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ISLAMABAD: Russia and Pakistan have agreed to broaden economic, energy, and strategic cooperation following the conclusion of the 10th Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) in Islamabad, where both sides committed to expanding trade, easing customs barriers, and advancing new joint projects, according to the Russian Embassy&rsquo;s statement. Co-chaired by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev and Pakistan&rsquo;s Power Minister Awais Leghari, the three-day meeting focused on accelerating bilateral commerce. Around 65% of Russian exports to Pakistan currently comprise agricultural goods, while Pakistan mainly exports textiles, leather products, and food items to Russia. Both sides agreed to work toward reducing non-tariff barriers and simplifying customs procedures to boost overall trade. Energy cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. The two delegations reviewed prospects for LNG and LPG supplies, alongside opportunities in renewable energy and hydropower. Plans were also explored for joint mineral extraction, modernization of Pakistan Steel Mills, and the local production of Russian insulin. According to the statement, the two governments are also continuing work on test cargo shipments along the eastern route of the North-South International Transport Corridor, aimed at improving regional connectivity. Cooperation in science and education is set to expand as well. By the end of 2026, Russia and Pakistan aim to finalize agreements on mutual recognition of diplomas and enhanced collaboration in engineering, medicine, information technology, and space science. Following the meeting, both sides signed several documents, including the final IGC protocol and memorandums of understanding between Sputnik and the Associated Press of Pakistan, Rosstandart and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, and between Russia&rsquo;s Federal Antimonopoly Service and Pakistan&rsquo;s Competition Commission. Cultural exchanges accompanied the talks, with a concert of Russian and Pakistani folk music at the National Council of the Arts and the unveiling of a monument to Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin at Fatima Jinnah Park. Tsivilev and Leghari &ldquo;expressed their satisfaction with the constructive results of the 10th IGC&rdquo; and reaffirmed their commitment to moving forward with all agreed measures, the statement said.

Foreign Affairs

 Moscow and Islamabad agree to expand trade, accelerate energy cooperation and advance joint projects, including steel mills upgrades, insulin production and new transport corridor tests, following the 10th Intergovernmental Commission meeting.

Russia, Pakistan deepen trade and energy cooperation at Islamabad Commission talks

ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) and India have entered a fresh phase of tension over control, access and security protocols surrounding the investigation into the June crash of Air India Flight 171, as their respective aviation agencies sharply diverge on where and how to analyze the aircraft&rsquo;s flight recorders, according to The Wall Street Journal. The dispute pits the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) against India&rsquo;s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with both sides contesting the location for black-box analysis and the procedures for examining and sharing evidence. Air India Flight 171, a scheduled service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed 32 seconds after take-off, killing all but one of the 241 people on board. Indian authorities launched the official probe immediately, but disagreements over access to the aircraft&rsquo;s recorded data have since stalled progress. The Journal reported that the friction escalated in late June when Indian officials directed American specialists to travel on a late-night military flight to a remote laboratory in Korwa. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy blocked the plan, citing security concerns tied to terrorism and regional military conflict, and threatened to withdraw US cooperation unless the examination took place in either New Delhi or Washington. India ultimately selected New Delhi. American investigators also expressed frustration at the slow pace of data recovery, while Indian officials resisted what they viewed as excessive external control of the probe. According to the Journal, AAIB chief G.V.G. Yugandhar told US counterparts that India was fully capable of managing the investigation. A preliminary Indian report issued in July found that the Boeing 787&rsquo;s fuel-control switches had been moved from &ldquo;RUN&rdquo; to &ldquo;CUTOFF,&rdquo; starving both engines of thrust. The findings did not explain why the switches were moved. US government and aerospace officials privately believe the evidence points to deliberate pilot action, though no official conclusion has been reached. Differences also emerged over methodology. Indian investigators reportedly conducted parts of the probe sequentially, while the NTSB pushed for a broader, faster review to determine whether any systemic issue with the 787 could threaten global flight safety. With the investigation continuing under strained cooperation, the diverging approaches of Washington and New Delhi have raised fresh uncertainty over the eventual conclusions and the credibility of the final crash findings.

Americas

Asia

The Air India Flight 171 probe stalls as US and Indian investigators dispute black-box access, security conditions and control of the inquiry, deepening uncertainty around the crash’s final conclusions.

US–India rift deepens over Air India crash investigation controls

LONDON: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received a ceremonial welcome to Britain on Wednesday as his state visit got into full swing &mdash; the first by Germany&#39;s official head of state in 27 years. Steinmeier enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride with King Charles III and inspected a Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle, west of London, on day one of his three-day stay. He was feted with a 41-gun salute at the 1,000-year-old castle where he ate lunch and reviewed items related to Germany in the Royal Collection. Steinmeier then met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street, where the British leader praised the work the two countries had done supporting Ukraine. Starmer said Britain and Germany were also working together on migration, trade, and economic growth, and that the two countries&#39; relationship was going from &quot;strength to strength.&quot; The German president said relations between Berlin and London were now in &quot;far better shape&quot; than in the &quot;difficult&quot; years after the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016. &quot;We have to engage in improving the situation and coming closer in this changing world with new threats to all of us,&quot; he told Starmer. The trip, which includes a state banquet and a speech to parliament, takes place as a deepening security alliance has helped rebuild London-Berlin ties that frayed in the turbulent post-Brexit years. Charles visited Germany in 2023, in his first overseas trip as monarch. Steinmeier&#39;s plane landed amid tight security at London&#39;s Heathrow Airport, where he was greeted by heir to the throne Prince William and his wife, Catherine. Steinmeier was the foreign minister when the Brexit referendum occurred and had choice words back then for the &quot;irresponsible politicians&quot; who &quot;lured&quot; Britain into leaving the EU. However, ties across the Channel improved under Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak, and the trend has continued under his center-left Labor successor Starmer. The visit comes as both the German and British governments face pressure from hard-right, anti-immigration parties &mdash; the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Reform UK Party led by Brexit cheerleader Nigel Farage. &#39;Apprehension&#39; Russia&#39;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the political turmoil unleashed by the Trump administration have led key European powers to forge closer ties, including World War I and II-era foes Germany and Britain. In October 2024, Western Europe&#39;s two biggest military spenders signed a defense pact, followed by their first &quot;friendship treaty&quot; in July. &quot;The core of the relationship is in the security and foreign policy field,&quot; said Nicolai von Ondarza from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. But despite closer ties, Ondarza told AFP that &quot;the UK is still much less present in German political debate than it has been in the past.&quot; In Berlin, &quot;there is an apprehension that the current Labour government won&#39;t be courageous enough to move further on cooperation with the EU,&quot; he said, as Farage rises in the polls. The friendship treaty also included agreements on preventing irregular migration and promoting cultural and educational exchanges. Bombed cathedral History will feature prominently in Steinmeier&#39;s visit, which on Friday takes him to Coventry, a city devastated by German air raids in World War II and twinned with Dresden, which suffered a similar fate at the hands of the Allies. Steinmeier will lay a wreath at the bombed-out ruins of the city&#39;s old cathedral, joined by members of the Luftwaffe and British servicemen. He will then travel to the university city of Oxford to receive an honorary doctorate and visit a subsidiary of German industrial giant Siemens. Representatives from Siemens and several other heavyweight German companies such as BMW, Deutsche Bank, and RWE, will join Steinmeier&#39;s delegation. Mercedes is set to announce a &pound;20 million ($26.4 million) electric vehicle technology project expected to create 150 jobs in the UK. The countries&#39; shared passion for football will be reflected on Thursday when German stars Per Mertesacker and Kai Havertz join Steinmeier to visit a London school era.

Europe

UK PM says Britain, Germany working together on migration, trade, and economic growth, two countries' relationship is going from "strength to strength."


German president enjoys royal treatment on UK state visit

ISLAMABAD: The Indian government on Wednesday withdrew its mandate requiring mobile phone makers to pre-install its state-owned and contentious cyber-security application Sanchar Saathi, according to a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau of India.&nbsp;&ldquo;Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;The move marked the third change in policy on Sanchar Saathi within days.&nbsp;On Monday, the communications ministry had instructed manufacturers to pre-install the app on every device, according to local media reports. The directive also required the app to be undeletable, triggering criticism from opposition parties and digital rights advocates.&nbsp;By Tuesday, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters the app remained optional.&nbsp;&ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t want the Sanchar Saathi app, you can delete it. It is optional&hellip; It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it in their devices or not is up to the user,&rdquo; Scindia said.&nbsp;The app, already available on major app stores with millions of downloads, is &ldquo;designed to help users combat fraud and recover stolen phones,&rdquo; according to government officials.&nbsp;&ldquo;Sanchar Saathi allows users to report suspected fraud directly from call logs, enabling informed citizens to actively protect less-aware users,&rdquo; the Press Information Bureau stated.&nbsp;Cybersecurity researchers, however, have raised concerns over the app&rsquo;s access to user data once installed.&nbsp;Digital rights expert Haroon Baloch told Pakistan TV that the application&rsquo;s permissions allow the state to access sensitive information.&nbsp;&ldquo;The state can access information stored inside your mobile phone, including access to the gallery, phone book, and messages,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The government did not dispute the level of access, saying the data would be used only by law enforcement agencies for addressing serious security crimes.&nbsp;Experts also questioned its national-security effectiveness.&nbsp;&ldquo;Terror groups and other non-state actors use more sophisticated communications and phones,&rdquo; Baloch noted, adding that such measures may only assist in addressing low-level crimes rather than major threats.

India

After a severe backlash from digital rights experts, India withdraws its order requiring mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app, reverting to optional user installation.

India reverses mandate on contentious ‘cyber-security’ app

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday met senior military leaders from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to statements issued by the Pakistan military&rsquo;s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).&nbsp;Saudi Land Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Fahad bin Saud Al-Johani and Bahrain National Guard Commander Shaikh Mohammad bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa called on Pakistan&rsquo;s army chief during separate meetings.&nbsp;The Saudi chief was received with a Guard of Honour upon arrival, the ISPR stated.&nbsp;During the meeting, both sides discussed regional security, defense cooperation, and opportunities to expand bilateral military collaboration.&nbsp;&ldquo;Both sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding and brotherly relations between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Later, Field Marshal Munir met Bahrain National Guard Commander Shaikh Mohammad bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa. The meeting focused on enhancing military-to-military ties and reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s support for Bahrain across all domains.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Bahrain and Saudi military leaders appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and their role in maintaining regional peace and stability,&rdquo; the ISPR added.

Security

Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met senior military leaders from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in Rawalpindi, discussing regional security, military cooperation, training, and enhancing longstanding bilateral relations

Pakistan, Saudi, Bahrain military chiefs meet to strengthen defense cooperation

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s technology and telecom sector unveiled the country&rsquo;s first AI-ready sovereign cloud, a move industry leaders said would fundamentally reshape national access to advanced artificial intelligence and end dependence on foreign cloud providers.&nbsp;The platform, jointly launched by major Pakistani tech and telecom firms, marked &ldquo;the moment Pakistan moved from consuming AI to producing it at scale,&rdquo; according to executives involved in the rollout.&nbsp;For years, enterprises seeking to develop high-performance AI models were forced to rely on overseas cloud services, constrained by global GPU shortages and the high cost of importing hardware. Local capacity was further limited by international export restrictions on advanced chips. Data Vault Pakistan, the country&rsquo;s AI-optimized and enterprise-secured data center, said it had overcome those barriers. The company secured special approval from NVIDIA for the import of its GPUs despite US restrictions targeting certain markets, enabling the deployment of thousands of high-performance processors inside Pakistan. Data Vault CEO Mehwish Salman Ali told Pakistan TV Digital that the company had expanded to &ldquo;over 3,000 GPUs,&rdquo; making it &ldquo;the only fully AI-enabled data center in the country.&rdquo; She called the milestone &ldquo;one of the hardest to achieve&rdquo; but said it now allowed banks, telecom operators, hospitals, and startups to train and deploy frontier-scale AI models domestically, with lower latency and full data sovereignty. &ldquo;The era of exporting Pakistan&rsquo;s most valuable data to foreign servers was over,&rdquo; Ali said. Ali added that control of GPU compute was as strategically important as national physical infrastructure. &ldquo;Whoever controls high-performance GPUs controls the speed of AI innovation,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Every rupee spent on foreign compute is a rupee that never comes back. Data Vault keeps that value and that power right here at home.&rdquo; She stressed that a sovereign AI cloud was &ldquo;not a buzzword, it&rsquo;s a red line,&rdquo; saying Pakistani data had to remain under domestic jurisdiction, something she argued global cloud providers &ldquo;cannot guarantee.&rdquo; The development coincided with a broader national technology push. In May, the Pakistani government allocated 2,000 megawatts of electricity in the first phase of a program to support Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. Officials said Pakistan&rsquo;s relatively low energy costs and available land gave it an advantage over regional competitors such as India and Singapore, where rising power prices and land scarcity constrained expansion. Demand for AI data centers surged globally, with consumption exceeding 100 gigawatts, while current supply was estimated around 15 GW. Pakistani industry leaders said that gap created an opening for countries with surplus energy and emerging regulatory frameworks.&nbsp;The new Telenor&ndash;Data Vault platform enabled organizations to run GPU-accelerated AI training, inference, and data processing. Supported uses included machine-learning pipelines, video analytics, generative AI systems, industrial automation, and the creation of large language models for Urdu and regional languages. Operators said sensitive datasets, including financial transactions, medical imagery, telecom records, and government information, would remain inside Pakistan, meeting compliance requirements set by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), health-sector regulations, and emerging national AI governance standards. The system was designed to support national priorities across multiple sectors. Financial institutions could strengthen fraud detection and anti-money laundering systems; hospitals could deploy AI diagnostics; manufacturers and logistics companies could use automation and predictive analytics; and government agencies could run secure, locally hosted AI models for public services and digital governance. The initiative also came as the telecommunications landscape underwent restructuring. Telenor Pakistan, with roughly 42.4 million mobile subscribers, was preparing to merge with PTCL, whose Ufone unit held 27.2 million subscribers. The combined entity was expected to form Pakistan&rsquo;s second-largest mobile operator, creating a broader network backbone for nationwide AI-driven services. Industry leaders said the convergence of domestic compute capacity, energy availability, strategic land allocation, and regulatory support positioned Pakistan to produce AI at scale rather than rely on international providers. The Telenor&ndash;Data Vault sovereign cloud, they argued, was both a technological breakthrough and a statement of national capability, signaling Pakistan&rsquo;s intent to build, control, and deploy advanced AI on its own terms.

Artificial Intelligence

The AI cloud ensures Pakistani data remains under local jurisdiction, enabling secure AI deployment for government, finance, and healthcare while safeguarding sensitive national information

Pakistan launches its first AI cloud service offering powerful processing capabilities 

ISLAMABAD: Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;Japarov landed at the Nur Khan Airbase, where he was received by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He was presented with a 21-gun salute, while children in traditional attire offered bouquets of flowers, the PMO said. The visit came at the invitation of PM Sharif. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 560px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1996171369638429165&lang=en&maxWidth=560px&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=67bf6f34b5ff5b76afa932b3d59f6c8d7fcf3d20&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 560px; height: 316px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>During his stay, President Japarov was scheduled to hold high-level meetings with both President Zardari and PM Sharif. His delegation included cabinet ministers, senior officials, and business leaders.&nbsp;Earlier in August, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation, including collaboration in cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and digital finance.

Economy

Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov visits Islamabad for a two-day state trip, holding high-level meetings to strengthen political, trade, and emerging technology cooperation between the two countries.

Kyrgyz president in Pakistan to advance political, trade, tech cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday that the region&rsquo;s development challenges, including poverty, inequality and low intra-regional trade, necessitate a revival of regional platforms such as SAARC. &quot;Stronger regional cooperation is needed to address mounting security and climate challenges&quot;, addressing the Islamabad Conclave 2025, organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). South Asia must move towards dialogue and collective action to ensure long-term stability.&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan believed regional peace was achievable only through engagement, confidence-building measures and a commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means.&nbsp;Dar said global tensions, from Europe to the Middle East, had heightened uncertainty and placed multilateral institutions under stress. He said unilateral actions by some states had weakened global consensus. &ldquo;Multilateralism is under assault,&rdquo; he cautioned, urging countries to restore trust in diplomacy and international norms.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1996147922715734324&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=b138e5f2f4f9e81a3efd2a3c50b0a3b14f38c255&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 600px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Recalling the brief but serious military confrontation between Pakistan and India earlier this year, Dar said the incident underscored the urgency of reducing regional risks. He said the episode carried &ldquo;the potential to escalate far beyond its duration,&rdquo; and highlighted the need for crisis-management mechanisms and sustained communication.&nbsp;The foreign minister said South Asia&rsquo;s security environment remained sensitive due to the presence of three nuclear-armed neighbors, continued arms buildup and the introduction of advanced weapons systems. Long-standing disputes, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir issue, continued to pose challenges to peace, he added.&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan remained committed to a cooperative regional framework that rejected bloc politics and zero-sum approaches. He said Pakistan&rsquo;s upcoming term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council would be used to advance dialogue, conflict prevention and equitable development.&nbsp;The foreign minister also highlighted the growing impact of climate change, noting that rising temperatures, floods, droughts and glacial melt were directly affecting South Asia&rsquo;s food and water security. He called for deeper regional investment in renewable energy, climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan envisions a South Asia where connectivity replaces confrontation, and cooperation drives prosperity,&rdquo; he said, adding that Pakistan stood ready to work with all regional partners to build a stable and secure future for the people of South Asia.

Dar says Pakistan believes regional peace is achievable only through engagement, confidence-building and a commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means.

Dar calls for reviving SAARC to tackle South Asia’s development, security challenges

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has publicly rebuked several opposition leaders through an Islamophobic &ldquo;movie poster&rdquo; shared on X, accusing them of being sympathetic to Muslims and &ldquo;intruders.&rdquo; The mock poster, posted by the official BJP Delhi account, features India&rsquo;s Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party founder and national convener Arvind Kejriwal, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav wearing Muslim skullcaps.&nbsp; The image is titled &ldquo;Ghuspaithiyon Ke Bhaijaan&rdquo; and includes the captions &ldquo;Directed by: Rahul Gandhi,&rdquo; &ldquo;Produced by: Mamata Banerjee,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Supporting Role: Arvind Kejriwal.&rdquo; It was shared alongside the message: &ldquo;The most trouble from SIR is faced by these sympathizers of the intruders.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1995374749728522248&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6bc66bbe3b23caf8095de451d9a26e689bb3eb87&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 754px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The post comes amid growing criticism from opposition parties over the Election Commission of India (ECI)&#39;s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters&rsquo; list. Rahul Gandhi, in a statement on X, had earlier questioned why the BJP had raised no objections to the revision process. &ldquo;Why doesn&#39;t BJP have any complaints against SIR? Haven&#39;t the names of their voters been deleted?&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp; &ldquo;So far in this journey, I&#39;ve met thousands of such people whose names have been removed from the voter list in SIR &mdash; mostly poor, Dalits, backward classes, minorities, farmers, and laborers.&rdquo; Gandhi further alleged that &ldquo;It&#39;s absolutely clear &mdash; EC and BJP are working together to erase the opposition&#39;s votes.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1959530288192905270&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6bc66bbe3b23caf8095de451d9a26e689bb3eb87&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to Indian media, the second phase of SIR is being implemented across 12 states and territories, including Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Earlier this year, a similar revision took place in Bihar ahead of its November 6 state elections. The process resulted in the removal of approximately 6.5 million names, which the ECI stated was necessary to prevent the inclusion of &ldquo;foreign illegal immigrants,&rdquo; according to AFP.

India’s BJP shared an Islamophobic mock ‘movie poster’ depicting opposition leaders in skullcaps, accusing them of aiding 'intruders,' amid disputes over a voter-list revision that Rahul Gandhi says disproportionately remove poor and minority opposition voters.

India’s ruling BJP posts Islamophobic ‘movie poster’ targeting opposition

ISLAMABAD: To end all forms of violence against women and girls, particularly digital violence, the government of Pakistan has&nbsp;improved online safety tools and enhanced reporting mechanisms. The measures also include strengthening protection for women and children against harmful content through National Strategy on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence. The government also continues to support systems designed to improve safety for women, including the National Commission on the Status of Women, the Family Protection Center, the 1099 Helpline, and the National Policy on Ending Violence Against Women. National Strategy on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)According to a UNDP report, nearly 90% of cyber harassment complaints filed with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are from women, with 45% of working women reporting online abuse and 15% quitting their jobs as a result. According to the report, the project is contributing to a safer and more inclusive digital and offline environment for women, youth, and marginalized communities across Pakistan.&nbsp; Through legal reform, institutional strengthening, and survivor-centered digital interventions, this initiative is empowering aff&shy;ected individuals, improving access to justice, and strengthening national and provincial ownership to sustainably address TFGBV. National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW)Pakistan government&rsquo;s NCSW undertakes and encourages research and data generations as evidence for policies, action and monitoring as a central component of its work. Based on data from different sources, it showcases various indicators such as women&rsquo;s household decision making power, financial autonomy, freedom of movement, political participation, acceptance of unequal gender roles, exposure to media, access to education, experience of domestic violence etc. Family Protection and Rehabilitation Center for Women (FPRCW)Functioning under Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Human Rights, Family Protection &amp; Rehabilitation Center for Women exists to provide free medical/first aid to victims of violence, free legal assistance/aid, and to do liaise with agencies competent to redress grievances of women at individual and collective levels, especially those concerned with combating violence against women (VAW). Toll free helpline 1099A Toll-Free Number 1099 offers access to callers from all over the country (with no cost at all) to get free legal advice, counseling, legal assistance and referral service for redressal of their grievances. The helpline since its establishment has received almost 1.5 million calls till May 2025 and has provided its services in almost 60,000 relevant cases, according to the Ministry of Human Rights&rsquo; website.&nbsp; Zero-tolerance policy&nbsp;Pakistan Human Rights Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s zero-tolerance policy on violence against women, underscoring a wide range of national protections, legal reforms, and institutional support systems already put in place to safeguard women and girls. Citing strengthened national protections and continued international commitments, he highlighted the government&rsquo;s ongoing efforts at a national event marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. Protection Against Harassment of Women at the WorkplaceEmphasizing Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment &ldquo;to ending all forms of violence against women and girls, particularly the growing threat of digital violence,&rdquo; Tarar pointed to legislative and policy reforms as key pillars of the government&rsquo;s approach. He referenced measures such as the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Act 2022, the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, the Enforcement of Women&rsquo;s Property Rights Act 2020, and the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018, laws aimed at strengthening accountability and expanding protections for women.

Culture

Pakistan has intensified efforts to end violence against women through strengthened laws, digital-safety reforms, support services, and national institutions, aiming to enhance protection, improve justice access, and create safer online environments for women across Pakistan.

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