EDITED : While work and missionary visas have been reduced from five years to one year, the visa limit for journalists has been reduced from five years to three months. The Consulate's notification mentioned that visas for trade, tourism and students will remain valid for a period of five years.The visa duration for Pakistani nationals has been reduced to three months from five years, said a spokesperson of the US embassy in Pakistan.
Apart from civilians, the new visa policy will also be applicable to Pakistani journalists.
The US government has also increased visa application fees ffor the Pakistani citizens to $192 form $160.
As they say If you can’t beat them, join ‘em... didn’t they do that after the hit on Osama at Abbottabad, as well?pankajs wrote:Musharraf says on a news show that Pakistan's intelligence was involved in using Jaish e Mohammad for terror attacks in India. Watch the embedded video.
https://twitter.com/nadeemmalik/status/ ... 3860386817
The article clearly states that the Army replied in kind. I think you need to chill.Chinmayanand wrote:PA is firing at civilians and IA is giving warning.
It seems IA is getting into "Kadi Ninda" mode.
Don't they know that pakis don't play by rules or ethics. Instead of punching them or firing at civilians in PoK , what the hell is this "warning" ?
Every time I see news anchors shout their throats out , Pakistan breaks "ceasefire violation in such & such sector" , it leaves a bad taste .
When will they realise there is no ceasefire.It's fire at will . Hit pakis and paki civilians so hard , they go crying all over the world but it's the other way round. Everytime rabid pakis bite , we start giving dossiers all around .
So far after Pulwama , pakis are leading 2:1 .
It seems we are back to de-escalated mode . Pakis hit on 14th . We responded 12 days later.
After we responded , pakis responded next day.
Now , the Chanakyas are still devising strategies and finalising targets while pakis have claimed to arrest so many terrorists. So, no more "Non-military surgical strike" crap.
Pakis came and tried to hit military installations . Now they can't egg on more than this . What do our three services do ? Call it Act of Aggression and sit tight after that. This is the condition after being given free hand.
If the Army had replied in kind , what is the need to give warning ? Just keep replying till pakis stop firing. The REPLY is not fit enough. If it was , there would not be these incidents.Mihaylo wrote:
The article clearly states that the Army replied in kind. I think you need to chill.
-M
If the Army had replied in kind , what is the need to give warning ? [/quoteChinmayanand wrote:Mihaylo wrote:
The article clearly states that the Army replied in kind. I think you need to chill.
-M
So Morons can lap it up and spin it however they like.Mihaylo wrote:Chinmayanand wrote:If the Army had replied in kind , what is the need to give warning ?
I think you missed the news which was all over the internet yesterdin.Chinmayanand wrote:So far after Pulwama , pakis are leading 2:1 .
It seems we are back to de-escalated mode . Pakis hit on 14th . We responded 12 days later.
After we responded , pakis responded next day.
Now , the Chanakyas are still devising strategies and finalising targets while pakis have claimed to arrest so many terrorists. So, no more "Non-military surgical strike" crap.
Pakis came and tried to hit military installations . Now they can't egg on more than this . What do our three services do ? Call it Act of Aggression and sit tight after that. This is the condition after being given free hand.
Never interfere with the enemy when he is in the process of destroying himself.
-Napoleon Bonaparte
Why do you think the Pakis are in this situation in the first place? Because it is Pakfauj uber alles, they get the top pickings of everything, from government funding, resources, land, men and women. That's the one thing they do well, their only USP as things stand today. So unsurprisingly, the only avenue they have is to fight back as good momins. Regarding whether they have the upper hand or us, after decades of bloodletting at the borders it's a given that the LoC is "dynamically stable" and every fortification and gun on one side is matched on the other. Except for the fact that all terror camps are on their side and the fence is on our side.Vips wrote:My question is why is a country with limited POL stocks and near empty foreign exchange coffers(actually negative reserves) being allowed to dictate the terms of engagement?
The above is not supported as far as opposition rhetoric is concerned. It is still focused on Rafale and Balakot.Vips wrote:It needs to be noted that it is Pakistan which is upping the ante at the border instead of the other way round. They fire with small arms, we respond. They move to higher calibre mortar rounds, we responded. They moved to 105 MM artillery, we copy it, they have also brought in the 155 MM heavy guns and we are only now pressing the Bofors into service. My question is why is a country with limited POL stocks and near empty foreign exchange coffers(actually negative reserves) being allowed to dictate the terms of engagement? Shouldnt India just be looking for an excuse to make any duel very costly for the Terroristanis? What the heck is wrong with us and what are we waiting for?
Modi/Shah combine needs to realize that they are walking into a trap by not responding as the Pakis are clearly on a gameplan to make Modi look weak and the opposition will now in tandem with pakis try to pin the government and blame the border situation on it.
Take a chill pill, firing at the LoC is a regular occurrence. It gives our boys some target practice, besides we exercise restraint as we have a lot more civilians in those areas with death well bunkers (courtesy BSF contractors). You cannot see this in isolation, the economic damage this time around is far more than a few shells in Poonch. Also, you seem to be giving them too much credit by assuming it;s their concerted strategy, the irregular army they have at the border fires at will and doesn't take orders from Bajwa & sons. Let them expend their frustration.Vips wrote:It needs to be noted that it is Pakistan which is upping the ante at the border instead of the other way round. They fire with small arms, we respond. They move to higher calibre mortar rounds, we responded. They moved to 105 MM artillery, we copy it, they have also brought in the 155 MM heavy guns and we are only now pressing the Bofors into service. My question is why is a country with limited POL stocks and near empty foreign exchange coffers(actually negative reserves) being allowed to dictate the terms of engagement? Shouldnt India just be looking for an excuse to make any duel very costly for the Terroristanis? What the heck is wrong with us and what are we waiting for?
Modi/Shah combine needs to realize that they are walking into a trap by not responding as the Pakis are clearly on a gameplan to make Modi look weak and the opposition will now in tandem with pakis try to pin the government and blame the border situation on it.
Pakistan will get the IMF loan. After all US needs its co-operation for a face saving pull out from Afghanistan.Paul wrote:Per Brahma Chellaney, a $12B package from IMF is on the verge of approval for Pakistan
Vips wrote:It needs to be noted that it is Pakistan which is upping the ante at the border instead of the other way round. They fire with small arms, we respond. They move to higher calibre mortar rounds, we responded. They moved to 105 MM artillery, we copy it, they have also brought in the 155 MM heavy guns and we are only now pressing the Bofors into service. My question is why is a country with limited POL stocks and near empty foreign exchange coffers(actually negative reserves) being allowed to dictate the terms of engagement? Shouldnt India just be looking for an excuse to make any duel very costly for the Terroristanis? What the heck is wrong with us and what are we waiting for?
Modi/Shah combine needs to realize that they are walking into a trap by not responding as the Pakis are clearly on a gameplan to make Modi look weak and the opposition will now in tandem with pakis try to pin the government and blame the border situation on it.
Knowing the Pakis, they could have thrown China under the bus to get the IMF loan. Remember the IMF loan was basically stuck at the unrevealed (or unknown) exposure of the Pakis to China. Maybe this number is not so unrevealed now, and Chinese translators at the IMF are gleefully gathering evidence of China's resurgent imperialism.pankajs wrote:^^
My guess was for about $6-8 Billion (Approx.) i.e for IMF + Sovereign debt rollover but a $12 Billion will coverage for some of the Chinese loans plus New financing.
NEW DELHI: A day after the India-Pak aerial dogfight which led to the capture of Indian pilot and wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman + , Indian diplomats and other staff members faced harassment in Islamabad at the hands of ISI.
Two Indian officers, on their way to an embassy in the diplomatic enclave on February 28 in an Indian high commission car, were tailed aggressively before they were intercepted by Pakistan security agency officials in the middle of the road.
Speaking angrily, according to a formal protest lodged by India with the Pakistan foreign ministry, one of them told the Indian officers, "We have taken 2 of you down and you people are creating problems and not behaving".
Pakistan had on February 27 claimed to have shot down 2 Indian aircraf + t and captured the pilots. It later turned out to be only 1 aircraft and pilot.
India's protest in the form of a note verbale, mentioned how Pakistani vehicles "zigzagged" around the Indian high commission car before finally overtaking and halting it.
The government's protest came even as India officially announced Wednesday that the first meeting between India and Pakistan to finalise the modalities for Kartarpur Corridor would be held at Attari-Wagah (Indian side) on March 14. India also proposed that a technical level discussion on the alignment of the corridor be held on the same day on the sidelines of this meeting.
In the same note verbale, India protested 2 other incidents of harassment both of which took place the same day. In one of these incidents, 2 other Indian officers were again aggressively followed before they were intercepted and photographed repeatedly in "an intimidating manner".
In the third incident, another Indian officer, while on his way to a market, was followed by an ISI official on a motorbike "within a distance of 10 metres".
"Such incidents of harassment of family members of diplomats are in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.The esteemed ministry may kindly note that the safety and security of Indian high commission, its officers, staff members and their families is the responsibility of the government of Pakistan," said India's protest note, while requesting the Pakistan foreign ministry to probe all 3 incidents and share the outcome with Indian officials.
India and Pakistan are hoping though that the Kartarpur meeting will help de-escalate tensions. Pakistan's decision to send a delegation and India's response Wednesday is being seen as a positive development by diplomats on both sides.
India said in its statement that its decision to go ahead with the Kartarpur Initiative was in keeping with the earlier decision to operationalise the Kartarpur Corridor on the occasion of the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji and meet the "long pending public demand to have easy and smooth access to the holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib".
De-escalation! Jai ho.Ashokk wrote:Behave, we have brought two down, ISI men told Indian diplomats after February 27 dogfightIndia and Pakistan are hoping though that the Kartarpur meeting will help de-escalate tensions. Pakistan's decision to send a delegation and India's response Wednesday is being seen as a positive development by diplomats on both sides.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail has revealed that Rs1.277 billion is being added to the country’s circular debt each passing day under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
He said the country’s total circular debt has reached as high as Rs1,409 billion within just ten months of the current regime which is a worrisome sign for the country’s economic structure. Ismail further hit out at the government for not only lying to the nation over taking back an increase in petrol prices but instead raised the prices by Rs12.12 per litre in petrol and Rs13.99 per liter in diesel.
“The government is making foolish economic decisions which are proving costly to the people of Pakistan,” he said, adding the circular debt was up to Rs505 billion in 2013 and along with this there was PHPL (Power Holding co) debt to banks of Rs340billion.
Ismail maintained the average production in 2013 was 12,000 megawatts and the PML-N added 10,000 megawatts to the national grid before leaving an average production of 20,000 megawatts towards the end of its tenure in 2018.
CheersThe PML-N leader further said the circular loan was Rs423 billion in May 2018 while the PHPL loan was Rs603 billion and the total circular loan was Rs1026 billion. He added in those five years only Rs77 million increased in the circular loan on a daily basis.
Renowned analyst Ahmed Rasheed said connectivity could provide a solution for regional peace. He said the Iranian port of Chabahar had become operational, while Gwadar could not attract much traffic so far.
CheersHe said Afghans were shifting their trade through Chabahar as bilateral trade had come down from $5 billion to $2.5 billion and it touched the lowest ebb of $1.5 billion last year. “We have lost a captive market,” he added.
CPEC concerns making China apprehensive about supporting ban on Masood Azhar: Report
This is the fourth time that a proposal has been moved to brand Masood Azhar a global terrorist. The previous three attempts have been blocked by China
OPINDIA STAFF
MARCH 8, 2019
China apprehensive about changing minds on Masood Azhar's terror designation
The People’s Republic of China, which has repeatedly blocked India’s efforts to designate Masood Azhar a terrorist, is reportedly apprehensive about changing its mind, as it thinks it will make the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) prone to attacks by Jaish-e-Mohammed.
According to an Economic Times report, China is thinking about changing its stand on Masood Azhar and not use the veto to prevent him from getting listed as a terrorist on March 13th when the proposal moved by France and supported by other UNSC permanent members under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 goes under consideration.
For this, it is reported that it will have to exert pressure on Pakistan to tie down security guarantees regarding CPEC. China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou’s visit to Pakistan, this month, is also said to be have been done in this regard.
The $62 billion CPEC project, part of China’s giant programme Belt and Road Initiative, intends to construct modern infrastructures in Pakistan, including highway and railway networks, energy projects, to bolster the country’s economic backbone. According to reports, around 10,000 Chinese nationals are working on the project. Last week, China also sent socio-economic development experts to Pakistan to gear up projects in areas like education and water.
The corridor passes through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and also Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Balakot is present. It is considered a hotbed of activities of JeM and was recently hit by air strikes conducted by India.
China, reportedly, has acquired a large amount of land near Balakot and the Karakoram Highway that connects Pakistan with China through POK also crosses Mansehra making them prone to JeM’s terror activities.
India has been persistent in its approach to declare Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. In 2009, India had moved a proposal to ban Azhar. In 2016 again, India moved a similar proposal with the P3 nations: The United States, the United Kingdom, and France in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee. The P3 nations had moved the same proposal in 2017, too. However, all proposals brought no fruit for India, as all of them were blocked by veto-wielding China. Even after the Pulwama attack last month, China has shown no difference in its position.
X Posted.arun wrote:Looking at the headline of “Pakistan to lodge U.N. complaint against India for 'eco-terrorism' forest bombing” I thought Reuters unbeknownst to me had started a spot satirising current events. I was then rather bemused to find out that it was actual news and based on the comment of the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Minister of Climate Change one Malik Amin Aslam.
Only bemused rather than surprised, as the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change is rather saazish minded when India is involved. Posters here may recollect the tweet of the Junior Minister of Climate Change {Minister of State}, one Zartaj Gul Wazir, who declared that the Islamic Republic’s winter smog problem was “connected to the unconventional warfare we're embattled in with our eastern neighbour, India”.
1. Pakistan to lodge U.N. complaint against India for 'eco-terrorism' forest bombing :
2. Twitter:Climate Change Minister Malik Amin Aslam said Indian jets bombed a “forest reserve” and the government was undertaking an environmental impact assessment, which will be the basis a complaint at the United Nations and other forums.
“What happened over there is environmental terrorism,” Aslam told Reuters, adding that dozens of pine trees had been felled. “There has been serious environmental damage.”
In response to @sherryrehman's question in Senate today about smog:
Smog is a major environmental concern in Pakistan. And we have to accept and acknowledge that it's connected to the unconventional warfare we're embattled in with our eastern neighbour, India.
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