Pakistan will buy sugar and cotton from India, newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar announced on Wednesday, lifting a ban on their import from the neighbouring country imposed in the wake of heightened tension over Kashmir in 2019. The decision was taken at the meeting of the economic coordination committee (ECC), which was chaired by Finance Minister Azhar.
This was the first time that sweets were exchanged between the two forces after the abrogation of Article 370 as the Pakistani side refused to continue with the custom, they said, adding after the developments of August 2019, the offer of exchanging sweets was made by the BSF but the Pakistani side did not reciprocate.
Curfew continued for third day on Tuesday in parts of Shopian district in south Kashmir following killing of four persons in a firing incident on Saturday, the police said.
Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Thursday that "there was no pressure on Pakistan at all regarding the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan."
Of the 18 terrorists killed, 14 belonged to JeM including its "six main commanders", the Lt. Gen., flanked by IGP Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hassan, said.
The border skirmishes witnessed a spurt after India's air strike.
He accused Naxalites of using tribal villagers as a shield.
The MP claimed that Siddiqui's radio station was funded by US-based Pakistanis and the Pakistan government.
On his first visit to Srinagar post the abrogation of Article 370, Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that incidents of terrorism have declined and stone-throwing incidents too have ended in Jammu-Kashmir.
The spectator size too has been reduced to 25,000, officials said.
The annual pilgrimage to the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas will resume on Tuesday, they said.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha announced that toll collection will not be allowed in Rajasthan from February 12.
There was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, he said.
The unprovoked firing from across the border took place in the Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors in Rajouri district and the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district.
Freed by Naxals after 12 days in captivity, Collector Alex Paul Menon on Friday reached his home in Sukma.
Two days after Naxals struck in a big way in Chhattisgarh, the government on Wednesday asserted that there will be no let up in operations to eliminate the Maoist menace and promised all support to the security forces to deal with it firmly.
Shinde said speaking on RSS platform is very important.
The Special Protection Group, the National Security Guard, the Central Reserve Police Force, the Central Industrial Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police are ensuring a watertight VIP security cover everyday to politicians campaigning across the country.
Their enthusiasm evident in the loud chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole'.
Sushma said after the Pulwama terrorist attack, Pakistan instead of taking seriously the call for the international community to act against the JeM and other terror groups denied any knowledge of the attack and out rightly dismissed claims by the JeM.
Cricket legend and Indian Air Force's Honorary Group Captain Sachin Tendulkar led the sporting fraternity in lauding Tuesday's air strikes that targetted Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists and trainers in Pakistan.
The death toll in firing and arson along the Assam-Nagaland border by alleged miscreants from Nagaland has increased to 11 with the recovery of nine more bodies from the disturbed Uriamghat area of Assam on Friday even as night curfew continued.
'If done well, the containment measures can help minimise the impact of the epidemic.'
'I will need a few more pictures, sir, can I get some time from you for a more extended photo shoot?' asked Singh. Modi, ever-obliging before the camera, laughed. 'Sure, but let us plan to do it after my swearing-in is over in May!' The Balakot effect was evident. A fascinating excerpt from Rajdeep Sardesai's 2019: How Modi Won India.
On being asked about the Swaraj-Qureshi meeting, the MEA sources said the two leaders only exchanged pleasantries.
According to the photos published by the Pakistani media, Swaraj and Qureshi were seen seated next to each other.
'Some within India are terming Imran a statesman for sending back our pilot'
'We need to be in a perpetual state of aggression, and able to swiftly change the goal posts to keep Pakistan in a state of imbalance,' argues Sanjeev Nayyar.
The IAF had said that during the aerial engagement on February 27, one of its MiG-21 Bison shot down a F-16.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi also claimed that Azhar is unwell to the extent that he cannot leave his house.
Simultaneously, the US has urged both India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions.
The envoy said India has been successful in articulating its case with the international community including the US.
In wake of the last year's attack, special gadgets and new and better technology have been used to further strengthen the security.
On the situation in the Kashmir Valley, the army officials highlighted Wednesday evening's incident when a son of a prominent eatery owner was shot and critically wounded by terrorists at his shop in a high-security area of the city.
The kind of freedom Kashmir is enjoying today is not there even in Islamic countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey and Pakistanis, Mufti said.
'The world's patience on terrorist safe havens is running thin and that is not good for Pakistan'
The four leg canine 'soldiers' play a crucial role in saving lives of troops and civilians, reports Mayank Singh.
A rare video footage of Maoists purportedly showing the rebels conducting a 'commando-style' training to gun down helicopters, used to ferry security personnel and VIPs in Chhattisgarh's worst insurgency-hit Bastar region, has been recovered by the police.
A jawan of the Special Task Force was killed and two others were injured when Maoists fired at them in Bihar's Jamui district in the wee hours of Friday.
The incoming facility on prepaid connections has also been restored, but the outgoing calls are barred.
