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Pakistan Admits Mistakes in Handling Terror Groups

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khwaja asif

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Foreign Minister suggests action to escape embarrassment

Now it is official. Pakistan government has, for the first time, admitted the presence of terror groups in territory under its control and government’s inaction against them. Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif has asked his government to set its “house in order” for avoiding embarrassment in the international community.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, while talking to Geo News on Wednesday said, “We need to tell our friends that we have improved our house. We need to bring our house in order to prevent facing embarrassment on the international level.”

He clearly admitted that Pakistan had made some mistakes in the past and it should have not participated in the proxy war in Afghanistan during Zia-ul-Haq presidency. He was also quoted saying, “We need to break our false image. We have no stake but there is baggage. We need to accept the history and correct ourselves.”

Khwaja Asif also referred to China’s changing stance and remarked that “countries shouldn’t put pressure on countries they share a close relationship with.” 

Pakistan foreign minister’s statement reflects the severe pressure Islamabad is currently going through. The BRICS leaders, in their declaration issued last Monday, at the end of their 9th Summit held in Xiamen, China, named Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad as terror groups. Earlier US President Donald Trump had warned Pakistan that it must stop harbouring terrorist organisations.

Earlier on Tuesday, as part of Islamabad’s damage control exercise, Khwaja Asif inaugurated a three day envoys conference in Islamabad and set the tone of the brainstorming session aimed to find answers to the multiple challenges in fast-changing geo-political realities of the region and the world at large that Pakistan faces. The conference was attended by the ambassadors of US, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Afghanistan, Iran and India.

Meanwhile Islamabad based Pakistan Observer reports that Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir has, on Tuesday, said that his country has no “safe haven” for terrorists on its soil and rejected the declaration naming terrorist groups in the region by the leaders of member countries at the BRICS Summit in China on Monday.

Dastgir Said, “40% of Afghanistan is a safe haven for terrorists,” and added that “Pakistan has taken action against all groups on its soil and only the remnants of some are left.”

Meanwhile, Dawn, a leading newspaper, began its editorial on Wednesday saying, “The message is uniform from friend and foe alike: Pakistan’s tolerance for externally oriented militant groups is no longer acceptable and a serious national effort needs to be made if the country is to remain on the right side of international opinion.”

The daily admitted India’s diplomatic success at the BRICS Summit held in China a close friend of Pakistan. The daily said, “The presence of India in the five-nation bloc clearly influenced the language of the declaration in implicitly pointing towards Pakistan, but China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa will only have added their voices to the growing chorus of concern because of genuine considerations of their own.”

On the other hand, another leading newspaper The Dawn says in its editorial published on Wednesday said, “The BRICS declaration suggests an international trend that Pakistan cannot afford to ignore. The domestic fight against militancy must be made smarter, harder and more purposeful.”

Meanwhile, The Nation commented more on India’s diplomatic success at BRICS Summit. It said, “This war, to portray Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism – and hence delegitimize the Kashmiri struggle for freedom – has been going on in full force since Narendra Modi took the office of Prime Minister of India. It has now received a significant boost.”

Pointing to the Beijing’s shifting stance towards Pakistan, the daily said, “Considering that the summit contains China, was held in China, and was stage-managed by the Chinese president, this is crucially the first time Pakistan’s “all weather friend” has explicitly called out militant groups in the country – and tacitly Pakistan as well.”

The Nation recalled that it was “China’s firm support that had emboldened Pakistan to take a firm stance after US President Donald Trump’s scathing Afghanistan speech.” However, the daily expressed its surprise by saying “Now – this statement.”

Discussing about historic ties with China, the daily said that this “Change of public stance must surely concern Pakistan. Perhaps it is time to realise the China’s friendship is not really “higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the ocean”- it is only prudent.

Around the inauguration of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in November last year, Pakistani radio stations broadcast advertisements and jingles on the friendly ties between the two countries were described through “higher than Himalayas, deeper than the oceans” slogans.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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