The recently sworn-in PM also alleges that India is using aggression along the Line of Control to divert attention from the turmoil in Kashmir
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that while his government has no problem with India extending economic assistance to Afghanistan, it will “not accept a political or military role” of the country in their mutual neighbour.
Abbasi’s comments, made during an interaction organised by American think-tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York, come at a time when the United States government under President Donald Trump is shunning its old alliance with Pakistan and decisively allying with India in its attempt to restore economic growth in Afghanistan.
The recently sworn-in Prime Minister is in New York to attend a session of the United Nations General Assembly where India’s Minister for External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj had, a few days earlier, hit out Pakistan for supporting terror outfits and condoning North Korea’s controversial nuclear program.
Asked at the CFR interaction to comment on the Trump administration’s recently unveiled Afghan policy, under which the US President has sought more help from New Delhi to bring peace and stability in the war-torn country, Abbasi said Pakistan sees zero political or military role for India in Afghanistan.
“We don’t foresee any political or military role for India in Afghanistan. I think it will just complicate the situation and it will not resolve anything. So, if they want to do economic assistance that’s their prerogative, but we don’t accept or see any role politically or militarily for India in Afghanistan,” Abbasi said.
Abbasi added that India, like all other countries, has “the right to trade” with Afghanistan and had done so in the past too, but insisted that the two countries must restrict their exchange purely to economic activities and not indulge in military cooperation.
The Pakistan PM also reiterated his country’s demand for granting Kashmiris the “right to self determination” while alleging that people in the northernmost Indian state had “risen against the Indian occupation”.
Insisting that the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan and the latter’s demand to settle it through a right of self determination that should be granted to the Kashmiris as per resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council, Abbasi said: “There is Indian aggression along the Line of Control, mostly to draw attention away from the genuine struggle of the Kashmiri people, who have today risen against the Indian occupation there. And we fully support the right of self-determination… And that issue should be resolved as per the UN Security Council resolutions.”
The Pakistan PM alleged that “Indian occupation forces there (in Kashmir) have committed atrocities which are really beyond belief” and that his country expects the world community to take notice of those atrocities.
Asked how his country plans to take forward discussions with the Indian government given the ongoing diplomatic standoff between the two nations, Abbasi said “that certain core issues have to be addressed and Kashmir is one of the core issues”.
In a comment that can at best be viewed as a war-mongering effort, Abbasi said his country has developed short-range nuclear weapons to counter the ‘cold start doctrine’ adopted by the Indian Army. “We have a very robust and secure command-and-control system over our strategic nuclear assets. Time has proved that it’s a process that is very secure. It’s a process that has complete civilian oversight through the NCA,” he said.
Making tall claims of having destroyed terrorism and terror networks in Pakistan at a time when Pak-based terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba have been called out by international forums like BRICS and the UN, Abbasi said: “This perception that there are (terrorist) sanctuaries (in Pakistan) is absolutely not correct. We have defeated the enemy on our own territory. We have destroyed the sanctuaries”.
Responding to another question about Pakistan’s spy agency ISI having terror links, the prime minister dismissed any links between the Haqqani network and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). “We do not condone any activities by any organisation to pose a terrorist threat within Pakistan or to export it to other countries,” Abbasi said.
Asked about the presence of a number of terror groups and terrorists like Hafeez Saeed in Pakistan, Abbasi said he (Hafiz Saeed) belonged to a “proscribed organisation”. He went on to say: “We have taken action against him. He is in house arrest. In the recent by-election, a candidate did use his picture in an election poster, which is illegal to do, and action will be taken against him by the election commission.”
India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.
According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.
The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.
Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM
During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.
The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.
The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.
Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request
The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.
According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.
Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.
India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction
The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.
The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.
During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.
Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official
White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.
Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.
He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.
“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.
The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.
Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says
Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.
“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.
His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.
The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.
The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.
The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.
India and China among major Russian energy buyers
The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.
India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.
The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.
What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?
Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.
The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.
At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.
Bill also extends Iran sanctions law
The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.
The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.
The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.
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