Few moments in recent diplomacy have laid bare the contradictions of America’s foreign policy quite like the guilty plea of Nikhil Gupta. The guilty plea entered by Gupta in a Manhattan federal courtroom last Friday marks a grim milestone in what US and Canadian officials have described as a brazen effort by elements within the Indian government to silence Sikh separatists abroad. Gupta, a 54-year-old Indian national, admitted to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy, acknowledging his role in a failed scheme to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen whose crime, in the eyes of his would-be killers, was advocating for Sikh independence. This case isn’t just a courtroom drama; it’s a window into how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s India is testing the limits of its partnerships with the West, pursuing dissidents across borders in ways that smack of old-school authoritarianism and, in many cases, state-sponsored terrorism.
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Jailed ex-PM Khan seeks bail, suspension of 17-year jail term on medical grounds
ISLAMABAD: Lawyers for jailed former prime minister Imran Khan petitioned the Islamabad High Court on Saturday to suspend his 17-year prison sentence in a corruption case and secure his release on bail, citing severe deterioration in his health, including significant vision loss in his right eye, according to court documents and a statement from his party.
IMF talks with Pakistan on power tariff revamp as inflation risks loom
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund is in talks with Pakistani officials over a proposed revamp of electricity tariffs that could stoke inflation even as it aims to relieve pressure on the nation’s industries, the fund said, stressing that any changes must shield middle- and lower-income households from the brunt of the burden.
PM Sharif launches Rs38bln Ramadan cash relief for deserving families
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled a Rs38 billion relief package on Saturday to support deserving families during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with funds to be disbursed digitally across the country’s provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Jailed Imran Khan allowed 20-minute call with sons after court order
ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan spoke to his sons by phone for about 20 minutes and was “extremely happy to hear their voices,” his sister said on Saturday, days after a court ordered authorities to let him contact his children amid reports of severe vision loss in one eye.
Opposition extends sit-in over jailed ex-PM Khan’s health as govt pledges specialist eye care
ISLAMABAD: Opposition lawmakers extended a sit-in protest into a second day on Saturday, demanding jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan be shifted to a specialist hospital amid concerns over his deteriorating eyesight, as the government pledged further medical checks by eye experts.
Security forces kill two militants after IED attack kills worker in Gilgit-Baltistan
ISLAMABAD: A civilian worker with Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organisation was killed and three others, including an army major, were wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle in the remote Tangir valley of Diamer district on Thursday, military officials said, adding that two militants were later killed in a gunfight.
Developers raze Mughal-era structure in Islamabad despite heritage warnings
ISLAMABAD: Developers have demolished the remains of a 16th-century Mughal-era building in Pakistan’s capital, just days after razing a nearby World War I memorial, as part of a push to build a private housing society, despite repeated appeals from heritage officials to protect the sites.
UAE rolls over $2 bln deposit with Pakistan central bank, FO spokesman says
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday the United Arab Emirates had rolled over $2 billion in deposits with its central bank, providing a boost to foreign reserves as the cash-strapped South Asian nation navigates an International Monetary Fund bailout programme.
Pakistan eyes power sector debt revamp to cut tariffs amid solar surge
ISLAMABAD: The government is exploring a major restructuring of its power sector debt, including talks with multilateral lenders to refinance $30 billion owed to China, as it seeks to slash electricity tariffs and boost grid usage hit by a boom in rooftop solar panels, the power minister said on Thursday.