Leaders of Pakistan-based banned terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen have called on supporters to wage a 'jihad' or holy war for the liberation of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
India has secured international support in its fight against terrorism, with Russia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates expressing solidarity and a commitment to working together to combat the threat. This follows a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India, which claimed 26 lives. Multi-party parliamentary delegations from India briefed the leaderships of these countries on Operation Sindoor, India's response to the attack, and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism and combating radicalism. These developments highlight the growing global consensus against terrorism and the importance of international collaboration to address this shared challenge.
He said time had come to accept that there were militant training camps in Pakistan and 'Azad Kashmir' in the past, which were boldly closed down by President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan wants a constructive engagement with India to settle all outstanding problems, including the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Tuesday."Pakistan is committed to constructive engagement with India for the settlement of all disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir," Ashraf said during a meeting with 'president' Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan and 'prime minister' Chaudhry Abdul Majeed of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India and Pakistan look to take the peace process to the next level.
People along the Line of Control and International Border in the Jammu region continue to live under the shadow of death, with unexploded mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops still embedded in farmlands and residential areas even though hostilities have stopped for nearly a week. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Despite the May 10 understanding between India and Pakistan, locals describe the border areas as a 'death trap'. Sixty-two-year-old Balvinder Singh, who returned to his home in Pargwal sector on May 14, recounted a narrow escape. "Two shells exploded in our compound, damaging our house. Three more landed on our farmland. We were terrified and told our family to stay away from the fields until the Army could help," Singh told PTI. Army engineers later came to the village and safely defused the unexploded shells, bringing a temporary sense of relief. "Fear is writ large on the faces of people to these death traps in border hamlets", he said. Scenes of destruction are evident rooftops torn apart, broken houses, windows punctured by shrapnel, and carcasses of cattle lying in pools of blood. The acrid smell of gunpowder still lingers in the air. Sardar Gurmeet Singh faced a similar ordeal. His family could not re-enter their home as a live mortar shell had sunk into the compound in a village close to the International Border. "The army's bomb disposal squad removed it after four days, allowing us to finally enter, back home," he said. Indian Army engineers have launched a sweeping clearance operation across border districts, defusing over 80 unexploded shells in the past five days -- including 6 in Pargwal, 19 in Rajouri, 42 in Poonch, and 12 along the IB. "These shells, mostly 120 mm calibre, have a range of 15 to 30 km and pose a serious threat to both civilian and military targets," an Army officer said. "Many of them were fired by Pakistan during recent hostilities." On May 7, the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor, conducting precision strikes on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. The subsequent retaliation by Pakistan pushed the region to the brink of war. From 7 to 10 of May, 27 civilians were killed and over 70 injured in Pakistani shelling in the Jammu region. Farid Din Gujjar, a resident near the border, expressed fear about returning to his fields. "Several shells created deep craters in our paddy land. We cannot resume work until all unexploded ordnance is cleared. It's a death trap," he said. Army units, in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police, have evacuated high-risk zones and issued stern warnings to residents not to touch any suspicious objects or unexploded shells. In one major operation, 42 live shells were safely destroyed in the Poonch villages of Jhullas, Salotri, Dharati and Salani. "All safety protocols were followed. The shells posed a serious danger to local lives," an Army spokesperson said, calling the effort a 'continued commitment to protect civilians and restore normalcy'. Poonch saw the vast majority of deaths due to shelling. Security officials said that Pakistan used a mix of mortar shells, armed drones, and missiles during the shelling spree, specifically targeting civilian habitations and border towns in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. As clearance operations continue, the border residents are slowly returning to their homes, but with caution, fear, and lingering uncertainty about shelling that may yet happen in the future.
Britain has ruled out any third party intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue saying that it was for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
In clear signs of cross-Line of Control linkages to the latest trouble in Kashmir, talks intercepted by security agencies reveal how a Hizbul Mujahideen activist based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir enquires from a local contact about the status of protests and government response.
Asserting that it was a matter of concern that Prime Minister Modi was comparing the Kashmir issue with Balochistan, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said the former should not take up two issues together.
India has asserted that the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan will remain in "abeyance" until Islamabad "credibly and irrevocably" abjures support to cross-border terrorism. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that any bilateral talks with Islamabad will only be on vacation of illegally occupied territories of Kashmir by Pakistan. He also said that India is open to discussing the handing over of terrorists whose list was provided to Pakistan some years ago. India on April 23 announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said the Kashmir issue and differences over the sharing of river waters must be discussed during the February 25 talks between foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan.
PoK PM Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan supported the division of the state between Hindu and Muslim majority areas.
In what was perhaps the most critical meeting before full-scale war broke out, Shastri defined India's immediate war objectives to his defence minister, army, and air force chiefs: 'To defend against Pakistan's attempts to grab Kashmir by force and to make it abundantly clear that Pakistan would never be allowed to wrest Kashmir from India; To destroy the offensive power of Pakistan's armed forces...' A fascinating excerpt from Shiv Kunal Verma's must-read 1965: A Western Sunrise India's War With Pakistan.
The Kananaskis gathering on June 16-17 is the Prime Minister's 6th consecutive participation in the G7 Summit.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists were killed in the Indian strikes on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor'. Leaders from various parties showed maturity and extended all support to the government and armed forces.
'It is surprising that Pakistan has suddenly taken the decision of not participating in the FIDE Chess Olympiad, particularly after the team has already reached India'.
"We're deeply grateful for the swift coordination and support from the BCCI, local authorities, and the police who made this possible," the RCB statement added.
India has taken strong exception to Pakistan raising the issue of Kashmir at the United Nations, calling Islamabad's reference to Jammu and Kashmir at the world body a "blatant" attempt to divert attention from its dismal record of human rights in "Pakistan occupied Kashmir."
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
Most of the suspects behind the killing of a key aide of Jaish e Mohammed terror group chief Masood Azhar and his two associates have been arrested, the police chief of Pakistan's Punjab province said on Friday, days after the trio were shot dead at a mosque in Sialkot city.
The venue, which is due to host Thursday's match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, has one more match left on schedule -- the May 11 game between Punjab and Mumbai Indians.
Some Pakistan newsreports say a map being circulated shows J&K and PoK as one entity.
All-party parliamentary delegations on Friday met leaders and diplomats from several countries to galvanise international action against terrorists and decisively counter the tactics of those who perpetrate, support and sponsor cross-border terror activities against India.
'I am worried that Pakistan will still feel compelled to take substantive military action beyond this apparent drone activity.' 'If so, the crisis could persist for a while more and dangerous days are still ahead.'
A day after India and China sparred aggressively over the ownership status of Arunachal Pradesh, India said that China must cease activities in Pak-Occupied Kashmir.
According to intelligence reports, the terrorists entered the Akhnoor region through the Battal area, and a wireless set seized from them confirmed their association with the JeM.
India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations, accusing the country of illegally occupying the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and demanding its immediate vacation. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, made these remarks during a UN Security Council Open Debate on Advancing Adaptability in UN Peace Operations. He asserted that Jammu and Kashmir was, is, and will always be an integral part of India. Harish's statement came after Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during the UNSC open debate, prompting a strong retort from India. He further stated that Pakistan's repeated references to the issue neither validate their illegal claims nor justify their state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. India, however, said it will refrain from exercising a more elaborate Right of Reply, suggesting a measured approach to the situation. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained since India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, revoking Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
"Around 3:30 am Pakistan troops opened small arms fire and then switched to machine gun fire. Subsequently they started firing mortars at Darkote, Platan and Channi Dewanu posts of the Indian army," a police officer from Khour police station was quoted as saying.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the United Progressive Alliance government of overturning India's Kashmir policy by making 'dangerous' proposals like facilitating the return of Kashmiri youths from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. "The government is now saying that the young men who had gone to PoK for arms training have had a change of heart and proposes to facilitate their return to India. This is a dangerous statement and is not in favour of the country," said BJP
People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday hit back at Home Minister P Chidambaram, who had warned the party of stern action over its controversial propaganda map.
India has strongly rejected Pakistan's claims on Kashmir, calling it a Union Territory and dismissing the Pakistan Army Chief's statement about it being the country's "jugular vein." India also rejected Pakistan's claim that Tahawwur Rana, a Mumbai terror attack accused, is a Canadian citizen and that it has nothing to do with him. India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson stated that Pakistan's reputation as the "epicentre" of global terrorism will not diminish. Rana's extradition is a reminder that Pakistan needs to bring other perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice, according to India.
As China's Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visited Pakistan on a mediation mission, a statement from Foreign Ministry on Monday said it is maintaining close contacts with Pakistan and Iran to 'bridge their differences'.
"We strongly condemn this attack. The bus service is a humanitarian gesture to reunite the divided families. The innocent travellers have committed no crime," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani told PTI.
Pakistan on Wednesday described as "incorrect" a media report that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had contended the Kashmir issue is a flashpoint which "can trigger a fourth war" with India.
'India won't take anything from Pakistan lying down.'
After lying low for over a year due to the scrutiny of its leaders in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, Jamaat-ud-Dawah, the frontal outfit of Lashkar-e-Tayiba, has stepped up its activities and unveiled plans to hold major conferences of Pakistani jihadi groups on Kashmir this week.
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