Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters

Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters
(From left to right:) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, Chief on the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik gesture during the inauguration of the National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center Headquarters at the ISI Headquarters in Islamabad on May 6, 2025. (PID)
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Updated 06 May 2025
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Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters

Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters
  • Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
  • Islamabad denied the charged and both countries have since exchanged gunfire, taken diplomatic measures against each other and expelled citizens

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency where he was briefed on the country’s preparations against a “conventional threat” from India, Sharif’s office said, amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. The Pakistan military has conducted two missile tests since the standoff, with Islamabad saying it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Sharif’s office said his visit to the ISI headquarters entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for conventional threat in the light of India’s “increasingly aggressive and provocative posture along Pakistan’s eastern border,” regional developments and the evolving threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid warfare tactics and militant proxies.
“The prime minister and accompanying dignitaries underscored the imperative of heightened national vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and reinforced operational readiness to deter and decisively respond to any violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif’s office said.
“The leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats— conventional or otherwise.”
India’s interior ministry has asked several states to conduct mock security drills on May 7 to ensure civil preparedness, a government source told Reuters. They did not say which states or mention Pakistan.
The drills will include air raid warning sirens, evacuation plans and training people to respond in case of any attacks, added the source, who asked not to be named.
Separately, Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated his country’s National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (NIFTAC) Headquarters. It integrates over 50 federal and provincial departments and agencies into a unified intelligence and threat management architecture supported by a centralized national database. At the sub-national level, the platform is linked to six provincial intelligence and threat assessment hubs, including those in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure seamless coordination between the federation and provinces.
“This integrated framework is designed to harmonize intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational responses across multiple domains,” Sharif’s office said. “By leveraging the full spectrum of institutional capabilities, NIFTAC will enhance national preparedness, optimize resource utilization, and enable a coherent and timely counterterrorism response.”
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in its northwest by religiously motivated militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban. The South Asian country has also been faced with a decades-long insurgency by Baloch separatists in its southwest, which has intensified in recent months.
On Tuesday, seven Pakistani army soldiers were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan’s military said in a statement.
Sharif was accompanied by federal ministers and services chiefs at Tuesday’s inauguration of the NIFTAC headquarters, which will coordinate Pakistan’s national counterterrorism strategy. He commended all stakeholders involved in operationalizing this vital capability and described NIFTAC as a quintessential national platform for collaborative threat assessment and response.
“Dismantling the nexus between terrorism, illicit networks, and external sponsorship requires robust and efficient institutional mechanisms,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“[NIFTAC] will play a pivotal role in uprooting terrorism and its support structures from the country.”


Pakistani pilgrims praise Saudi Arabia’s ‘impressive’ Hajj 2025 arrangements

Pakistani pilgrims praise Saudi Arabia’s ‘impressive’ Hajj 2025 arrangements
Updated 07 June 2025
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Pakistani pilgrims praise Saudi Arabia’s ‘impressive’ Hajj 2025 arrangements

Pakistani pilgrims praise Saudi Arabia’s ‘impressive’ Hajj 2025 arrangements
  • More than 115,000 Pakistani pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj pilgrimage this year
  • Pilgrims praise Riyadh for heat mitigation efforts, arranging separate facilities for women

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pilgrims on Saturday heaped praise on the government of Saudi Arabia for undertaking “impressive” arrangements for pilgrims during this year’s Hajj.

The comments by Pakistani Hajj pilgrims were shared by the country’s Ministry of Religious Affairs on Saturday as Muslims marked the beginning of Eid Al-Adha in Pakistan and other parts of the world.

More than 115,000 Pakistani pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia this year under both the government scheme and private tour operators to perform Hajj.

“I had a very good Hajj experience,” Nadia Sarfaraz, a Pakistani pilgrim from Karachi, said in a video message. “Everything went smoothly and we have no complaints against anyone. The Saudi government is providing support here and our own [Pakistan’s] government is helping a lot too,” she added.

Rabia Babar, a Pakistani pilgrim from Islamabad, praised the Saudi government for facilitating pilgrims, especially women, throughout the Hajj.

“There are separate lifts for women. In Muzdalifah, where we spent the night, the area was fully carpeted,” she said.

This year’s Hajj saw authorities implementing a range of heat mitigation efforts alongside a wide-ranging crackdown on illicit pilgrims — resulting in noticeably thinner crowds and a heavy security presence at holy sites in Makkah and surrounding areas.

“There were [water] coolers and drinking water available everywhere,” Babar said. “They had large refrigerators, and they were providing us water bottles and even shower facilities.”

Faraz Latif, a Pakistani pilgrim who had arrived in the Kingdom from the southwestern city of Quetta, praised both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for undertaking impressive arrangements for Hajj pilgrims.

He said maintaining cleanliness was pilgrims’ responsibility, urging them to learn patience and adopt it in their lives even after the Hajj was over.

 “It will help you not just during Hajj but throughout your life,” Latif said.

The first Pakistani flight carrying Hajj pilgrims back to the country is scheduled to arrive in Karachi on June 11.


As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive

As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive
Updated 07 June 2025
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As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive

As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive
  • Falooda is made with vermicelli in cold milk, softened basil seeds and generous scoops of vanilla or kulfi ice cream
  • Final touch is a fragrant pour of rose syrup, turning concoction into a pink-hued celebration of summer and Eid

ISLAMABAD: With sacrificial goats commanding million-rupee price tags this Eid Al-Adha, many in Pakistan’s capital are seeking solace not in the livestock markets, but in a humbler tradition: a chilled bowl of falooda — a silky, rose-scented dessert layered with ice cream, nostalgia, and just enough sweetness to lift a heat- and inflation-weary soul.

A dessert with Persian roots, falooda made its way to South Asia during the Mughal era, evolving from a frozen, rose-infused noodle pudding in Iran to the vibrant, multi-textured treat beloved across Pakistan today.

At its best, falooda is an edible symphony, a tangle of thin vermicelli swimming in cold milk, softened basil seeds (tukhmalanga) floating like miniature pearls, and a generous scoop of vanilla or kulfi ice cream crowning the glass. The final touch is a fragrant pour of rose syrup, turning the whole concoction into a pink-hued celebration of summer — and now Eid.

Nowhere is this more evident than at Bata Kulfi Falooda, a small, family-run dessert shop in Islamabad’s bustling I-8 Markaz marketplace.

There, amid the clatter of spoons and the hum of Eid shoppers, customers line up for what’s become a seasonal staple, the shop’s signature Matka Falooda, served in traditional clay bowls that keep the dessert ice-cold, even under the blazing June sun.

“We first opened in Peshawar [northwestern city] in 1962,” said Shah Faisal, the shop’s manager, as he rushed between customers to take orders. “In 2015, we brought the same taste to Islamabad. Nothing has changed. The ingredients, the method, even the feel of it, it all comes from Peshawar.”

During Eid week, Bata Kulfi Falooda’s signature Matka Falooda becomes more than a dessert. It’s a celebration in a bowl.

“It’s a memory in every bite,” said Muhammad Kamil, a 27-year-old student who had just returned from a livestock market, saying he was stunned by the jaw-dropping prices.

“Right at the entrance, we saw a goat priced at Rs1.5 million [$5,350]. A little further in, there was a sheep for Rs2 million [$7,140],” Kamil said as he waited for his bowl of falooda.

“After seeing a goat worth Rs1.5 million, only ice cream could cool us down, otherwise it would’ve been hard to keep the spirit of sacrifice alive.”

Determined to celebrate in his own way, Kamil turned to falooda, at a far more palatable Rs450 ($1.60) per bowl.

What drew him in, he said, was the comforting presentation: the cold earthen bowl, the soft noodles slicked with syrup, and the melting scoop of ice cream sinking slowly into the milky depths. He’s even considering gifting bowls of it to friends this Eid.

Indeed, with families across Islamabad and beyond rethinking how to celebrate Eid this year, it may not be the size of the goat that sets the mood but rather the shared sweetness of something simple, familiar, and deeply rooted in tradition.

So, while this Eid may see fewer families walking home from markets with goats in tow, many are still finding ways to savor the spirit of the season with a humble bowl of falooda, which is doing more than just cooling people down — it’s lifting spirits, one spoonful at a time.

According to shop manager Faisal, falooda easily outpaces even their famous kulfi in popularity during the Eid holidays.

“In this heat and with everything getting so expensive, people still want something festive,” he said. “And falooda brings joy that doesn’t cost a fortune.”


Pakistan PM exchanges Eid greetings with world leaders, thanks them for support during India crisis

Pakistan PM exchanges Eid greetings with world leaders, thanks them for support during India crisis
Updated 07 June 2025
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Pakistan PM exchanges Eid greetings with world leaders, thanks them for support during India crisis

Pakistan PM exchanges Eid greetings with world leaders, thanks them for support during India crisis
  • Shehbaz Sharif speaks to leaders of Jordan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Qatar, Uzbekistan
  • Vows to enhance bilateral cooperation and strengthen ties further, says Sharif’s office

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings with the leaders of the Muslim nations of Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Tajikistan and Malaysia, thanking them for their efforts to bring about peace during Islamabad’s conflict with New Delhi last month.

Pakistan marked Eid Al-Adha, one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar, on Saturday. Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday in Pakistan and around the world by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and the meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor.

Sharif conveyed Eid greetings to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, his family and the people of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

“The Prime Minister thanked President Ilham Aliyev, once again for Azerbaijan’s unwavering support to Pakistan during the recent Pakistan-India crisis, that demonstrated the strong bonds of brotherhood between the two countries,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.

The Pakistani premier also exchanged Eid greetings and similar calls with Qatar’s emir, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Jordan’s King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein.

Sharif’s office said the Pakistani prime minister and these leaders vowed to enhance their bilateral cooperation and further strengthen ties.

Nuclear-armed nations India and Pakistan engaged in the worst fighting between them since 1999 last month before US President Donald Trump announced he had brokered a ceasefire on May 10.


Pakistan reiterates desire to resolve outstanding issues with India via dialogue

Pakistan reiterates desire to resolve outstanding issues with India via dialogue
Updated 07 June 2025
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Pakistan reiterates desire to resolve outstanding issues with India via dialogue

Pakistan reiterates desire to resolve outstanding issues with India via dialogue
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif exchanges Eid greetings with Malaysian counterpart, discusses strengthening bilateral ties
  • Pakistan and India engaged in worst fighting between nuclear-armed neighbors since 1999 for four days last month

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reiterated his country’s desire to resolve its outstanding issues with India, state-run media reported, as tensions simmer between the two neighbors following their armed conflict last month.

India and Pakistan engaged in the worst fighting between the two countries since 1999, raising fears of the prospects of an all-out nuclear war. After both countries traded heavy fire for four days, pounding each other with missiles, fighter jets and drone strikes, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between them on May 10.

Speaking to his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the phone, Sharif thanked him for Kuala Lumpur’s “support and balanced stance” during Pakistan’s conflict with India.

“The prime minister underscored that Pakistan had always strived for regional peace and stability,” state-run Radio Pakistan said. “He reiterated that Pakistan was ready for dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.”

Sharif separately wrote on social media account X that he looks forward to Islamabad and Kuala Lumpur deepening and strengthening their bilateral ties.

“I greatly look forward to my visit to Malaysia later this year,” he wrote.

India and Pakistan, bitter rivals since they gained independence in 1947 from British rule, have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

Both countries administer Kashmir in parts but claim the region entirely. Pakistan accuses India of occupying Kashmir and denying its people their right to self-determination. It regularly calls on India to abide by the United Nations Security Council resolutions and hold a transparent plebiscite in the territory.

India, on the other hand, accuses Pakistan of arming and funding militant separatists in the part of Kashmir it administers. Islamabad has denied the allegations and says it extends only diplomatic and moral support to the people of Indian-administered Kashmir.


Pakistan’s Punjab deploys over 43,000 police personnel for security on Eid Al-Adha

Pakistan’s Punjab deploys over 43,000 police personnel for security on Eid Al-Adha
Updated 07 June 2025
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Pakistan’s Punjab deploys over 43,000 police personnel for security on Eid Al-Adha

Pakistan’s Punjab deploys over 43,000 police personnel for security on Eid Al-Adha
  • Punjab Police places province on “high alert” amid deteriorating security situation across Pakistan
  • Police personnel deployed to secure 28,074 mosques and 890 open-air Eid prayer venues, says report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Punjab has deployed over 43,000 police officers and personnel across the province for the Eid Al-Adha holidays, state-run media reported, with police placing the province on high alert amid the prevalent security situation in the country.

As per a report in the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Friday, the police personnel have been deployed to secure 28,074 mosques and 890 open-air Eid prayer venues.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent months. Scores of citizens have been killed in the past in militant attacks that have targeted mosques and tourist destinations on public holidays.

“According to the Punjab Police spokesperson, a comprehensive security strategy has been formulated to ensure the safety of mosques, Imambargahs, Eid congregations, and the general public,” APP said on Friday.

The report said 445 Quick Response Force (QRF) teams will be stationed to enhance security readiness while 11,912 metal detectors, 225 walk-through gates and 10,466 CCTV cameras will be utilized during Eid prayers.

In Punjab’s provincial capital Lahore, over 9,000 personnel will be assigned to secure more than 5,000 Eid gatherings, the spokesperson confirmed.

“Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar has ordered heightened security measures for Eid-ul-Adha, citing the current national security situation,” the report said.

Additional police will be deployed at parks and recreational spots during the Eid holidays to ensure public safety.

The Punjab Police chief also issued a strict warning against one-wheeling, aerial firing, kite flying and rowdy behavior, the report said, stating such acts will not be tolerated.

He stressed all mosques, Imambargahs and Eid grounds must be thoroughly checked and cleared before Eid prayers. High-security mosques and Imambargahs (in category A) will have snipers posted on rooftops while plainclothes commandos will be deployed inside Eid congregations, the report said.

“The IG [inspector-general] also directed the Additional IG Traffic to personally oversee the traffic management plan across Punjab, ensuring smooth flow of traffic during Eid,” APP said.

It said police have been ordered to take preventive measures to combat street crimes and highway robberies, while extra personnel will be posted at key locations to maintain traffic flow during the holidays.

“Special instructions have been issued to ensure tourist safety in Murree and other tourist destinations,” it said. “Authorities are required to enforce SOPs for vehicle entry and exit in Murree, the IG added.”