AJK President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry has asked the recently formed Defence Committee to redouble its efforts to secure early release of Yasin Malik who was convicted after sham trial by an Indian court recently. Speaking on the occasion the president said that all possible efforts should be made for the early release of Yasin Malik. He said that the JKLF chairman Yasin Malik was convicted after a sham trial by an Indian court. The unjust sentence awarded to Yasin Malik, he said, was in blatant violation of norms of justice. Meanwhile, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry also visited various departments at the university of Lincoln.

KARACHI: In a major breakthrough, the Afghan Taliban on Saturday confirmed that the Pakistani government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have reached an agreement on an “indefinite” ceasefire during ongoing peace talks in Kabul. Our greatest desire and effort is to bring about long-term peace and reconciliation between the two sides,” Mujahid, who also serves as the interim Taliban administration’s spokesman, stated. The Taliban spokesman also confirmed that a delegation of Pakistani tribal leaders recently visited Kabul in connection with the ongoing peace talks. The report deemed the TTP demands unviable since they would amount to ceding constitutional sovereignty in these regions to the militant network. The report also suggested that Pakistan “capitalise on internal pressures” within the TTP to repatriate their families who are currently displaced in Afghanistan.

For that, I will have to take readers to the unfolding of a Cold War 3 (assuming Cold War 1 was about USSR-US rivalry and Cold War 2 is about US-China rivalry). A Cold War 3 overlaps the Cold War 2 and although the US fights it with multiple objectives, its core political objective is to isolate Russia. “Either you can be a colony or you can be sovereign,” says Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Joe Biden claims that all those countries that support the Russian war in Ukraine stand on the wrong side of history. But please in the words of President Putin “don’t be a colony, be a sovereign nation”.

A procedural on-site visit is to follow, after which we will officially be off the grey list. After October, we will no longer be under intense scrutiny in terms of action on anti-terror financing and anti-money laundering directives. This means that diplomatic outreach is just as important as the legwork involved in implementation and action. It is important to remember that our removal from the grey list does not imply that all of our economic woes have been addressed; far from it. But this is not something that will result in an automatic improvement of living standards or the general public.

Pakistan on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack on a Sikh temple in Kabul that resulted in the loss of two lives, terming the acts of terrorism on religious places "utterly repugnant". In a statement issued today, the Foreign Office noted that the attack resulted in the loss of precious lives and injuries to many others while causing destruction of property. "Pakistan is seriously concerned at the recent spate of terrorist attacks on places of worship in Afghanistan," the communiqué released by the foreign office maintained. The foreign office reiterated Pakistan's condemnation of terrorism in all forms and manifestations. An attack at another temple in Kabul in 2020 that killed 25 was claimed by Islamic State.

KABUL – Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has said that the negotiations between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Pakistan’s government have concluded two days back in Kabul. The Afghan Taliban official said that his side played the role of a mediator. He assured that in case the negotiations between the TTP and Pakistan fail, then the Taliban would not allow the Afghan soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan. It is not directly affiliated with the Afghan Taliban but pledges allegiance to them. Mujahid noted that the TTP has announced an indefinite ceasefire and since then the attacks in the country have been halted.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has felicitated the nation and welcomed the announcement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that Pakistan has met all its conditions for exclusion from the grey list. The prime minister said that the return of Pakistan to the FATF white list will help improve economic and financial situation of Pakistan. The FATF reviewed Pakistan’s progress on FATF Action Plans in its plenary meetings held in Berlin from Monday till Friday. The FATF acknowledged the completion of Pakistan’s both Action Plans (2018 and 2021) and has authorized an onsite visit to Pakistan, as a final step to exit from the FATF’s grey list. Pakistan has covered a lot of ground in the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terror Financing (AML/CFT) domain during the implementation of FATF Action Plans.

The DMC staff was deployed at night, and at many stations rigging for the defeat of the TLP was carried out,” he alleged. “Ballot boxes were lifted from three polling stations, and we have the evidence for that. According to unofficial results from all 309 polling stations, Muhammad Abu Bakar of MQM-P won the by-polls by securing 10,683 votes. The NA-240 constituency includes Landhi and Korangi Abdullah Shah Noorani Town, Landhi Babar Market, Shah Khalid Colony, Zamanabad, Christian Colony, Jamnagar, Khizrabad, Khurramabad, Pir Bukhari Colony. The population of the constituency is more than 854,000 and the number of voters is 529,855, including 235,470 women voters.

This diagnosis of FM Bhutto is not incorrect, however it is important to add some caveats to this considering the complexities in play. During his speech, FM Bhutto particularly identified India and the US as countries with which Pakistan’s relations have been problematic. This of course has meant the incoming government and new staff at the foreign office has had to conduct a reparation drive to mend relationships and give assurances to key allies. FM Bhutto is right in pointing out that it is time to pivot towards economic diplomacy and that Pakistan gains nothing by remaining disengaged with India. South Asia remains one of the least connected regions in the world pursuing economic connectivity is the need of the hour.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday felicitated the nation and welcomed the announcement of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that Pakistan had met all its conditions for exclusion from the Grey List. Read more: Pakistan all but exits grey listHe appreciated the performance of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and team of the Foreign Ministry. “I pay tribute to the whole team working for the success of Pakistan,” he said adding the statement of FATF was recognition of the restoration of the international reputation of Pakistan. “More such good news will be destiny of Pakistan in future,” he said adding the return of Pakistan to the white list would help in improving the economic and financial situation of Pakistan. “We are working with the same determination for the economic revival of Pakistan,” he concluded.

Terming Pakistan’s imminent return to the ‘white list’ a step towards success, PM Shehbaz congratulated the core team, government institutions and all other persons involved in the successful implementation of the FATF action plan. “Praise be to Allah, everyone’s efforts have borne fruit,” said the PM in a statement. The prime minister further said that the FATF statement was a recognition of the restoration of Pakistan’s reputation internationally. Following a meeting in Paris in June 2018, the Paris-based organisation formally included Pakistan on its “grey list” of countries with inadequate controls over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing. The organisation can make recommendations to any of the countries that have signed a membership charter, as well as other nations, but it has no power to impose sanctions.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the country on its return to the white list from the FATF grey list. In a statement issued on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Financial Action Task Force’s recognition that Pakistan has met all of the requirements for removal from the grey list. “By the grace of God, Pakistan’s return to the white list is a great achievement. “Pakistan’s economic situation will improve after it is reinstated on the white list,” he hoped. “It is hoped that Pakistan will be removed from the grey list before October,” the former interior minister tweeted on Saturday.

Pakistan comes across as a nation which seems to be perennially at strife with itself, teetering constantly on the verge of implosion. The internal struggle for power continued relentlessly and culminated in the irreparable loss of East Pakistan. The cry, the longing for the real Pakistan, sprouting forth from each Pakistani heart, is fast becoming a scream. Pakistan cries out loud for the fulfillment of its destiny; for it to take its rightful, respectful place in the comity of nations. This cry for Pakistan is reverberating nation-wide now and will not wither away as just another “cry in the wilderness”!

It's the final day of the FATF plenary in Berlin. Also read Pakistan pins hopes on ‘onsite visit’ to exit FATF 'grey list'In February 2018, the FATF had decided to place Pakistan on the grey list with effect from June 2018 and handed it over a list of 27 conditions that it needed to implement to exit the grey list. "Pakistan is not being removed from the grey list today. The country will be removed from the list if it successfully passes the onsite visit," FATF president Marcus Pleyer told a news conference. The purpose of the onsite visit, he said, is to verify the completion of reforms to check whether it is sustainable and irreversible.

PM Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: The News/FileISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while welcoming the announcement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding completion of its action plan by Pakistan, congratulated the nation over the big achievement on Friday. PM Shehbaz Sharif said that InshaAllah, more good news would be heard in the days to come. "Return of Pakistan to the FATF whitelist will also help improve the country's economy," he said. The PM said he and his team were working for economic restoration of Pakistan.