In partnership with
Profit
PM SHEHBAZ STRESSES RETURN OF ‘MISLED’ BALOCHS INTO NATIONAL MAINSTREAM Sunday, 1 June, 2025 I 4 Zilhaj, 1446
g
g
ACKNOWLEDGES LOCAL GRIEVANCES AT BALOCHISTAN GRAND JIRGA, CALLING FOR UNITY TO FIGHT EXTREMISM TERRORISTS KNOW NOTHING EXCEPT BRUTALITY AND SUCH VIOLENCE CAN’T BE TOLERATED: PREMIER
P
QUETTA
g
g
LET US SIT TOGETHER AS BROTHERS AS A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS FAMILY IS BUILT ON UNITY AND CONVERSATION: PM PM ANNOUNCES BALOCHISTAN WILL RECEIVE RS250B IN DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FROM FEDERAL BUDGET
STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday emphasized the importance of collective and sincere efforts to bring back the individuals “misguided” and “misled” by terrorists in Balochistan and reintegrate “them” into the national mainstream. Addressing a Balochistan Grand Jirga during his visit to Quetta on Saturday, the prime minister stressed the need for resolving the issues through dialogue, acknowledging local grievances and calling for unity to fight extremism. “Your concerns are fully respected, but… these terrorists know nothing except brutality — and such violence cannot be tolerated,” the premier emphasized. He urged reconciliation through open dialogue. “Let us sit together as brothers. A strong and prosperous family is built on unity and conversation,” he added. He warned that terrorists were working against Pakistan’s progress and called on the people to reject their malicious agendas. The grand jirga held in Quetta brought together tribal elders, lawmakers, and key stakeholders for consultations aimed at resolving long-standing issues, particularly those related to security and development. Field Marshal Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, Baochistan’s Acting Governor Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and high ranking military and civil officials were also
in attendance. The security situation in Balochistan has gone bad from worse in recent months, as militants, long involved
in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The “Indian Proxy group,” includ-
ISLAMABAD
Kabul announced elevating its diplomatic post in Islamabad to full ambassadorial status, the Afghan foreign minister said. The development comes a day after Pakistan upgraded its diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to that of an ambassador,” the ministry wrote on X post. “In reciprocity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will elevate the status of its mission in Islamabad from chargé d’affaires to ambassador,” it added. The Afghan foreign ministry added that this elevation in diplomatic representation between Afghanistan and Pakistan paves the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation in multiple domains. Pakistan and Afghanistan have embassies in each other's capitals but they were led by charge d'affaires, not ambassadors.
QUETTA
STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reiterated that Pakistan would not allow India to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that water cannot be used as a weapon against the country. Addressing army officers at the Command and Staff College Quetta, the premier said that India’s repeated provocations — including using the Pahalgam incident as a pretext for aggression — were firmly countered by
Pakistan, both on the battlefield and diplomatic front. “The Pakistan Air Force showed its professionalism by downing Indian jets and targeting seven high-value enemy assets. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar proved his mettle, while Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir delivered a historic victory, cementing his stature as a deserving Field Marshal,” he added. In his address, the prime minister further said that the government and people of Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in safe-
China was the first country to accept an ambassador from the Taliban-run administration in Kabul, though it does not formally recognise its government. Several other states, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed. The statement came a day after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held a second meeting with China’s foreign minister within a span of 10 days in Hong Kong, announced the upgrading of diplomatic ties with Kabul. “Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on a positive trajectory after my very productive visit to Kabul with the Pakistan delegation on 19th April 2025,” Dar said in a statement on Friday. “To maintain this momentum, I am pleased to announce the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its chargé d'affaires in Kabul to the level of ambassador,” he added. “I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement, deepen Pak-Afghan cooperation in economic, security, CT & trade areas and promote further exchanges between two fraternal countries,” he further stated.
The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points, which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence. The issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory. However, days earlier, a commander of the Afghan Taliban, Saeedullah Saeed, warned terrorists of Fitna al-Khwarij against fighting the Pakistan forces, conducting attacks in the name of Jihad. Meanwhile, Islamabad and Beijing also agreed to extend the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, reaffirming their commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and economic cooperation. Tensions appeared to ease after a rare meeting between Muttaqi and Dar in Kabul last month, where the Taliban's acting foreign minister expressed concern over the deportation of tens of thousands of Afghans from Pakistan.
India admits loss of fighter jets in four-day conflict with Pakistan SINGAPORE
STAFF REPORT
India’s military has, for the first time, confirmed that country’s fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during the four-day conflict earlier in May. India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, acknowledged the loss of fighter jets during an interview with Bloomberg TV on the sidelines of the ShangriLa Dialogue in Singapore. However, he declined to disclose the number of aircraft downed. “Why they were downed, what mistakes were made — those are important,” General Chauhan said when asked about the loss of Indian fighter jets. “Numbers are not important,” he added, in what is seen as the most direct admission so far by an Indian official regarding the outcome of the conflict. He empha-
ing the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, in particular, has adopted new tactics to inflict higher casualties and directly target Pakistani security forces. Last month, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accused India of activating its “assets” to intensify terrorist attacks in Pakistan, presenting “irrefutable evidence” of Indian state-sponsored terrorism, directed by the Indian military personnel. Speaking at the Balochistan Grand Jirga in Quetta, PM Shehbaz stated that the terrorists in Balochistan must not be tolerated by the public, government or armed forces, emphasizing that “We must bring back the people who were misled by the terrorists onto the wrong track.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
We will never let India weaponize IWT against Pakistan: PM
Kabul reciprocates, upgrades diplomatic ties after Islamabad's move STAFF REPORT
Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 325 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
sised that the reasons why the Indian jets were shot down and what the Indian forces did after that were more important. Notably, Indian fighter jets were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force on the night of May 6-7 in response to the Indian Air Force’s late-night missile strikes at six Pakistani sites. Pakistan took down six Indian jets, including three advanced French Rafale planes. Three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, one Mirage 2000 and one MiG-29 were downed within a 40-minute span. Until now, the Indian government had remained silent on whether any aircraft were lost in the clashes. General Chauhan also claimed that the four-day conflict never came close to the point of nuclear war, saying it was “far-fetched” to suggest either side was close to using atomic weapons. It is significant to note that this is the first time Indian officials have
openly admitted to the downing of Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets during the conflict. Previously, IAF Air Marshal and Director General of Air Operations (DGAO) A.K. Bharti had neither confirmed nor denied the loss of aircraft in his public statements. The admission has drawn renewed attention to the scale and intensity of the recent military engagement between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, further highlighting India’s attempts to downplay its operational losses. It is pertinent to mention that American and French officials also confirmed that Pakistan shot down an Indian jet using fighter aircraft it acquired from China, CNN and Reuters reported earlier in the month. CNN cited a senior US official saying, as per their assessment, Pakistani forces shot down the jet during India’s air strikes inside Pakistan.
guarding the country’s sovereignty. Welcoming foreign guests at the institution, PM Shehbaz said their presence reflected Pakistan’s strong ties with friendly nations. He lauded the Command and Staff College for its outstanding contributions in shaping the country's military leadership. Speaking of the economic front, the premier noted that the recent successful agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had brought muchneeded stability, with inflation coming down from 38% to single digits.
Javelin champion Arshad Nadeem wins gold at Asian Athletics ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem clinched gold in the men’s javelin final at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships on Saturday, recording a throw of 86.40 metres on his final attempt. The event, held in Gumi, South Korea, saw Nadeem finish ahead of India’s Sachin, who secured second place. Japan’s Yuta Sakiyama won the bronze with a throw of 83.75 metres, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, finished fourth with 83.27 metres. Pakistan’s second participant, Muhammad Yasir, finished eighth, recording a best throw of 75.39 metres. Nadeem maintained the lead throughout the final round with a series of strong throws. His third attempt measured 85.57 metres, putting him ahead of the competition. He followed this with 83.99 metres on his fourth throw, remaining firmly in first place. On his fifth and last attempt, Nadeem delivered his longest throw of the day, reaching 86.40 metres, securing the gold medal for Pakistan. This victory followed his strong performance in the qualifying round a day earlier, where he secured a spot in the final with a throw of 86.34 metres on his first attempt. That effort marked him as a leading contender heading into the final. Nadeem’s gold medal adds to his growing list of international achievements and reinforces his position as one of Asia’s top javelin throwers. Last year in August Nadeem made history by winning the gold medal in the men’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics, setting a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres. Previously, Nadeem was named the Best Asian Athlete by Asian Athletics, which recognized his remarkable achievements on the continental stage.