Category: 1. Pakistan

Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has backed terror groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that what India describes as terrorism is a “legitimate struggle” and that Pakistan will continue providing political, diplomatic, and moral support to the Kashmiri people.

Munir made the remarks while addressing a passing out parade at the Pakistan Naval Academy on Saturday, when he also said that India has “twice undertaken acts of unprovoked aggression against Pakistan” and the onus of any future escalation “will squarely lie with the aggressor”.

The speech was reminiscent of Munir’s remarks at an Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad on April 16, less than a week before the Pahalgam terror attack, when he described Kashmir as the “jugular vein” of Pakistan and said Islamabad will continue backing the struggle against “Indian occupation”.

There was no immediate response from Indian officials to Munir’s latest remarks. Munir’s previous remarks on Kashmir have been rubbished by the external affairs ministry.

“What India tends to term as terrorism is in fact the legitimate struggle as per the international conventions. Those who endeavoured to subdue the will of Kashmiri people and sought conflict elimination instead of resolution have made it more relevant and pronounced through their own actions,” Munir said while addressing the gathering in Karachi that included top military officers, civilian officials, and diplomats.

“We stand firm with the Kashmiri people for their right of self-determination for the resolution of the internationally recognised long-standing dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the people of Kashmir,” he added.

Munir contended that “regional peace will forever remain elusive” and there would be “perpetual danger of conflict in South Asia” without the “just and peaceful resolution” of the Kashmir issue.

Paying tribute to those who are struggling for “the right of self-determination”, Munir said: “Pakistan will always continue to provide political, diplomatic and moral support to the valiant people of…Jammu and Kashmir.”

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. This triggered four days of intense clashes, with both sides using drones, missiles, and long-range weapons, before they reached an understanding to halt military actions on May 10.

Munir claimed India’s leadership had “twice undertaken acts of unprovoked aggression against Pakistan” in recent years, under the “pretext of counter terrorism”. He was referring to the clashes in May and the cross-border air strike carried out by India in response to the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019 that killed 40 Indian troopers. At that time, both sides had briefly engaged in aerial battles and skirmishes.

“Pakistan, despite grave provocations, acted with restraint and maturity and demonstrated its commitment to regional peace and stability, which has led to Pakistan’s role as net regional stabiliser,” Munir said. “However, the assumption that Pakistan would have any constraints in the face of any future violation of its sovereignty reflects a dangerous misreading of strategic fundamentals…any enemy acting on perceived vulnerability of Pakistan under the illusion of strategic impunity or miscalculation would get an assured, swift and a very befitting response.”

In the wake of the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India intensified its strategic response, not only diplomatically and militarily but also hydrologically — by suspending the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) which governs sharing of water flowing to Pakistan from the Indus river system. Pakistan, which depends largely on water flowing from India for its agricultural production, has warned that India blocking the water flowing to Pakistan will be considered an act of war. However, undeterred by Pakistan’s threats, India is preparing another water shock for Pakistan.

The Indian government is set to revive the long-stalled Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu & Kashmir, PTI has reported based on information from sources. A detailed project report (DPR) for the Tulbul project is being prepared and is expected to take about a year to complete. This move, which comes amid the suspension of the IWT, underscores a significant policy shift: leveraging water resources as a means of strategic assertion.

Also Read | Pakistan will be starved of water and India will never restore Indus water treaty, says Amit ShahWhat is the Tulbul Navigation Project?
The Tulbul Navigation Project (TNP) is a controlled storage facility on the Jhelum River near Sopore in the Kashmir Valley. Originally conceived in 1984, the project aimed to construct a 439-foot long and 40-foot wide navigation lock-cum-control structure at the mouth of the Wular Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia.

The purpose of the project was to ensure navigability of the Jhelum River during lean seasons by regulating outflows from the Wular Lake. By storing around 300,000 acre-feet of water, the project was designed to maintain a minimum draught of 4.5 feet, enabling barge traffic between Baramulla and Srinagar. This would not only facilitate inland water transport, but also improve irrigation and generate potential for hydropower optimization downstream.

The Central government had started work on this project in 1984, but stopped it a year later following Pakistan’s strong objections. Pakistan in 1986 took the issue to the Indus Waters Commission, following which the project was abandoned in 1987.The work was restarted in 2010, with the then irrigation minister of J&K, Taj Mohideen, stating that Article 9 of IWT permitted such projects meant for non-consumptive use. In 2012, unidentified terrorists lobbed a grenade towards a bund raised by the workers for the project. In 2016, Taj claimed that the Omar-led NC-Congress (2008-2014) govt had completed almost 80 per cent of the project after redesigning it with a total estimated cost of Rs 50 crore, in contrast to the original project designed in 1980s at Rs 500 crore. He accused the PDP-BJP (2015-2018) govt of abandoning the project. Taj argued that water storage in the Wullar barrage would significantly benefit the downstream power projects by sustaining electricity generation during the winter months, when they see a sharp decline in output.

Also Read | India slams Pakistan’s ‘charade’ on Kishenganga, Ratle dams; trashes ‘illegal’ Court of Arbitration’s new ruling

How Tulbul project can benefit India, and why Pakistan opposes it
Under the IWT, India was allocated the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej), while the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) were allocated to Pakistan, with limited rights for India. India is allowed to use water from the western rivers for non-consumptive purposes like navigation, power generation and limited storage. The Tulbul Project aligns with these permissible uses. By regulating flows, India can maximize its share of water under the treaty, avoiding wastage of its rights while improving water availability during lean periods.

In the context of cross-border terrorism and Pakistan’s continued hostility, the project serves as a pressure point. Water, historically viewed as a cooperative resource, is now being reconsidered as a tool of strategic diplomacy. The resumption of Tulbul sends a strong signal that India will no longer remain passive while its treaty rights are undermined or while Pakistan continues to support non-state actors across the border.

The Jhelum river route was historically a vital trade artery. Reviving this navigation route will boost local commerce, create jobs and improve connectivity in the Kashmir Valley. Given the government’s broader push for inland waterways, this project fits into a national strategy of reducing dependence on road transport and improving logistics efficiency. Though Tulbul itself is not a hydropower project, its ability to regulate water flow can support downstream hydropower generation at projects like Uri-I and Uri-II. It can help stabilize water flow, enhance efficiency and reduce flood damage risks in the valley.

Pakistan has consistently objected to the Tulbul Navigation Project since its inception, and construction was halted in 1987 due to Islamabad’s protests. The core of Pakistan’s opposition lies in the perceived violation of the IWT provisions. Pakistan argues that the storage capacity of 300,000 acre-feet gives India the ability to manipulate water flows during critical periods, especially during the sowing season in Pakistan’s Punjab province. While India views the project as permissible under the IWT (which allows non-consumptive use including navigation), Pakistan sees it as an attempt to store water in violation of the treaty’s constraints on India’s use of the western rivers.

India’s revival of the Tulbul Project can be seen in light of a broader reassessment of the IWT, which has long been criticized within India for being overly generous. In suspending the treaty after the Pahalgam attack, India is signaling a willingness to challenge long-standing conventions that no longer serve its security or developmental interests. This policy shift is also likely influenced by China’s assertive use of water in the Brahmaputra basin. India now seems to be shedding its past restraint and adopting a more realist doctrine on transboundary rivers.

However, this move also raises the stakes in the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistan has already warned that any attempt to block or manipulate water flows would be considered an “act of war”.

The Kashmir politics over Tulbul
The Tulbul project has been a contentious issue in J&K. After suspension of the IWT, local politics is simmering over the Tulbul project. In May, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former CM Mehbooba Mufti engaged in a war of words over reinstating the Tulbul Navigation Project. The argument started after Abdullah suggested a possible resumption of construction at the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Wullar Lake, considering the suspension of the IWT. “The Wular lake in North Kashmir. The civil works you see in the video is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage. It was started in the early 1980s but had to be abandoned under pressure from Pakistan citing the Indus Water Treaty. Now that the IWT has been ‘temporarily suspended’ I wonder if we will be able to resume the project,” Abdullah posted on his personal X handle.

Taking to X, Mufti replied to Abdullah’s post: “At a time when both nations have just stepped back from the brink of war—with Jammu and Kashmir once again paying the highest price through loss of innocent lives, destruction, and suffering—such provocative statements are deeply irresponsible.” She stressed that J&K residents need tranquillity and constancy, rather than political actions that could heighten tensions. “Weaponizing water—a source of life—is not only inhumane, but it also threatens to internationalize an issue that must remain strictly bilateral,” she noted.

Replying to Mufti’s remarks, Abdullah wrote, “Actually what is unfortunate is that with your blind lust to try to score cheap publicity points & please some people sitting across the border, you refuse to acknowledge that the IWT has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K. I have always opposed this treaty & I will continue to do so. Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is in no way, shape, size or form warmongering, it’s about correcting a historic injustice that denied the people of J&K the right to use our water for ourselves.”

(With agency and TOI inputs)

The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) has launched an investigation into back-to-back incidents involving three foreign aircrafts that remain temporarily grounded at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

A cargo plane operated by an international courier company was struck by a loader truck during ground handling operations late Sunday night. The collision damaged the aircraft’s left wing lights and affected three sections of the fuselage.

The incident occurred after rainfall left the airport’s tarmac wet and slippery, leading to a suspected brake failure on the loader truck. No repair work has started yet. A team of experts is expected to arrive from abroad to conduct repairs.

The PAA has launched a thorough investigation and directed the ground handling provider, Gerry’s dnata, to submit a detailed report on the incident.

Read: Three major Pakistan airports to get e-gates

Bird strike

Prior to this, an international flight bound for Istanbul was grounded for over 15 hours after a bird strike damaged its engine. The flight was taxiing for takeoff early Friday morning when the bird collision occurred. Passengers were shifted to the airport lounge while engineers carried out repairs.

Officials noted that bird activity surges after rain, increasing risks around the airport’s funnel zone. The PAA had issued warnings earlier this week and increased the number of bird shooters to mitigate risks during the rainy season.

Engine trouble

A third incident involved a gulf airlines flight en route to Jeddah that made an emergency landing minutes after takeoff due to an engine fire warning. The pilot promptly contacted Karachi Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested permission for a technical landing.

ATC cleared runway 25L for the emergency landing of the aircraft. The pilot dumped fuel and turned the flight back towards Karachi as a precaution. All 218 passengers were safely disembarked. Initial inspections found no actual engine malfunction. Engineers are currently handling the repairs.

Passengers on the affected International flights have been rebooked on alternative aircraft.

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ISLAMABAD, Jun 30 (APP):Leading experts, diplomats, and policymakers unanimously urged on Monday to embrace a shift toward human-centered, integrated development for Balochistan under Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to establish the latter as gateway to sustainable growth and development.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) under its Monday Seminar Series organized a high-level policy seminar titled “Balochistan’s Gateway to Sustainable Development: Market Opportunities and Investment Pathways under CPEC” moderated by Engineer Ubaid-Ur-Rehman Zia, Head of SDPI’s Energy Unit, said a press release.

Opening the session, Dr. Hassan Daud Butt, Senior Advisor, Energy China and former project director CPEC, emphasized that “Gwadar is not just a port, it’s Pakistan’s gateway to Eurasia.” Highlighting Balochistan’s untapped economic potential, he pointed out the province accounts for 44% of Pakistan’s landmass and 40% of the country’s livestock, while also possessing one of the largest wind energy corridors in South Asia. By 2050, Balochistan’s population is expected to grow to 24 million, further amplifying the urgency for sustainable development planning, he added.

He noted that Chinese and Kazakh investors have shown interest in Balochistan’s rail infrastructure, with Kazakhstan alone willing to invest $500 million. “Projects like ML-1 and the establishment of an oil city in Gwadar are long-term, but we need sustainable growth along the coast immediately,” said Dr. Hassan Butt, adding that Gwadar is strategically positioned to become a petrochemical and industrial base.

Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, noted that Balochistan holds one of the largest reserves of critical earth minerals—making it pivotal to global supply chains. “Pakistan can become a $40 billion transit economy by 2035 if Gwadar is developed effectively,” he remarked, also calling attention to Balochistan’s agricultural strengths including high-value fruits and vast livestock reserves.

However, he strongly criticized governance inefficiencies, corruption, and lack of basic amenities in Balochistan, urging a re-evaluation of CPEC to ensure it benefits local communities. “Without focusing on vocational training, technology transfer, and grassroots engagement, CPEC will fail to deliver,” he warned.

Ahad Nazir, Head of Policy at SDPI, stressed that without institutional reform, CPEC’s connectivity gains won’t translate into development. “Balochistan is mineral-rich but human-poor. Policy inconsistency, lack of coordination, and political interference are key barriers,” he said. He outlined five strategic levers including the establishment of an Investment Facilitation Unit and agro-business clusters.

He also cited international models, like Chile’s royalty reinvestment in mineral-rich regions, as pathways Balochistan could follow. Nazir also cautioned that public distrust, water scarcity, and security gaps pose risks to investor confidence.

Dr. Faiz Kakar, former provincial minister for Health, and Environment pointed out that despite ambitious plans, not a single motorway under CPEC runs through Balochistan. While Gwadar boasts a new international airport, major SEZs remain underdeveloped due to bureaucratic deadlock. “Chinese firms have proposed $2 billion investments, but demand a unified and streamlined one-window operation,” he said, stressing the need for urbanization and climate resilience planning.

Renowned anthropologist Dr. Quratulain Bakhteari, Founder and Director, Institute for Development Studies and Practice (IDSP) raised a unique cultural lens to the debate, cautioning that reducing Balochistan to minerals and trade ignores its people. “Business and trade do not unite nations—people do. Development must be rooted in the community,” she urged.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Saleem appreciated the “diverse, timely, and out-of-the-box” perspectives shared at the seminar. He underscored the importance of cultural understanding, community participation, and policy consistency to realize Balochistan’s role as a true gateway to regional development.

He concluded that Balochistan’s future under CPEC must go beyond infrastructure to invest in its people, environment, and institutional capacity.

A new eco-friendly initiative has been launched in Lahore aimed at tackling plastic pollution by incentivising citizens to recycle used plastic bottles, it emerged on Monday. 

Under the programme, residents can deposit empty plastic bottles into Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) and earn up to Rs1,000 in “Green Credit” per kilogram of plastic — roughly 20 one-and-a-half litre bottles.

The project, led by ISP Environmental Solutions with support from the Intratech Group and the World Bank, is part of Punjab’s Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Credit Program. The project aims to transform how urban waste is managed and perceived by offering financial incentives in exchange for used plastic.

Lahore produces about 500 tons of plastic waste daily, much of which pollutes waterways and landfills, according to Intratech Group Chairperson Gulfam Abid.

“These new Reverse Vending Machines will collect single-use plastic items, including bottles, cups and plates,” he explained. “The collected material will be repurposed into raw materials for footpaths, road repairs and environmentally sustainable bricks.”

Read: Tariff cut on chemicals, plastic stokes concerns

Each RVM is capable of storing up to 25kgs of plastic and is equipped with weight-sensitive sensors that reject non-plastic materials. Users simply insert the bottles into a designated slot, press button “A,” enter their mobile number, and press button “B” to view their credit details on the screen. The same information is also accessible via a dedicated mobile application.

The app not only tracks credit but also connects users directly with waste dealers. Citizens can sell their plastic through the platform, and company representatives will collect the items from their location. More than 18,000 local scrap dealers have been onboarded into the system, and they too can earn green credit in addition to their regular profits.

In the initial phase, the machines are being installed at four private universities in Lahore. Later, the project will expand to both public and private spaces.

While the machines are locally manufactured in Pakistan, they incorporate advanced Chinese technology. Each unit costs around Rs800,000 to produce.

An “Eco Bricks Plant” has also been established in the Sundar Industrial Estate as part of the program. It will manufacture construction-grade bricks using the collected plastic. The plant’s inauguration is scheduled for July.

Officials emphasize that the project goes beyond just installing machines — its broader goal is to instill a sense of environmental stewardship among the public. “We want people to view plastic not as waste, but as a valuable resource that can be reused for environmental and economic gain,” one official said.