Latest news with #Al-Khalid
Borneo Post
18-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawakian students welcome RM200 monthly SRAS assistance
(Back, from fourth left) Al-Khalid and Fazzrudin, along with other distinguished guests, pose for a photo-call after the conclusion of the programme. KUCHING (June 18): The Sarawak Rental Assistance Scheme (SRAS), which provides RM200 per month to eligible students, has been well received by Sarawakian students enrolled in higher learning institutions across the state. According to Chief Political Secretary to the Premier Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, many students have applied for the scheme, which is implemented by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), following its introduction during outreach programmes at local public and private universities. 'We are pleased to learn from HDC that after our first outreach session, they received a significant number of applications, many of which already been approved,' he said during a press conference at the Sarawak Education Initiative Programme held at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Hall (DeTar Putra), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), yesterday. The programme is part of a wider state-led effort to raise awareness about various government assistance schemes and improve public access to them. 'For this series, we are focusing on education-related initiatives,' said Fazzrudin, adding that more sessions will be held at other campuses across Sarawak, following previous engagements at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). 'This scheme isn't new, but many students may have been unaware of it previously. Our role now is to bridge that gap and ensure these benefits reach them directly.' When asked whether the scheme would be extended to Sarawakian students studying outside the state, Fazzrudin said such suggestion would be compiled as feedback for the relevant agencies and the Premier. Meanwhile, Unimas deputy vice-chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs) Prof Dr Al-Khalid Othman expressed appreciation for the SRAS initiative, noting that more than half of the university's students are Sarawakians, with around 6,000 coming from B40 (low-income) households. 'Students generally pay between RM450 and RM500 per semester for accommodation, depending on room type. This assistance goes a long way in reducing their financial burden,' he said. He also welcomed a separate contribution of RM40,000 from the state government to support the campus food bank programme, aimed at helping students from low-income households.
Ya Biladi
05-06-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Will Pakistan follow India's footsteps into Morocco's defense industry ?
Morocco and Pakistan are reportedly close to signing a military cooperation agreement aimed at deepening their strategic partnership in defense and security, according to military sources cited by a defense-focused Arabic media outlet. The agreement is expected to include the local production of Pakistani weapons in Morocco. This initiative reflects Rabat's broader goal of diversifying its strategic partnerships and expanding its network of defense allies, the same source noted. Pakistan, through its Defense Production Establishment (DPE) and key institutions such as Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), established in 1971, has developed advanced defense manufacturing capabilities. The country produces tanks like the Al-Khalid and Al-Dhargham, armored vehicles, heavy ammunition, and light weapons. Pakistan also manufactures the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, co-developed with China and produced independently in upgraded versions since 2010. Following in a Rival's Footsteps Military cooperation between Morocco and Pakistan has steadily expanded since the February 2020 visit of General Qamar Javed Bajwa, then Chief of Pakistan's Army Staff, to Morocco. In November 2024, Major General Mohamed Gadih, Inspector of the Royal Air Forces, visited Islamabad to meet with Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, his Pakistani counterpart. These high-level exchanges paved the way for a broader bilateral defense program. In April, Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and Pakistani special forces conducted joint training exercises in Cherat. Morocco also took part in an international military drill held in Pakistan in October 2023. The upcoming agreement comes as Morocco has already strengthened defense ties with Pakistan's historical rival, India. In September 2024, Rabat partnered with Indian conglomerate Tata to produce WhAP 8×8 land combat vehicles. That deal was followed by the December 2024 visit of Indian defense industry representatives to Rabat, where they met with Abdeltif Loudiyi, Minister Delegate in charge of the National Defense Administration. More recently, on May 29, the Indian ambassador to Rabat met with Loudiyi to discuss further strengthening bilateral defense cooperation, according to a statement from the Indian embassy.
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Defence Secretary meets Prime Minister; more cyberattacks from Pakistan-based groups
In a continuation of top Defence Ministry officials meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Mr. Modi at his residence on Monday (May 5, 2025), according to official sources. Meanwhile, it has come to light that a group known as 'Pakistan Cyber Force' had gained access to sensitive data from the websites of Indian Military Engineering Service (MES) and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (MPIDSA) and defaced the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a defence public sector undertaking. The cyberattacks come amid heightened tensions between the two countries, heavy deployment by the Pakistan Army along the border and the tensions also spilling into the social media space. It has come to attention via the 'X' account 'Pakistan Cyber Force' that the group has allegedly gained access to sensitive data from the Indian MES and MPIDSA, defence sources in the know said. 'This claim suggests that the attackers may have compromised personal information related to defence persons, including the login credentials,' a source said. In addition, the group also attempted to deface the official website of AVNL, which was defaced by using the Pakistan flag and Al-Khalid battle tank. As a precautionary measure, the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited has been taken offline for a thorough and deliberate audit, in order to assess the extent of any potential damage caused by the defacement attempt and to ensure the integrity of the website, the source stated. 'Furthermore, cybersecurity experts and agencies are actively monitoring cyberspace to detect any additional cyberattacks, particularly those that may be sponsored by threat actors linked to Pakistan.' This ongoing surveillance aims to quickly identify and mitigate any future risks posed by these cyberattackers, the source observed stating that in response, appropriate and necessary measures are being taken to bolster the security infrastructure, strengthen digital defences, and safeguard against further intrusion attempts. These efforts are focused on enhancing the overall resilience of online platforms and ensuring that the forces are better prepared to defend against future cyber threats, the sources added. Since the uptick of tensions between the two countries, there have been earlier cyberattack attempts on Army-affiliated institutions.
The Print
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Pakistan-linked cyber-attacks intensify as defence websites, veterans' platforms targeted
The group claimed to have accessed 10 GB of data, including personal information and login credentials of approximately 1,600 defence personnel. A hacker group identifying itself as the 'Pakistani Cyber Force' claimed via its 'X' account Monday that it had breached websites belonging to the Indian Military Engineering Services and the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). New Delhi: As tension persists between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistani hacker groups have launched a series of cyber offensives targeting Indian defence-related websites, claiming access to sensitive military data. However, the MP-IDSA senior management categorically denied that its website has been hacked. In a related incident, the group also attempted to hack the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) under the defence ministry. The hackers reportedly inserted a Pakistan flag and an image of the Al-Khalid tank—a main battle tank of the Pakistan Army—onto the homepage. Following the suspected hacking, as a precautionary measure, the AVNL website was taken offline to undergo a comprehensive security audit. Sources in the defence and security establishment said that cyber experts are conducting real-time surveillance to detect and neutralise any additional threats, particularly those originating from or linked to Pakistan. This latest cyber offensive appears to be part of a coordinated effort as last week, hacker groups believed to be operating out of Pakistan, namely 'Cyber Group HOAX1337' and 'National Cyber Crew', had attempted to breach websites linked to Army Public School (APS), Nagrota and Sunjuwan. Though unsuccessful, the hackers tried to hack the school websites with provocative messages referencing the Pahalgam attack. Additional breaches were also reported: a website offering healthcare services to ex-servicemen was allegedly compromised, as were the portals of the Army Institute of Hotel Management and services for Indian Air Force (IAF) veterans. These cyber attacks, the sources said, were part of a 'pattern of provocation' targeting not just defence infrastructure, but also platforms serving veterans, children, and families. 'There have been repeated attempts by Pakistani hackers to target websites connected to veterans, students and other vulnerable groups,' one of the sources said. 'This reflects a new low in cyber warfare tactics.' The attacks did not start there. On 29 April, a group called 'IOK Hacker' (short for 'Internet of Khilafah') launched a coordinated campaign targeting multiple Indian welfare and educational platforms such as APS Srinagar and Ranikhet, the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) database and the Indian Air Force Placement Cell (IAFPC) portal. These websites were reported to be defaced with messages referencing Kashmir and featured a prominent Pakistan flag and an image of a masked figure in a Guy Fawkes mask pointing directly at the viewer. One message read: 'Indian Army Housing Society complete data leak, we know your home address now.' While the full extent of the breaches remains under investigation, the sources say that measures have been taken to strengthen cyber defences. 'Necessary steps are being implemented to secure digital infrastructure and prevent further intrusions,' the above-mentioned source said. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Defence stocks surge continues amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions since Pahalgam attack
