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Indian pilgrims at Sikh holy site in Pakistan urge peace as ties plummet

Indian pilgrims at Sikh holy site in Pakistan urge peace as ties plummet
Indian Sikh pilgrims hold their palms in respect as they visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan November 9, 2019. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 28 April 2025
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Indian pilgrims at Sikh holy site in Pakistan urge peace as ties plummet

Indian pilgrims at Sikh holy site in Pakistan urge peace as ties plummet
  • Ties have plunged since New Delhi accused Islamabad of being behind latest attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
  • Visiting Sikh pilgrims from India call on Islamabad and New Delhi to sit together and resolve bilateral tensions
Updated 28 April 2025
Reuters
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KARTARPUR, PAKISTAN: Sikh pilgrims from India visiting the Kartarpur Darbar Sahib shrine in Pakistan called for peace recently as tensions between the two nations escalated.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors flared after a deadly militant attack on April 22 that killed at least 26 people, including tourists. India says two of the three militants involved were from Pakistan. Islamabad has denied any involvement.
After the attack, New Delhi suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan unilaterally, recalled defense staff, announced the closure of the main land Attari-Wagah border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew special visas for Pakistani nationals. In response, Islamabad ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, canceling the visas for Indian nationals with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
“Small fights and disputes happen in every home. India and Pakistan are our homes,” Lovejeet Singh, a Sikh pilgrim from India’s Punjab state, said on Saturday. He stressed the need for peace and unity between the two states.
“Let’s solve these problems together; nothing is more important than humanity. These are small issues, let’s sit together and find solutions.”
The Kartarpur Corridor, a rare visa-free crossing point opened in 2019, has allowed Indian devotees to visit one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines despite strained political relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.
According to international news agency AFP, troops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for the fourth night in a row on Sunday.
Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries control parts of it but claim it in full and have fought two wars over the Himalayan territory.
Manjit Singh, another Sikh pilgrim from India, also called for ignoring tensions and moving toward peace.
“The tension should be completely removed and the brotherhood (between India and Pakistan) should flourish,” he said.
 

Topics: Sikh pilgrims India Pakistan Ties Pahalgam attack

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Blast kills three, injures 11 in Pakistan’s restive southwest

Blast kills three, injures 11 in Pakistan’s restive southwest
Updated 18 May 2025
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Blast kills three, injures 11 in Pakistan’s restive southwest

Blast kills three, injures 11 in Pakistan’s restive southwest
  • The explosives were planted on a vehicle and were detonated at a market next to a security forces’ camp in the Killa Abdullah district
  • No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack that came two days after Pakistani Taliban said they had killed four troops
Updated 18 May 2025
Saadullah Akhtar

QUETTA: At least three people were killed and 11 others wounded after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in a border district in Pakistan southwestern Balochistan province, a government official said on Sunday.

The blast took place inside a market next to a security forces camp in Gulistan town of Killa Abdullah district, located close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The explosives were planted on a vehicle and were detonated at around 8:30pm, according to Killa Abdullah Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Riaz Dawar.

“Majority of the shops inside the market were closed when the blast hit the market,” Dawar told Arab News.

“A wall of the security forces’ camp was also partially damaged due to the intensity of the blast.”

The bodies and injured were shifted to hospital. Two of the wounded persons were brought to Trauma Center in Quetta who were in stable condition and undergoing treatment, according to Dr. Arbab Kamran Kasi.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Gulistan town that is situated close to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

Pakistan is currently battling twin insurgencies: one led my religiously motivated groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), mainly in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and the other by ethno-nationalist Baloch separatist groups in Balochistan.

The TTP and Daesh have also maintained some presence in Balochistan.

The latest attack comes two days after the TTP said it had targeted a security check post in Balochistan’s Khuzdar that killed four members of the Levies paramilitary force.

In Jan. 2025, Pakistan’s military said security forces had thwarted an attack on a paramilitary force’ camp in Gulistan, killing two suicide bombers among five attackers.

Topics: militancy in Pakistan Balochistan Attacks

Pakistan to send high-level delegation to key world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’

Pakistan to send high-level delegation to key world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’
Updated 18 May 2025
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Pakistan to send high-level delegation to key world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’

Pakistan to send high-level delegation to key world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’
  • New Delhi last month accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindus
  • Pakistan denies complicity and reached out to world powers before a limited-scale military standoff with India began this month
Updated 18 May 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to send a high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose ‘Indian propaganda’ against Islamabad, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, days after a ceasefire deal was reached with New Delhi.

New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindus, on April 22. Islamabad has denied complicity and called for a credible, international probe into the assault.

Tensions over the attack last week led the nuclear-armed neighbors into a military conflict, the worst between them in decades, with both countries attacking each other with drones, missiles and artillery and killing around 70 people on both sides.

The conflict began when India struck what it said were “terrorist camps” in multiple Pakistan cities on May 7, alarming world powers that the standoff could spiral into a full-blown war. US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10, which has since held.

“The delegation will visit London, Washington, Paris and Brussels to highlight India’s disinformation campaign and its attempts to destabilize regional peace,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster said, adding Sharif has tasked ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari with leading the body.

“It will also underscore Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region.”

Members of the high-level body include Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir, Senator Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua and Jalil Abbas Jilani.

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety but rule it in part.

India has long battled an insurgency on the side it rules by armed separatists fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing the militants, Islamabad says it only offers political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris.

The region has long been described as the “nuclear flashpoint” of South Asia and last week prompted President Trump to offer Washington’s mediation to resolve the issue.

Separately, Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar will travel to China on Monday for a two day visit to discuss “evolving regional situation,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.

“The two sides will also review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” it said in a statement.

Dar told parliament on May 7, hours after aerial combat between the two sides, that Islamabad used Chinese jets against India, with Beijing’s ambassador called to his office over the deployment.

“At 4am in the morning, the whole Chinese team, led by their ambassador, was present at the foreign office,” Dar told the parliament.

“We apprised them about all the developments taken place until that time.”

US President Donald Trump announced a surprise truce on May 10, which appears to be holding over a week later.

While Islamabad stated earlier this week that the ceasefire would last until Sunday, the Indian army said there was no expiry date to the agreement.

Topics: Pakistan India clash Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony

Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony
Updated 18 May 2025
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Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony

Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony
  • Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass
  • Ten days after he became first US head of 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see the mass in St. Peter’s Square
Updated 18 May 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Yousuf Raza Gillani, chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday attended the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said, in a show of Islamabad’s commitment to promoting interfaith harmony.

Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass, attended by dignitaries including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance.

Ten days after he became the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see his inaugural mass in St. Peter’s Square, according to the Vatican.

Gillani’s presence at the mass highlighted Pakistan’s respect for the Catholic community worldwide and its dedication to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among diverse religious traditions.

“Gillani is scheduled to engage in bilateral meetings with Vatican officials and international counterparts to discuss shared interests, including the promotion of peace, protection of minority rights, and the advancement of interfaith collaboration,” the PID said.

“Pakistan remains steadfast in its advocacy for religious tolerance and coexistence, and Chairman Gillani’s participation in this significant event reaffirms the nation’s role in promoting global understanding and harmony.”

Before the mass began, the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost delighted the crowds by taking to the popemobile for the first time, smiling, waving and blessing those he passed.

In his homily, the soft-spoken 69-year-old returned to the themes of peace, reconciliation and social justice that have marked his first few days as pope.

“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” he said.

After two decades spent as missionary in Peru, the new pope — who was only made a cardinal in 2023 — is unknown to many Catholics.

But many of those gathered in St. Peter’s Square said they liked what they had heard so far.

Maria Grazia La Barbera, 56, a pilgrim from Palermo in Sicily, said Leo was “the right person at the right time” to lead the Church.

“He will certainly do what he promised: knocking down walls and building bridges,” she said.
— With additional input from AFP

Topics: Yousuf Raza Gillani Chairman Senate Pakistan Vatican City Pope Leo XIV

At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan

At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan
Updated 18 May 2025
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At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan

At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan
  • Sporadic rainfall was witnessed in some areas as several trees were uprooted, roofs caved in and walls of some homes collapsed
  • Pakistan has seen erratic changes in weather leading to frequent heatwaves, untimely rains, cyclones and droughts in recent years
Updated 18 May 2025
REHMAT MEHSUD

ISLAMABAD: A child was killed and 11 people were injured as a thunderstorm hit upper parts of Pakistan on Sunday, a rescue official said.

The storm hit Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and adjacent districts in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and Punjab’s Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mianwali, Rawalpindi, Murree districts as well as the federal capital of Islamabad.

Sporadic rainfall was witnessed in these areas as several trees were uprooted, roofs caved in and walls of some homes collapsed because of strong gusts of winds.

“So far, one child lost their life and 11 people have been injured in Nowshera and Charsadda,” Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the KP Rescue 1122 service, said, adding that rescue teams were busy clearing affected areas.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) earlier warned citizens of temporary disruptions in power supply, cautioning citizens of potential hazards.

“Stay away from trees, billboards, and unsecured structures that could collapse,” it said. “Park vehicles in safe, covered areas and avoid unnecessary movement during storms.”

Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns which have led to frequent heat waves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones and droughts in recent years. Scientists have blamed the events on human-driven climate change.

In 2022, devastating floods, blamed on human-driven climate change, killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.

Topics: thunder storms rain rainfall

Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO

Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO
Updated 18 May 2025
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Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO

Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO
  • Agricultural recovery remained uneven as regions affected by the 2022 floods continued to struggle with livestock losses and economic constraints
  • Globally, over 295 million people across 53 countries, territories experienced acute levels of hunger in 2024, an increase of 13.7 million from 2023
Updated 18 May 2025
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: More than 11 million Pakistanis faced acute food insecurity between November 2024 and March 2025 amid erratic changes in Pakistan’s weather patterns, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report this week, as food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024.

Since 2017, flood-affected rural districts of Pakistan’s Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces as well as drought-affected areas in Balochistan and Sindh have witnessed persistent high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises.

While above-average rainfall supported agricultural production in Pakistan, abnormally heavy monsoon rains from July 2024 to September 2024 resulted in flooding and landslides in parts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, causing localized crop losses and damage to housing and agricultural infrastructure.

Agricultural recovery remained uneven as regions affected by the 2022 climate-induced floods continued to struggle with limited access to inputs, livestock losses and economic constraints in the South Asian country of over 240 million people.

“In Pakistan, 11 million people or 22 percent of the analyzed population were facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 68 flood-affected rural districts across Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the report read.

“This includes 1.7 million people in emergency.”

The FAO’s population coverage in Pakistan increased by 38 percent between 2024 and 2025, from 36.7 million people to 50.8 million, covering 25 additional districts.

The South Asian country ranks among the nations that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which scientists say is making extreme weather events more common and more severe.

A “severe” drought ravaged several crops in the country’s breadbasket this winter, with officials stressing the need to build more water reservoirs and restore wetlands. In 2022, devastating floods killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.

“Low female workforce participation also creates a substantial loss of income in Pakistan (24.3 percent), limiting households’ access to food,” the report said.

Globally, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger in 2024, an increase of 13.7 million from 2023, according to the report.

Conflict remained the top driver of acute food insecurity, affecting around 140 million people in 20 countries and territories. Famine has been confirmed in Sudan, while other hotspots, which have people experiencing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.

Economic shocks including inflation and currency devaluation, drove hunger in 15 countries affecting 59.4 million people — still nearly double pre-COVID-19 levels despite a modest decline from 2023. Some of the largest and most protracted food crises were primarily driven by economic shocks, including in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen.

“The 2025 Global Report on Food Crisis paints a staggering picture,” said Rein Paulsen, a senior FAO official.

“The main factors behind these increasing numbers are threefold. In the first instance, conflict and insecurity is the primary driver, remains the primary driver for acute food insecurity. Weather extremes is the second most important factor. And economic issues and challenges the third most important factor.

And the analysis shows, of course, that in many of the crisis contexts, these three factors are often overlapping.”

Malnutrition, particularly among children, reached extremely high levels, including in the Gaza Strip, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen. Nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

“When we talk about the most extreme form of acute hunger, what we classify as IPC five, as we are seeing in Gaza, as we are seeing in Sudan, as we are seeing in Haiti and Mali, that these contexts are all touched by conflict and violence in different ways,” Paulsen said.

“And in practical terms, what this often means is an inability to physically access people who are most urgently in need of assistance.”

Topics: Food insecurity Climate Change in Pakistan pakistan agriculture

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