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Pakistan rejects Modi’s regional Peace stateMent as ‘one-sided, Misleading’ Tuesday, 18 March, 2025 I 17 Ramazan, 1446
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PEACE, STABILITY IN SOUTH ASIA REMAINS ‘HOSTAGE’ TO INDIA’S RIGID APPROACH AND HEGEMONIC AMBITIONS, SAYS FO SPOKESPERSON
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ISLAMABAD
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SAYS INDIA’S ‘FICTITIOUS NARRATIVE’ OF VICTIMHOOD CAN’T HIDE ITS INVOLVEMENT IN FOMENTING TERRORISM ON PAKISTAN’S SOIL
STAFF REPORT
HE Foreign Office (FO) on Monday rubbished “misleading and one-sided” remarks made by Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi during a podcast with US computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman. During the podcast, PM Modi alleged: “Every attempt to foster peace with Pakistan was met with hostility and betrayal.” The Indian premier hoped that “wisdom would prevail on the leadership in Islamabad to improve bilateral ties”. Denouncing Modi’s false propaganda, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said: “The remarks are misleading and one-sided. They conveniently omit the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains unresolved for the last seven decades despite India’s solemn assurances to the United Nations, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people.” He said that India’s fictitious narrative of victimhood could not hide its involvement in fomenting terrorism on Pakistan’s soil and the state-sanctioned oppression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). “Instead of blaming others, India should reflect on its own record of orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories,” the spokesperson added. He asserted that Pakistan has always advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to re-
Pti decides to attend Parliamentary national security committee meeting ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has confirmed its decision to participate in the Parliamentary National Security Committee meeting. According to sources, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar and several senior leaders presented arguments in favour of attending the session. However, Junaid Akbar called for consultation with the PTI founder Imran Khan. PTI has submitted a list of 14 names to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. The list includes Barrister Gohar, Asad Qaiser, Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Amer Dogar, Sanaullah Masti Khel, Ali Muhammad Khan, Senator Ali Zafar, Senator Humayun Muhammad and Senator Aun Abbas Bappi. It should be noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened an in-camera session of the committee for today (Tuesday), during which the military leadership will brief on the current national security situation.
solve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of IIOJK. However, peace and stability in South Asia have remained hostage to India’s rigid approach and hegemonic ambitions, said the spokesperson. “The anti-Pakistan narrative, emanating from India, vitiates the bilateral environment and impedes the prospects for peace and cooperation. It must stop.” Last week, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry termed India the main sponsor of terrorism in
Balochistan, saying the latest attack on Jaffar Express was the continuation of the same policy. Addressing a media briefing flanked by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, the DG ISPR said: “The latest attack in Balochistan and other terrorist incidents that took place in the past…we understand that the main sponsor of these [attacks] is your eastern neighbor.” The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), during the attack on the Jaffar Express, blew up train tracks and held over 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass in Bolan district. The military, after clearing the train and rescuing hostages, said it killed 33 attackers. Before the operation began, terrorists had martyred 26 passengers, including 18 security personnel from the army and the FC. While four security personnel were martyred during the operation. “The incident of Jaffar Express is continuity of the same policy, the same sponsorship from where is it was engineered and from it was being pushed..,” he remarked. Slamming the Indian media, the DG ISPR said that fake videos were created by using artificial intelligence (AI) to spread malicious propaganda regarding Jaffar Express attack on the social media platforms. “Indian media spread propaganda by using the fake videos to exaggerate the situation,” he said. “India media tried to create a narrative [against Pakistan] by airing fake videos,” he said, adding that the Indian media also played terrorists’ old videos taken from the social media.
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree on ceasefire, reopening of Torkham trade route PESHAWAR
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an agreement on Monday for a ceasefire and the reopening of the Torkham trade route for all types of movement. The breakthrough came during a Pak-Afghan jirga held to address border tensions at the Khyber-Torkham crossing. Pakistani jirga member told media that both sides agreed to halt hostilities and restore trade and travel at the crucial border crossing. As part of the agreement, the joint jirga decided to temporarily suspend disputed construction by Afghan forces. The Afghan delegation has requested time until this evening to consult their authorities on the matter. Hussain said that the Afghan jirga would brief
their officials on halting the construction and that the issue would be deferred until the next meeting of the Joint Chamber of Commerce. The final decision on the disputed construction will be taken during that session, while trade activities at the crossing will resume in the meantime. The date for the next meeting will be decided through mutual consultation. Additionally, officials from Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) and Afghan authorities are set to meet today. The reopening of the Torkham trade route is expected following their discussions. The border crossing was shut on February 21 after tensions escalated when Afghan forces began construction inside Pakistani territory.
Security forces thwart twin terror attacks in KP PESHAWAR
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s security forces on Monday successfully thwarted two separate terror attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), forcing militants to flee after facing strong retaliation. According to reports, militants launched an attack on the Khyber Jamrud Bypass checkpoint. The security forces responded swiftly, injuring the attackers, who managed to escape. Two soldiers sustained injuries during the ex-
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change of fire and were shifted to the hospital for treatment. A search operation is ongoing in the area to apprehend the fleeing assailants. In a separate incident, terrorists targeted the Gambila police station in Lakki Marwat. However, the police’s immediate response forced the attackers to retreat. No casualties were reported in this exchange. The latest attacks come a day after militants targeted police stations, a checkpoint, and a Sui gas office in Karak and Peshawar, resulting in the martyrdom of a sub-inspector and a security guard.
Meanwhile, in Balochistan, a Frontier Corps convoy was hit by a suicide attack on the NaushkiDalbandin Highway. The attack, claimed by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), led to the martyrdom of three FC personnel and three civilians, with several others injured. In response to the recent wave of terror incidents, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security will convene on Tuesday at 11:00 AM. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq summoned the session on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the security situation.
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jit issues fresh summons to 16 Pti leaders in anti-state propaganda case
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing an alleged anti-state social media campaign has once again summoned several prominent leaders and social media activists affiliated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The individuals have been directed to appear before the investigators on March 18. According to official sources, a total of 16 PTI leaders and activists have been served notices to join the ongoing inquiry. Among those summoned are senior party figures including Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan, Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, Hammad Azhar, Awn Abbas, and Muhammad Shahbaz Shabbir. The summons have also been issued to PTI digital team members, including Waqas Akram, Taimoor Saleem Khan Jhagra, Sibghatullah Virk, Azhar Mashwani, Muhammad Nauman Afzal, Jibran Ilyas, and Salman Raza. Zulfi Bukhari, Musa Virk, and Ali Malik are also required to appear before the JIT. Meanwhile, key PTI leaders such as Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Rauf Hassan, and Shah Farman have already recorded their statements with the JIT. Sources further revealed that Aleema Khanum, sister of PTI’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan, was earlier summoned on March 14 but failed to appear. A fresh notice has been issued to her, directing her to join the probe on March 19. The JIT is investigating allegations that certain PTI members and digital activists were involved in running a coordinated propaganda campaign against state institutions on social media platforms. Officials claim that the campaign aimed to incite public unrest and undermine national security. On Thursday, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif launched a scathing attack against PTI in the National Assembly, accusing the party of defending terrorists and maligning the security forces following the recent Jaffar Express train hijacking incident in Balochistan.