Interfaith harmony stressed
Addressing the participants, the speakers emphasised the shared responsibility for peace and stability during Muharram. They urged the Ummah to remain united and avoid divisions, stressing the importance of collective efforts to uphold national security and religious harmony. They condemned recent attacks on mosques and sacred places in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
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Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
The wish guru
Listen to article India today is not ruled by a prime minister but by a wish guru. A leader fuelled less by policy than by image, less by competence than by dominance. At the heart of this phenomenon lie two forces Francis Fukuyama identifies as isothymia and megalothymia: the yearning to be recognised, and the darker craving to dominate. The first is an innocent and universal human impulse. The second is what happens when recognition becomes a zero-sum game. Countries nursing old colonial wounds are particularly vulnerable to this transformation, mistaking raw power for self-respect. India's growing discord, both at home and abroad, is a textbook example of this shift. The pattern is global. Dominance hierarchies are driving debates everywhere, from conspiracy theories to cultural skirmishes like Sydney Sweeney's "good jeans". We live in the age of pop psychology, where one-size-fits-all cures for complex social pathologies sell faster than careful scholarship. Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life, with its lobsters and wrens, rehabilitates hierarchy as a survival mechanism, outselling more challenging works like Acemoglu and Robinson's The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty, which connects the thirst for dominance to despotic leviathans. These influences seep into politics, legitimising strongmen who promise self-assertion on a national scale, even at the cost of liberty. Last week, I wrote about India's monsoon session and the widening rift between the Modi government and the RSS. Some readers complained that I glossed over the international blowback against the diaspora and the policies that caused it. The oversight was due to space, but the point deserves elaboration, particularly when the ineptness of Indian discourse leaves these issues unexamined. India is in the eye of a storm. Exogenous shocks and self-inflicted wounds buffet the country, yet its pundits seem blind to the forces shaking their world. This is no accident. In electing Modi over more capable leaders, India chose form over substance. Its media abandoned its role as everyman's watchdog and recast itself as the strongman's cheerleader and dirty tricks department. Journalism was reduced to laundering one man's image, living off state or elite-sponsored hand-me-downs. The so-called alternative media offered only reaction, not depth, sacrificing critical thought at the altar of expediency. Consider this. Last week I noted ex-VP Jagdeep Dhankhar's age (74) as a key reason for his shock resignation being ignored. No one has gone near it with a barge pole since. Likewise, the media gawks at President Trump's tariff policy towards India without understanding the deeper dynamics, or Modi's failure to strike a trade deal with Washington. When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Modi used repression to silence farmers' protests. Could he then open agriculture to foreign competition without risking chaos? His supporters blame Congress for forcing his hand in Operation Sindoor. But would this opposition back him in case of trade concessions? Modi rose to power not as a policy craftsman but as a political sorcerer selling wishes. His rhetoric promised miracles: a self-reliant India, instant global respect, prosperity for all. Like a street-side fakir offering talismans for every ailment, he presented dominance as a cure for national insecurity. But wishes are not strategies, and magic cannot substitute governance. The deeper the country's problems grew, the louder the promises became. India was not given a statesman but a wish guru, a leader who thrives on chants of devotion while evading the hard work of building lasting institutions. The Indian diaspora played a crucial part in Modi's rise. It craved an image makeover abroad and better governance at home. After "putting Muslims in their place" during the 2002 riots, he built a doer's reputation as Gujarat's chief minister. Billionaire allies enriched under his rule amplified the myth. Eleven years later, many diaspora members are waking up to the reality that they were duped. For years, the diaspora believed that power abroad would translate into prestige at home, and that Modi was the man to deliver it. They mistook fear for respect, thinking that browbeating minorities, silencing journalists, and projecting brute strength would make India admired on the world stage. But dominance is not dignity. As the cracks appear, H-1B visas under fire, overseas scrutiny rising, far-right links backfiring, the myth of Modi as a global strongman-turned-statesman is collapsing. Wishes, no matter how loudly sold, cannot override the long memory of democracies or the quiet contempt of the powerful. This diaspora had flourished under western multicultural hospitality. Modi's natural allies, however, were not liberal democrats but far-right extremists. His obsessive image projection forced Indians abroad into the spotlight, inviting scrutiny and paranoia, while his minions empowered far-right groups making life abroad harder. Manmohan Singh had mainstreamed Indians overseas. Modi weaponised them. Even coercion was acceptable if it polished his image. Had it not been for the ill-advised visit of far-right EU MEPs to Kashmir to end the post-Article 370 isolation, the world might never have heard of Srivastava Group's operations or India's links with Europe's far right. When Nikki Haley was foisted on Trump's first administration as UN ambassador, it passed without comment. But when she was last to exit the 2024 primaries, despite paltry votes and after a failed attempt on Trump's life, it was too much for his base. Kamala Harris then became his main challenger. The same base that still seethes over Hillary's challenge to their leader began to question the Indian link. Focus shifted to Silicon Valley, feeding into the H-1B visa backlash. Rishi Sunak, similarly pushed to front a failing UK government, led his party to its worst defeat in living memory. Meanwhile, Modi's obsession with image left him surrounded by yes-men. Governance atrophied. His lack of education and limited grasp of key issues left India with little more than a wish guru at the helm. The RSS, under Dr Mohan Bhagwat, had banked early wins under Modi but plays a long game. It now sees the fallout of self-serving blind policies. Listen to Bhagwat's speeches after enduring Modi's diatribes and you are pleasantly surprised. Unlike Modi, talent and genuine intellectual discourse do not make him insecure. Darkness may be Modi's compulsion. The RSS wants to outgrow it and build genuine global outreach. The 2024 election results, state polls in Haryana and Maharashtra, and the Operation Sindoor debacle offer a chance to replace Modi. A hundred-year-old organisation with all the cards is unlikely to let that chance slip. Modi has none left to play.
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
FO slams India's 'Operation Mahadev' as 'entirely fabricated'
Listen to article Pakistan has firmly rejected the unfounded assertions made by Indian leaders during the recent Lok Sabha debate on the so-called 'Operation Sindoor.' According to the Foreign Office, the statements are part of a broader pattern to distort facts, justify aggression, and glorify conflict for domestic purposes. During a media briefing on Friday, FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that India's attack on Pakistan, targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure, resulted in the loss of innocent lives. Despite this, Pakistan successfully neutralised Indian fighter jets and military targets, highlighting the failure of India's military objectives. 'The world knows that India attacked Pakistan without any verifiable evidence or credible investigation into the Pahalgam attack,' he said. 'Pakistan's actions in defending its territory were indisputable, and we strongly reject any further claims regarding the so-called 'Operation Mahadev,'" he added. The spokesperson also criticised India for rejecting Pakistan's offer for a transparent, independent investigation into the Pahalgam attack. Instead of seeking diplomatic solutions, India escalated tensions, prompting Pakistan to call for acknowledgment of India's military losses and the role of third parties in securing the ceasefire, the statement read. Pakistan has consistently rejected India's rhetoric on establishing a 'new normal' in bilateral relations. Khan reiterated that for Pakistan, the 'normal' in relations must be grounded in respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and adherence to international law, as outlined in the UN Charter. He also reaffirmed Pakistan's readiness to counter any future aggression, as demonstrated in May. The FO spokesperson also dismissed India's claims of 'nuclear blackmail,' calling it a tactic to obscure India's own escalatory actions. He clarified that Pakistan's deterrence is based on its conventional capabilities, underscoring its principles of discipline and restraint. Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan strongly condemned India's decision to suspend the agreement, describing it as a violation of international commitments. Khan urged India to immediately honour its obligations under the treaty. Also Read: Pakistan hit with 19pc tariff as Trump targets dozens of countries with new duties He also expressed concern over India's reliance on disinformation and nationalist rhetoric, warning that such actions jeopardise regional stability. "Nevertheless, Pakistan remains committed to peace, stability, and meaningful dialogue to address longstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute," he said. The briefing also highlighted the diplomatic activities of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who visited the United States from July 20-28. The FO mentioned that during his tenure as president of the UN Security Council, Dar chaired a session focused on enhancing cooperation between the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). On regional matters, the FO spokesperson welcomed the positive conclusion of Malaysia's special meeting on the Cambodia-Thailand situation, expressing hope for a peaceful diplomatic resolution. Read: Five cops martyred as Katcha bandits attack check post in Rahim Yar Khan He further commented on Pakistan successfully launching its remote sensing satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The satellite will greatly enhance Pakistan's capabilities in urban planning, disaster management, agricultural monitoring, and climate change research, he added. The spokersperson also said Pakistan looked ahead to the upcoming state visit of Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian over the weekend. The visit, marking his first official visit to Pakistan as president, is expected to further solidify the strong and enduring relationship between the two nations, he stated. The briefing concluded with a summary of Pakistan's ongoing commitment to regional cooperation, including its dialogues with high-level officials from China, Iran, and Turkey, reaffirming Pakistan's focus on fostering peace and stability across South Asia and beyond. Read More: GHQ commemorates 98th anniversary of China's PLA Responding to a question on Dr Aafia Siddiqui's case, the spokesperson dismissed speculation that Pakistan had changed its position. 'There is no policy shift,' the spokesperson said. 'The government continues to pursue her case through diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian channels.' He reiterated that the government has consistently pursued Dr Siddiqui's case since her 2010 conviction, employing high-level diplomacy, consular access, legal assistance, and clemency appeals to press for her release from US custody. 'Attempts on social media to misrepresent the government's efforts in this regard are regrettable,' he added. 'Pakistan will continue to pursue all diplomatic and legal channels to secure Dr Aafia Siddiqui's release while upholding international law and bilateral cooperation.'
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Trump's tariffs: What has changed and who is affected
WASHINGTON: A range of new tariffs due to take effect in one week were announced Thursday on most US trading partners, with separate sector specific duties – on copper – also being implemented. President Donald Trump unveiled an array of import levies that ranged as high as 41 percent on Syria and included a hike on Canadian imports from the current 25 percent to 35 percent. AFP takes a look at the most recent developments: India engaged in further trade talks with US, Indian government source says Canada Trump said Thursday the United States would raise tariffs on certain Canadian goods from 25 percent to 35 percent. He had warned of trade consequences for Canada after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. 'Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.' Unlike the new levies hitting dozens of other economies, there is no delay and these begin Friday, according to a White House fact sheet. Products covered by the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement – which covers a wide swath of items – will be exempt from the tariff rate. Malaysian pharmaceuticals, semiconductors exempt from US tariffs, minister says Mexico Trump said Thursday he would delay imposing higher tariffs on Mexican imports, pushing back their rollout by 90 days. The decision came after he spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The US leader had originally threatened to raise tariffs on Mexican products from 25 percent to 30 percent come August 1, citing a lack of progress in flows of illicit fentanyl. Goods entering the United States under the existing North American trade deal were spared. South Korea Just days before the tariff deadline, Washington and Seoul reached a deal to avert a 25 percent duty on South Korean goods, bringing the level down to 15 percent instead. In making the announcement Wednesday, Trump said the country also committed to $350 billion in investments and to purchase $100 billion worth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other energy resources. The 15 percent rate matches levels determined from US accords with Japan and the European Union. Tariffs on automobiles will also stay at 15 percent, Seoul said. Bangladesh secures 20% US tariff for garments, exporters relieved Brazil Trump's measures against Brazil are openly political, overriding long-standing trade ties. He announced 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods, although delaying their imposition from August 1 to August 6 and exempting products like orange juice and civil aircraft. The tariffs marked Trump's follow-through on threats to use American economic power to punish Brazil – and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes – for what he has called a 'witch hunt' against his far-right ally and former president Jair Bolsonaro. US cuts Pakistan tariff to 19% from 29% after trade deal India Trump on Wednesday said Indian goods would face a 25 percent US tariff starting August 1, slightly below an earlier threatened level. The country would also face an unspecified 'penalty' over New Delhi's purchases of Russian weapons and energy, Trump said on social media. 'I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,' Trump added in a separate post. European Union EU exports to the United States are set to face tariffs of 15 percent on most products after both sides struck a deal to avoid a higher 30 percent level. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said some agricultural products would be exempt under the agreement struck Sunday, though she did not specify which. But France's President Emmanuel Macron pledged to be 'firm' in follow-up talks. 'It's not the end of it,' Macron told ministers during a cabinet meeting.
