New Zealand mosque attacks: Who is Brenton Tarrant?

'Narcissistic' right-wing Australian attacker allegedly behind Christchurch shooting was not known to authorities.

Tarrant has spent little time in Australia in the past four years and only had minor traffic infractions on his record

Melbourne, Australia - The Australian man allegedly responsible for livestreaming a massacre of Muslims as they prayed in New Zealand mosques was previously not known to security agencies in Australia or New Zealand, authorities have said.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, accused of carrying out attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday that resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people, including children, was charged with murder as he appeared in a district court on Saturday.

Tarrant, described by Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison as an "extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist", expressed admiration for other violent white nationalists and his intention to "create an atmosphere of fear" and to "incite violence" against Muslims.

Bob Parker, a former Christchurch mayor, said it was unclear why security agencies weren't aware of the threat Tarrant posed.

"I think there are questions to be asked about why this wasn't picked up by authorities. There does seem to be a significant amount of information that was put online sometime before this attack took place, and it does not seem to have rung alarm bells in the right places," 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a media conference that Tarrant was not on a "terrorist" watch list.

"This individual was not on any watch list for either New Zealand or Australia," she said. "What I've sought from [security] agencies is further work to ascertain whether or not he should have been."

Personal trainer

An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson confirmed to  "the man was not known to police in Australia for violent extremism or serious criminal behaviour". Three other suspects were detained along with Tarrant on Friday, but police now say he acted alone.

"The NSW joint counterterrorism team has begun an Australian based investigation to assist New Zealand police," the AFP spokesperson said. "With an investigation under way, it is not appropriate to provide further comment."

Tarrant has spent little time in Australia in the past four years and only had minor traffic infractions on his record, authorities said. He had worked as a personal trainer at the Big River Gym in Grafton, a small city 500 kilometres northwest of Sydney.

After his father died in 2011, Tarrant used his inheritance to travel internationally, including to France where he claimed to have seen an "invasion" of immigrants.

The gym's owner Tracey Gray told Australian media, "I think something must have changed in him during the years he spent travelling overseas… Somewhere along the lines, experiences or a group have got a hold of him."

The suspect's grandmother Marie Fitzgerald agreed.

"The media is saying he's planned it for a long time so he's obviously not of sound mind I don't think. It's only since he's travelled overseas that that boy has changed completely from the boy we knew," she told Channel Nine television.

Delusional, dangerous

"The origins of my language is European, my culture is European, my political beliefs are European, my philosophical beliefs are European, my identity is European and, most importantly, my blood is European,"  in a 74-page so-called manifesto posted online prior to the attacks.

It detailed an anti-immigration, neo-fascist ideology lamenting the supposed decline of European civilisation. While describing himself as a "regular white man", Tarrant speculated he might get 27 years in prison just like Nelson Mandela and be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

Responding to his own question "Is there a particular person that radicalised you the most?" "Yes, the person that has influenced me above all was [US conservative commentator] Candace Owens… Each time she spoke I was stunned by her insights and her own views helped push me further and further into the belief of violence over meekness."

Professor Greg Barton, chair of global Islamic politics at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Globalisation & Citizenship, characterised Tarrant as having an "unhealthy narcissism" common among "terrorists".

"I think he was drawn by this dark fantasy of going zero to hero, like an Anders Behring Breivik, like the Quebec City mosque shooting of January 2017," said Barton.

"It had to be imported from Australia," he added, referring to the Islamophobic ideology that motivated the attack, "coinciding with that access to assault weapons".

While known for having more moderate politics, New Zealand has relatively lax gun laws in comparison with its larger neighbour.

'Right-wing terror'

Asked why the perpetrator would not have been on a "terrorism watch list", Barton said, "There are so many people posting the sort of thing that Brenton Tarrant was posting, that they just don't raise any alarms. There is a large cloud of right-wing extremism online."

The lonely vigil of Pakistan's 'invisible man'

Like many others, Mama Qadeer's son disappeared then was found dead. Years later, he is protesting to know why.

Many have gone missing in Pakistan's insurgency-plagued Balochistan province 

Quetta, Pakistan - Few people want to talk toQadeer Rekhi - and even fewer want to talk about him.

The 75-year-old may be affectionately venerated as "Mama Qadeer" - mama meaning "uncle" in Urdu language - but many believe it is dangerous to be too closely associated with him.

For years, Mama Qadeer has protested something the authorities claim does not exist - the disappearance of people who oppose the Pakistani government in the restive southwestern province ofBalochistan, where security forces have battled an armed separatist movement since 2005.

Mama Qadeer counts his son among the casualties of this taboo conflict.

At 8am, the former bank employee arrives at his protest camp pitched outside the local press club for his daily nine-hour vigil. Some days are easier, spent in conversation with other protesters who may join in. But most days go by in silence, alone, behind the mass of pictures of missing men that line his makeshift tent.

At 5pm, Qadeer collects the images around him, stores them at the press club, and leaves. When he gets home he eats a small plate of rice with chicken, the only meal he consumes each day.

Maybe tomorrow will be better, he tells himself. Maybe tomorrow he will be more visible to the reporters who saunter across the street, exchanging story ideas over a quick cigarette.

"Journalists from the electronic media avoid even walking close to my camp," says Qadeer. "Cameramen don't make eye contact. As for newspapers, I routinely go to their bureaus with press releases, but I always get the same reply: 'Mama, we have a family to feed. Please don't insist.'

"I understand. I don't blame them."

For the last six years, Qadeer has tried to draw attention to the rising number of people who have disappeared in Pakistan's largest, least developed province.

Silenced

Since 1948, Balochistan has gone through five armed insurgencies. Rebel groups have waged a war against the Pakistan army seeking greater autonomy, a larger share in the natural resources extracted from the province, and complete independence.

But Qadeer wants none of those things. The men, women and children who join him have only one priority: to find relatives who have allegedly been snatched by intelligence and security agencies on the basis of "suspicion".

Human rights activists say paramilitary forces use enforced disappearances, secret detentions and a kill-and-dump policy to silence anti-state activities and dissent. The Pakistani government denies it is responsible for deaths or disappearances and has established a judicial commission to investigate reports of those gone missing.

Determining an exact headcount is tricky. The number of missing persons can run into thousands, hundreds, or less depending on whom you ask.

According to Qadeer's organisation, the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons, about 35,000 men and 160 women have disappeared, while 8,000 mutilated bodies have been found in the province.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan puts the number of disappeared people at 955, while Balochistan's home secretary told the senate the official tally, as of May 2015, is 156.

Qadeer, a father of three, bristles at the official number. His organisation, he says, has the most accurate figure, which is collected through its regional coordinators.

It was set up in 2009 after Qadeer's 32-year-old son, Shahid Jalil Ahmed Rekhi - the information secretary of the nationalist Baloch Republican Party - was abducted. Rekhi's body turned up two years later with bullet wounds and cigarette burns.

Mama Qadeer said the former chief minister of Balochistan, Aslam Raisani, admitted to a visiting delegation that Rekhi was taken away by intelligence agencies. Raisani, who was sacked as chief minister in 2013 and now faces corruption charges, did not respond to request for comment.

Qadeer, meanwhile, has organised roadside sit-ins in three major cities. In 2013, he and 20 protesters, mostly women, walked 3,000 kilometres from Balochistan's capital Quetta to Karachi, and then from Karachi to Islamabad - only to return home with scant media coverage and empty promises. 

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RELATED: Families of missing Baluch march for justice

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During their stay in Karachi, Qadeer says Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif assured them their relatives would be produced in court soon to face alleged charges. Asif never kept his word, he says.

CIVIL RIGHTS IN WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Allegations of unwanted sexual advances from various individuals against the US President Donald Trump, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, television executive Roger Ailes, political commentator Bill O’Reilly, producer Brett Ratner, actor Kevin Spacey, publisher Knight Landesman, director James Toback and many others have sparked a nationwide “ #metoo ” movement and have reminded us the reality of the ongoing oppression of women. Although the media and entertainment have come under scrutiny recently, sexual abuse and harassment are not limited to them or other social platforms in its existence. Unwanted sexual advancement is widespread where no profession, country, or religion is exempt. Its victims include people from all walks of life: maids, servants, and laborers to engineers, lawyers, and doctors. It does not matter what clothes they wear.  In particular, women are not safe from unwanted advancement, public or private: workplace, home, malls, supermarkets, and theaters. The lack of attention, by the male and female population, to the treatment of women is alarming. It is time to globally define the unwanted sexual advancement and criminalize it.

For working women, under no circumstances, should they feel that such unwarranted approaches “are the way it is”, “get used to it”, or “a necessity to climb the corporate ladder”.

Harassing, assaulting, and raping women are globally so common that we have become both consciously and unconsciously insensitive to them, so they get little attention. Historically, women have been subordinated by society, manipulated in power struggles, and used for sexual satisfaction. In conflicts, they are soft targets, assaulted and raped to punish challengers or force them to submit. We must strive toward a world where even fully undressed women would not be subject to any unwanted sexual advancement.   

In advertising, it is common, as far back as the 1950’s and even earlier, that women were projected as only good for sex or homemaking. The ads were often racy, implying sexual innuendos or her dream to clean. Present day, women are still very much used in advertising the same way. This way of thinking is embedded in the media and portrayal of women and has only been projected and manipulated further from there. It goes deeper in movies and the film industry as well. It is widely known that watching movies affects our hobbies, career choices, relationships, and mental status. An example is BMW reportedly paid a few million dollars to the James Bond franchise in 1995 for James Bond to drive BMW, which made the company over $200 million in revenues.

In the movies and the films, most roles where women bare all, are not adding character value to the role or movie itself. Often, female roles are subjected to nudity and sexuality alone. In more recent films and media trending, we see films trying to re-popularize the idea of a submissive woman. This is a very dangerous idea to promote for women, because while Hollywood may romanticize it, the harsh reality is that many of the submissive portrayals of women in film are much closer to abuse than anything romantic or loving at all. By romanticizing ideas of this culture and others in film, i.e. making adultery/infidelity and violence common place, society slowly becomes numb to the reality and cruelty truly associated with some of these actions. It influences men to be more aggressive towards women and women to be more submissive. Men and women should redefine what is acceptable based on the standards they perceive as normal.

So why are we letting this become the norm?

Most importantly, education is the best answer. Children at an early age should be taught ethics that include respecting themselves and others. They should be informed and feel safe as to what constitutes unwanted advancement, verbal or physical. Nevertheless, unwanted sexual advancement must be criminalized.

NATIONALISM THREAT ON WORLD PEACE

NATIONALISM THREAT ON WORLD PEACE

“So it is the human condition that to wish for the greatness of one’s fatherland is to wish evil to one’s neighbors,” said Voltaire. The rise of nationalism across the world, especially in the US, the UK, Russia, China, Germany, France, Hungary, and Italy is alarming. Nationalism is a poisonous idea for it is a feeling of superiority over others and hostility towards other nations. It naturally leads to interventionism, conflicts, and wars. Nationalism breeds cockiness, which is a false confidence and abusive energy. It puts others down to feel good. Nationalism was the primary factor that kept Europe for centuries in conflicts, leading to WWI and WWII. We all recognize that it was the German nationalism that empowered Hitler and afterward brought shame to the Germans. Nationalism was also the factor in the 1990s that the Serbs massacred Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo, which was globally televised. Most of us remember the 1995 UN safe-haven Srebrenica massacre perpetrated by the Serbian Christians. Nationalism is destructive. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” said George Santayana.

Nationalism as it is expressed in the EU and the US is harming our democratic virtues and weaning our rule of law. The rise of nationalism in EU and the US threatens the global security. If unabated, it will leave us all economically exploited and morally humiliated. Unintentionally, it could also lead to WWIII.

In contrast, patriotism is productive. It is not the same as nationalism. Patriotism is being prideful of one’s own people or nation for its accomplishments, ready to cooperate with others towards doing good deeds, and willing to defend it against any foreign aggression. It breeds confidence, which comes from the pure and genuine feelings. It breeds positive energy to nurture growth.

Iraq makes a perfect example of the difference of nationalism and patriotism within a country. ISIS terrorists behaved as Wahhabi nationalists and Iraqi defenders acted as patriots. Which do you think healthier for a nation?

Upon hearing of the Boston Marathon, San Bernardino, and Orlando’s domestic terror attacks, we were quick to assume Muslim involvement or dismiss the attacks short after when realizing it as only “domestic terror”. The Olympic Park, Charleston Church, Sutherland Springs Church, Las Vegas, Sandy Hook, Parkland massacres, and school shootings are taken in stride. Just in the first two months in 2018, there were 18 school shootings in the US.

We Americans are hurt by domestic terrorism, yet we program the masses on the idea of foreign terror attacks upon us and we wage pre-emptive wars on other nations, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Yemen. In the media and on television, we see the devastation inflicted on Yemen and how the innocent Yemenis are terrorized daily by the Saudi planes aided by the US. Before pointing our fingers at nations, how about looking at our other four fingers pointing at ourselves? We must recognize there are equally good and bad traits across all cultures, religions, races. It is up to us to influence the world for the better.

No religion, nation, or race is intrinsically bad or good. It is what we make it to be. To an assured and peaceful person, it is love and peace to share with others. To a fearful and vicious person, it is a tool to dominate others. Let us treat the Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and people of faith or no faith as we would like to be treated.

TIME TO STOP MILITARY SPENDING AND PURSUE PEACE

TIME TO STOP MILITARY SPENDING AND PURSUE PEACE

We are becoming more belligerent and less peaceful. The nationalist movements across the globe have resulted in the overall decline of human rights, peace, and civility. Much of the decline can be attributed to the US and its Western allies’ interference in the affairs of the less fortunate nations. Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are examples of disasters where the West has been among the major instigators.

This deterioration can also be credited to the internal conflicts. However, the Western arms supplies further inflame these conflicts. The US remains the major arms supplier into most international conflicts. The US arms exports contribute, directly or indirectly, to deaths, destruction, and displacement of people in many troubled countries, most notably Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

In Afghanistan, the US 2001 invasion of the country has been disaster over the years; there is still no peace insight. In Iraq, the US invasion caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, divided people into faiths and ethnicities, and displaced million of Iraqis. In Syria, the US encouraged the regional allies to infiltrate the country with foreign fighters, forcing the Syrian government to seek Russian and Iranian supports to resist the insurgents and foreign mercenaries. The US policy contributed to the emergence of the terrorist organizations like ISIS, Daesh, that marched into Iraq and attracted the world attention by its videos of beheadings the innocent Iraqis. The US has continued providing arms and intelligence supports to the Saudi-led coalition’s air-campaign against the poor country of Yemen, causing some of the world’s worst human rights disasters. Consequently, thousands of Yemenis have been killed and nearly 10 million of them are on verge of famine.

Many Americans perceive Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria as the sources of world tension; however, their military expenditures are by far more restrained than those of the US. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US 2017-military expenditures exceeded that of the next seven highest spending countries, including China and Russia. The US overspending would be better spent assisting with medical and other PTSD disorders for its veterans. It could provide opportunities to the poor and help mentally disturbed people who have caused many shootings and deaths at home. The US overspending also drives other countries to increase their military expenditures, depriving their own people from many social programs. The global portion of military overspending could be re-allocated to fund programs to eliminate poverty and promote peace everywhere. The path to permanent peace is through understanding and negotiation, and not conflicts and wars.

In 2017, according to humanitarian organizations, arms-exports contributed to worldwide drops in human rights, democracy, and peace. In the Civility Report, scores for the US, the EU, the UN and the UN Security Council all declined. The US and the EU could improve their scores by resorting to negotiations and refraining from arms exports, and militarily campaigns or threats against other countries. The UN and its Security Council could improve their scores by becoming more proactive in preventing conflicts. An example is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA), negotiated with Iran by the P5+1 group (China, France, Russia, the UK, the US, plus Germany) and endorsed by the UN Security Council; thus, it prevented a major international conflict. However, the Trump Administration has backed out of it.

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed,” said the former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Excessive military expenditures have remained a global problem, causing more violence and killings while robbing the poor.

Through collaboration among nations, we could have fewer armed forces. Costa Rica is a good example of a nation without armed forces since 1948 that is peaceful, its citizens are among the happiest people in the world, and is a top tourist spot for many Americans. Despite conflicts in the neighboring countries, the nation has refrained from resorting to armed forces. In response to such pressure, former President Laura Chinchilla said: “… the absence of an army has been a guarantee of security in the country."

We urge the US and its Western allies to restrain from proliferation of arms, encourage negotiations, and work toward a peaceful world  

ISLAMABAD:   

Frantic diplomatic efforts involving a number of countries are underway to prevent any further escalation in the crisis between the nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, officials said on Thursday, as tensions continued to grip the South Asian region.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK and European Union (EU) are involved in both overt and covert diplomacy to find a way out of the current impasse between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia, according to sources, emerged as a key player, which is believed to be mediating between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Riyadh is coordinating all diplomatic efforts with Washington, which has also opened its own channel of communications both with Islamabad and New Delhi.

Trump hints at de-escalation between India, Pakistan as US mediates

US President Donald Trump, who was in Vietnam for a summit with the North Korean leader, on Thursday acknowledged his country’s role in cooling down the tense situation between Pakistan and India.

President Donald Trump said the US was “involved in trying” to deescalate the tensions between Pakistan and India and stressed that he had had “reasonably attractive news from” both the countries.

At a press conference in Hanoi after a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump told reporters that he was hopeful of a resolution to the ongoing crisis. “We have some reasonably decent news… Hopefully that’s going to be coming to an end,” he said.

As part of the hectic diplomatic efforts, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al Jubeir will arrive in Pakistan today (Friday). This will be his second visit in less than two weeks as he earlier toured Pakistan along with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also confirmed that the top Saudi diplomat was coming to Pakistan. “Last night I spoke to the Saudi Foreign Minister and he expressed his desire to visit Pakistan,” Qureshi said after the cabinet meeting.

The Saudi deputy foreign minister is thought to be coming to Pakistan with a ‘special message’ from the Saudi Crown Prince on the current tensions between Pakistan and India.

He is expected to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Also on Thursday, UAE reached out to Pakistan and India for the de-escalation in tensions. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan telephoned both Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi as part of efforts to defuse the crisis.

Pakistan to hand over captured IAF pilot to Indian authorities at Wagah Border

Sheikh Zayed stressed the need to deal wisely with the escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries, while giving priority to dialogue, according to a statement issued on the UAE ruler’s Twitter account.

According to a separate statement issued by Pakistan, Sheikh Zayed lauded PM Khan on his statesman-like speech in the joint session of parliament on Thursday. He also appreciated Khan’s willingness to resolve all issues in a peaceful manner.

Prime Minister Imran on Thursday reiterated his offer of talks to India while speaking at the joint session of Parliament. There were reports that because of efforts by influential players, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart might speak on phone.

Imran tried to reach out to Modi on Wednesday evening as part of his efforts to reduce hostilities.

Social media floods with rumours amid Pakistan, India escalation

There were signs that the two countries might be pulling back from the brink, as India opened some channel of communication with Pakistan by sharing ‘dossier’ on the Pulwama attack.

Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal confirmed to the media that Pakistan received the India dossier. He said Pakistan would examine the Indian document and act on it if there were ‘actionable intelligence’ establishing any link of the Pulwama attack with Pakistan.

Qureshi said India could have shared the ‘dossier’ earlier instead of resorting to the “uncalled for aggression”.

The current standoff was triggered by February 14 suicide attack carried out by young local Kashmiri in Pulwama district of the Indian occupied Kashmir.

The attack was the worst in three decades in the disputed territory and India was quick to point a finger at Pakistan.

Tensions turned into a full-blown crisis when India on Tuesday sent fighter jets into Pakistan territory. It claimed to have carried out the air strikes targeting the alleged militant camps in Balakot.

Pakistan Army, however, took local and international media to the site to debunk the Indian claims. At the same time, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership vowed to respond to the Indian aggression at the time and place of its choosing.

And on Wednesday, Pakistan lived up to its words when it launched cross-LoC attacks. In the process, the Indian fighter jets once again violated Pakistan’s airspace. Pakistan engaged the Indian jets and shot down one of them. The Indian pilot was also captured, dealing a serious blow to the moral of Indian forces.

Pakistan would release the Indian pilot as ‘gesture of peace’ on Friday, a move that may help pave the way for de-escalation in tensions.

(With additional input from Agencies)

Kashmiris flee, prepare bunkers as India-Pakistan conflict fears grow

Workers construct a concrete bunker in a residential area near the border with Pakistan in Samba sector near Jammu.

CHAKOTHI, PAKISTAN: Thousands of Kashmiris have fled their homes, some bailed water out of disused bunkers, while others dug in — determined to see out the latest flare-up of hostilities between India and Pakistan.

Shelling across the heavily militarised Line of Control sent many seeking shelter Wednesday.

At least 2,000 people left their homes near Kotli and Jhelum districts, and authorities closed all public schools, said officials. Other districts also saw an exodus.

“More people are leaving their homes and moving to safer places,” said Umar Azam, a senior government official in Kotli.

Internet was also cut in some zones near the frontier — often a sign of military activity.

Women, men and children, loaded with cases and bags, could be seen on roads. Some pulled cattle or carried other animals.

Habib Ullah Awan, a 46-year-old grocery store owner in the nearby border village of Chakothi said shells were still falling when he left his home with eight members of his family early Wednesday.

“My house was not safe because of the shelling, God forbid, nothing will be left if a shell hits my house,” he said.

Captured Indian pilot praises Pakistan Army for saving him frommob

Most people leaving Chakothi went to Muzaffarabad, the main city in Azad Kashmir, or to stay with relatives in other villages. Those with no family to house them went to the Hattian Bala camp set up by the local administration.

Mushtaq Ahmed said he was taking his wife and children to Muzaffarabad. “But I will come back, I can’t afford to leave my home and belongings unguarded,” he said.

At Kamalkote in occupied Kashmir, residents said they had also faced heavy shelling.

“We spent the night in total horror. Shells did not land in the village, but fighter jets are still flying above us,” said a man who gave his name as Tariq.

There was also heavy shelling at Poonch further south on the Line of Control.

While no casualties were reported there, authorities have told villagers to prepare bunkers.

Some, fearing hostilities, took buckets underground to bail out complexes near the main city of Jammu that had been left flooded by melted winter snow.

Some residents have also left villages. “It happens regularly,” said one at Poonch who declined to be named. “My relatives know my family will be arriving.”

Baseer Khan, a senior government official in Indian-occupied Kashmir, said authorities are always prepared to evacuate border residents but no order to do so has yet been given.

Pakistan eager for US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi

There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role, says Asad Majeed. 

Pakistan on Wednesday voiced regret that the United States did not condemn India’s air incursion and urged the superpower to play its due role in maintaining peace in South Asia and beyond.

The statement was made during a briefing organised by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Dr Asad Majeed Khan at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington to update the international media regarding the ongoing situation. Dr Khan also covered a range of issues including deteriorating peace and security situation in South Asia.

Dr Khan said the stance taken by the US ’emboldened’ New Delhi. He called on the United States to play a greater role in easing tensions between the India and Pakistan. “We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States.”

“It is construed and understood as an endorsement of the Indian position and that is what emboldened them even more,” Dr Khan told reporters when asked about the US statement.

But Dr Khan said Pakistan – which has an increasingly close relationship with China and rising friction with Washington – was eager for greater US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi.

“There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role,” he said, pointing to the US relationship with both countries.

PM to Modi: ‘Let better sense prevail’

The armed forces on Wednesday announced it had shot down two Indian fighter jets that had attempted to violate Pakistan’s airspace once again and has captured a pilot.

The military’s media wing later released a video of the pilot, who introduced himself as Wing Commander Abhinandan bearing the service number 27981.

The development came a day after the country’s civil and military leadership declared the violation of airspace by Indian fighter jets “uncalled for aggression” and decided that the country would respond at the “time and place of its choosing”.

Kashmiris flee, prepare bunkers as India-Pakistan conflict fears grow

On Wednesday, US White House National Security Council official said that the risk of further military action by India and Pakistan was unacceptably high.

“The potential risks associated with further military action by either side are unacceptably high for both countries, there neighbours, and the international community,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“The United States is deeply concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan and calls on both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.

Pentagon focused on de-escalating Indo-Pak tensions

Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with senior US military officials about the situation. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON DC: Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is focused on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and urged them both to avoid further military action, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, without saying if he had spoken with his counterparts from either nation.

In a statement, the Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with
senior US military officials about the situation. “Acting Secretary Shanahan’s focus is on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action,” the statement added.

Pakistan eager for US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi

Tensions escalated dramatically between Pakistan and India on February 14 when a young man – a native of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) – rammed an explosives-laden car into an Indian military convoy, killing 44 soldiers.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad reportedly claimed the attack, but India was quick to hurl unsubstantiated allegations at Pakistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan offered every possible help in investigation, but India turned down the offer and instead whipped up war hysteria.

PM to Modi: ‘Let better sense prevail’

Pakistan on Wednesday announced it had shot down two Indian fighter jets that attempted to violate its airspace and captured an Indian pilot.

The military’s media wing later released a video of the pilot, who introduced himself as Wing Commander Abhinandan bearing service number 27981.

The development came a day after the country’s civil and military leadership declared the violation of airspace by Indian fighter jets “uncalled for aggression” and decided that the country would respond at a “time and place of its choosing”.

2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down; pilot arrested

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday — a day after India violated the Line of Control (LoC) — undertook strikes across the LoC from Pakistani airspace.

"The sole purpose of this action was to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defence. We do not wish to escalate, but are fully prepared if forced into that paradigm," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MoFA) said in a statement.

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed the development via a tweet, adding that "in response to PAF strikes this morning, as released by MoFA, IAF [Indian Air Force] crossed [the] LoC."

"[The] PAF shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K [Azad Jammu and Kashmir] while [the] other fell inside IoK [Indian occupied Kashmir]. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area."

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor

✔@OfficialDGISPR

In response to PAF strikes this morning as released by MoFA, IAF crossed LOC. PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area.

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While addressing a press conference an hour after his tweet, Maj Gen Ghafoor said that another pilot has been arrested.

Possessions seized from Indian pilots. ─ Photo: ISPR

"Our ground forces arrested two pilots; one of them was injured and has been shifted to CMH [Combined Military Hospital] and, God-willing, he will be taken care of," said the army official.

"The other one is with us."

Later, in a tweet, he said that only one pilot is currently in the custody of the Pakistan Army.

View image on Twitter

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor

✔@OfficialDGISPR

There is only one pilot under Pakistan Army’s custody. Wing Comd Abhi Nandan is being treated as per norms of military ethics.

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"Today's action was in self defence; we do not want to claim any victory. The way we set out target and made sure that there were no collateral damage — the in-built message was that despite out capability, we look towards peace," said the army spokesperson.

"Today morning, Pakistan Air Force engaged six targets at the LoC. Because we are a responsible state and want peace, we decided that we will not use any military target.

"As a result of engaging our target, no human life was affected. Staying within our jurisdiction, six targets were locked. And we carried out the strike," said the army spokesperson.

"Pakistan is not pushing the environment towards war," he made it clear, adding that Pakistan deliberately and thoughtfully avoided escalation.

"If that were the case [that Pakistan wanted to escalate], we could have easily engaged the [military] targets, which our air force had locked. That would have resulted in human casualties and collateral damage as well.

"We [instead] engaged a nearby open space where there were no human lives or military posts. We deliberately avoided the escalation. We only wanted to demonstrate that we could have easily taken the original target, which was their administrative setup and military post. But we did not do that," he reiterated.

The military spokesperson also rubbished reports that a PAF F-16 had been shot down inside occupied Kashmir.

"Indian media was saying that they shot down a Pakistani F-16. Firstly, Pakistan did not use F-16s in the entire action and there is no news that a Pakistan plane was downed," he said.

The spokesperson also publicly announced the closure of the Pakistani airspace.

"The airspace is closed due to the [security] environment," he said.

'Demonstration of our capability'

Regarding the upcoming meeting of the National Command Authority and potential use of nuclear weapons, the DG said: "I have always said that we must not talk about this [a nuclear strike]. It is insane to talk about this. It is a capability and a weapon of political choice. Neither is this our level nor is this a topic that should be talked about."

"Pakistan's response is actually not a retaliation," he again clarified. "It is the demonstration of our capability, capacity and will. We stayed within the domain of responsibility as a state that has the potential [to respond].

"We don't want to escalate the situation. It is up to India now if they [choose to] go for the way that we have suggested and which is the requirement of this region: peace. But it is understood that if aggression is imposed on us, then we will respond. But that will be under compulsion," he added.

Avoiding human loss, collateral damage

"Pakistan has taken strikes at a non military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage," the Foreign Office's earlier statement had said about the strikes across the LoC earlier in the day.

"For the last few years, India has been trying to establish what they call 'a new normal', a thinly-veiled term for acts of aggression at whatever pretext they wish on a given day.

"If India is striking at so-called 'terrorist backers' without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan. We do not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation," the statement had added.

A day earlier, the army spokesperson had said that the prime minister had asked everyone to be ready for "every eventuality".

"We are all ready. Now it is time for India to wait for our response," he asserted.

"The response will come at a point and time of our choosing where our civil military leadership decides, and as a matter of fact, has decided," he had said, reiterating the statement issued after the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting convened by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

'New Pakistan'

"We are peaceful; we didn't escalate, India did," Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said while speaking to ARY.

"We exposed their escalations and their false claims, we offered international observers to come and examine the claims of India.

"India, listen: this is a new Pakistan, [there is] new enthusiasm, new valour," he cautioned the neighbouring country.

"The nation is united, each and every child is standing by the Army and Kashmiris. Even today, our preference is peace. India should review its designs. A new Pakistan has been established," Qureshi said.

"The next course of action will be devised after the NCA [National Command Authority] session in which military and political leadership are participating," he added.

Prime Minister Khan has summoned a special meeting of the NCA today. The NCA is the apex civilian-led command headed by the prime minister to oversee the policy formulation, exercises, deployment, research and development, and operational command and control of the country’s nuclear arsenals.