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For a country struggling to fight brutal poverty, internal conflicts, political instability, and bureaucratic inefficiency, the 1990s was a breath of fresh air. The economy was liberalised, the IT industry started booming, a telecom revolution was underway, a successful nuclear test was conducted, and the emergence of strong regional parties gave voice to the politically weak sections. But on May 3, 1999, as Pakistani intrusion was reported at the Kargil borders, India was on the cusp of losing a decade-long progress to an unprovoked war. Over the next three months, the Indian <keyword id="19903970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="armed-forces" source="keywords">armed forces</keyword> fought with all might not just to defend the borders, but to show to the world that its preference for peace is not a sign of weakness. <keyword id="21429298" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kargil-Vijay-Diwas" source="keywords">Kargil Vijay Diwas</keyword>, commemorated annually on July 26th, stands as a testament to India's indomitable spirit and the unwavering courage of its armed forces. This day marks the culmination of the <keyword id="20143432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kargil-War" source="keywords">Kargil War</keyword>, a conflict that tested the nation's mettle and forged a legacy of heroism. Addressing the 25th celebrations of the Kargil War victory, <keyword id="6354814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-narendra-modi" source="Orion">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> said that the Kargil War win is neither the victory of any government in power nor of any political group, it is the heritage and the victory of 140 crore people of India. <h2>The genesis</h2>Despite signing the Lahore Declaration in February 1999 for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, a covert infiltration by Pakistani troops into the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir in May 1999 triggered a crisis. Disguised as militants, they occupied strategic positions along the Line of Control (LoC), aiming to disrupt the Kashmir-Ladakh link. The <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Army" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Army">Indian Army</keyword>, upon discovering the intrusion from local shepherds, launched Operation Vijay, a counter-offensive to reclaim the occupied heights. <h2>Battling against nature and the enemy</h2>The Kargil War was a gruelling ordeal, fought in the unforgiving Himalayan terrain. Soldiers battled not only the enemy but also the harsh, high-altitude conditions. The covert movement of the Pak army helped them position themselves at strategically advantageous, high-altitude positions. As temperatures plummeted and oxygen levels dwindled, the rugged mountains posed immense logistical challenges to the ground forces. Yet, the Indian Army, driven by patriotism and a relentless determination to protect the nation's sovereignty, pressed on. <h2>Heroes of the Kargil War</h2>The Kargil War produced a pantheon of heroes whose bravery continues to inspire generations. Captain <keyword id="20211435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-batra" source="keywords">Vikram Batra</keyword>, with his iconic battle cry "Yeh Dil Mange More," led his troops to capture Point 4875, a pivotal victory. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, displaying exceptional courage, made the supreme sacrifice while defending his post. These brave soldiers, among many others, epitomized the indomitable spirit of the Indian Army. The Kargil War galvanized the nation. People from all walks of life came together to support the armed forces. The collective outpouring of patriotism and solidarity fueled the soldiers' resolve. Nearly 500 Indian soldiers lost their lives battling the enemy in unforgiving Himalayan terrains. The war also highlighted the sacrifices made by the families of the martyrs, whose courage and resilience were equally inspiring. <h2>A legacy of valour</h2>Kargil <keyword id="21992554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-diwas" source="keywords">Vijay Diwas</keyword> is more than just a commemoration; it is a reaffirmation of India's commitment to peace and security. The sacrifices made by the brave soldiers who fought in the Kargil War will forever be etched in the nation's memory. Their unwavering courage and determination continue to inspire future generations to serve the country with dedication and honour. As India celebrates the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today, it is essential to remember the heroes who laid down their lives for the nation. Their supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten by a country on its path to glory on a global stage. <h2>A continued tragedy</h2>The Kargil War left behind a deadly legacy along with long-term trauma among the local residents and the defence personnel who fought valiantly. As per a TOI report, unexploded bombs scattered across the region continue to pose a significant threat to the local population. In 2023 — 24 years after the tragic war — a total of around 336 such unexploded bombs were reportedly neutralised by the Army. Residents live in constant fear of accidental detonations, especially during construction or excavation work. These incidents have resulted in multiple casualties in the past several years, including the tragic death of a young child. Despite the passage of 25 years, the Army remains actively engaged in defusing these dangerous remnants of war. Even this year, as many as 103 such bombs were defused by the Army. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112016324" title="Ex-army officer runs 160 km, 40 km per day, to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas anniversary" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112031216" title="Families of soldiers pays tribute to soldiers who lost lives in 1999 Kargil War" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

Kargil Vijay Diwas: A tale of valour and sacrifice

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that <keyword id="19991528" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="trade-ties" source="keywords">trade ties</keyword> between Islamabad and New Delhi have remained suspended since 2019 due to the imposition of "heavy duties" by <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> on imports from Pakistan after the <keyword id="20579845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pulwama-attack" source="keywords">Pulwama attack</keyword>. In a written reply submitted to the <keyword id="19935944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-assembly" source="keywords">National Assembly</keyword> on Saturday, Dar, who also holds the deputy prime minister's slot, said: "India decided to impose 200 per cent duty on imports from Pakistan, suspended the Kashmir bus service and trade across the Line of Control after the Pulwama attack." According to the Dawn newspaper, Dar was responding to a question by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Sharmila Faruqui seeking details about trade challenges faced by Pakistan in its relations with neighbouring countries, especially India. In March, during a press conference in London, Dar highlighted the eagerness of Pakistan's business community to resume trade activities with India. However, his office later clarified that Pakistan has no plan to resume trade relations with India which has been "non-existent" since 2019. Pakistan downgraded its ties with India after the <keyword id="20467268" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-parliament" source="keywords">Indian Parliament</keyword> suspended Article 370 on August 5, 2019, a decision that Islamabad believed undermined the environment for holding talks between the neighbours. "We have consistently advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir with India...," Dar said on Saturday. The foreign minister said that the "onus is now on Delhi to take steps for the creation of an environment that is conducive to peace and dialogue". India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free of terror and hostility for such an engagement. Islamabad and New Delhi have a long history of strained relations, primarily due to the Kashmir issue as well as the cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Trade ties with India suspended due to 'heavy duties': Pakistan Foreign Minister

Islamabad [Pakistan], February 11 (ANI): Tough times are ahead for Pakistan as Islamabad and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have failed to reach a staff-level agreement on a much-needed USD 1.1 billion bailout package aimed at preventing the country from going bankrupt. Analysts believe that the current economic crisis in Pakistan is a culmination of decades of faulty policies, reported The <keyword id="12543719" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="al-arabiya-post" source="Orion">Al Arabiya Post</keyword>. Pakistan is seeking a USD 7 billion bailout package from the IMF to prevent the collapse of the economy. While the visiting IMF delegation is asking for several reforms and compliance with its conditionality. The IMF mission, led by <keyword id="14447716" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nathan-porter" source="Orion">Nathan Porter</keyword>, began talks on January 31 with the Pakistan government represented by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for the ninth review of the assistance package. <keyword id="2093498" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pm-sharif" source="Orion">PM Sharif</keyword>, while addressing an apex committee meeting in <keyword id="42462" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="peshawar" source="Orion">Peshawar</keyword> following Monday's mosque bombing that killed over 100 people, said, "As I speak, the IMF delegation is in Islamabad and they are giving Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his team a tough time." Notably, the resource allocation pattern in Pakistan from one budget to another puts a disproportionate focus on populism and militarization. This has put an additional burden on its exchequer leading to an unsustainable fiscal gap, reported Al Arabiya Post. Pakistan Prime Minister <keyword id="11977746" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shehbaz-sharif" source="Orion">Shehbaz Sharif</keyword> said on February 3 that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was giving a "tough time" to his country over the restoration of stalled bailout package at a time of "unimaginable" crisis. Shehbaz Sharif admitted that the country has no option but to accept the IMF conditionality. "You all know we are running short of resources," Sharif said, adding the country was "facing an acute economic crisis". Moreover, the Pakistrupee, which has been in a steep slide since last week, hit a record low against the US dollar. The Pakistani rupee fell by 1.9 per cent to a record low of 276.58 per dollar in the inter-bank market the same day, according to the Central Bank, reported Al Arabiya Post. As the IMF bailout package is conditional on Pakistan implementing IMF suggested measures, its release would require Islamabad to take tough decisions. After the first round of technical talks between the IMF team and the government concluded on February 4, Pak Prime Minister observed that the lender was imposing conditions that were "beyond our wildest dreams". The discussions covered details of expenditure and revenue performance to identify the policy measures- both revenue and non-revenue- that would have to be taken over the next four months of the current fiscal year. The <keyword id="16465663" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pak-prime-ministered" source="Orion">Pak Prime Ministered</keyword>, despite calling the IMF conditionality unimaginable acknowledged that the country had no choice but to implement the conditions. It has been seen that Islamabad has a policy obduracy and inertia that prohibit it to shun its populist policies and take reform measures on debt, fiscal, trade and structural fronts to address its economic woes, reported Al Arabiya Post. Analysts opine that the rocky road Pakistan is passing through is its own creation. In the first instance, a debt-dependent growth strategy is itself a sure recipe to fall into a debt trap, especially when industrial growth and diversification are limited and the export basket is primarily made up of primary goods. The debt dependence has also eroded the sovereignty of Pakistan and the country's economic and foreign policies are dictated by those who provide funds. Such dependence on external funding has impeded the structural transformation of the Pak economy and its indigenous growth impetus. Secondly, an artificially designed threat perception in Pakistan created by the vested interests in Islamabad's establishment has totally distorted the allocation of resources in the country giving undue emphasis on militarisation in the name of preparing for a threat that does not exist. The third most remarkable flaw in Pakistan's economic policy is a deliberate and foolhardy choice of missing the development opportunities generated by free trade, reported Al Arabiya Post. While Pakistan has a good location to leverage the presence of two giant economies in its neighbourhood, it has opted to isolate one of them and sided with the other at the cost of huge losses in trade creation. Not giving the Most Favoured Nation status to India and keeping the trade routes closed for direct trade is a self-defeating proposition. Islamabad could no more avoid taking hard decisions. The situation continues to deteriorate. With only around USD 3.10 billion in foreign exchange reserves, which can only cover 18 days' worth of imports, and a shortage of basic goods including food and medicine and ever-spiralling inflation, the choice to comply with the IMF conditionality would not be easy for Pakistan. (ANI)

Tough times ahead for Pakistan as talks with IMF fails over bailout package

Pakistan ex-Prime Minister, Imran Khan shot at rally in reported assassination attempt

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11893449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword>'s political opposition ousted Prime Minister <keyword id="11995831" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="imran-khan" source="Orion">Imran Khan</keyword> in a no-confidence vote on Sunday.</li><li>The country's Parliament will hold a vote on Monday to determine the new prime minister.</li></ul>ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's political opposition ousted the country's embattled prime minister in a no-confidence vote early Sunday, which they won after several of Imran Khan's allies and a key coalition party deserted him.The combined opposition that spans the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious will form the new government, with the head of one of the largest parties, the Pakistani Muslim League, taking over as prime minister.Anticipating his loss, Khan, who charged the opposition colluded with the United States to unseat him, has called on his supporters to stage rallies nationwide on Sunday. Khan's options are limited and should he see a big turnout in his support, he may try to keep the momentum of street protests as a way to pressure Parliament to hold early elections.Khan earlier had tried to sidestep the vote by dissolving Parliament and calling early elections but a Supreme Court ruling ordered the vote to go ahead.The vote comes amid cooling relations between Khan and a powerful military who many of his political opponents allege helped him come to power in general elections in 2018. The military has directly ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 75 years and wields considerable power over civilian governments, who worry a disgruntled army could unseat them.The opposition called for Khan's ouster charging economic mismanagement as inflation soars and the Pakistani rupee plummets in value. The vote caps months of political turmoil and a constitutional crisis that required the Supreme Court to sort out.In an impassioned speech Friday, Khan doubled down on his accusations that his opponents colluded with the United States to unseat him over his foreign policy choices, which often seemed to favor China and Russia and defied the U.S.Khan said Washington opposed his Feb. 24 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin hours after tanks rolled into Ukraine, launching a devastating war in the heart of Europe.Ahead of the vote his lawmakers addressed Parliament attack a letter Khan said told of a senior U.S. official, who was not named, who informed top Pakistani diplomats that Washington's relations with Pakistan would improve if Khan was ousted. Human rights minister Shireen Mazari said the memo named Khan and said that if he was out of power "all would be forgiven."She went on to ask: "Forgiven for what? What is our sin?"The U.S. State Department has denied any involvement in Pakistan's internal <keyword id="11893346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics" source="Orion">politics</keyword>. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters on Friday there was "absolutely no truth to these allegations."Still, Khan urged his supporters to take to the streets, particularly the youth who have been the backbone of his support since the former cricket star turned conservative Islamist politician came to power in 2018. He said they needed to protect Pakistan's sovereignty and oppose U.S. dictations."You have to come out to protect your own future. It is you who have to protect your democracy, your sovereignty and your independence. ... This is your duty," he said. "I will not accept an imposed government."Khan's allegations of U.S. involvement are likely to resonate with many in Pakistan, says Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington -based Wilson Center"Khan's conspiracy allegations will resonate in a country where there's a tendency to ascribe the worst possible motives to U.S. policy, especially because there is a past history of U.S. meddling in Pakistani politics," said Kugelman.Khan's insistence there is U.S. involvement in attempts to oust him also exploits a deep-seated mistrust among many in Pakistan of U.S. intentions, particularly following 9/11.Washington has often berated Pakistan for doing too little to fight Islamic militants, even as thousands of Pakistanis have died at their hands and the army has lost more than 5,000 soldiers. Pakistan has been attacked for aiding Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents while also being asked to bring them to the peace table.The no-confidence vote loss for Khan brings to power some unlikely partners.Among them is a radically religious party that runs scores of religious schools. The Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam, or Assembly of Clerics, teaches a deeply conservative brand of Islam in its schools. Many of Afghanistan's Taliban and Pakistan's own homegrown violent Taliban graduated from JUI schools.The largest among the opposition parties — the Pakistan People's Party, led by the son of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the Pakistan Muslim League — have been tainted by allegations of widespread corruption.Pakistan Muslim League leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was convicted of corruption after being named in the so-called Panama Papers. That's a collection of leaked secret financial documents showing how some of the world's richest hide their money and involving a global law firm based in Panama. Sharif was disqualified by Pakistan's Supreme Court from holding office. The new prime minister is expected to be Sharif's brother Shahbaz Sharif after a vote for the new prime minister is held in Parliament on Monday."This would be the first time in Pakistan's history that a no-confidence vote succeeds in ousting a Prime Minister -- the fulfilment of a constitutional process that was far from guaranteed after Khan's attempts to derail the vote," said Elizabeth Threlkeld, Pakistan expert at the U.S.-based The Stimson Center. "That, in itself, is significant, and could give Pakistan something to build on going forward."___Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been ousted in a no-confidence vote

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11893449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword> Prime Minister <keyword id="11995831" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="imran-khan" source="Orion">Imran Khan</keyword> was reportedly going to lose a no-confidence vote in parliament on Sunday. </li><li>Instead, Khan asked the president to dissolve the country's parliament, The Associated Press reported.</li></ul>Pakistan's President Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the law-making chamber of the country's national assembly, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-religion-ad929acf523850fdb63a5b6dd960f1d2">The Associated Press</a> reported. Alvi dissolved the law-making lower house of Parliament after a plea from Prime Minister Imran Khan, who accused his opposition of working with the US government to overthrow him. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/03/1090490181/pakistan-imran-khan-parliament-early-elections"></a>The AP reported that Khan made the request after facing a no-confidence resolution against him. That resolution was likely to pass as 17 members of Khan's own party as well as some coalition partners joined the opposition to remove him as prime minister.The opposition would have needed 172 of the 342 votes in Parliament to remove Khan which would allow them to be a part of forming an interim government ahead of elections, The AP reported. Deputy speaker, Qasim Khan Suri, had rejected the opposition's motion for the no-confidence vote on Sunday, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/03/world/imran-khan-confidence-vote-pakistan">The New York Times</a> reported. The AP reported that Suri, an ally of Khan, threw out the motion after Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the opposition was working with a "foreign power" to enact "regime change."Suri said Khan was still prime minister and could dissolve parliament. Khan on Sunday called for a new election, side-stepping the no-confidence vote. In a televised speech, Khan defended his actions by alleging that America is conspiring to remove him from office, but did not offer any evidence, The Times reported. "Prepare for elections," Khan said. "No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be."Asfandyar Mir, a senior expert with the Washington-based U.S. Institute of Peace, told The AP, that Khan's claims that the US is trying to oust him plays on the mistrust some Pakistanis have about the US. Opposition groups said Khan had no right to call for the vote, and that he couldn't dissolve parliament. The AP reported that they planned to take the issue to the Supreme Court. The Times reported that the Supreme Court is expected to hear the issue on Monday. Mir told the AP that opposition groups, who ranged across a spectrum of ideologies have been trying to unseat Khan since he was elected in 2018. The military had been accused of helping Khan, a former Cricket player, win the election, which is something that Mir said undermined Khan. "The movement against Imran Khan's government is inseparable from his controversial rise to power in the 2018 election, which was manipulated by the army to push Khan over the line," Mir told the AP. "That really undermined the legitimacy of the electoral exercise and created the grounds for the current turmoil. "

Pakistan's president dissolved parliament after embattled prime minister accused opposition of working with US to overthrow him: report

<keyword id="3001" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword>'s election commission on Thursday announced that the general elections in the country will take place in the last week of January 2024, amid mounting pressure from political parties that pressed for timely elections in the cash-strapped country. In a statement, the electoral body said that it reviewed work on delimiting constituencies and the initial list for the delimitation of constituencies would be published on September 27. It said parties would be able to file objections after that the ECP would address all objections and suggestions. After hearing objections and suggestions regarding the list, the final list would be issued on November 30, which would be followed by the election schedule, it said. It said that by the end of delimitation, it would announce a 54-day election program and "polls will be held in the last week of January 2024." The National Assembly was dissolved on August 9 and constitutionally, the elections should be held within 90 days but the process was delayed by the ECP due to the delimitation exercise which became mandatory in the wake of the new census held this year. The previous government just days before the end of its term endorsed the results of the census which obligated the ECP to set up a new electoral district on the basis of the latest population. The move led to fears that the polls meant to be held within 90 days may be delayed till next year as the delimitation process would take about four months to complete. The decision to shorten the timeframe of the delimitation comes amid mounting pressure on the ECP from several political parties that pressed for timely elections. The Constitution also provides that the ECP should complete the delimitation process within 120 days. Currently, a caretaker government is running the country and it will continue until the new prime minister is elected through the elections. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said the interim government is committed to upholding the democratic process in Pakistan by holding general elections and it will not make any excuse to delay it. In a letter to the ECP chief earlier this month, President Arif Alvi, who was a founding member of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, unilaterally proposed November 6 as the day for the polls, but the top election body avoided comment on his suggestion.

Pakistan to hold general elections in last week of January 2024

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The UK will be "perceived as racist" if Rishi Sunak is not elected PM, a Tory donor has claimed.</li><li>Rami Ranger said if Sunak did not succeed Boris Johnson the UK would get "a bad name".</li></ul>If Rishi Sunak doesn't become the UK's next prime minister, the country will get a "bad name" and be "perceived as racist", a prominent Conservative donor said.The comments were made by Rami Ranger, who has given £1.3 million to the party personally and through his firm Sun Mark. He was made a lord in 2019 by Theresa May.It came as Sunak competed with Liz Truss to be chosen by Conservative Party voters to succeed Boris Johnson as the party leader and therefore prime minister.Ranger told the Indian news channel Bharat Tak he was backing Sunak, a former chancellor, because his "calibre is above everyone else". The interview was in a mixture of Hindi and English, which Insider translated.He said that "internal politics" could work against Sunak, who if successful would become the UK's first prime of Indian origin."If people reject him, it will be a bad name for the party and the country because this will be perceived as racist," Ranger said."And so there is pressure on them to prove that here race does not matter. Calibre matters and Rishi's calibre is above everyone."He added: "I am optimistic that people here will be fair and will not reject anyone on the basis of race."The race to succeed Boris Johnson has been <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/07/tory-leader-contest-boris-johnson-diversity/670507/">widely praised</a> as the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tory-leadership-race-is-most-diverse-in-modern-british-history-8zf9p9pgh">most diverse in British history</a>, with candidates including Iraqi-born Nadhim Zahawi, Kemi Badenoch, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, and Sajid Javid, whose parents came from Pakistan.Sunak, who was the frontrunner during the parliamentary stage of the contest, made it to the final two against Truss, who currently has the edge. She would be the UK's third female prime minister. Sunder Katwala, the director of diversity think tank British Future, told Insider: "I think we now have ever-stronger evidence to state with increasing confidence that this leadership election will not be decided by either Rishi Sunak's ethnicity or Liz Truss's gender. "Two-thirds of the Conservative MPs voted for an ethnic minority candidate with their first leadership vote. In the membership polls, there was a late surge for Kemi Badenoch, who was the favourite among members of the last four. That seems to me to strike a decisive blow to the idea that skin colour discrimination is decisive in this race. "It is an ideological party — on Brexit and taxation — that is rather proud of having Black and Asian Conservatives when they share those Tory views," he said. "The claim that skin colour is decisive for most members is simply impossible to align with the evidence on their views." Katwala noted that "underdog" Sunak had "a tough battle" ahead of him to reach Downing Street. "But it is an election about leadership, taxation and the future direction of the party. I don't think Sunak's supporters or the party's political opponents have any credible evidence to suggest that race or gender is more than a marginal factor in this leadership election."Asked to elaborate on his initial comments, Ranger published a Twitter video. Via email, Ranger said that his interview was "given to an Indian TV to emphasise that the British and the Conservative Party are not racist."He stressed that Sunak being in the running for prime minister demonstrated "the British sense of fair play".But he added: "If the majority of the members overwhelmingly reject Rishi Sunak, it will create a negative perception in the minds of ethnic communities. It does not matter what I say; what matters is which way the public will vote.""Rishi has been supported by the majority of the parliamentary Conservative Party, and I believe people should support their elected representative. If they don't, then it is not me. It is them who send such [a] notion."Asked if he thought racism was still a factor in UK politics, Ranger said "not as much as when I started my journey in the Conservative Party some 35 years ago. We had to form the British-Asian Conservative Link to bring positive change to the Party… Due to our work, the Party has become more robust and our democracy richer."Sunak's campaign team declined to comment, saying only that "Rami's views are his own".

UK will be 'perceived as racist' if Rishi Sunak is not elected prime minister, prominent Tory donor claims

Pakistan will buy <keyword id="31653" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sugar">sugar</keyword> and cotton from India, newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad <keyword id="8402" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Azhar">Azhar</keyword> announced on Wednesday, lifting a ban on their import from the neighbouring country imposed in the wake of heightened tension over Kashmir in 2019. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), which was chaired by Finance Minister Azhar. Azhar said that the meeting discussed 21 items on the agenda, including import of cotton and sugar from India, which it allowed after detailed discussion. The resumption of import of these goods will lead to partial revival of bilateral trade relations, which were suspended after the August 5, 2019 decision of India to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The private sector was allowed to import 5 lakh tonnes of white sugar from India, he said. He also said that the government had allowed sugar to be imported from other countries, however, the price of the commodity in other countries was also high. "However, in our neighbouring country India, the price of sugar is quite cheap," he said. "Hence, we have decided to resume sugar trade with India". Azhar also said that Pakistan will import cotton from India starting June this year. Adviser to the <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> of Pakistan for Commerce and Investment, Dawood welcomed the decisions taken by the ECC. "All steps be taken through cross-border imports of cotton yarn including by land. A summary will be presented at the next ECC to ensure availability of cotton and yarn in the coming months," Dawood tweeted. Finance Minister Azhar told the media that demand for cotton in Pakistan was increasing but it had not produced quality cotton last year hence it had given the green signal for the product to be imported from other countries. "The import of cotton from India was banned and this had a direct effect on our SMEs," he said. "However, at the recommendation of the <keyword id="137756" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Commerce">Ministry of Commerce</keyword>, we have also decided to resume the trade of cotton with India," he added. Azhar was appointed as Finance Minister on Monday by Prime Minister <keyword id="14676" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Imran-Khan">Imran Khan</keyword> who removed Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from the finance portfolio after his embarrassing defeat in the <keyword id="6355284" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="senate">Senate</keyword> elections. Azhar is the third finance minister to be appointed since Khan came to power in 2018. Earlier, in May 2020, Pakistan lifted the ban on import of medicines and raw material of essential drugs from India amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Textile had sought permission from the ECC to lift the ban on import of cotton and cotton yarn from India in a bid to bridge the raw material shortfall for the value-added textile sector. The Ministry of Commerce separately asked for permission to allow import of white sugar from India through the <keyword id="11024310" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="trading-corporation-of">Trading Corporation of</keyword> Pakistan and commercial importers. Official sources here said that Prime Minister Khan as Minister-in-Charge of Commerce and Textile had already approved the reports placed before the ECC for allowing import of cotton and sugar from India. "It shows that there is no technical or legal hindrance for importing these items from India," a source said. Tension has come down between the two nations after the restoration of ceasefire on the <keyword id="44759" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Line-of-Control">Line of Control</keyword> last month. It was followed with an exchange of letters by the prime ministers of the two countries. It is said that the two sides are working behind the scenes to restore their full diplomatic ties which were downgraded after August, 2019 action in Kashmir. India's move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August, 2019 angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan also snapped all air and land links with India and suspended trade and railway services. 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Pakistan to import sugar and cotton from India, says Finance Minister Hammad Azhar

<keyword id="3001" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="14676" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Imran-Khan">Imran Khan</keyword> has tested <keyword id="6439681" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="positive">positive</keyword> for the novel coronavirus. Faisal <keyword id="6355056" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sultan">Sultan</keyword>, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations &amp; Coordination confirmed the development on Saturday. Sultan said that the 68-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician has quarantined himself at home. "PM Imran Khan has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self isolating at home," Sultan said in a tweet. Pakistan is using the Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm against Covid-19 pandemic. Recently a batch of 5,00,000 doses was received in Pakistan from China. The vaccination drive in Pakistan is currently underway for senior citizens. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/easemytrip-ipo-listing-price-at-13-5-premium/articleshow/81581828.cms">EaseMyTrip lists at 13.5% premium – but gives up some of the listing gains soon after</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-9-pro-specs-oneplus-9e-specs-and-price-leak-and-oneplus-9-series-launch-date/articleshow/81168227.cms">OnePlus 9 series specifications and features leaked – here's everything we know about the upcoming OnePlus smartphones</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/checkout-review-of-moto-g10-power-mobile-phone-review-and-features-information/articleshow/81583548.cms">Moto G10 Power mobile review – big battery on a shoestring budget</a>

Pakistan PM Imran Khan isolates after testing COVID-19 positive

<keyword id="3001" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> may allow <keyword id="1169098" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="cotton-import">cotton import</keyword> from India through land route as prospects of gradual restoration of <keyword id="2144168" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bilateral-trade-ties">bilateral trade ties</keyword> have brightened after the <keyword id="10843030" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-ceasefire-agreement">new ceasefire agreement</keyword> along the <keyword id="44759" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Line-of-Control">Line of Control</keyword>, according to a media report on Sunday. Citing sources in the <keyword id="137756" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Commerce">Ministry of Commerce</keyword>, The Express Tribune reported that Adviser to the <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood may take a decision on whether to import cotton and yarn from India next week. They said that the issue of cotton shortfall has already been brought to the notice of Prime Minister <keyword id="14676" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Imran-Khan">Imran Khan</keyword>, who also holds the portfolio of the commerce minister. Once a principled decision is taken, a formal order will be presented before the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet, the sources told the daily. The sources said that in-house deliberations have already begun but the final decision would be taken only after seeking the approval of the prime minister. I cannot say yes or no at this stage and would be in a better position to respond on Monday, Dawood told the daily, responding to a question on whether Pakistan was considering allowing cotton import from India. The trade ties between both the countries can help minimise cost of production in Pakistan and ensure sustained food supplies, the daily said. India and Pakistan issued a joint statement on Thursday to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the LoC and other sectors after the hotline discussions by their Director Generals of Military Operations. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 2003, but it has hardly been followed in letter and spirit over the past several years. Relations between the two neighbours have nose-dived after a series of terror attacks in India perpetrated by terror groups based in Pakistan. Bilateral ties deteriorated further after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The move angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan also snapped all air and land links with India and suspended trade and railway services. The paper reported that against the annual estimated consumption of minimum 12 million bales, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research expects only 7.7 million bales production this year. However, cotton ginners have given the lowest production estimates of only 5.5 million bales for this year. There is a minimum shortfall of six million bales and Pakistan has so far imported roughly 688,305 metric tonnes of cotton and yarn, costing USD 1.1 billion, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. There is still a gap of about 3.5 million bales that needs to be filled through imports. Due to shortage of cotton and yarn, the users were compelled to import them from the United States, Brazil and Uzbekistan. Imports from India would be far cheaper and would reach Pakistan within three to four days. Importing yarn from other countries was not only expensive but would also take one to two months to reach Pakistan, the daily reported, quoting businessmen who deal in these commodities. The delay in yarn import can pose risk to timely deliver the export orders, according to the paper. However, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) is exerting pressure on the Pakistan government not to allow cotton and yarn import from India. An industry insider told the daily that few millers have already hoarded the cotton and were now charging higher rates and import would dampen their short-term earnings. In an appeal to Dawood, Aptma said that the import of yarn from India will directly impact cotton prices in Pakistan. The cotton sowing season is currently starting in Pakistan and the predicted drop in cotton price owing to import of yarn from India is approximately 10-15 per cent, discouraging farmers not to sow cotton, according to the Aptma. On Thursday, India said it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to resolving all issues bilaterally in a peaceful manner. Prime Minister Khan on Saturday welcomed the ceasefire agreement with India and said Islamabad remains ready to move forward to resolve "all outstanding issues" through dialogue. 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You Searched For "Pakistan Prime Minister" and got 11 results

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