Peace in South Asia to remain ‘a dream’ until Kashmir dispute is resolved— ex-Pakistan FM

Special Peace in South Asia to remain ‘a dream’ until Kashmir dispute is resolved— ex-Pakistan FM
Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari speaks to Arab News Pakistan in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 7, 2025. (AN Photo)
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Updated 08 May 2025
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Peace in South Asia to remain ‘a dream’ until Kashmir dispute is resolved— ex-Pakistan FM

Peace in South Asia to remain ‘a dream’ until Kashmir dispute is resolved— ex-Pakistan FM
  • Tensions between New Delhi, Islamabad soar after India’s strikes in Pakistani territory kill 31
  • Any sovereign nation would have no choice but to respond, says Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari this week said peace in South Asia will remain “but a dream” unless India and Pakistan resolve the issue of Kashmir, as tensions soared between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following India’s missile strikes in Pakistani territory. 

Bhutto-Zardari’s comments follow surging tensions between India and Pakistan after the former conducted missile strikes into the latter’s territory late Wednesday night, which Pakistan said killed 31 and injured 57. The Indian government said it struck nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites involved in planning a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. The assault took place on the tourist hill station of Pahalgam in the part of Kashmir governed by India, with 26 men killed.

The Pakistani military said six locations across its territory — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot, Shakargarh in the eastern province of Punjab and Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir — were targeted. Azad Kashmir is the part of the disputed Kashmir valley that is administered by Pakistan. In response, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had said five Indian planes and one combat drone that had attacked Pakistan were shot down, naming three Rafales and an MiG-29 and Su-57 each.

India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Both countries claim the territory in full but administer only parts of it. India accuses Pakistan of arming separatist militants in the part of Kashmir it governs, which Pakistan denies. Islamabad says it only extends moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. 

“This [Kashmir] is a disputed territory,” Bhutto-Zardari, who is also the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a key government coalition ally, told Arab News during an exclusive interview on Wednesday. 

“This is a dispute that India took to the United Nations. And until we get to the root cause, until we find a solution to the Kashmir question, until then I believe that peace in South Asia will be but a dream.”

Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan had called for a credible, international probe into the Pahalgam attack. However, he rejected India had leveled unfounded allegations at Pakistan “without any supporting evidence.”

“All over the world it is known you’re innocent until proved guilty,” the PPP leader said. “Accuse me of a crime but produce the evidence and at least have a trial.”

He criticized the Indian government for becoming “judge, jury and executioner,” adding that its military strikes had targeted innocent civilians and children.

“They violated Pakistan’s sovereign territory,” the former foreign minister said. “Any sovereign nation on the planet would have no choice but to respond in such a circumstance.”

Pakistan has vowed that it has the right to respond to India’s military strikes as per international law. During his address to the nation on Wednesday night, Sharif warned India it would have to “pay the price” for striking Pakistan. His office said earlier on Wednesday that the country’s top national security body had authorized its armed forces to take “corresponding actions” in response to Indian strikes. 


Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys

Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys
Updated 12 sec ago
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Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys

Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys
  • Tensions between neighbors Pakistan, India remain high after they struck ceasefire on May 10
  • Pakistani delegation will present Islamabad’s position on Pakistan’s recent conflict with India

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Pakistani delegation set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week briefed members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the United Nations, calling for the resumption of a “comprehensive dialogue” with India to resolve the Kashmir dispute and other issues, Pakistan’s mission to the UN said. 

Led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the nine-member parliamentary delegation arrived in New York on Monday as the first stop in a diplomatic mission to present Pakistan’s position in world capitals following Islamabad’s recent military conflict with India. The group headed by Bhutto Zardari will visit New York, Washington DC, London and Brussels. Another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, will also visit Moscow.

Tensions between Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades. Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny.

The latest escalation last month took place following weeks of tensions after India blamed Pakistan for supporting an April 22 attack on the Kashmir territory it governs that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan denied involvement in the incident and called for an international probe. Both countries traded missiles, artillery fire and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

“He [Bhutto Zardari] reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, restraint, and diplomacy, and called for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, full respect for the ceasefire, and the resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India, with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute at its core,” Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday. 

Following the attack at the Pahalgam tourist resort in April, India suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The move drew a sharp response from Islamabad, which said any attempts to divert or stop the flow of its waters by India would be considered an “act of war.”

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

“Mr. Bhutto expressed grave concern at the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move that Pakistan considers a blatant act of weaponizing water and a violation of international and treaty obligations,” the statement said. 

The former Pakistani foreign minister thanked OIC countries for their efforts and role aimed at de-escalation, mediation and ceasefire during the conflict. He highlighted that the only path to peace was in dialogue, engagement and diplomacy.

“Mr. Bilawal Bhutto underlined that OIC has emerged as the moral conscience of the world in these difficult times and thanked the OIC member states for their steadfast support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said. 

The statement said that the OIC’s permanent representatives appreciated Pakistan’s briefing and reaffirmed their solidarity with the country. 

“They reiterated their concern over the worsening security situation in South Asia and stressed the importance of upholding the principles of the UN Charter and international law and in this regard, the sanctity of treaties, including the Indus Waters Treaty,” Pakistan’s permanent mission to the UN said. 


Over 100 inmates escape Karachi prison damaged by earthquake— official

Over 100 inmates escape Karachi prison damaged by earthquake— official
Updated 3 min 57 sec ago
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Over 100 inmates escape Karachi prison damaged by earthquake— official

Over 100 inmates escape Karachi prison damaged by earthquake— official
  • Prisoners managed to escape outer gate of Malir prison after it was damaged by tremors, says Sindh home minister
  • Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar says one prisoner was killed, five including inmates and police officials were injured during chaos

KARACHI: Over 100 inmates managed to escape from the Malir prison in Karachi late Monday night after the outer gate of the jail was damaged by tremors this week, a senior Sindh government official confirmed. 

Speaking to reporters late Monday night, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar said inmates panicked when tremors hit Karachi late Monday night. He said around 700 to 1,000 prisoners gathered outside their barracks near the jail’s outer gate in panic when the tremors shook the area.

Lanjar said it became difficult for jail authorities to control a mob of 700 to 1,000 prisoners near the gate, which had been damaged by the quake. 

“The gate which you can see behind me was damaged [by the earthquake] due to which the prisoners were able to escape,” the Sindh official told reporters. 

He said that while authorities were counting the number of prisoners who had escaped, as per initial estimates, around 80-100 prisoners had managed to flee. 

“As per what the deputy inspector general of police east has told me so far, so far 46 prisoners have been re-arrested,” Lanjar said, adding that around 18-20 prisoners were at large. 

He said no “hardened criminal” had managed to escape the jail following the late-night chaos. 

In response to a question, he said one prisoner had been killed in clashes with police during the jailbreak while five persons, including both prisoners and police officials, were injured. 


Pakistan to play in Sri Lanka at India-hosted Women’s World Cup

Pakistan to play in Sri Lanka at India-hosted Women’s World Cup
Updated 03 June 2025
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Pakistan to play in Sri Lanka at India-hosted Women’s World Cup

Pakistan to play in Sri Lanka at India-hosted Women’s World Cup
  • ICC introduced neutral venues to tournaments hosted by either neighboring India, Pakistan
  • Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan were last month involved in a four-day military conflict

NEW DELHI, India: Pakistan will play their matches at this year’s Women’s Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka under an International Cricket Council deal that allows them to avoid playing in host nation India.

The refusal of India to travel to Pakistan for the men’s Champions Trophy earlier this year resulted in the ICC introducing neutral venues to tournaments hosted by either of the neighboring countries.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan were last month involved in a four-day military conflict, their worst since 1999, before a ceasefire was agreed.

Sri Lanka’s Colombo will join Indian host cities Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam in staging matches from September 30 until the final of the 50-over tournament on November 2, the ICC announced late on Monday.

Colombo will be Pakistan’s home for seven group games.

The first semifinal will take place in either Guwahati or Colombo, if Pakistan progress that far, on October 29 with the second semifinal a day later in Bengaluru.

The final will be in either Bengaluru or Colombo on Sunday, November 2.

“The venues for the knockouts are dependent on Pakistan qualifying,” the ICC said in a statement.

“Two alternative venues have been identified for one semifinal and the final.”

Eight teams will contest the World Cup — Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Australia beat England by 71 runs in the final of the last Women’s World Cup, hosted by New Zealand in 2022.


Pakistan urges Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi directives on sacrifice, stoning of the devil

Pakistan urges Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi directives on sacrifice, stoning of the devil
Updated 03 June 2025
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Pakistan urges Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi directives on sacrifice, stoning of the devil

Pakistan urges Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi directives on sacrifice, stoning of the devil
  • Pilgrims throw pebbles at three pillars in Mina in symbolic stoning of devil as one of final rituals of Hajj
  • Pakistan Hajj mission advises pilgrims to carry out stoning during designated timings set by Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hajj Mission Makkah has advised the country’s pilgrims to follow the directives issued by Saudi Arabia concerning the stoning of the devil or “Rami Al-Jamarat’ and animal sacrifice rituals during the annual Islamic pilgrimage, state-run media reported on Monday. 

Hajj pilgrims take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil, which is among the final rites of the pilgrimage. Pilgrims throw pebbles at three pillars in Mina, performing the ritual during the three days of the Hajj starting on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. 

State broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that each Maktab will have designated timings for the act of stoning the devil on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. 

“Every ‘Nazim’ [administrator] is bound to ensure that the intending pilgrims perform this ritual as per their allocated time slot,” Radio Pakistan said. “Therefore, all pilgrims are advised to proceed in groups under the supervision of their ‘Nazim’ as per schedule.”

The state broadcaster also reported that the Saudi authorities have set the time for sacrificing animals for Pakistani Hujjaj on the night between the 10th and 11th of Dhul Hijjah at 12:30 am.

“Hence, all pilgrims are urged to complete the ‘Rami’ of the first day before midnight,” it said. “Pakistani Mission has strongly urged the Hujjaj to strictly follow these instructions to avoid any untoward situation.”

During the Hajj pilgrimage, which concludes this year on Monday, June 9, pilgrims are required to sacrifice an animal. 

Nearly 89,000 Pakistanis have traveled to Saudi Arabia under the government’s Hajj scheme and over 23,620 Pakistanis are performing the Hajj through private tour operators.
 


Pakistan Railways offers major discount in train fares on Eid Al-Adha

Pakistan Railways offers major discount in train fares on Eid Al-Adha
Updated 03 June 2025
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Pakistan Railways offers major discount in train fares on Eid Al-Adha

Pakistan Railways offers major discount in train fares on Eid Al-Adha
  • Pakistan has announced a four-day holiday on Eid Al-Adha from June 6 till June 9
  • The railways is also running five special Eid trains ahead of the three-day festival

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has announced a major discount in train fares during three days of Eid Al-Adha besides running five special trains ahead of the festival, Pakistani state media reported on Monday, citing the railways minister.

Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar. Muslims mark the festival by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and sharing their meat among family, friends and the poor.

The Pakistani government has announced a four-day holiday on Eid Al-Adha from June 6 till June 9, and hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis will be traveling to their hometowns to celebrate the occasion among their loved ones.

“Pakistan Railways will… offer a 20 percent discount on fares during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha,” the Pakistan Television (PTV) reported on Monday, citing Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi.

The announcement came hours after the first Eid special train left the southern port city of Karachi for Lahore on Monday. The second train will leave Quetta for Peshawar at 10am today, Tuesday, while the third will leave from Lahore to Karachi via Multan at 5pm.

The fourth train will depart from Karachi to Rawalpindi at 8pm on Tuesday, while the last special train will leave Karachi for Lahore at 8pm on June 4.

Abbasi shared that the department’s revenue had reached Rs83 billion ($294 million) due to improved operations over the last four months, according to the broadcaster.

He said a new passenger train will operate between Punjab’s Lahore and Narowal district, starting June 15.