again rise to the challenge.

“The Pakistan Army has played a key role in defending the nation, teaching our enemies a lasting lesson,” Sharif said, praising the military’s efforts in securing the country’s sovereignty.

READ MORE: Terrorism to be defeated thru force: DG ISPR

He also stressed that Pakistan’s diverse religious communities must have the full right to practice their faith and celebrate their festivals without fear.

The prime minister further highlighted the nation’s vast, untapped resources, calling them unparalleled and central to Pakistan’s future prosperity.

“If we manage these resources wisely, all our challenges can be overcome,” he said.

Sharif also noted the critical role of the Qaumi Paigham-e-Aman Committee in strengthening national unity and fostering solidarity across communities.

Reflecting on Pakistan’s founding, he reminded the audience that the country was born through the sacrifices of millions of Muslims, as well as contributions from all communities, including minorities.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office denounced Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, urging India’s youth to “avenge our history” and build a strong nation.

Foreign Office’s spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that such remarks reflected “imagined historical vendettas” rather than “responsible statecraft”.

According to Indian media reports, Doval made the comments while addressing young people at an event in New Delhi, where he called on them to learn from India’s past struggles and use the powerful force of “vengeance” to ensure the country’s strength in areas including security and the economy.Responding to media queries, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the remarks were “hardly surprising coming from camouflaged hate-mongers,” adding that such narratives undermined regional peace and stability.

Pakistan-India tensions most recently escalated into a four-day conflict in May 2025, one of the worst military confrontations between Islamabad and New Delhi in decades, before a ceasefire was reached.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, on Friday said Pakistan’s national security focus is shifting from geopolitics to geo-economics, adding that the scope of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the United States is expected to expand further in 2026.

The ambassador made these remarks during a meeting with Chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Mike Rogers, according to a press statement.

Expressing confidence in deeper engagement, Ambassador Rizwan Sheikh said the coming year would see enhanced collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

Drawing attention to the events of May 2025, Ambassador Rizwan Sheikh stated that due to India’s irresponsible and aggressive posture, the security situation of the region faced grave threats.

He noted that in a conflict between two nuclear-armed states, the nature of warfare had evolved beyond conventional means to include the use of advanced technologies. He said the use of dual-capability weapons like the BrahMos missile in a region home to 1.7 billion people is extremely concerning.

“Any decision based on apprehensions and misperceptions can be detrimental to regional peace and security”, he said adding that the events of May 2025 proved that despite its declared Indo-Pacific posture, the bulk of India’s military capability remains oriented against Pakistan.

He reiterated that the core and unresolved issue between Pakistan and India remains the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people, stressing that sustained regional peace requires continued US engagement and commitment.

The ambassador pointed out that the threads of terrorist activities taking place in Pakistan lead back to Afghanistan.

“Terrorist incidents in Pakistan saw a 40 percent increase in 2024, and a further 25 percent increase was observed in such incidents in 2025, he said adding that Pakistan’s peace and security are being affected by the misuse of advanced weapons left behind during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to soon establish an institutionalised and structured dialogue process on matters of bilateral interest.

This is apropos a Business Recorder news item carried by the newspaper on the front page in its yesterday’s issue.

In a highly important development, indeed, a United Nations special experts’ report has concluded that Pakistan was not involved in the Pahalgam attack and that the Operation Sindoor launched by India against its neighbor constituted a grave violation of international law. The UN has formally sought explanations from India regarding its actions.

Now the BJP-ruled India is looking sheepish, embarrassed and bashful, to say the least. It is clearly responsible for the loss of lives and damage to property that it inflicted on Pakistan in May this year.

Needless to say, India has increasingly become Hitler’s Germany ever since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Adolf Hitler was determined to occupy neighboring countries as a central component of Nazi ideology and foreign policy.

The extreme right RSS in India, which is the ideological fountainhead of the ruling BJP and other members of the Sangh Parivar, has been vigorously pursuing its sinister agenda that overtly constitutes a threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty.

It is about time the world community exerted its pressure on New Delhi to behave responsibly towards its neighbors in accordance with the core tenant of international relations—the principle of good neighborliness—without any further loss of time.

Salman Bashir, Lahore

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: United Nations Special Rapporteurs and independent experts have concluded that India’s use of military force inside Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack violated international law and undermined the right to life and security.

They stated that India’s action lacked any lawful self-defence basis and increased the risk of a wider regional confrontation.

The report prepared by October 16 was released publicly on December 15.

It recalls that the April 22 assault in Pahalgam killed 26 civilians and triggered a sharp escalation. The experts said accountability was needed for the attack, but India has not provided evidence linking it to Pakistani state involvement, even though that allegation was used to justify military retaliation.

The UN experts said international law recognises no separate right to use unilateral military force for counter terrorism purposes. They also noted that India did not formally notify the UN Security Council of any claimed self-defence action under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which is a procedural obligation.

According to the report, the May 7 strikes caused civilian harm by hitting populated areas and damaging religious sites, including mosques. The experts said this raised grave concerns regarding the protection of life, civilian infrastructure and religious property.

The experts cautioned that India’s conduct amounted to a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. They said that if the strikes were considered an armed attack, Pakistan would retain the right to self-defence. They warned that unilateral military action without legal justification increased the risk of escalation between two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The report also raised concern over India’s announcement to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. It said that obstruction or uncertainty in river flows can affect the rights of millions of Pakistanis, including access to water, food, livelihoods, health, and environmental security.

The report called India’s phrasing of the treaty being “held in abeyance” ambiguous and said New Delhi had not clearly invoked provisions for suspension under treaty law. The report described any unilateral suspension as unlawful because it bypasses established procedures.

According to the report, the disputes (between Pakistan and India) should be handled through the settlement mechanisms in the treaty. It described India’s references to material breach and alleged cross-border terrorism as legally weak grounds for suspension, saying Pakistan had not been shown to have violated any treaty clause.

The experts said a fundamental change of circumstances requires a strict legal threshold and that population or energy demands alone do not meet it. They added that India had not presented evidence to justify countermeasures and argued that restricting water flows or suspending the treaty would be a disproportionate step affecting Pakistani civilians.

The report said that countermeasures do not remove human-rights obligations and would require notice, negotiation, and completion of legal steps. The experts said such measures are temporary and reversible and do not justify permanent suspension or termination.

The experts attributed responsibility for deterioration in treaty engagement to India, noting that annual meetings of the Indus Commission have not taken place since 2022 and citing obstacles in data exchange and disagreements over settlement clauses as contrary to the treaty’s intent.

However, in a statement released by the President’s Secretariat, President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the report, saying it reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that the unilateral use of force across international borders constitutes a violation of the United Nations Charter and a grave breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Addressing the report’s assessment of violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, the president said bypassing agreed dispute-resolution mechanisms and actions affecting water flows violated Pakistan’s rights and risked creating serious human rights consequences.

The President expressed concern that the report clearly demonstrated India’s irresponsible behaviour. “India has long stonewalled its minorities and ignored its commitments to international forums such as the United Nations, but this pattern of rogue behaviour cannot continue indefinitely,” he said, emphasising that such conduct could not be allowed to persist.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Water Resources has stated that data indicates the discharge of the Chenab River (mainstream) has stabilized after a significant period of volatility.

In an official statement, the Ministry said that monitoring of the Chenab River flow at Marala — excluding the Jamu and Manawar Tawi — is being carried out by the Punjab Irrigation Department. The monitored data is shared with the Office of the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.

According to this data, the discharge of the Chenab River has now successfully stabilized following a prolonged period of fluctuation.

The Ministry further noted that hydrological records from the first half of December 2025 confirm an extraordinary reduction in river flows between December 10 and December 16.

During this period, the river flow frequently dropped, with the lowest recorded discharge at 870 cusecs. This figure is significantly below the historical 10-year minimum range of approximately 4,018 to 4,406 cusecs for the corresponding dates.

To assess the reasons behind the extraordinary reduction in flows at Chenab Main, Marala, satellite imagery analysis revealed a significant reduction in the surface area of the Baglihar reservoir on December 8, 2025, followed by an increase observed in imagery dated December 13, 2025. The reduction and subsequent increase in the reservoir’s surface area suggest that India may have emptied the Baglihar reservoir before refilling it.

The Ministry clarified that under the Indus Waters Treaty, India is not permitted to empty the dead storage of reservoirs associated with run-of-the-river hydroelectric plants on the Western Rivers. Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters has formally taken up the matter with the Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters, seeking detailed data and explanations regarding the extraordinary reduction in Chenab River flows in accordance with the treaty framework.

“A positive shift in river hydrology began on December 17, 2025, when the river flow started to rise steadily. By 07:00 hours on December 17, the discharge reached 6,399 cusecs, entering the historical ten-year range for the first time since the mid-month decline,” the Ministry said.

According to data from the Punjab Irrigation Department, as of December 19, 2025, the river flows remain within the ten-year historical range of maximum and minimum values. Recent readings on December 19 recorded flows of 4,505 cusecs and 6,494 cusecs, aligning with or exceeding historical norms for this period.

The Ministry emphasized that continuous monitoring will remain in place to ensure water management strategies can respond to any future fluctuations. It also clarified that any information originating from sources other than the Office of the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters holds no official standing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday warned that India’s aggressive water management practices pose a grave threat to peace and stability in South Asia, vowing that Pakistan would not hesitate to take decisive action to protect its national interests.

In a detailed briefing to Islamabad-based foreign diplomats, Dar accused India of undermining the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and violating international law. He pointed out that India’s unilateral suspension of the treaty on 25 April 2025 had serious implications for Pakistan’s economy, security, and livelihoods.

“The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is not just a breach of bilateral trust; it undermines regional stability and disregards international norms, including the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties,” Dar stated.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to defending its water rights, Dar emphasised that the IWT remains a cornerstone of regional peace.

He called on the international community to intervene and ensure that India returns to the negotiating table.

“The world cannot stand by as India uses water as a political tool,” Dar said, urging global support for the restoration of the treaty.

Responding to statements from Indian officials, including India’s Home Minister, Dar made it clear that any attempt by India to divert water or block Pakistan’s rightful share would be considered an act of war.

He also expressed concern that India’s refusal to engage in dialogue undermines international law and regional peace.

He added that Pakistan had raised the issue at international forums, including the United Nations Security Council, where UN Special Rapporteurs had expressed concern over the humanitarian impact of India’s actions.

Dar highlighted India’s recent release of water into the Chenab River without prior notification, calling it a violation of Article 26 of the Vienna Convention. He described this as a provocation and a clear example of using water as a weapon.

He further criticised the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects as violations of the treaty, warning that they were part of India’s broader strategy to manipulate shared water resources, threatening Pakistan’s water security.

The foreign minister also condemned India’s continued construction of illegal dams on shared rivers, exacerbating the crisis. “These dams increase India’s water storage capacity, but Pakistan has no oversight as a downstream neighbour,” he added.

He pointed out that India’s suspension of hydrological data sharing and joint monitoring under the IWT has made it increasingly difficult for Pakistan to track water flows and prevent potential disasters.

He added that the Chenab River, in particular, saw unusual fluctuations in water flow this year, with significant changes recorded in April and December.

Dar warned that India’s actions could trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan, particularly by jeopardising the country’s agricultural output. “India’s manipulation of shared water resources is not just an environmental issue, but one that directly threatens the livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis,” he maintained.

Concluding his remarks, Dar reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful resolution but would not hesitate to take strong action to protect its national interests.

“The Indus Waters Treaty is an invaluable agreement that must be upheld for the sake of peace, stability, and the well-being of millions in South Asia,” he added.

AFP adds: Dar said it had detected “abrupt variations” of water flows on a river crucial to its farmers, accusing neighbouring India of releasing water without warning in defiance of a major treaty that New Delhi suspended this year. Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar told foreign diplomats that Pakistan’s water treaty commissioner had written a letter to his Indian counterpart over “unusual, abrupt variations” observed in the flow of the Chenab river from December 7-15, similar to changes detected in April and May.

“These variations in water flows are of extreme concern for Pakistan, as they point to unilateral release of water by India,” he said, according to a ministry statement.

India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment. “India has released this water without any prior notifiation ... as required under the Treaty,” Dar added, saying it represented a “weaponisation of water”.

“India’s manipulation of water, at a critical time of our agriculture cycle, directly threatens the lives and livelihoods, as well as food and economic security, of our citizens,” Dar said in the speech to the international diplomatic corps in Islamabad.

“What we are witnessing now is material breaches by India that strike at the heart of the Indus Waters Treaty” signed in 1960, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has welcomed the report issued by United Nations experts, which raises serious concerns over India’s military actions against Pakistan in May this year and its wider conduct affecting global peace and stability.

In his statement on Friday, the President said that the report reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that the unilateral use of force across international borders constitutes a violation of the United Nations Charter and a grave breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty. He said the findings relating to civilian deaths, damage to populated areas and religious sites of Pakistan in May, and the heightened risk of escalation caused by India are deeply disturbing.

He appreciated the report’s observations on India’s unilateral declaration of “holding in abeyance” its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty, its aggressive posture and statements, and the serious civilian losses resulting from Indian aggression. He said the Treaty remains a binding international agreement and a cornerstone of regional stability. He stressed that bypassing agreed dispute-resolution mechanisms and actions affecting water flows violate Pakistan’s rights and risk creating serious human rights consequences.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed to Indian-registered aircraft, including all aircraft owned, operated, or leased by Indian airlines, as well as Indian military flights, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).

Officials said the restriction already in force has been extended under a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and will continue until January 23, 2026, in line with the specified timings. The ban applies comprehensively to commercial, as well as, military aviation operations linked to India.

The PAA confirmed that the continued closure is part of existing airspace management measures and will remain effective for the stated period unless reviewed earlier through a fresh NOTAM. Pakistan first imposed restrictions on Indian aircraft following heightened tensions between the two countries in 2019.

Although partial relaxations were introduced intermittently, airspace limitations for Indian-registered and Indian-operated aircraft have remained a recurring feature of bilateral aviation arrangements amid unresolved political and security issues.

The prolonged restriction has had operational and cost implications for Indian airlines, which are required to use longer alternate routes for westbound international flights, particularly to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

KARACHI: The Hindu community living in Pakistan has given a three-day ultimatum to the Indian Government to denounce and withdraw the provocative statement of its Defence Minister about Sindh.

On the directives of Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) and Member of National Assembly Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a large number of Hindus, led by PHC President Partosham Ramani, held a protest rally at Karachi Press Club. The civil society and media persons also joined.

The protesters were holding placards inscribed with slogans “Long Live Pakistan” and “ Sindh is our Motherland.”

On this occasion, the PHC Chief announced that the series of protests against India would be held throughout the country at different places.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the latest findings by a United Nations Special Procedures experts report regarding India’s illegal measures in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The report, issued on November 24, 2025, once again underscored the severe and systematic human rights violations endured by the Kashmiri people under Indian occupation, says a Foreign Office statement.

Pakistan noted with alarm the experts’ observations that India’s actions have resulted in the extensive, arbitrary arrest and detention of nearly 2,800 individuals, including journalists, students, and human rights advocates.

The persistent application of draconian legislation, such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), has facilitated indefinite and unjustifiable detentions.

Instances of torture, custodial deaths, incommunicado detention, denial of due legal process and family contact, punitive demolitions and forced evictions, recurring communication blackouts, and suppression of press freedom — including the blocking of 8,000 social media accounts — as well as the rise in hate speech, lynching, and harassment directed at Kashmiris and Muslim communities across India, are equally deplorable and deeply troubling, the statement added.

These findings reaffirm Pakistan’s longstanding concerns regarding state-sponsored persecution of Kashmiri Muslims as well as discrimination against minorities across India, the Foreign Office stated.

Pakistan called upon India to cease its coercive measures and to unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained in IIOJK.

“We further urge India to take concrete steps to end the persecution of all religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians,” the statement said.

Pakistan reiterated its commitment to a peaceful, just, and enduring resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

“We urge India to halt its repressive policies, reverse demographic and legal alterations, restore fundamental freedoms, and engage sincerely in meaningful dialogue,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said.

Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle against foreign occupation, it added.

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori strongly condemns Indian Defense Minister’s provocative statement. Indian Defense Minister’s statement is a threat to regional peace. Sindh is an integral part of Pakistan, provocative statements on it are not acceptable under any circumstances, he said in a statement on Monday.

The Governor said that Pakistan’s sovereignty and borders will be protected at all costs.

India’s baseless claims are an attempt to create instability in the region. The international community should take notice of India’s provocative and aggressive behaviour, he asserted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

KARACHI: The Foreign Office (FO) issued a strong condemnation on Sunday, denouncing Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s “delusional and dangerously revisionist remarks” about Sindh.

The FO’s rebuke came after the Indian media quoted Singh as saying: “Today, the land of Sindh may not be a part of India, but civilisationally, Sindh will always be a part of India. And as far as land is concerned, borders can change. Who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again.”

According to Indian media outlets, Singh maintained that Sindhi Hindus from his generation never fully accepted the accession of the province to Pakistan.

Pakistan will ‘fully participate in Neutral Expert Proceedings’ on IWT: FO

The FO said in its response that such statements revealed an “expansionist Hindutva mindset that seeks to challenge established realities and stands in clear violation of international law, the inviolability of recognised borders, and the sovereignty of states”.

“We urge Mr Rajnath Singh and other Indian leaders to refrain from provocative rhetoric that threatens regional peace and stability. It would be far more constructive for the Government of India to focus on ensuring the security of its own citizens, particularly vulnerable minority communities.

“It should hold accountable those who incite or perpetrate violence against them and address discrimination rooted in faith-based prejudice and historical distortions,” the FO statement read.

It added that India would also “do well to address the persistent grievances of the peoples in its northeast, many of whom continue to face systematic marginalisation, identity-based persecution, and cycles of state-enabled violence”.

“We call on India to take credible steps toward the genuine resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people under occupation.

“Pakistan remains committed to [a] peaceful resolution of all disputes with India on the basis of justice, equity and established international legal norms. At the same time, as in the past, Pakistan is firmly resolved to safeguard its security, national independence and sovereignty,” the FO statement said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has again claimed that he personally stopped India and Pakistan from entering a nuclear conflict by threatening both nations with massive trade penalties.

His remarks come months after Pakistan shot down seven Indian warplanes including three Rafale aircraft in May 2025.

In a special address at the Saudi investment conference in Washington, President Trump asserted that he warned New Delhi and Islamabad of crippling economic repercussions during an earlier period of heightened hostility. “You know, I was talking about the different wars, and it’s, look, India, Pakistan, they were going to go out with nuclear weapons. I said, that’s okay, you can go at it, but I’m putting a 350 percent tariff on each country, no more trade with the United States.” “No, no, you can’t do that,” Trump claimed either of the sides said.

US Congress report says Pakistan beat India

“I said, I’m going to do it. Come back to me and I’ll take it down. But you, I’m not going to have you guys shooting nuclear weapons at each other, killing millions of people and having the nuclear dust floating over Los Angeles. I’m not going to do it.”

“They said, we don’t like that. I said, I don’t care if you like it or not,” Trump said. “So I was all set. I told a 350 percent tariff to settle that war. If you, if you don’t, we’ll make a nice trade deal,” he added.

“Now, no other president would have done that. Another guy would have, like Joe Biden doesn’t even know what countries we’re talking about. He wouldn’t have any idea. There’d be no tariffs on anything. Just the whole world would go to hell,” Trump said.

“But no, I use tariffs to settle all these, not all of them. Five of the eight wars were settled because of the economy, because of trade, because of tariffs. I’ll tell you what the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Shehbaz Sharif) called me,” Trump said, further quoting him, “Thank you very much.”

“He actually said, I saved millions. And he said in front of Susie, he said President Trump saved millions and millions of lives.”

“And I got a call from Prime Minister Modi saying, we’re done. I said, you’re done with what? ‘We’re not going to go to war’.

EDITORIAL: The clarifications issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), following India’s decision to hold it in abeyance, have once again brought into focus the complexities of water sharing between Pakistan and India.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) described the PCA’s clarifications as “helpful,” reaffirming Islamabad’s consistent position that disputes under the IWT must be resolved within the framework of international law and the treaty’s established mechanisms. The FO’s measured response underscores Pakistan’s commitment to the lawful and peaceful resolution of transboundary water issues.

The PCA’s latest clarifications, issued after its Award on Issues of General Interpretation on August 8, carry particular significance. The Court reaffirmed that these clarifications — made in response to Pakistan’s “timely” request — have the same binding effect as the original award. This means the interpretative guidance provided by the PCA is not merely advisory but legally obligatory.

The clarifications address the meaning and scope of several aspects of the award, particularly those relating to the design and operation of run-of-river hydroelectric projects — longstanding points of contention between the two countries. Pakistan’s positive response reflects its recognition that the PCA has upheld the rule-based structure of the IWT, reinforcing the treaty’s credibility as a framework for peaceful dispute resolution.

Equally notable is the FO’s acknowledgement of the PCA’s procedural order inviting both parties to report on the status of the Neutral Expert proceedings. These proceedings, interestingly, were initiated at India’s request; however, New Delhi has since chosen to suspend its participation.

This move raises legitimate concerns about India’s commitment to the IWT’s dispute settlement mechanisms. Since its signing in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty has stood as one of the most successful and enduring water-sharing agreements in the world. For one party to unilaterally step back from it not only undermines the treaty’s integrity but also sets a troubling precedent for international agreements more broadly.

Two key questions now arise. First, how can India unilaterally disengage from an internationally arbitrated process that it itself once invoked? Such an action contradicts the spirit and letter of the IWT, which explicitly provides for arbitration and neutral expert mechanisms to resolve technical and legal disputes.

Second, given that the PCA’s clarifications are binding, what mechanisms exist to ensure India’s compliance? In theory, both countries are obligated to respect and implement the PCA’s findings under the terms of the IWT and international law. In practice, however, enforcement will depend largely on diplomatic engagement, sustained involvement by the World Bank as a facilitator, and adherence to established international norms.

Going forward, Pakistan’s continued participation and respect for the PCA’s authority highlight its commitment to international legality and cooperative water governance. India’s selective engagement, on the other hand, risks politicising what should remain a technical and rules-based process.

The PCA’s clarifications reaffirm a fundamental principle: disputes over shared resources must be resolved through lawful, institutional mechanisms, not unilateral actions. Ensuring compliance with this framework now stands as a critical test for both countries, as well as for the credibility of international arbitration itself.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Sunday said Pakistan would respond to any future act of aggression with the same resolve it demonstrated during the brief but intense clashes with rival India in May.

Speaking to reporters at the President House during a luncheon hosted in honour of the visiting Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Gen Munir said Pakistan “will respond to those who impose war on it in the same way as it did in May”, referring to the exchange of strikes with India earlier this year that drew international diplomatic engagement.

In a clear reference to the May confrontation with India, the army chief said Pakistan had “raised its head high” during the episode, attributing the outcome to what he described as divine assistance. “When a Muslim puts his trust in Allah, He turns the dirt thrown at the enemy into missiles,” he remarked. He added that the Pakistan Army was “an army of Allah” and its soldiers “fight in His name”.

Pakistan Army vows swift response to India’s any ‘imaginary new normal’

Tensions between the two South Asian neighbours escalated sharply in early May following an attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which triggered a series of cross-border strikes.

India launched what it called Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting locations inside Pakistan and causing civilian casualties. New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement in the Kashmir incident but did not publicly present evidence.

Pakistan retaliated with Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, leading to heavy exchanges of artillery and drone fire until a US-led diplomatic effort helped broker a ceasefire.

Addressing a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul last month, Gen Munir had cautioned that “there is no space for war in a nuclearised environment”, urging regional leadership to resolve outstanding issues in line with international norms. He warned that Pakistan would not be “intimidated or coerced” and would respond “decisively” to any provocation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

MIAMI: US President Donald Trump continues to rub more salt into India’s wound, as he now claims that eight warplanes were shot down in the Pakistan-India conflict in May.

Donald Trump repeated his claim of brokering peace between Pakistan and India, revising his count of fighter jets downed during the combat from seven to eight. The two nuclear-armed nations “made peace” in May only after he threatened to cancel their trade deals, he said, reiterating his claim at the America Business Forum in Miami.

The US president asserted that the actual number was eight aircraft, and claimed that he helped prevent a nuclear conflict between the two countries through tariff diplomacy. He said the eighth plane was badly wounded.

“During the Pakistan-India war, I heard reports — some newspapers said seven or eight planes were downed. One wrote that seven were destroyed and one was damaged. I won’t name any paper — most of them spread fake news,” President Trump told the Business Forum.

The India-Pakistan war was among the eight conflicts that the US President said to have stopped since taking office, besides Kosovo-Serbia and Congo-Rwanda, as he tried again to portray himself as a global peacemaker.

“I was in the midst of a trade deal with India and Pakistan, and then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper...I heard they were going to war. Seven planes were shot down, and the eighth was badly wounded. Eight planes were shot down essentially. I said, this is war, and they are going at it. They are two nuclear nations. I said, ‘I’m not going to make any trade deals with you guys unless you agree to peace,’” said Trump. The President claimed Delhi and Islamabad opposed such a threat and said their conflict had nothing to do with trade deals.

In the history of Jammu and Kashmir, 6 November, 1947 is marked as the darkest day and is etched in the minds of Kashmiri people as a fresh wound even after decades. Each year, Kashmiris across the world commemorate it in condemnation as the “first massive genocide” of the Kashmiris by brutal Indian armed forces.

In November 1947, Indian forces and extremists brutally tortured and massacred thousands (237,000) of Kashmiris in genocidal attempt to change the demographic and religious majority of Kashmiri population. Such illegal and unilateral attempt by Indian forces to artificially alter the demographic majority of Muslims in Kashmir continues till date.

The illegal actions of 5 August, 2019 are extension of the same pattern. Pakistan pays homage to the thousands of Kashmiri martyrs especially of November 1947 who sacrificed their lives in this long struggle for freedom. In utter denial of United Nations Security Council resolutions and in violation of International Law, India has held illegal usurpation and illegitimate occupation of Kashmir. Pakistan and all other proponents of fundamental human rights voice their censure in strongest terms. India is guilty of protracted violation of fundamental human rights, right to self-determination and International Law.

This day incarnates the exceptional courage and unwavering determination of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) to secure their inalienable right to freedom. This day also testifies that generations of Kashmiris valiantly challenged Indian forces and never succumbed to Indian brutalities and atrocities. Kashmiris have never shirked away from rendering sacrifices for their just cause.

Today, Government of Pakistan and people of Pakistan pay heartfelt tribute to the valued sacrifices of Kashmiri brothers and sisters. Pakistan extends unequivocal support to the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). And Pakistan also reiterates its commitment at global diplomatic front that Pakistan will continue to ardently raise the issue of Kashmir and will continue to extend its political, diplomatic, and moral support to people of Kashmir.

International Community must emphatically voice their concerns about the continued violation of human rights and International Law by India in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). At every international diplomatic forum, Pakistan has this principled position that Kashmir dispute must be resolved in line with UNSC resolutions and as per just aspirations of Kashmiris.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

On this day in 1947, the forces of the Hindu Dogra Maharaja, aided by RSS extremists and armed bands from Patiala and Kapurthala, carried out one of the worst massacres in the history of the subcontinent. Over 200,000 Muslims were killed and more than half a million fled to areas around Sialkot after the Jammu massacre.

In a matter of weeks, the tragedy of 6 November 1947 changed the demography of Jammu forever, turning a Muslim-majority region into a minority through systematic ethnic cleansing.

The massacre in Jammu stands as one of the darkest chapters of modern history. While the world remembers other great human tragedies, the genocide of Kashmiri Muslims in 1947 has never received the recognition it deserves. The scale of brutality was staggering, with entire villages wiped out and families torn apart.

Kashmiris across the world mark this day to remember the martyrs of Jammu and the unarmed civilians who were slaughtered for their faith and identity. Their sacrifice is a stark reminder of the unfinished story of Jammu and Kashmir, a story that began with the forced occupation of 1947 and continues under India’s illegal rule in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) today.

Even after seven decades, the pattern of repression remains unchanged. What began as a state-sponsored campaign of extermination by the Dogra ruler and RSS extremists has evolved into systematic demographic engineering by the Indian state. The revocation of Articles 370 and 35-A in August 2019, the seizure of land, the influx of non-locals and the curbs on Kashmiri identity are all part of the same design to erase the Muslim character of Jammu and Kashmir.

The ongoing occupation, with nearly one million Indian troops deployed in IIOJK, has turned the region into one of the most militarised zones in the world. The world must not look away as another generation of Kashmiris faces persecution, displacement and dispossession.

On this solemn day, Pakistan pays tribute to the martyrs of Jammu and reaffirms its unwavering support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for self-determination. We call upon the international community and the United Nations to recognise the Jammu massacre as genocide and to hold India accountable for its continuing violations of international law, including its attempts to alter the demographic composition of IIOJK in contravention of the Geneva Conventions.

Pakistan will continue to extend its full moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people. We stand with them in their quest for justice, dignity and freedom.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

President Asif Ali Zardari deserves praise for highlighting India’s growing belligerence towards Pakistan during his visit to Qatar.

Speaking at the United Nations World Conference on Social Development in the Qatari capital Doha, he has pointed out that India is using water as a weapon against Pakistan and urged the international community to uphold justice, peace, and equality.

He has also reportedly told the moot that the violation of the Indus Waters Treaty that India has unilaterally put in abeyance in violation of international laws and norms poses a serious threat to 240 million Pakistanis, emphasizing that such actions amount to depriving an entire nation of water, which cannot be tolerated.

Needless to say, the President of Pakistan is spot on. Irked by its humiliation in the four-day conflict against Pakistan in May, India has clearly upped the ante.

India, for example, did not inform Pakistan in advance about the increased flows of water in Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers. It is important to note that under the Indus Water Treaty, three rivers that flow westwards were awarded to Pakistan and the three eastern-flowing rivers were granted to India.

In the post-floods situation, India is devising a strategy aimed at, among other things, chocking Pakistan’s water supplies that the latter receives through Jhelum and Chenab rivers, putting at risk its agriculture in particular.

More importantly, India’s ongoing show of belligerence, not strength, through its tri-service drill along the western border with Pakistan months after a brief armed conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors speaks volumes about New Delhi’s devious plans against Islamabad. In other words, the incumbent BJP government has clearly assumed a more aggressive posture due to the fear of removal following the loss of a lot of political capital in recent months.

Last but not least, the United Nations must take note of India’s escalating political rhetoric and actions against Pakistan without any further loss of time.

Amir Sultan Bhoon (Chiniot, Punjab)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

According to a Reuters news report carried by this newspaper yesterday, “the Pakistan Navy (PN) expects its first Chinese-designed submarine to enter active service next year, the country’s top admiral told Chinese state media, bolstering Beijing’s bid to counter regional rival India and project power toward the Middle East”.

The news agency has also said, among other things, that the update on the Chinese submarine deal follows Pakistan’s air force using Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets in May to shoot down “an Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft”, made by France.

Be that as it may, in total, Pakistan Air Force shot down three Rafale jets in addition to three other warplanes of the Indian Air Force. In this regard, Pakistan has already produced incriminating evidence to substantiate its claim about the Indian warplanes that were downed by its air force in the four-day conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in May this year.

The whole world buys Pakistan’s narrative because it knows too well that Pakistan over-performed while India under-performed in the May confrontation, and Islamabad was able to do much better than New Delhi mainly because of its war-hardened highly professional and skilled air force.

Needless to say, India has certainly realized that it cannot defeat Pakistan in a conventional war, particularly in an air-to-air combat. In my view, India also knows too well that larger the conflict, the more overwhelming is the prospect of humiliation.

Nasrin Hayat Khan (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

DOHA: President Asif Ali Zardari delivered a powerful address at the United Nations World Conference on Social Development in Doha, where he warned that India is using water as a weapon against Pakistan and urged the international community to uphold justice, peace, and equality.

He said that the violation of the Indus Waters Treaty poses a serious threat to 240 million Pakistanis, emphasizing that such actions amount to depriving an entire nation of water, which cannot be tolerated. “We will never allow such pressure tactics to succeed,” he declared.

The president accused India of deliberately violating international law by breaching the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a direct threat to regional stability.

“Water is now being used as a weapon against Pakistan. Violating the treaty means depriving millions of Pakistanis of their right to water,” he said, reiterating that Pakistan would resist any such attempt that undermines its sovereignty and the livelihood of its people.

‘Kashmir and Palestine struggles are two sides of the same coin’: Turning to global conflicts, President Zardari strongly condemned the genocide and massacre in Gaza, saying that the suffering of the Palestinian people has crossed all limits.

He drew a parallel between Kashmir and Palestine, describing both as struggles for self-determination. “The people of Kashmir have faced Indian state terrorism for decades. The issues of Kashmir and Palestine are two sides of the same coin — both peoples are fighting for their right to live with dignity,” he said.

President Zardari called on the international community to end racial discrimination, oppression, and famine faced by Palestinians and to ensure justice for both nations under UN resolutions.

‘All children will be in school within five years’: Highlighting Pakistan’s domestic priorities, the president said that his government’s goal is to ensure every child in Pakistan attends school within the next five years.

He also spoke about the Green Pakistan Program, an initiative focused on environment-friendly and sustainable development, aimed at tackling climate change and protecting future generations. “Learning modern sciences is indispensable in today’s world,” he added, emphasizing education as the foundation for progress.

World leaders approve Doha Summit Declaration: The three-day UN World Conference on Social Development in Doha concluded with the Doha Summit Declaration, which was approved by global leaders.

The declaration reaffirmed the world’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and pledged to accelerate efforts toward poverty eradication, decent work, and equitable access to health and education.

It also stressed the importance of inclusive policy-making, ensuring that youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups are effectively represented in social and economic decision-making processes.

Bilateral meetings on sidelines: On the sidelines of the summit, President Zardari held important bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including the presidents of Iraq and Tajikistan, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In his meeting with Iraqi President Dr Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance trade, business-to-business cooperation, and facilitate visa processes. President Zardari appreciated Iraq’s cooperation in hosting Pakistani pilgrims, while the Iraqi leader invited him to visit Baghdad — an invitation he accepted.

During talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the Strategic Partnership Agreement, highlighting the depth of bilateral relations. President Zardari accepted President Rahmon’s invitation to visit Tajikistan.

Meeting with Guterres: President Zardari also met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, where he called for the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir and a just resolution to the Palestine conflict.

He emphasized that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1966 borders is essential for lasting peace in the Middle East. Guterres, in response, praised Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and expressed solidarity with the country for its sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and First Lady Asif Bhutto also attended the meetings alongside the president.

ROME: Dr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister, has strongly cautioned against the unilateral manipulation of transboundary water flows, calling such actions a violation of international norms and a threat to sustainable development.

Speaking at the Rome Water Dialogue, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy, Dr. Shah stated:

“Any attempt to unilaterally alter transboundary water flows or weaponize water access is not only dangerous, but contrary to international norms and sustainable development goals.”

Representing Pakistan at the global forum — attended by delegates from hundreds of countries, development experts, and civil society leaders — Dr. Shah raised serious concerns over India’s conduct regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

“The Indus Waters Treaty has long been considered a model of cooperation, even during times of conflict between Pakistan and India,” he said. “However, India’s recent unilateral actions to suspend treaty-level engagements risk undermining this crucial framework.”

Dr. Shah emphasized that the IWT remains one of the most resilient water-sharing agreements in the world and a rare example of cooperation amid geopolitical tensions.

He urged the international community to take note of India’s actions, warning that they pose serious implications for transboundary water governance and regional peace.

Dr Shah called upon all stakeholders, including international institutions, to reaffirm the importance of treaty integrity, river basin cooperation, and water justice — especially for the 250 million Pakistanis who depend on the Indus Basin for their survival and livelihoods.

He forcefully urged, the international community to act as stewards of peace and justice — and to ensure that transboundary treaties remain sacrosanct.

Dr Tauqir further said, the Sustainable Development Goals — especially SDG 6 (clean water) and SDG 2 (zero hunger) — will remain beyond reach unless we confront the water scarcity challenge head-on.

He said global water crises is an existential challenge, Water is not just about rivers or canals — it is about people, dignity, and life itself.

While criticising India’s conduct vis a via Indus Water Treaty, he forcefully stated, “Let me be clear: No nation has the moral or legal right to hold another’s water security hostage”.

EDITORIAL: Political expediency has once again overtaken restraint in India. The renewed war rhetoric from senior military leaders and cabinet ministers comes as the ruling BJP faces a critical election in Bihar. It is an old tactic dressed in new uniforms: when the domestic narrative frays, turn to Pakistan to rouse nationalist passions. The pattern is familiar enough, but no less dangerous for it.

The recent statements by India’s army and air force chiefs, invoking the possibility of erasing Pakistan from the world map and claiming improbable battlefield victories, are not strategic signals; they are campaign talking points. The military, once a guarded institution, is being drawn deeper into electoral theatre to distract from domestic discontent and economic strain. The BJP’s political machinery has long relied on this diversionary rhetoric to consolidate its Hindutva base, and it now returns to the same playbook as Bihar’s state polls approach.

Pakistan’s measured but firm response was both necessary and proportionate. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) rightly cautioned that any future conflict would risk catastrophic consequences and that Pakistan would respond without restraint if provoked. That warning, however stark, serves primarily as deterrence. It reminds the region that military brinkmanship between nuclear powers cannot be reduced to political choreography.

India’s leadership, meanwhile, appears unable to reconcile with the reality of its tactical defeat in May and the diplomatic isolation that followed. The global community’s scepticism toward New Delhi’s claims and its inability to control the post-conflict narrative have damaged the image it seeks to project. The sabre-rattling now on display betrays frustration more than strength. It reflects a government struggling to manage the economy, trade tensions with Washington, and growing political opposition at home, choosing instead to deflect attention through confrontation abroad.

Such behaviour corrodes the prospects for regional stability. South Asia remains one of the most densely armed and politically volatile regions in the world. Injecting electoral politics into the language of war invites miscalculation. India’s repeated invocation of “Operation Sindoor” in speeches, press briefings and even sports events reveals how militarised nationalism has become part of its domestic messaging architecture. The more that normalised hostility becomes political currency, the harder it will be to rebuild diplomatic space once the elections pass.

Pakistan’s task is to avoid being drawn into this cycle. The armed forces have already clarified the limits of deterrence, and now the burden shifts to diplomacy. The Foreign Office must continue to expose the opportunistic nature of India’s posturing in international forums and reinforce that Islamabad seeks stability, not escalation. Quiet engagement with partners in Washington, Beijing and Gulf capitals can help underline the risks inherent in New Delhi’s brinkmanship.

The stakes extend beyond politics. With two nuclear states sharing a contested border, a single misstep can undo years of restraint. Pakistan must remain vigilant but avoid amplification. A steady, disciplined response, rooted in fact not emotion, is the surest way to deny India the domestic theatre it seeks. The region’s fragile peace depends less on India’s provocations and more on Pakistan’s ability to respond with clarity and control.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan hailed the Chinese weapons systems it deployed during its four-day clash with India in May as performing “exceptionally well”, in the latest endorsement of the Beijing-made arms that comprise the bulk of Islamabad’s recent purchases.

“We are open to all sorts of technology,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in an interview with international publication Bloomberg. “Of course, recent Chinese platforms, they’ve demonstrated exceptionally well.”

The May clash saw Pakistan’s first major use of modern Chinese-made systems, including J-10C fighters that Islamabad credited with downing multiple Indian aircraft, among them French-made Rafales. The systems’ performance has drawn intense scrutiny since the conflict.

Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, military spokesman, said Pakistan had recently raised its tally of Indian aircraft shot down to seven — up from a previous count of six, and matching the figure floated last week by President Donald Trump, who told an audience in Virginia “they just shot down seven planes”.

A spokesman for India’s Ministry of Defence didn’t directly address the new claim, and instead referred to a latest speech by India’s Air Force chief in which he claimed India allegedly destroyed about a dozen Pakistani aircraft during the conflict. New Delhi had previously rejected Pakistan’s earlier claim that India lost six aircraft, although it acknowledged in May that an unspecified number were downed.

The DG ISPR said in his interview that Pakistan didn’t lose any planes. “Pakistan has never tried to play with figures and facts,” Chaudhry said.

Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif told Bloomberg that Pakistan’s defence approach is guided by a desire for technological efficiency and operational effectiveness rather than rivalry.

“Our military development strategy has always been to incorporate effective and efficient platforms and domestic Pakistani technology,” he said.

In August, Pakistan announced the addition to its arsenal of the Z-10ME attack helicopter — a model similar to the one China uses to patrol its border with India.

Last month, President Asif Ali Zardari travelled to the Chinese city of Chengdu where he visited the defence company that makes the J-10 fighter jet.

During the interview, the ISPR chief declined to say whether Pakistan would keep favouring Chinese arms, noting the country buys equipment from both China and Western nations.

“Our development strategy has always been to induct the most effective, efficient as well as economic platforms and technology,” he said.

Pakistan “is not in a military catch-up or an arms race” with India, he said, adding that it has a military budget “a fraction” the size of its neighbour’s. “We don’t have the luxury of unlimited money at our disposal,” he said.

Pakistan allocated $10.2 billion to defence spending last year, compared with $86.1 billion for India, according to SIPRI. As a share of each country’s GDP, however, their defence spending was roughly equal — 2.7 percent for Pakistan and 2.3 percent for India.

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday warned that any repeat of India’s past military “adventures” would result in even greater humiliation for New Delhi on the international stage.

His remarks came in response to Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s warning over the disputed Sir Creek region, in which he threatened a “decisive” response that could “change history and geography” if Pakistan were to make any aggressive move.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Asif said that Pakistan had responded firmly to India’s past provocations, damaging New Delhi’s global image.

“If they repeat such a move, the humiliation will be greater than before,” he warned, alluding to India’s setback on May 10 during the previous confrontation.

The minister added that Pakistan would not hesitate to act decisively in response to any future threats, as it had done previously. “Whatever plans India makes, the way we answered before will bring us success again,” he added.

Asif linked the Indian defence minister’s remarks to domestic political considerations, describing the tough rhetoric as part of India’s electoral strategy. “It’s their internal necessity due to the upcoming elections,” he noted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: India Study Centre (ISC) of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted the book launch event of “Pakistan-India Relations: Fractured Past, Uncertain Future”, authored by Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Former Foreign Secretary.

The event featured Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, as the Chief Guest.

Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said that the book reflected both the abiding realism of a diplomat, and the enduring passion of a peace activist. With both these strands, Ambassador Chaudhry had maintained his quest for Pakistan-India peace and normalisation, with the disposition of an incurable optimist.

Shedding light on its contents, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said that the book highlighted five central challenges to India-Pakistan relations. These included: the intractability of Jammu and Kashmir dispute; the unbridgeability of the two countries’ positions on the issue of terrorism; the vagaries of domestic politics; the relentless Indian pursuit of regional domination; and the complexity of global geo-politics.

While highlighting the challenges, the author also suggested the ways in which the two countries could attain peaceful coexistence and manage negative perceptions of each other. The book represented an important contribution from Pakistan’s perspective to the discourse on Pakistan-India relations, which had been heavily influenced by the Indian narratives.

Sharing thoughts on the present trajectory of Pakistan-India relations, Ambassador Sohail emphasised that, over past 11 years since the Modi-led BJP regime took over, the edifice of the bilateral relationship had been systematically dismantled, brick-by-brick.

Among others, this was reflected in the discontinuation of structured dialogue process; intransigence on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute; frequent resort to kinetic action and the use of force; enhanced use of Indian proxies for destabilisation of Pakistan; weaponisation of trade, sports and water; putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance; and stalling of the SAARC process.

He also highlighted four structural constraints that now impeded progress in Pakistan-India relations: the RSS-BJP inspired ‘Hindutva’ ideology; the BJP’s use of Pakistan ‘bogey’ for domestic political and electoral calculations; the arrogance and hubris in Indian approach induced by India-Pakistan economic differential; and India’s major-power ambitions.

He stressed that Pakistan must maintain the overall objective of a peaceful and good-neighbourly relationship with India, but with dignity and honour. It should be based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and mutual benefit. Any unseemly haste or unilateral concessions must be eschewed; and Pakistan’s principled position on Kashmir steadfastly maintained. Pakistan should also employ all feasible diplomatic, political and legal options to safeguard its legitimate rights under the IWT.

The Chief Guest Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani lauded the book as both interesting and educative. He underlined that the book invited readers to reflect on the fractured past covering all aspects of it from history, culture, contesting ideologies, human suffering during the partition, and the disputes that followed. He suggested that the book deserved wider dissemination not only in Pakistan, but also in India and elsewhere.

On bilateral relations, Ambassador Jilani expressed sorrow that the list of contentious issues between the two countries had kept on expanding instead of shrinking.

The peace efforts made in the past by the political and military leadership on both sides yielded considerable results but the revisionist approach of the current Indian leadership had become a principal obstacle in peaceful coexistence. Ironically, India which itself was the perpetrator of state-sponsored terrorism inside Pakistan and elsewhere, was using the rhetoric of ‘cross-border terrorism’ to internationally malign Pakistan.

The growing realization among Indians about shrinking space for India due to its hegemonic posturing in South Asia gave optimism for a better future. He expressed the hope that there may emerge in India a leadership with greater appetite for peace for the sake of billions of the South Asian inhabitants. However, the media, civil society, and academia must play their role to stress this realization to the political and military leadership.

Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, while dilating on the book’s contents, emphasized that four issues carried accumulative effect on Pakistan-India relations. They included, a deep and abiding mistrust stemming from pre- and post-independence happenings; an Indian nexus with British Raj to grab Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir; the narrative of ‘cross-border terrorism’ cleverly used by India to malign Pakistan and the legitimate Kashmiri struggle; and India’s hegemonic posturing towards the region and its states, which in turn contributed to destabilisation of South Asia. These four factors had landed the two states in a complete disconnect, and enduring hostility.

The author emphasized that “the road to peace may be bumpy, yet not closed.” He cited dearth of credible scholarly works amplifying the Pakistani perspective as the primary motivation behind taking up of this book project.

The event was attended by senior diplomats, practitioners, academics, think-tank experts, students, and representatives of civil society and the media.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army on Saturday issued a blistering rebuke of recent statements from senior Indian security officials, warning that any fresh round of hostilities would be met with a “swift, decisive and destructive” response that would establish what it called a “new normal of response.”

In an official communiqué released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military described the remarks from “the highest levels of the Indian security establishment” as “delusional, provocative and jingoistic,” accusing New Delhi of “fabricating arbitrary pretexts for aggression” and stoking regional instability. The statement warned that earlier confrontations this year had already brought two nuclear-armed neighbours “to the brink,” and said Pakistan would “resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint” if provoked again.

The ISPR statement came after a series of stern comments from Indian leaders — including warnings by the defence minister and army chief that appeared to threaten punitive action if Pakistan were deemed responsible for cross-border attacks. Indian officials have in recent days used language suggesting India would not show restraint in future operations, heightening tensions along the line of control and other disputed sectors.

Analysts say Saturday’s ISPR release is part of an escalating cycle of rhetoric that risks miscalculation. Islamabad framed the Indian remarks as an attempt to “play the victim card” while pointing to what it called India’s role in fomenting violence across the region. The military warned that any talk of “erasing Pakistan” would meet with “mutual” consequences and said Pakistani forces were prepared to strike deep into Indian territory should conflict break out.

International concern has grown since clashes earlier this year — which involved missile and drone strikes and led to civilian casualties on both sides — briefly bringing the two neighbours close to open conflict. Major international outlets and think-tanks have warned that repeated exchanges of highly charged threats increase the risk of accidental escalation between two nuclear-armed states.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Rather than casting unwarranted aspersions on AJK, Pakistan has said that India must reckon with its obligations under international law and the UN Charter.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in statement on Friday that the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) freely enjoy their civil and political rights and actively participate in shaping their democratic future. “Pakistan remains firmly committed to upholding their dignity, safeguarding their rights, including the right to peaceful assembly and protest, respecting their sentiments, and advancing their socio-economic development. This commitment reflects not only our constitutional responsibility but also our enduring moral obligation to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement further said.

In stark contrast, our brothers and sisters in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continue to face a grim reality under occupation.

The use of brute force, denial of fundamental freedoms, and systematic and grave human rights violations have become the hallmark of India’s state-sponsored terrorism against the innocent Kashmiri people to suppress their just struggle. Efforts to silence dissent, demographic engineering, and the denial of civil liberties underscore the severity of the situation.

The spokesperson reminded “India must respect the inalienable rights of the Kashmiri people, most importantly their fundamental right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan believes that the path to lasting peace and stability in South Asia lies in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

EDITORIAL: Cricket has long been celebrated as the gentleman’s game, a rare arena where the fiercest of rivals could set aside politics and compete under a code of respect. That India’s government, led from the very top, has now reduced it to another theatre for political posturing is nothing short of disgraceful.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s choice to cloak his team’s Asia Cup victory over Pakistan in the language of war was a deliberate diplomatic provocation, blurring the line between sport and statecraft. When a cricket win is equated with Operation Sindoor — the military confrontation of May — it ceases to be cricket and becomes an extension of conflict by other means.

That is why the episode has drawn criticism not just from Pakistan or neutral observers, but also from within India itself. Analysts and commentators have rightly pointed out the contradiction: if New Delhi truly viewed cricket as inseparable from politics, it should not have allowed its team to play at all.

To step onto the field while invoking the language of war cheapens the game and drags players into a narrative they did not sign up for. Sport is supposed to act as a release valve, a platform where rivalry can be contained within the boundary ropes. Turning it into a proxy battlefield strips away that function and leaves only bitterness behind.

The Indian team’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistani players and collect the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi drove the point home further.

Whatever the intention, the effect was unmistakable: the spectacle of athletes holding back from the basic courtesies of sport, thereby deepening hostility instead of softening it. Pakistan’s captain was correct when he observed that such behaviour disrespected cricket itself. To refuse handshakes, to shun the award ceremony, to snub the very institution organising the tournament — these are not the gestures of a confident side but of one shackled to political instructions.

The tragedy here is not limited to one final, or one sour presentation ceremony. Cricket has historically offered rare moments of connection across the India-Pakistan divide. From tours in the 1950s to the diplomacy of the 1980s, matches were often described as “wars without weapons” precisely because the metaphor implied substitution, not escalation.

Modi’s attempt to collapse the distinction — to say that a cricket win is the same as a battlefield success — undoes decades of effort to keep the sporting and military domains separate. It raises the stakes in future encounters and plants seeds of resentment that outlast any single tournament.

Even in the wider world of sport, there are boundaries that leaders respect. The Olympics have seen boycotts, but rarely have heads of government claimed athletic wins as continuations of live wars. To do so is to send a message to one’s own population that victory in sport validates victory in war, and that defeat in sport hints at weakness in war. It is a dangerous conflation, feeding toxic nationalism and denying both players and fans the chance to enjoy sport for what it is.

Pakistan’s gestures, by contrast, emphasised humanity rather than hostility. The cricket board’s decision to donate match fees to the civilian victims of India’s May attack was a reminder that real lives and real tragedies underpin the rhetoric. While India’s prime minister chose to score political points, Pakistan’s team chose to highlight the cost of conflict. That difference in approach should not go unnoticed.

The International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council also face a test of credibility. Their silence in the face of such blatant politicisation is not neutral — it is permissive. If international cricket tolerates one government converting matches into propaganda tools, the precedent will spread and the spirit of the game will erode further. Rules against political messaging exist for a reason, and they must be enforced without fear or favour.

For now, the damage is clear. What should have been a celebration of skill and competition ended in recrimination, accusations, and a trophy left standing on a table. The responsibility for this decline rests with those who chose to inject the language of war into a sporting contest. Cricket deserves better.

The region deserves better. And India, if it values its own sporting traditions, must decide whether it wants its victories to be remembered for the runs scored on the pitch, or for the political slogans shouted off it.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

EDITORIAL: The most meaningful outcome of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with President Donald Trump is not in the optics of motorcades or smiles, but in the signal that Pakistan is being given bilateral priority in Washington without being viewed primarily through the prism of India. That shift, after decades of transactional and triangular framing, carries weight.

For the first time in years, Pakistan’s leadership was received at the White House for a dedicated discussion on security, counterterrorism and economic ties, with the prime minister accompanied by the army chief.

The context matters. Under the Biden administration, relations had cooled to the point of indifference. Pakistan was edged to the margins, seen more as a complication in Afghanistan’s endgame than a partner in its own right. Trump’s second term has already broken from that approach.

The meeting in Washington was the third interaction in as many months — following a session with Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA, and an unprecedented lunch with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in June. This consistency itself is notable. In the past, engagement had often been ad hoc, dictated by narrow tactical needs.

Caution is, of course, warranted. As analysts have reminded, Pakistan’s ties with the United States have always swung between highs and lows. The Afghan jihad, the ‘war on terror’, even the Cold War alliances all delivered moments of closeness, only to be followed by disengagement when Washington’s objectives shifted. Trump himself is unpredictable, and his record shows a willingness to change course abruptly. That is why no durable reset should be assumed yet, and why policy should be guided by realism.

Still, the value of the present moment should not be understated. For Pakistan, being able to engage the US president and his senior team at a time of upheaval in Gaza, turbulence in South Asia and recalibration in the Gulf restores a degree of relevance in international affairs. For the US, it shows recognition that relations with Islamabad are worth tending, not least because New Delhi is no longer a straightforward partner.

Trump’s frictions with India over trade, tariffs and visas, as well as his self-promotion in claiming to have mediated during the May hostilities between India and Pakistan, have created a different balance in Washington’s South Asia calculus.

It is also important to note what this warming of relations is built on. Security and intelligence cooperation remain central, as they have been through most of the history of the relationship.

Trump’s decision to meet the army chief separately earlier in the year underlined that recognition. But this time, the political leadership was front and centre, and the engagement has widened to include investment and trade. A new phase of partnership, if it emerges, will need to move beyond counterterrorism alone and address the economic dimension with equal seriousness.

Details of the Washington meeting remain scarce, and until joint statements are issued the exact contours of any agreement will be unclear. But the length of the discussion — nearly twice what had been scheduled — and the fact that it was closed to the press suggest substance was on the table. For Pakistan, the challenge will be to translate this moment into concrete outcomes: access to trade, investment in critical sectors, and support in stabilising its fragile economy.

The opportunity lies in the balance. Pakistan has historically relied too heavily on external patrons and suffered when those patrons changed course. Now, with China a constant partner and Gulf states strengthening defence ties, improved relations with Washington can form part of a more diversified foreign policy. To rely on the US alone would be risky; to keep the door firmly open is prudent.

The prime minister’s visit has set a positive tone. It represents a rare convergence of civilian and military leadership in presenting a unified front abroad, and it has been acknowledged with seriousness in Washington.

The test will be whether the follow-through delivers something more than atmospherics. For now, though, Pakistan can take encouragement that it has re-entered the White House as a partner in its own right, and that the conversation is once again bilateral, not conditional.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

UNITED NATIONS: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, highlighting the human rights violations in Kashmir and Palestine and condemning terrorism, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and dialogue but vowed to resolutely defend the nation against any external aggression or India’s usurpation of water rights.

The prime minister, in his 25-minute address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly here, encompassed all national, regional, and international issues, including the recent Pakistan-India war, Kashmir, Palestine, terrorism, Afghanistan, ongoing floods in Pakistan and multilateralism.

PM Shehbaz, who spoke for the third time to the 193-member world body, began his remarks highlighting the world’s complexities like intensifying conflicts, violation of international laws, humanitarian crises, disinformation, arms race, emerging technologies and climate change.

He told the world leaders that Pakistan believed in the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy and said that Pakistan confronted the unprovoked Indian aggression in May, proving his words at the UNGA during the previous address true.

“Last year, from this very podium, I had warned that Pakistan would act most decisively against any external aggression. Those words proved true when, in May this year, my country confronted unprovoked aggression from our eastern front.

“The enemy came shrouded in arrogance; we sent them back in humiliation... Our valiant armed forces, under the stellar leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, mounted an operation of stunning professionalism and bravery...Our falcons took flight and etched their answer across the skies resulting in seven of the Indian jets turned to scrap and dust, a decisive response to the aggressor that will echo through the annals of history.”

He said that India sought to extract political gains from a human tragedy by spurning his offer of an investigation into the Pahalgam incident. Instead, it attacked Pakistan’s cities, and targeted innocent civilians compelling the country to respond as per the inherent right of self-defense.

“To the fearless architects of this victory, to every officer and soldier, heirs of our martyrs, their names are forever engraved in glory. To the mothers of our martyrs, their courage guides our path forward and their sacrifice shall never be in vain, Insha’Allah. And to every Pakistani, you stood as one unbreakable wall, a Bunyan Um Marsoos, he remarked.

“We have won the war and now we seek to win peace in our part of the world. This is my most sincere and serious offer before this august assembly of UN. Pakistan stands ready for a composite, comprehensive and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues. South Asia requires “proactive”, rather than “provocative” leadership.”

He said despite being in the position of strength, Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire, facilitated by President Donald Trump’s bold and visionary leadership that averted a more threatening, a full-fledged and catastrophic war between the two nuclear powers.

“Had he not intervened timely and decisively, the consequences of a full-fledged war would have been catastrophic,” he said and told the House that Pakistan nominated President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. “I think this is the least we could do for his love for peace, and I think he is truly a man of peace.”

He also spoke highly of the diplomatic support to Pakistan by China, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Iran, UAE, and the UN Secretary-General.

Coming to the Indian attempt to unilaterally hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, Prime Minister Shehbaz told the General Assembly that Pakistan would definitely and ardently defend the inalienable right of its 240 million people on these waters.

“Pakistan has made it abundantly clear, and let there be no doubt, we will definitely and ardently defend the inalienable right of our 240 million people on these waters. To us, any violation of this treaty represents an act of war,” he said.

He reminded the world that India’s unilateral and illegal attempt to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance defied the provisions of the Treaty itself, as well as, the norms of international law. He told the world body that for nearly eighty years, India had tried to muzzle the voices of the brave people of Kashmir.

He assured the Kashmiri people, that the people of Pakistan stood with them and soon, one day, India’s tyranny in Kashmir would come to a grinding halt.

He said that the Kashmir would gain its fundamental inalienable right to self-determination through an impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations.

“Kashmir will gain its inalienable right to self-determination through an impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations,” he hoped.

‘In war,” Julius Caesar says, “events of importance are the result of trivial causes.” The Israeli aggression against the peace delegation of Hamas in Qatar — another satellite state of the US — was a trivial event for Israel, addicted to attack the Levant at will.

However, it proved to be, an event of importance; a revelation to the Arabs that their subservience to the imperialist power is no guarantee of their survival. Their Oriental lives are as insignificant as the lives of the Palestinians facing genocide.

After throwing Palestinians to the Ashkenazi wolves, selling their souls and presenting their material wealth in a platter to the imperialist empire, the Arab states considered themselves safe and secure under the US umbrella. But history of imperialism is history of invasion. Perses — the god of devastation — can strike without warning.

To restore peace in Gaza when a delegation of Hamas met in Qatar — a mediators between Prometheus, the Palestinians and Perses, the Israelis — Zionists entity following its grisly tradition bombed them in Doha. No one in the world is wearier of peace more than Israel and its mentor, the US.

Instead of peace, Zionism believes in turning everything to pieces. With the backing of the West, it mercilessly chops the skulls of innocent civilians, indiscriminately shoots at babies and decimates the opponents regardless of their gender with impunity.

Israeli aggression came as a rude shock to the Arabs, already subjugated to the Israeli domination. Akin to borderless Israel; sheikdoms in the Gulf are mere entities, pieces of lands without an army, with significantly small population, and an economy reliant on oil. For them the moment of attack became the moment of truth, of realization of betrayal by their guard and guardian.

Hassan Nasurullah frequently warned them about the dark moment of betrayal, of the treachery of imperialism, no matter the number of trillions they invest in its economy.

To console themselves the Arabs met immediately, Iran didn’t stay behind. Masoud Pezeshkian’s presence was enough to make them aware of their self-inflicted misfortune. The anxious and scary face of king of Jordan, Alistair Cook says, was telling the story. Immediately afterwards, the Saudi crown prince met Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani premier, for signing a defence treaty between the two countries.

The Israeli shock was replaced by another; a defence treaty between an oil-rich nation with an untested army, and an IMF-dependent nuclear security state.

Much has been stated about the Pakistan-Saudia defence pact. No one is privy to its details, but the Indian and Pakistani media labelled it as ‘Islamic NATO’ in the offing. The term of Islamic NATO is a controversial if not altogether a sham. NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a defence pact involving countries of North Atlantic— US and Canada, with the countries of Northern Europe— against the Soviet Union.

After absorbing Turkey, Greece and the Balkans the term NATO has technically become obsolete, for neither Turkey nor Greece nor the Balkans fall in the Northern Atlantic.

What is NATO but a militaristic arm of the dominant powers to expropriate the resources of the Global South by putting guns on their temple while the IMF, the World Bank, the Paris Club, etc., could twist their arm through peaceful means? Accumulation of capital and dispossession of resources is their only function. Pakistan-Saudia pact doesn’t fall in this category. It’s nether a treaty between Western powers, nor is it meant to dispossess the resources of any other country.

For its incompetent foreign policy, India is sitting alone and lonely like a lame duck, blaming its foreign minister for multiple failures on the external front. Choosing to sit on the fences, India enjoyed the status of a regional power, which had all the options in its palm. It was getting cheap oil from Russia with no US sanctions. As a counterweight to China, it held a special status in the US. Being a founding member of BRICS Plus, it commands a veto kind of power in the BRICS.

But with Trump in power, things have drastically changed. Fifty percent tariff imposed by the US threatens to dent its economy; ban on skilled migrant visa has added to its misery. Last but not the least, the defence pact between the kingdom and Pakistan has left it in awe. Finding the Arabs slipping like an eel from its hands is another decisive straw on the camel’s back.

For its failure in the realm of foreign policy, India has to blame itself. Operation Sindhoor was the beginning of a downwards trajectory. The destruction of its jets led to the resurgence of Pakistan from its ashes. However, the future of the subcontinent depends on the responsible behaviour of these two countries. Instead of fuelling war, India could have settled the matter amicably.

But Indian desire for hegemony made it choose an aggressive path and faltered miserably.

Time for sitting on the fence has gone. The biblical edict of ‘with us or against us’ has replaced it. For its war against China, Trump wants unequivocal and unambiguous support from India. The first step in this direction is to open its agriculture sector for the multinationals to exploit. India cannot and should not do this. If done, the mass uprising will be unsustainable for the government sitting in a coalition.

This is the tragedy of the capitalist world. Its cyclic anarchy that Marx thought would strike after a decade is hitting every day. Accumulation through violent dispossession is seen happening in the Middle East, Ukraine, large parts of Europe and the subcontinent. It’s time to change the course of history by aligning the forces of the subcontinent together for the welfare of the people who need basic necessities and not wars.

One cannot support the oppressor— especially Israel, an artificial construct, a genocidal regime. Recently, India has changed its tone and has started condemning Israel in the UN.

However, that’s not enough. The subcontinent has to join its ranks not only for the liberation of Palestine but for its own self-liberation as well.

True self-liberation demands a permanent farewell to war. As Wilhelm Reich wrote, “Make it plain that you have no time for war that you have more important things to do…let the diplomats and marshals of the earth shoot each other”. For the peoples of the subcontinent, this means focusing on the welfare of their people rather than being drawn into imperial conflicts. Only then can liberation be real and lasting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

RAWALAKOT: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, said on Sunday that India has been left in mourning after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a historic defence agreement.

Speaking at a “Battle of Truth” rally in Rawalakot, he said Indian forces had faced a crushing defeat and Pakistan’s army had given the enemy a fitting reply.

He stressed the need to join hands to foil India’s designs and vowed to take the Kashmir issue back to the OIC and Arab League.

On this occasion, the AJK PM also announced a Rs1 billion package for Poonch.

It is worth noting that political parties in Azad Kashmir have already launched a campaign to stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan’s armed forces. Today’s rally at Sabir Shaheed Stadium, Rawalakot, marked the start of this drive.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif while underlining the significance of unity and solidarity which had led to emphatic triumph in the recent armed conflict with India, pledged to guide the country on the path of progress and prosperity.

Addressing a gathering of overseas Pakistanis in London, the prime minister congratulated them on the great victory of May 10 against its bitter enemy and aggressor, India.

“It was a great triumph that taught a lesson to the enemy and surely, will remember it forever,” he added.

Pakistan aims for economic glory after military victory over India: Tarar

The prime minister elaborated that after India’s baseless allegations over Pahalgam incident, he had offered, during his visit to Kakul, for a probe by an international committee into the incident in a fair, impartial and transparent manner and to prove India’s false allegations, but India did not respond to his offer.

On May 6, aggression was unleashed against the innocent civilians and civilian assets were attacked inside Pakistan, leading to civilian causalities, he said, adding Pakistan in its right of defence, down six enemy’s fighter jets in one go which made the enemy realized its precarious position.

The prime minister, in a speech broadcast on national TV channels on Sunday, further told that on May 10, COAS General Syed Asim Munir phoned him and informed him about India’s repeated attack.

General Asim Munir’s tone was full of confidence and composed and he sought permission to respond to the enemy’s repugnant act, as he wanted to give them a lesson, he added.

The prime minister said during his recent interaction with the world leaders, he had told them, in response to their queries, that they achieved the victory in Marka e Haq; Bunyan al Marsoos, on basis of two factors, first, it was all due to valour, professionalism and acumen of the armed forces and trust in Allah Almighty besides, their latest techniques and the highest level of training and secondly, a display of total unity among the political and military leadership of the country.

He said Field Marshal Asim Munir led the fight, the officers and personnel of the armed forces displayed bravery while Pakistan Air Force under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal set a precedent unmatched in the history.

They were fully supported by 240 million people of the country who were united against their enemy and aggressor, he opined.

The prime minister said that owing to this victory and achievements on the diplomatic and economic fronts, now the green passport was being adorned worldwide.

He said that now the ceasefire between Pakistan and India had been achieved, Pakistan wanted peace, progress and prosperity, end to unemployment and poverty.

The prime minister said, “I have made this offer so many times in the past. We want to discuss Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism issues, not because of any weakness but on the basis of equal terms. As neighbours, now the onus is upon us whether to live in peace or war,” he added.

He also reiterated that without the resolution of the Kashmir issue which was basic key to the regional peace, the bilateral ties between the two countries could not be established.

“Anyone who is thinking otherwise is akin to living in a fool’s paradise,” he asserted and said that Kashmiris would get their right to self determination and freedom.

Expressing his grief and condemnation of 64,000 deaths and grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, he said the world had not witnessed these heart-moving scenes.

The prime minister called upon the Islamic world and the international community to come forward and address the crises urgently.

During his speech, the prime minister also appreciated the overseas Pakistan’s contributions toward the national economy and termed them as ‘ambassadors of the great country striving day and night abroad and earn livelihood.’

He acknowledged that on the basis of their hard work, in the previous year, 38.5 billion dollars were received in country as remittances, adding without it, country’s economy could not move forward.

He further underscored the need that no nation in the world could achieve the highest place among the comity of nations without hard work, dedication and sincerity.

The prime minister stressed that they should get rid of loans and achieves the economic strength, and then the world would treat them as it treated the leading world economies.

He mentioned that youth bulge of Pakistan, comprising 60 percent of the total population, was not only was a challenge but also an opportunity.

With IT training and latest knowledge, they would take the country forward, he said, adding once they all decided with strong will, then nothing was impossible.

The prime minister aid “Unity and solidarity should be the first priority,” and expressed his satisfaction that country’s economic indicators that were showing upward trends while at the diplomatic fronts, the country was further strengthening its ties and position.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that overseas Pakistanis were the country’s diplomats and served as bridge between Pakistan and the country of their residence.

He said in the year 2022, when the incumbent government came to power, it was a difficult time as the country was at the verge of default, and the global rating agencies and institutions were setting dates in this regard.

DPM/ FM Dar said the nation saluted the prime minister for his dynamic leadership that ensured economic turnaround.

Enumerating the downward trends in the inflation and interest rates, he resolved that the government was striving for the economic empowerment.

Referring to the Indian aggression, he said Pakistan defeated an enemy boasted of its armed power and regional net security provider, adding “That myth was buried on May 10.”

Dar further said that they used to hear that Pakistan had been diplomatically isolated in the past but under the current leadership, the country had established its footprints on the world diplomatic canvas.

They had successfully hosted the global events and also secured 182 votes for the UNSC non-permanent seat, he added.

The DPM/FM lauded the Pakistani diaspora in the UK for cementing the bonds between the two countries, and contributing towards the national economy.

He said Pakistan was a climate change vulnerable country and they were devising projects so that in the coming years, the country could be able to cope with the challenge.

Dar said they were raising voice for the equality and justice, because the climate change was a matter of justice, not only for Pakistan but for any country suffering from the emissions worldwide.

Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, in his remarks, said that Pakistani diaspora had been a valuable asset for the country.

He said status of the overseas Pakistanis had been raised in the international community due to the achievements made by the incumbent government.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the incumbent government faced numerous challenges including the economic situation, but it had made significant strides and moving in the right direction.

He said overseas Pakistanis’ major contributions, including those residing in the Gulf countries, led to over 38 billion dollars remittances which was major lifeline for the country’s economy. The minister said Pakistan had inflicted a crushing and unprecedented defeat on India which had never witnessed in the history.

He also termed Pakistan-KSA defence agreement as a landmark achievement, and said that both the civilian and the military leadership were taking the country forward on the path of economic prosperity.

Chairman Overseas Pakistani Foundation Qamar Raza appreciated the prime minister’s keen involvement in the resolution of overseas Pakistanis.

The global landscape has transformed for Pakistan following its victory over India. After securing a trade deal with the United States and a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s international position has strengthened dramatically.

These two achievements — the commercial understanding with the US and the defence pact with Saudi Arabia — are significant diplomatic wins credited largely to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also played a crucial role, defending Pakistan’s case with courage and resolve on the diplomatic front.

On 6 May, India launched an attack on Pakistan. The aggression continued for three days. On the morning of 10 May, within just four hours, Pakistan forced India to submit. Pakistan cleared up all previous misunderstandings between the two countries. In this conflict Pakistan made full use of its air force and cyber capabilities. This was one of the largest combined air-and-cyber campaigns in modern history. Pakistan won this war through sound strategy and, as many believe, divine assistance. The result of the conflict has completely altered Pakistan’s standing on the global stage.

After the war, Pakistan emerged in the eyes of the world as a powerful nation with a strong military. As days passed, international pathways opened up for Pakistan. Challenges that Pakistan had long faced on the world stage began to appear more navigable; Pakistan now walks those paths with pride and confidence. Countries that previously kept a wary distance — in the United States, Europe, and parts of the Middle East — began to view ties with Pakistan as a matter of honour and pride.

First, the trade deal with the United States was concluded, and then a defence agreement was signed with Saudi Arabia. These two milestones on the international front have substantially reshaped Pakistan’s regional position.

Where once only countries like China and Turkey stood steadfastly with Pakistan, now a respected nation such as Saudi Arabia will stand alongside it. That Saudi Arabia would help protect the Two Holy Mosques (Haramain Sharifain) is a particular honour for Pakistan, which, as the only Muslim country with nuclear capability, sees this as both a responsibility and a distinction. Protecting the sanctity of the holy places is a desire shared by Muslims worldwide, and many view the role entrusted to Pakistan as a blessing.

Those who wished to isolate Pakistan internationally — hoping to create situations like those seen in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Nepal — are now facing humiliation and retreat. During the Pakistan–India conflict, a certain segment also propagated disinformation against Pakistan; their attempts have been exposed and discredited.

I recall that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Marriyum Aurangzeb once visited Saudi Arabia for an official visit. Upon arriving at the Prophet’s Mosque, some members of a group raised slogans against them.

The Saudi government took notice, arrested ten individuals, and sentenced them to six-year terms. Later, when Prime Minister Sharif met the Saudi Crown Prince, he recommended these Pakistanis be released, and they were freed on his intervention. Today, by God’s will, the same Shehbaz Sharif receives military-protocol reception for warplanes in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan faces a major problem of terrorism, and the state has now decided to eliminate it. The government’s policy for eradicating terrorism is clear. The repatriation of Afghan refugees is part of that effort. Whether it is the sedition instigated by India or the fitna of extremists, removing these threats is now the state’s top priority. Afghan nationals have been found directly involved in several terrorist attacks in Pakistan; consequently, Pakistan has decided on an indiscriminate return of Afghan refugees.

Afghanistan itself will now need to reassess its policies. The current interim Afghan administration is not yet recognised by the world; Pakistan — as a neighbouring country that has repeatedly supported Afghanistan in difficult times — has played a major role in the region. Afghanistan’s interim leaders understand that, without Pakistan’s cooperation, their international relevance is limited.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made it clear that Afghanistan’s interim government must choose whether to align with external forces or to maintain good relations with Pakistan.

In the past, U.S. policy toward Pakistan was often strict, but after this war the U.S. is taking a tougher stance against India and is adopting a more accommodating approach toward Pakistan. On multiple occasions, U.S. leaders have praised Pakistan’s leadership. This represents a success for Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Today, Pakistan is achieving the stature it was meant to have among nations. The forces that have tried to weaken Pakistan are steadily retreating, and the country is advancing day by day toward new milestones of progress. Pakistan has decided to leave its troubled past behind and move forward.

The current leadership’s policies are clear and uncompromising: Pakistan will no longer ask the world for aid; it will trade and engage as an equal.

A nation that defeated a rival five times its size should not extend a hand in supplication on the world stage. From now on, Pakistan must hold its head high. Its future is bright, with many opportunities ahead — though those opportunities require sustained, strong continuity. Those who attempt to sow discord will once again be humbled, for there is little room left in Pakistan for negative thinking or those who undermine the nation’s progress.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has prolonged its airspace restrictions for all Indian-registered and Indian-operated aircraft, including military flights, for another month, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Friday.

A fresh NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the PAA confirmed that the ban applies to commercial airlines, private aircraft registered in India, and Indian military planes, preventing them from entering Pakistani airspace.

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until August 24

The move is part of a series of tit-for-tat measures between the two countries following escalating tensions earlier this year. Pakistan first imposed the airspace closure after India unilaterally suspended the decades-old Indus Water Treaty in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK). In response to Pakistan’s action, India shut its airspace to Pakistani carriers on April 30.

Initially set for a limited period, Pakistan’s ban was extended on May 23, and with the latest renewal, the restriction has now been in place for a total of 210 days.

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KARACHI: India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that it was analysing the “implications” of the recent mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for its own national security.

Pakis­tan and Saudi Arabia entered into a landmark mutual defence agreement.

Pakistan, KSA sign Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement

In a statement issued on today’s development, the Indian MEA said: “We will study the implications of this development for our national security as well as for regional and global stability. The government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains.”

It added that the Indian government was already aware that the development, which it said “formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries”, was under consideration.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

DUBAI: Pakistan lodged a complaint on Monday with cricket’s governing body about the match referee in their Asia Cup clash with India after simmering tensions between the countries spilled over into sport.

India beat their arch-rivals by seven wickets on Sunday in Dubai as the neighbours met for the first time in cricket since their military conflict in May.

Tensions simmered after the match as India’s players left the field without shaking hands.

Pakistan blamed the India side and also allege match referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe told captain Salman Agha not to shake the hand of India skipper Suryakumar Yadav before the game. There was no handshake between the captains.

“The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the match referee of the ICC code of conduct and the MCC laws pertaining to the spirit of cricket,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi wrote on social media.

The PCB demanded the immediate removal of Pycroft from the remainder of the regional T20 tournament.

The International Cricket Council has been contacted for comment.

In his post-match press conference, Suryakumar said his team acted on the advice of the Indian government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“We are aligned with the Indian government and the BCCI,” said Suryakumar when asked why his team did not shake hands with the Pakistan players.

As a protest, Pakistan did not send their captain Agha to post-match duties.

The two teams are likely to meet again in a Super Four match in Dubai on Sunday, provided Pakistan win their last group game against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

They can also meet for a third time in the September 28 final in Dubai if results go their way.

India and Pakistan were playing for the first time since cross-border hostilities in May left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire.

The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing, a charge Islamabad denies.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan has stated that India did not use the established channel of the Indus Waters Commission for informing Pakistan about water levels in rivers during the devastating floods.

“India provided limited information or shared alerts about water levels in various rivers through diplomatic channels. India did not provide detailed information or data, although it is bound to do so under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT),” said the spokesperson.

While addressing the regular weekly media briefing on Friday, the spokesperson responded that the government has yet to make any decision on launching an international appeal for donations to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts for the flood victims, saying that modalities for this appeal are currently being worked out by the authorities concerned.

Pakistan presses India for full flood data, cites gaps in Indus Treaty compliance

Replying to another query, Shafqat Ali Khan said that repeated Israeli aggressions against Muslim countries pose a danger to regional and international peace and stability. He confirmed that Pakistan will attend the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha on September 15 to develop a joint plan in response to Israel’s recent brazen attacks in Qatar. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the summit.

The spokesperson asserted that Pakistan is fully capable of responding with resolute force to any misadventure. He; however, declined to comment on specifics of the Israeli prime minister’s statement, saying, “Frankly speaking, we do not respond to statements from proponents of genocide.”

Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli aggression against the brotherly country of Qatar. This highly provocative and reckless action constitutes a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, as well as, international law, the UN Charter, and the established norms governing interstate relations.

Pakistan expresses its complete solidarity with the brotherly State of Qatar against this unprovoked and unlawful aggression. This reckless action by Israel is yet another manifestation of its continued disregard for international peace and security, and its policy of destabilizing the region.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that such impunity must not be tolerated by the international community. “We reaffirm our principled position in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar and call upon the international community to hold Israel accountable. Pakistan will continue to stand shoulder by shoulder with the brotherly people and the leadership of Qatar in defense of their national sovereignty and security,” the spokesperson added.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif undertook an official visit to the State of Qatar to express solidarity with the people and the leadership of the State of Qatar in the wake of the recent Israeli attack on Doha. During his visit, the Prime Minister held a very warm and cordial meeting with the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The spokesperson underscored that President Asif Zardari’s visit to China was planned and scheduled a long time ago. Regarding the role of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister in talks with Afghanistan on terrorism, he clarified that foreign affairs are the exclusive domain of the federal government.

The Annual UN General Assembly session was acknowledged as a very important event, and the composition of the Pakistani delegation is being finalised.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025