Aqeel Ahmed

  India’s insistence on propagating a lie that has been thoroughly exposed is ludicrous and nonsensical, says FO ISLAMABAD: Rubbishing the baseless Indian claims that a Pakistani F-16 aircraft was shot down by Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthamanm, before he was captured by Pakistan in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019, the Foreign Office (FO) Tuesday said that international experts and US officials have already confirmed that no Pakistani F-16 was shot down on the day after taking stock of Pakistani F-16 aircraft. The Narendra Modi government on Monday conferred Vir Chakra - the third-highest military award-  to the Indian pilot in recognition of his wartime gallantry. The citation of the award to the downed Indian pilot, Abhinandan, is a "classic case of Indian fabrications and pure fantasy to appease the domestic audience and hide embarrassment," read a statement issued by the FO. "India’s insistence on propagating a lie that has been thoroughly exposed is ludicro

  The countries with the recent highest rate of deaths are Russia with 1,241, followed by the US with 832 and Ukraine with 695 - First foreign tourists return to Vietnam - After almost 20 months without international travellers, more than 400 tourists touch down in Vietnam from South Korea and Japan, with arrivals required to show a vaccine certificate and a negative test. The flights to the southern resort city of Nha Trang come ahead of Vietnam's plans to reopen the resort island of Phu Quoc to vaccinated foreign visitors on November 20 -- with hopes to welcome at least 5,000 travellers in coming months. - 'National effort' for Germany - Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for a "national effort" to break a fourth wave of coronavirus that is sweeping Germany and again urged people to get vaccinated. "If we show solidarity, if we think about protecting ourselves and taking care of others, we can spare our country a great deal this winter," she said, pushing

  Russia's President Putin and his French counterpart Macron voiced dissatisfaction over the worsening situation in Black Sea MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday that "provocative" US-led exercises in the Black Sea were "increasing tensions" between Moscow and NATO, the Kremlin said. Both leaders expressed "dissatisfaction" with what Moscow called a "worsening" situation in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin statement said. Putin "drew attention to the provocative nature of the large scale exercises led by the United States and its allies in the Black Sea which are increasing tensions between Russia and NATO," the Kremlin said. Putin's comments came after Western countries raised alarm over Russian military activities near Ukraine. According to the Elysee, Macron told Putin that France was ready to defend Ukraine's territorial integrity. Last week, Putin said that the Kremlin

  Pakistani batter-wicket keeper explains what happened at hospital during his treatment before crucial match Pakistani record holder batter-wicket keeper Mohammad Rizwan, who reportedly developed a severe chest infection just before the T20 World Cup semi-final, narrated his journey from the hotel to the hospital and then to the cricket ground. According to his doctor, Rizwan made a "miraculous recovery" last week after staying two days in the hospital to turn in a headline-grabbing performance in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in the UAE where he top-scored with 67 in the semi-final against Australia. In a conversation with the Pakistan Cricket Board, Rizwan said that though he had told his family in the hotel that he is just going to have an ECG done downstairs to keep them calm, he had lost his breath by the time he reached the hospital. "My condition was not well," said Rizwan. He said that the doctors told him that both his oesophagus and respiratory tract were bl

  Details of the "decisive" anti-government long march to be finalised on November 23 LAHORE: In a bid to mount pressure on the government, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided to take up the government's "controversial" bills in the country's top court and ramp up the protests. In a virtual meeting held today, with PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the chair, the alliance tasked JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, PML-N Deputy Secretary Atta Tarar, and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to prepare legal grounds for challenging the bills in the Supreme Court, a statement said. The "controversial" bills include The National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance 2021, electronic voting machine, and the bill which seeks to "curtail" the State Bank of Pakistan's powers and "handing it over to the International Monetary Fund". The Opposition leaders have been tasked to consult with lawyers and draft a strate

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday turned down the Oil and Regulatory Authority’s proposal to increase petroleum products’ prices and announced that the prices would remain unchanged till end of this November. Reports said the OGRA had suggested an increase of Rs5/litre in petrol and diesel prices. The Finance Division said in a statement that despite rising petroleum product prices globally, the prime minister has rejected the proposal for increase in the prices and said the POL prices would remain same from November 16, 2021 to providing maximum relief to the people. It is pertinent to mention that on November 4, the government announced a massive increase in POL prices, bifurcating as petrol up by Rs8.14/litre, diesel 8.14/litre, kerosene 6.27/litre, and light diesel oil by Rs5.72/litre. The current ex-depot price of petrol is Rs145.82 per litre, high-speed diesel Rs142.62 per litre, kerosene Rs116.53 per litre, and LDO is Rs114.07 per litre. It is decided that these pri

KANDAHAR: The Taliban have launched a crackdown on suspected Islamic State (IS) or Daesh hideouts in Kandahar, officials said Monday, following an increase in bloody attacks by the group in recent weeks. The operation against Islamic State-Khorasan -- the local chapter of the jihadist group -- started around midnight in at least four districts of Kandahar province and continued through Monday morning, Taliban provincial police chief Abdul Ghafar Mohammadi said. "So far, four Daesh (IS) fighters have been killed and ten arrested, one of them blew himself up inside a house," he said. A member of the Taliban intelligence agency who declined to be named said at least three civilians were killed in the operation. Local media quoted a Taliban official as saying there had also been a blast in a western suburb of Kabul Monday morning with no casualties. In the three months since the Taliban came to power, IS-K has been active in Jalalabad, Kunduz, Kandahar and Kabul. Last month the g

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the special emphasis would be laid on the character-building of country’s youth through the religious festivals. He said that the state of Madina was a practical example of principles and ethics and the Madina Charter was the defender of human rights, adding that the Islamic society was the most innovative society of its time. “The Sufis, in the light of the Seeratun Nabi (PBUH), imparted the religious teachings to the local people in their language,” the PM noted. He said that the special emphasis would be placed on making religious festivals as means of character building of youth, while the research and reflection in the universities would highlight the important aspects of Seeratun Nabi (PBUH). “Every citizen of Pakistan is a lover of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The greatest proof of the love for the Prophet is following the biography of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him),” he said. He said this while presidin

  Australia captain Aaron Finch predicted a “great contest” against New Zealand in Sunday's final when the trans-Tasman rivals clash in their bid to win a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title. Finch said his team must stay focused throughout the match because he expects Kane Williamson’s men to fight till the end in Dubai. “Anytime you play New Zealand you know how great a contest it’s gonna be, you know that they’re so disciplined in all three facets of the game,” Finch told reporters on Saturday. “They’re a team that you have to be on for all 40 overs if you’re gonna get over the line. They’re a great side. They’re really well led by Kane and he’s done it brilliantly. “They seem to just hang around for long enough in any kind of contest and wear you down. That’s what we’ve learned over the years about New Zealand. They fight and scrap in every situation.” It will be a rematch of the 50-overs World Cup title match in 2015 which Australia won, but Finch felt there was little to choose b

  Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan's recovery from a lung infection to make a valiant innings in the Twenty20 World Cup   semi-final   was termed “miraculous” on Saturday by the Indian doctor who treated him. Rizwan, 29, came out of the intensive care unit of a Dubai hospital to top-score with 67 in Pakistan's 176-4 on Thursday, but his efforts were in vain as Australia overhauled that total to set up a title clash with New Zealand. Rizwan's courage was  lauded  by Pakistan's batting coach Matthew Hayden and by fans, while pictures of the batsman lying in a hospital bed went viral on social media. Saheer Sainalabdeen, a pulmonologist who hails from the south Indian state of Kerala, told  AFP  it was Rizwan's “faith in God” and desire to play for Pakistan that got the batsman through a severe chest infection. Rizwan was so grateful that he sent the doctor an autographed Pakistan shirt. “I must admit that we did not expect his recovery to be so fast as it takes around

The orbital outpost is currently operating with just one NASA astronaut in the US segment to welcome the incoming crew WASHINGTON: After a series of delays, Elon Musk's private company SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station on Wednesday night on the "Crew-3" mission. The orbital outpost is currently operating with just one NASA astronaut in the US segment to welcome the incoming crew, after the astronauts of the earlier Crew-2 mission splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night. Crew-3's Raja Chari, Kayla Barron and Tom Marshburn of the United States and Matthias Maurer of Germany blasted off aboard a Crew Dragon capsule fixed to a Falcon 9 rocket at 9:03 pm local time (0203 GMT Thursday) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was greeted by applause in the SpaceX control room. The spaceship, called Endurance, will dock with the ISS at 7:10 pm Thursday (0010 GMT Friday). The flight was initially postponed from October

Relations between the world's two largest economies have deteriorated in recent weeks, in particular over Taiwan WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden is expected to hold a hotly awaited virtual summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday, US media reported, as tensions mount over Taiwan, human rights and trade. Both CNN and Politico, citing unnamed sources, said the meeting was tentatively scheduled for Monday. Relations between the world's two largest economies have deteriorated in recent weeks, in particular over Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by China, which last month made a record number of air incursions near the island. Washington has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression, but the United States and China reached a surprise agreement on climate at a summit in Glasgow. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that the two presidents, who have not met in person since Biden took office in January, will hol

Sources within Punjab Home Department say Saad Rizvi's release was not possible at the moment LAHORE: Punjab government Wednesday announced  to have removed  Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi's name from the Fourth Schedule, under a clandestine agreement signed between the government and the group last month. The official notification, issued by Punjab Home Department, said that the names of Rizvi, along with 487 other TLP members,  are being removed from the list of names under the 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 with immediate effect. Rizvi's name had been placed in the list on April 16, 2021 following his arrest that incited nationwide protests by the group. 'Release not possible' However, releasing the TLP chief was not possible  at the moment since he was behind bars on the Federal Review Board's directives, sources  within the Punjab Home Department said. Sources said that Saad Rizvi's release would be possible after a hearing o

PM Imran Khan announces free COVID-19 vaccines for all Afghans travelling across border into Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the international community to fulfill its collective responsibility and lend support to Afghanistan the same way Pakistan has always stood by the Afghan people in their hardships. The premier's comment came during acting Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to Islamabad to attend the Troika Plus meeting, on the invitation extended by FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi. "We have assured [Muttaqi] and his delegation we will provide all possible humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. We are sending essential food items, emergency medical supplies and winter shelters to provide immediate relief to Afghan people," PM Imran Khan wrote on Twitter. The premier went on to say that Pakistan will administer free COVID-19 vaccines to all Afghans travelling across the border into Pakistan. "Again I urge the international community to fulfil it