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Pakistan Angry Over New US Afghan Policy

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Pakistan Angry Over New US Afghan Policy

Asks senior US official to postpone Islamabad visit

Donald Trump’s new Afghan policy has caused severe rift in US ties with Pakistan. In an unprecedented move Islamabad has, on Sunday, asked US Acting Assistant Secretary Alice Wells to postpone her visit. She was supposed to land in Pakistan on Monday for a meeting with the civil and military leadership.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif had postponed his scheduled visit to Washington on August 25. Instead he is preparing to leave for Russia, China and Turkey for consultation.

US President, while unveiling his Afghan policy on Tuesday last, said, “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.  Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan.  It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists.”

He was also quoted saying, “We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting.  But that will have to change, and that will change immediately.”

During the landmark speech, Trump had appreciated India’s contribution in stability in Afghanistan and desired that New Delhi should extend more economic assistance for pursing “shared objectives” for peace and security in South Asia and broader “Indo-Pacific region.”

According to The Nation, US embassy spokesman Richard Snesire has confirmed the development saying, “At the request of the government of Pakistan, Acting Assistant Secretary Wells trip has been postponed until a mutually convenient time.”Pakistan Angry Over New US Afghan Policy

Pakistan’s Foreign Office statement has also said:  “At the request of the government of Pakistan, the visit of the US delegation has been postponed until a mutually convenient time.”

Alice Wells had earlier visited Islamabad during the first week of this month. She was expected to discuss President Donald Trump’s new Afghanistan policy with Pakistani leadership. Ms Wells is also Washington’s acting Special Representative for Afghanistan.

During her earlier introductory trip she held meetings with Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Finance Minister and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. She also visited New Delhi during that trip.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, during an interview with Bloomberg News in Karachi on Saturday, stressed the need for a political settlement in Afghanistan, saying that “like previous US plans President Donald Trump’s new strategy for the America’s longest-running war in that country will also fail.”

“From day one we have been saying very clearly the military strategy in Afghanistan has not worked and it will not work. We do not intend to allow anybody to fight Afghanistan’s battle on Pakistan’s soil” he said.

Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, while talking to Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) in Sialkot said that world should recognize the sacrifices of Pakistan to wipe out terrorism. “No country has done more than Pakistan to end terrorism and no country has suffered more than Pakistan,” he said.  He further said “We are minutely reviewing the new US strategy about Afghanistan and South Asia”.

In another development US Commander in Afghanistan Gen John W. Nicholson, told Afghani media outlet Tolo News on Saturday that US “knows the Afghan Taliban leadership is in Quetta and Peshawar.”  He also said that US military would continue to put pressure on Taliban sanctuaries inside and outside Afghanistan. He also claimed that the matter of alleged terrorist sanctuaries was being addressed “in private” by Pakistan and US governments.

Responding to Nicholson’s assertions,  Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed, while addressing a four nation meeting on Sunday in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, said that Pakistan had  cleared its areas of terrorists. He also assured fullest cooperation to Afghanistan and said that Pakistan could not bring the Afghan war into Pakistan.

Representatives of China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan participated the meeting of Quadrilateral Counter Terrorism Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) in Tajikistan.Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan participated the meeting of Quadrilateral Counter Terrorism Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) in Tajikistan.

Earlier US State Department was also quoted by the media as having said that terrorists’ heavens existed on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border, demanding Pakistan eliminate them on its side of the border.

Meanwhile, Pakistani police used tear gas shells and batons on Sunday to disperse anti-US protesters in Karachi. A police officer while describing the incident said that police took action when a group of Shiite students tried to march toward the US consulate and an officer was injured in the process. A peaceful “Defense of Pakistan” rally also condemned US policy in Islamabad.

Asif Shahid, a Pakistani journalist writes from Washington, that rescheduling of  Ms Wells’ visit was the second such request from Islamabad in less than a week. Earlier Pakistan had requested rescheduling of Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif visit to Washington, who was expected there on August 25.

He further writes that apparently a third visit of a US delegation led by senior white House National Security Council official Lisa Curtis will also be rescheduled. Ms Curtis has reportedly played key role in formulating new US strategy for South Asia.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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