Author: i2wtc

Listen to article QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is willing to sit across the table with “those who have been misled… who have been led astray” in Balochistan as he promised “social and economic justice” to the people of the impoverished province which has been caught up in a spiral of deadly violence since 2006. “We must strive to win back the people who were misled [by terrorists] to the wrong track. If there are any grievances, they should be resolved through dialogue in the spirit of brotherhood,” he said while referring to chronic grievances in the dirt-poor province which have been…

The Palestinian group Hamas has submitted its response to a United States-backed ceasefire proposal, but a leading official from the group said the proposed deal offered “no guarantees to end the war”. Speaking to Al Jazeera on Saturday, Basem Naim said that Hamas had still “responded positively” to the latest proposal relayed to it by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, despite the Palestinian group saying that the proposal was different to one it had agreed upon with Witkoff a week earlier. “One week ago, we agreed with Mr Witkoff on one proposal, and we said, ‘This is acceptable, we can…

Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Saturday for a one-day visit to attend a tribal Jirga and review the overall law and order situation in Balochistan. The prime minister’s visit is aimed at aligning political, tribal, and administrative efforts to further peace initiatives in the province. According to officials, Acting Governor of Balochistan Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, and other senior officials welcomed the prime minister upon his arrival. The visit holds significance in the context of direct consultations with the provincial leadership regarding security and stability. PM Shehbaz will participate in a special…

Russia has confirmed it will send a delegation to Istanbul, but Kyiv has not yet accepted the proposal.Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine have killed at least two people, according to officials, as Ukraine ordered the evacuation of 11 more villages in its Sumy region bordering Russia. Russian troops launched an estimated 109 drones and five missiles across Ukraine on Friday and overnight, the Ukrainian air force said on Saturday, adding that three of the missiles and 42 drones were destroyed and another 30 drones failed to reach their targets without causing damage. The attacks came amid uncertainty over…

Listen to article Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Saturday, expressing gratitude for Russia’s “positive neutrality” during the recent escalation between India and Pakistan. The 40-minute bilateral meeting took place ahead of a broader gathering at the Eurasian Forum, where leaders from China, Turkiye, South Korea, and Cambodia were also in attendance. Senator Mushahid, who was invited as the only Pakistani representative, delivered a keynote address at the forum, where he highlighted Pakistan’s desire for regional peace and greater Eurasian cooperation. During the meeting, Senator Mushahid expressed appreciation for Russia’s stance of “positive neutrality”…

Listen to article Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Saturday, expressing gratitude for Russia’s “positive neutrality” during the recent escalation between India and Pakistan. The 40-minute bilateral meeting took place ahead of a broader gathering at the Eurasian Forum, where leaders from China, Turkiye, South Korea, and Cambodia were also in attendance. Senator Mushahid, who was invited as the only Pakistani representative, delivered a keynote address at the forum, where he highlighted Pakistan’s desire for regional peace and greater Eurasian cooperation. During the meeting, Senator Mushahid expressed appreciation for Russia’s stance of “positive neutrality”…

Listen to article India’s military has officially confirmed the loss its fighter jets during the May clashes with Pakistan, marking the first official acknowledgment of air losses in the ongoing conflict. General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, disclosed the information in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Saturday, during the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. However, he denied Pakistan’s tally of six Indian jets being shot down, choosing not to specify the exact number of aircraft lost. “What is important is not the jet being down, but why they were being down,” Chauhan said.…

Saudi and Qatari efforts aim to stabilise Syria by funding public-sector salaries and boosting economic recovery plans.Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has said that the kingdom and Qatar will offer joint financial support to state employees in Syria. His statements came on Saturday during a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shibani in Damascus. The two Gulf nations have been among the most important regional supporters of Syria’s new authorities, who ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of war. Saturday’s statement did not provide details on the exact…

General Anil Chauhan appears to confirm India lost at least one aircraft during the brief conflict with Pakistan earlier this month.India’s chief of defence staff says the country suffered initial losses in the air during a recent military conflict with neighbouring Pakistan, but declined to give details. “What was important is, why did these losses occur, and what we will do after that,” General Anil Chauhan told the Reuters news agency on Saturday on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day conflict this month, their worst standoff since 1999,…

DUSHANBE: Rejecting the weaponisation of water, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday warned that Pakistan would not allow India to cross the red line by holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and endangering millions of lives for narrow political gains. “India’s unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus Basin’s water, is deeply regrettable. Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains, and Pakistan will not allow this. We will never allow the red line to be crossed,” the prime minister said, addressing the…