Latest news with #Pakistan-related
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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Who is Parag Jain, upcoming RAW chief and the brain behind Operation Sindoor?
Renowned in intelligence circles as a 'super sleuth,' Parag Jain assumes the top role at RAW with a reputation for skillfully integrating human intelligence (HUMINT) with technical intelligence (TECHINT) read more Parag Jain, a 1989-batch Punjab cadre IPS officer, will take over as R&AW chief from July 1 The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (June 28) appointed Parag Jain, a 1989-batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, as the next Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He will lead India's premier intelligence agency for next two years starting July 1, succeeding incumbent chief Ravi Sinha. Renowned in intelligence circles as a 'super sleuth,' Jain assumes the top role with a reputation for skillfully integrating human intelligence (HUMINT) with technical intelligence (TECHINT), a combination officials credit for the success of numerous high-stakes operations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Played key role in Op Sindoor Among his most notable recent achievements was his leadership in Operation Sindoor , where his intelligence inputs facilitated precise missile strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. While the initial missile hits may have taken few minutes, the intelligence-based groundwork took years to piece together critical information. Parag Jain's extensive field experience in Jammu and Kashmir, one of India's most complex security regions, is expected to bolster his leadership as India navigates a volatile global security landscape. Experience Senior officials describe Jain as methodical and discreet, with a career marked by key roles. On January 1, 2021, he was promoted to Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab, though serving on central deputation, he received only notional benefits. Jain played a significant operational role during Punjab's terrorism period, serving in Bhatinda, Mansa, Hoshiarpur, as SSP Chandigarh, and DIG Ludhiana. He also handled Pakistan-related operations for India's external intelligence agency, with tenures in Jammu and Kashmir during the abrogation of Article 370 and Operation Balakote. A low-profile officer, Jain represented India in Canada and Sri Lanka. While posted in Canada, he actively countered the Khalistan ecosystem, repeatedly warning Delhi of its growing threat. Challenges As Parag Jain succeeds Ravi Sinha on Monday, India's external intelligence agency faces calls for a revamp, having been criticised for its handling of the Maldives and Bangladesh crises over the past two years. The inability to foresee the brutal attack in Pahalgam on April 22 further raised significant concerns, especially given the Pakistan Army chief's inflammatory anti-Hindu rhetoric and his assertion that Kashmir is Pakistan's 'jugular vein.' With Asim Munir's elevation to Field Marshal and his prioritisation of cross-border terrorism against India, the role of RAW becomes critical in countering these heightened threats.
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Business Standard
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Pakistan nominates Trump for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize after Munir's US visit
Pakistan has backed US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, crediting him with helping to de-escalate the recent crisis between India and Pakistan. The nomination was shared through an official post on X (formerly Twitter), where Pakistani officials praised Trump's 'decisive diplomatic intervention' and 'pivotal leadership' in preventing the conflict from spiralling further. The news came shortly after Trump told reporters on Friday that he deserved the Nobel for a range of peace efforts — from calming tensions in South Asia to brokering a reported treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which he claims will be signed on 23 June. India dismisses Trump's mediation claim India has rejected Trump's repeated claims of mediation between the two nations. Officials in New Delhi have firmly rejected suggestions that any external power played a mediating role. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a 35-minute call with US President Donald Trump on 18 June, reaffirmed India's firm stand against third-party mediation on Pakistan-related issues. PM Modi also dismissed Trump's claims of brokering peace, clarifying that the 10 May ceasefire followed direct military talks initiated by Islamabad, with no US involvement. Pak's strategy of 'flattery' after Munir meets Trump Trump's recent meeting with Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir, at the White House seems to have been more than a diplomatic courtesy. The idea of a Nobel Prize nomination could have floated during the visit — part of what some analysts are calling a shrewd move by Islamabad. While the prospect of a Nobel Prize may seem far-fetched, it aligns neatly with Trump's long-running narrative of being a global dealmaker. What happens now? There's a procedural hurdle: General Asim Munir, as Pakistan's Army Chief, does not meet the eligibility criteria to formally nominate a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Nobel Committee's rules, nominations can only be submitted by select individuals — including national lawmakers, heads of state, university professors in certain fields, and past laureates. Still, the gesture appears to be more symbolic than procedural. By publicly endorsing US President Donald Trump, Pakistan is signalling diplomatic goodwill while appealing to Trump's self-image as a global dealmaker — a narrative central to his ongoing election campaign. As for the Nobel Committee, it maintains strict confidentiality and does not comment on nominations, with records sealed for 50 years.
News18
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Caught In The Act? Video Of Shehbaz Sharif ‘Deep-Scanning' Actor Mawra Hocane Goes Viral
Curated By : Shankhyaneel Sarkar Last Updated: May 28, 2025, 16:08 IST Internet can't get over Shehbaz Sharif's look at Mawra Hocane during 2023 award ceremony. (IMAGE: X) A video from 2023 where Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is seen presenting award to actor Mawra Hocane is going viral over how the Pakistan Prime Minister looked at the actor after presenting the award. The event was being held at the Governor House Punjab in Pakistan's Punjab province. The video appeared to have gone viral following interest in India and Pakistan-related matters after both nations came close to the brink of war due to Pakistan Army's backing of terrorists. Pakistan's UNewsTV posted the video on its YouTube and website with the caption 'Shahbaz Sharif 'deep-scans" Mawra Hussain while giving award, video goes viral". Now, almost two years later, the clip has resurfaced — proving once again that the internet never forgets, especially when there's a suspicious side-eye involved. The video shows Hocane receiving the award from Shehbaz Sharif and then the Pakistan Prime Minister is caught in the act of what the Pakistani news agency termed 'deep-scanning" Hocane, a celebrated female star known for her striking looks and on-screen charm. Even though on social media people shared memes and poked fun at the behaviour of the Pakistan Prime Minister, the clip went on to reignite conversations around the 'male gaze" — a term used to describe how men often objectify women through prolonged or inappropriate looks — and how public figures, even at formal events, are not immune to this behavioural scrutiny. Mawra Hocane, who made her Bollywood debut in Sanam Teri Kasam (2016), recently found herself at the center of a controversy amid tensions between India and Pakistan. Following her public criticism of India's Operation Sindoor, her co-star Harshvardhan Rane announced his refusal to participate in the film's sequel if Hocane were involved . Swipe Left For Next Video View all Rane's decision was met with backlash from Hocane, who labeled his move a 'PR strategy" . In response, Rane emphasized his patriotism, stating he has 'zero tolerance for any attack on [his] nation's dignity" . The dispute led to further repercussions, with digital platforms like Spotify reportedly removing Hocane's image from Sanam Teri Kasam's promotional materials . Watch CNN-News18 here. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! News viral Caught In The Act? Video Of Shehbaz Sharif 'Deep-Scanning' Actor Mawra Hocane Goes Viral
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ocean Carriers Levy Surcharges, Cut Pakistan Port Calls Amid India Trade Embargo
Although Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire Saturday, restrictions to port access in both countries are making container shipping companies rethink their approach to docking at Pakistani ports. Ocean carrier giants Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Hapag-Lloyd followed the lead of CMA CGM in implementing new surcharges on cargo to and from Pakistan. More from Sourcing Journal Maersk Expects No Cost Impact From Port Fees, Assures 'Unchanged' Service Tariffs Tank China's US Exports, but Southeast Asia and India Cash In India-Pakistan Port Bans Trigger Delays, Rate Hikes and Capacity Crunch And beyond that, multiple shipping liners are scrapping calls to Pakistan's ports or adjusting their routes in the region to adapt to the scenario. As major shipping lines mostly leave the Pakistani ports out of their direct service routes, importers and exporters in the country are growing concerned over container congestion at the port. Exporters are worried that they won't be able to meet their shipping deadlines as fewer ships come to pick up cargo. This leads to longer lead times and likely extra costs. And for importers, cargo collection entering Pakistan has been slow since the start of May due to the backlog. MSC, the world's largest container shipping company, announced emergency operation surcharges for Pakistan-related shipments. The fine will be $800 per container headed to the U.S., Europe and Africa, and $300 per container to and from the Middle East Gulf and Indian subcontinent. Until further notice, the fee will be effective on the gate-in date of May 19 for shipments to Europe, Africa and the Middle East/Indian subcontinent. Shipments to the U.S. will be effective June 11. Rival Hapag-Lloyd is implementing its own contingency surcharges for shipments between Pakistan and Europe and Africa. The surcharges for containers out of Pakistan will be $500, while the fees for cargo entering the country will be $300. Fees will go into effect May 21. The company is also implementing a $1,500 per container general rate increase/adjustment for goods exiting select ports in India to the U.S. East Coast, as well as cargo headed from Pakistan to the U.S. and Canada. Both Pakistan and India have effectively halted trade with one another in the wake of a terrorist attack in Kashmir last month that resulted in military escalations from both sides. As part of the trade embargo, the south Asian nations have banned the import of goods from—or transiting through—the other country into their own ports in the wake of the rising tensions. But under the rules imposed, carriers looking to make direct calls at Pakistan's Port of Karachi or Port Qasim will not be able to do so, because their cargo would be turned away from Indian ports, including major container hubs like Mundra and Nhava Sheva. According to the Pakistan Ship's Agents Association, most large container ships visiting Pakistan carry up to 70 percent Indian goods, thus making the Indian ports more of a priority. 'Overall, the pattern emerging is that whilst India retains their direct network connectivity to overseas ports, Pakistan's connectivity is becoming reduced as basically a large amount of cargo now has to be transshipped,' said Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, in a daily LinkedIn updated Tuesday. 'The India/Pakistan conflict therefore has the consequence of negatively impacting Pakistani supply chains much more than Indian supply chains.' As an alternative, vessels are instead redirecting to transshipment hubs like Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, the Port of Singapore, Malaysia's Port Kelang, the Port of Salalah in Oman and the UAE's Jebel Ali Port. Most of the major container liners have shifted some form of their service operations due to the suspension of trade between the countries. MSC launched a direct weekly feeder service from Pakistan to Colombo to transport export containers to Sri Lanka for connections to global destinations. CMA CGM revised five of its service lines, removing Karachi port calls from three services to Europe, the Mediterranean and intra-Asia. Port Qasim was removed from the Indamex route, which travels between India and the U.S. East Coast. These routes will instead use transshipment hubs in Colombo and another UAE-based gateway, Khalifa Port, to connect Pakistani cargo to the rest of the world. The ocean carrier is supplementing Pakistani cargo by adding Port Qasim to its Pakistan Khalifa Express (PIKEX) service it launched in April. Hapag-Lloyd is deploying a dedicated shuttle, the Sofia Express, between the ports of Salalah and Karachi, with Port Qasim also included in the rotation. This is the second feeder option for Pakistani transshipment cargo, complementing the Pakistan Shuttle Service operating between Karachi and Salalah. HMM has switched two of its services so that they will call Indian ports first, before calling at Pakistani ports. Cosco Shipping and subsidiary Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) have stopped bookings to Karachi, with the former's ships being redirected to Port Kelang instead.
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Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Parl panel seeks action plan against 'anti-national' social media platforms
A parliamentary panel has sought details from two key ministries overseeing information flow on the action they have planned against social media platforms and influencers who "seem to be working against national interest", following the Pahalgam terror parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, has noted that some social media influencers and platforms in the country seem to be working against national interest, which is likely to incite violence, sources READ: SC puts assets, appointment process of judges in public for transparencyThe committee, in a communication to the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, has sought details of the "contemplated action to ban such platforms under IT Act, 2000 and Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021".The letter, the sources said, has been sent to the secretaries of the two ministries and they have been asked to submit the details by May READ: No Pakistan-related issues discussed: ADB on meeting with FM SitharamanSeveral social-media handles have been banned on different platforms after they allegedly posted content against national-security people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in south Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, with India blaming terror groups linked to Pakistan for the horrific READ: UNSC begins closed door talks on situation between India, PakistanTrinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, who is a member of the panel, said in a post on X that he had not received any communication related to the issue quoted in the memorandum. He claimed that according to rules, the chairperson cannot issue a statement without the approval of the however, deleted his post later.
