Tag: US

  • ‘Pakistan, China, countries of particular concern for violating religious freedom’: US

    ‘Pakistan, China, countries of particular concern for violating religious freedom’: US

    United States (US) Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken “designated” Pakistan and China as countries of particular concern (CPC) for violating religious freedom, as per the official website of the US State Department.

    In a statement issued by Washington, Secretary Blinken stated, “I am designating Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom,” reports Dawn.

    “We will continue to press all governments to remedy shortcomings in their laws and practices and to promote accountability for those responsible for abuses,” he added.

    According to US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) official website, each year the US President designates CPC to countries in which governments have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.

    Moreover, Washington has placed Taliban governed Afghanistan under a “special watch list”.

  • No specific reaction to Pakistan-TTP talks, says US official

    No specific reaction to Pakistan-TTP talks, says US official

    The United States (US) has refused to give a specific reaction when asked about Pakistan and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) deal, reports Dawn.

    The question was raised at the US State Department briefing where a journalist reminded Spokesperson Ned Price that the US still considered the TTP a terrorist outfit and asked him to comment on it.

    Price replied, “If we have a specific reaction on the Pakistani dialogue with the Pakistani Taliban, we will, of course, let you know,” while adding that Washington is in regular contact with Pakistan regarding their approach to Afghanistan.

    “We have heard both publicly and privately from our Pakistani counterparts that they too have an interest in seeing to it that the gains, including among Afghanistan’s minorities, including among its women and girls, over the past 20 years not be squandered,” the US official added.

    Moreover, he ensured, “There is quite a bit of alignment of interest when it comes to Afghanistan, and we’re continuing to have those conversations.”

    Earlier, it was announced that a new envoy for Afghanistan Tom West would visit Islamabad later this week to clarify US expectations of the Taliban.

    Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister (FM) Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday on a three-day visit. It is the first to Pakistan by an Afghan minister since the Taliban came into power in August.

  • Deadly US drone strike in Kabul did not break law, says Pentagon

    Deadly US drone strike in Kabul did not break law, says Pentagon

    Following an investigation, a Pentagon inspector general said that a United States (US) airstrike that killed 10 civilians in Afghanistan was a mistake but did not violate any laws and doesn’t recommend any disciplinary action, reported Al Jazeera.

    US Air Force Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Sami Said stated: “They all have a genuine belief based on the information they had and the interpretation, that was a threat to US forces, an imminent threat to US forces. That’s a mistake. It’s a regrettable mistake. It’s an honest mistake. I understand the consequences, but it’s not criminal conduct, random conduct, negligence.”

    Lt Gen Said admitted that there had been execution errors and communication breakdowns among the US forces at the time that led to civilian casualties.

    Said was asked to investigate the August 29 drone strike on a white Toyota Corolla Sedan, which killed nine family members, including seven children and a man who worked for a US aid group.

    According to the US air force general, the forces believed that the car they were following was an imminent threat as the US military had intelligence that Daesh militants were planning a fresh attack on the evacuation operations but they followed the wrong car.

    He revealed, “We actually never ended up tracking the actual Toyota Corolla.”

    He also admitted that the people involved in conducting the operation thought the house at the site of the target was empty.

    “They were convinced that the compound didn’t have children in it. It turns out to be wrong,” he said. None of the individuals conducting the operation noticed a child entering the target area just two minutes before the attack was launched.

    According to Dawn, Washington is working to pay financial reparations to the victims’ families but nothing has been finalised.

  • Shaukat Tarin returns to Washington as talks between govt and IMF progress for $6 billion loan

    Shaukat Tarin returns to Washington as talks between govt and IMF progress for $6 billion loan

    Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin returned to Washington to join the on-going discussion with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), his spokesperson Muzzammil Aslam announced in a tweet.

    The director of IMF Middle East and Central Asia Department, Jihad Azour stated that the talks between IMF and the Pakistan government for the six billion dollars Extended Fund Facility (EFF) had progressed towards a “very good step”, reported Dawn.

    Earlier this week, while in New York, Tarin rejected a media report which claimed that the talks [earlier this month] have failed because of differences over a macroeconomic framework and uncertainty over the country’s economy.

    The advisor said, “Some people have created an impression in Pakistan that we have failed, and the talks have been unsuccessful. That is completely false.”

    “We are working on final details and in a few days, you will see the talks moving towards success. Give us some time and we will fix it”, he said, while adding that he and his team are committed to fixing Pakistan’s economy.

    Pakistan and the IMF held their latest talks in the US capital from October 4 to 15 for the release of a one billion dollars tranche from a six billion dollars extended loan facility, which was approved in 2019.

    Recently, the rupee hit a record low of 173.20 against the US dollar.

  • US envoy to Afghanistan resigns two months after chaotic withdrawal

    US envoy to Afghanistan resigns two months after chaotic withdrawal

    United States envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is stepping down, the State Department has announced, less than two months after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of the country, reported Al Jazeera.

    Zalmay Khalilzad led the US dialogue with the Taliban. The Taliban took control in August after capturing the capital Kabul.

    In a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Zalmay Khalilzad acknowledged that “the political arrangement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go forward as envisaged”, reports BBC.

    “The reasons for this are too complex and I will share my thoughts in the coming days and weeks,” he wrote, saying he was stepping aside as the US entered the “new phase of our Afghanistan policy”.

    He added that he was “saddened” for the Afghan people given the current outcome.

    Khalilzad will be replaced by his deputy, Tom West, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday, noting that West will work closely with the US embassy, which is now based in Doha, on US interests in Afghanistan.

  • Komal Aziz meets Bollywood’s Sanjay Dutt in America

    Komal Aziz meets Bollywood’s Sanjay Dutt in America

    Actor Komal Aziz Khan ran into Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt in the US where she’s vacationing with her friends.

    Taking to her Instagram stories, the Raaz-e-Ulfat diva posted a picture with Vastaav actor who recently recovered from cancer.

    Sanjay was in US for his treatment.

    Meanwhile Komal continues to treat her fans with pictures from her holidays in the US.

    During her trip, the actress has visited several American cities as she explored local restaurants, tourists destination and beaches. 

  • Umar Akmal is off to the US for ‘personal meetings’, netizens say ‘don’t come back’

    Umar Akmal is off to the US for ‘personal meetings’, netizens say ‘don’t come back’

    Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal shared a picture on social media where he said he was going to the United States (US) for some personal meetings.

    Akmal took his fans by surprise as he posted a picture on Twitter and said he was off to the US for some personal meetings and would have to stay there for some time if things worked out.

    Read More – Twitter reacts to Umar Akmal’s TikTok video with wife

    Reacting to his post, Twitterati asked him not to come back.

    “Please don’t come back @Umar96Akmal” wrote one of the users.

    “Don’t come back just be there,” wrote another user.

    Some of the users also speculated that Akmal was off to the US to play in the Major Cricket League (MCL).

    In July this year, Akmal had issued an apology for failing to report cases of spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Read More – Umar Akmal gets fans arrested over request for autograph

    “Seventeen months ago, I made a mistake which caused damage to my cricket and career. I learnt a lot during this time and due to that mistake Pakistan cricket’s reputation suffered badly. I ask for forgiveness from the PCB and from cricket fans around the world,” Akmal said in a video released by the PCB.

    Akmal admitted that the period had been “very difficult for him”.

  • Legendary Comedian Umer Sharif sets off to the US for medical treatment

    Legendary Comedian Umer Sharif sets off to the US for medical treatment

    Veteran comedian Umer Sharif has boarded an air ambulance and is on his way to the US for medical treatment.

    The air ambulance will take him to Washington DC via Germany. He is accompanied by his wife Zareen Umer and a six-member medical team.

    Earlier today, Sindh Government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab announced that Sharif was on his way to the airport.

    Doctors in Karachi declared him fit to travel despite initial concerns on Monday that he was too unwell. According to his wife, his blood pressure had dropped and the air ambulance had threatened to leave.

    The ambulance landed in Karachi Monday morning but Sharif was unable to board immediately as his doctors had advised against air travel. He underwent a series of tests before getting the green light from his medical team.

    The veteran’s medical condition became a subject of national concern after he made a video appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan to help him secure a visa to travel abroad for medical treatment. The federal government assured help and the Sindh government also stepped in, sanctioning Rs 40 million for his treatment.

    Actor Reema Khan also announced that her husband, cardiologist Dr Tariq Shahab, had agreed to perform the surgery on Sharif. Several other celebrities called for prayers for Sharif.

  • ‘Taliban will legally qualify for recognition once they take over the entire country,’ PM Khan

    ‘Taliban will legally qualify for recognition once they take over the entire country,’ PM Khan

    American Magazine ‘Newsweek’ has published an exclusive interview with Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, conducted by its Senior Foreign Policy Writer Tom O’Connor.

    PM Khan talked about the troubles occurring in Afghanistan, China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the US emerging close relations with Pakistan’s top rival India and shed some light on Sino-US rivalry.

    In reply to a question by Tom about recognising the new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, PM Khan said, “Pakistan is obliged to engage with the de-facto authorities in Afghanistan to prevent an economic and humanitarian collapse.”

    “Once a government in Kabul establishes control over the entire country, it would legally qualify for recognition. However, Pakistan would prefer to reach a decision regarding recognition of the new government together with other neighbors of Afghanistan,” he added.

    He stressed that the authorities in Kabul [Taliban] need to neutralise terrorist groups present in Afghanistan, particularly the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and said, “Pakistan will work with the authorities in Afghanistan to halt TTP and other terrorism from there.”

    While answering the question about the US and China’s influence in South Asia after Washington’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, Khan stated, “The US can work with a new government in Afghanistan to promote common interests and regional stability and can play an important and positive role in Afghanistan by providing humanitarian assistance.”

    “But if China offers economic support to Afghanistan, it’s natural that the Afghans will accept it. The Taliban have welcomed the prospects of being incorporated in the CPEC and establishing close relations with China,” he added.

    Talking about the close ties between the US and India, PM Khan stated, “We understand that the U.S. military support to India is designed to contain China. However India will never confront China, especially not to serve U.S. strategic objectives. India’s purpose in arming itself so massively is to establish its hegemony in South Asia and especially to threaten and coerce Pakistan.”

    “We believe that the current US-China rivalry is unnecessary and contrary to the interests of both these global powers,” he said while hoping that both countries will reach the same conclusion in the near future.

    He concluded by saying that Afghanistan will only be stabilized through help and that the U.S., China and Russia and all other countries must “contribute” to reconstructing the country.

  • ‘My friends are dead,’ Iraq war veteran blasts former US President Bush in public

    ‘My friends are dead,’ Iraq war veteran blasts former US President Bush in public

    Mike Prysner, a veteran of the United States invasion of Iraq, in a viral video publicly called out the former US President George W. Bush.

    The video has been making rounds on social media since late Monday. “You lied about Iraq being a threat. You sent me there in 2003. My friends are dead just because of you,” shouted Prysner who was interrupted by Bush telling him to “sit and behave.”

    https://twitter.com/trtworld/status/1440714591323897862?s=20

    “You need to apologise,” Prysner managed to add before being forcibly removed by staff.

    An individual from the audience stood up and said to the former president, “You made a nightmare for my family. One million Iraqis are dead from your war. You should be in prison.”

    Approximately 200,000 civilians have died from direct war-related violence caused by the US in Iraq. According to the Washington Post, about 6 in 10 civilian deaths occurred at the hands of coalition forces from 2003 to 2011. There were 4,431 total deaths of American forces as per the US Department of Defense website.

    In March 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein.