Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who faced trolling on social media in the wake of India and Pakistan reaching an understanding on May 10 to halt all military actions, has received support from veteran diplomat Nirupama Menon Rao, a body of Indian diplomats and a host of politicians from several parties.
Pakistan claims it was a mosque and an educational complex that were hit in the strikes at Muridke, located at about 40 km from Lahore.
'We heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval (Office). I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past'
India's marquee women's ODI World Cup match against Pakistan will be held at the neutral venue of R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 5, the ICC announced on Monday.
United States Charge d'Affaires Natalie Baker on Wednesday met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions with India following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 in which 26 people were killed.
The Bombay High Court criticized the Maharashtra government for arresting a 19-year-old student from Pune for her social media post on Indo-Pak hostilities, calling its reaction "radical." The court granted the student bail and said the state's actions were unwarranted and had turned a student into a criminal. The court also questioned the conduct of the college for rusticating the student, stating that an educational institution's approach should be to reform, not punish. The student had reposted a post on Instagram that criticized the Indian government for provoking a war against Pakistan, but she later deleted the post and apologized for her actions. The college, however, deemed the post to be anti-national and expelled the student. The court emphasized that mistakes are bound to happen, especially at a young age, and urged the college to focus on reforming students rather than punishing them.
rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar offers expert advice to students preparing for engineering college admissions and competitive exams.
A video showing a mob surrounding a schoolboy and forcing him to urinate on a Pakistani flag in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has prompted police to launch a probe and book three people. The incident has been condemned by the Samajwadi Party, which sees it as an attempt to incite communal discord. Police are investigating both this incident and a separate report of a fruit juice vendor's shop being ransacked.
The Indus system of rivers comprises the main river -- the Indus -- along with its five left bank tributaries, namely, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej, the Jhelum and the Chenab. The right bank tributary, the Kabul, does not flow through India.
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the US has called on both countries "not to escalate" the conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow. The US State Department said Washington is reaching out to both India and Pakistan "regarding the Kashmir situation" and telling them "not to escalate the situation."
The United Nations Security Council held closed-door consultations on rising tensions between India and Pakistan, with envoys calling for restraint and dialogue. The consultations, requested by Pakistan, lasted for about an hour and a half. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the tensions, urging both countries to avoid a military confrontation. India's former Permanent Representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, said that no consequential outcome could be expected from the discussion.
The firing exchanges are taking places in five districts out of seven border districts of Jammu and Kashmir. So far, there has been no firing reports along International Border in Samba and Kathua districts.
Last week, Information Minister Atta Tarar had said that 24-36 hours were important, fearing a possible strike by India. However, the time passed and there was no action by India.
Pakistan successfully conducted a training launch of the 'Fatah series' surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 kilometers. The launch comes amid heightened tensions with India following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the test was part of the ongoing exercise 'INDUS' and was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced accuracy.
India has accused Pakistan of being a "rogue state" fueling global terrorism, following a confession by Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitting to his country's history of supporting and funding terrorist organisations. India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, delivered a strong Right of Reply at a UN event, highlighting Asif's admission and condemning Pakistan's actions. Patel asserted that the world can no longer turn a blind eye to Pakistan's role in supporting terrorism.
Pakistan troops have violated the ceasefire agreement for the 11th consecutive night, firing on Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The firing began in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and spread to other sectors, including Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor. The Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately. The ceasefire violation comes despite a recent phone call between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on April 29. This marks the latest escalation of tensions between the two countries, following a terror attack in Pahalgam in April.
China supplied more than $20 billion worth of arms to Pakistan. These include 20 J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fighter aircraft, Wing Loong drones, frigates, submarines, Hongqi HQ-9P surface-to-air missiles, 240 PL-15E air-to-air missiles, LY-80 air defence systems, ZDK early warning aircraft and other weapons.
A large number of Indian community and diaspora representatives gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London to counter a Pakistani demonstration protesting against what they called "Indian propaganda" in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The pro-Indian demonstrators outnumbered the smaller group of British Pakistanis and chanted slogans like "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram". The Metropolitan Police was present to keep the groups separate as they exchanged insults. Later, a candlelight vigil was held at Piccadilly Circus by the British Indian groups to commemorate the victims of the April 22 terror attack. Similar protests and vigils have been organized by Indian diaspora groups across the UK to condemn Pakistan's alleged support for terror outfits.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's recent drone attacks on Indian cities and civilian infrastructure, calling it a "deranged fantasy" and a desperate attempt to deceive the world. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also accused Pakistan of attacking religious sites, including a gurdwara in Amritsar, in an attempt to give a communal color to the situation. Misri criticized Pakistan's "blatantly farcical denial" of the attacks and said the country is resorting to disinformation tactics.
A senior government official confirmed that after a meeting with other stakeholders, the decision has been taken and airlines and airport authorities have been informed about it.
Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled over 1 per cent each on Friday as tensions soared between India and Pakistan, fuelling fears of a wider conflict.
With national security as the top priority, the BCCI, in coordination with local authorities, decided to abandon the match as a precautionary measure.
A Meerut woman, married to a Pakistani national, was denied entry to Pakistan at the Wagah border after she presented her Indian passport. She was accompanied by her two children who hold Pakistani citizenship. The authorities permitted the children to cross but Sana refused to separate from them, resulting in her return to India.
The exit deadline for Pakistani nationals visiting India on SAARC visas ended on April 26, while for the rest, except those on medical visas, it is set to close on Sunday, April 27 amid escalating tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Tensions between India and Pakistan are escalating following last week's dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
The Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Affairs in the Siddaramaiah-led government claimed that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were to give him a suicide bomb, he would tie it to himself and go to Pakistan to fight.
Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir visited India on Thursday to meet with top Indian officials and discuss de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Al-Jubeir's visit followed India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and discussed the situation, emphasizing India's commitment to combating terrorism.
The officials said dozens of unexploded explosives were destroyed by the experts along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch districts and along the International Border in Jammu and Samba which witnessed intense cross-border shelling and drone attacks from May 7 to May 10.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has shot dead a Pakistani intruder along the International Border in Punjab. The man was shot during the intervening night of May 7-8 in the Ferozepur sector, officials said. He was found crossing the International Border purposefully in the dark.
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India dismissed claims on Pakistan social media about 'Operation Sindoor', saying the neighbouring country has unleashed a 'full-blown disinformation offensive' with 'lies' and digital theatrics to control the narrative.
This move comes as a precautionary measure, in light of airspace restrictions and heightened security.
Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto has acknowledged the country's tango with terror operatives, saying that Pakistan has a past.
As tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Iran reached out to both countries, urging de-escalation. Saudi Arabia also expressed concern, with its foreign minister engaging in phone conversations with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts. Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, emphasized the importance of bilateral relations, stating Tehran's willingness to "forge greater understanding" at this critical time. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, spoke with both India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar. Amidst heightened tensions, India has taken a series of punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrading diplomatic ties. Pakistan responded by shutting its airspace to Indian airliners and suspending all trade. Both countries exchanged warnings, with Pakistan emphasizing its commitment to "respond firmly to any aggression."
Regarding the possibility of talks, the minister said he was not aware of any such potential engagements.
Abdul Waheed was brought from Srinagar by the Jammu and Kashmir police for his repatriation to Pakistan.
The Indian Army effectively responded to firing by Pakistan military at some places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday night, military sources said. There were no reports of any casualties. The firing by Pakistan Army comes amid increasing tensions between the two sides over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
The mortal remains of soldier Surendra Kumar, who was martyred in the Pakistani attack on the Udhampur airbase, were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan on Sunday.
The intruder, who is in his early 20s, was taken into custody by Army troops soon after he entered into this side from across the LoC.
Earlier, at 4:39 am, the district collector had also advised residents to keep lights off and avoid going near windows, roads, balconies, or terraces.
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