We will never bow down to Indian hegemony: DG ISPR

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said Pakistan “will never bow down to Indian hegemony” as the recent ceasefire with India holds.

“The truth is that India is not the US, and Pakistan is not Afghanistan. India is not Israel, and Pakistan is not Palestine. Pakistan will never be deterred. It can never be coerced.

“We will never bow down to Indian hegemony. The sooner they realise this, the better it will be for regional peace and the world,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said to Anadolu Agency.

He argued that terrorism, extremism, and hatred were India’s internal problems and that the New Delhi government was cracking down on groups, including Muslims and Sikhs in the country, which was fuelling more anger, extremism, and terrorism.

Earlier, the DG ISPR had said Pakistan is not a violent nation, reaffirming that the country’s top priority was peace, as the recent ceasefire with India holds.

New Delhi had accused Islamabad, without evidence, of orchestrating last month’s deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Pakistan had strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral probe. As the situation turned into a military confrontation between the nuclear powers, it took American intervention for both sides to agree to a ceasefire.

“We are not a violent nation, we are a serious nation. Our first priority is peace,” Lt Gen Chaudhry told RT Arabic in an interview, according to PTV News.

“Great and sensible powers like the United States understand better what the spirit of Pakistan’s people is,” he added.
The DG ISPR detailed the ceasefire process and said the Indian defence ministry’s spokesperson “personally requested a ceasefire.” It was unclear if the request was made to the US, which acted as a mediator, or to Pakistan.

COAS Gen Asim Munir elevated to Field Marshal

The Pakistan government has promoted Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal in recognition of his ‘strategic leadership and decisive role’ in defeating India in the conflict that started earlier this month following the Pahalgam incident in India-occupied Kashmir.

“The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Military) to the rank of Field Marshal in recognition of his superior strategy and courageous leadership… (and) inflicted a decisive defeat upon the enemy,” a statement read.

The elevation, first cleared by the federal cabinet and later communicated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to President Asif Ali Zardari, marks the first such promotion in over six decades. Pakistan had a serving field marshal in 1959, when Ayub Khan, the-then military ruler, awarded himself the five-star title.

Shortly after the announcement, PM Shehbaz posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “Under his command, our valiant armed forces staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism.”

Field Marshal Munir, who has been serving as the army chief since November 2022, accepted the elevation, saying, as per a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that it was not a personal honour but a tribute to the entire armed forces and the people of Pakistan.

India restricts some imports from Bangladesh

India’s commerce ministry announced restrictions on some imports from Bangladesh via its land borders, prompting fears for the South Asian country’s export-reliant economy.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated after former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina — a long-term New Delhi ally — was ousted last year and fled to India, where she is currently living in self-imposed exile.

New Delhi announced that ready-made garments from Bangladesh cannot be imported through land borders, while some other goods — including cotton, processed foods, and wooden furniture — have been barred from at least six entry points in northeast India.
The announcement came after Bangladesh banned yarn and rice imports from India through the same land routes last month.

An Indian government source described the new restriction on garment imports as a “reciprocal measure”, adding that the move will “restore equal market access for both countries”.

The government in Dhaka said it had not been officially informed of the latest restrictions. “We haven’t received any official copy of the notification. Once we get the documents, we can come up with our decision after going through them,” said Ministry of Commerce advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin.

SBP goes ‘cashless’ for cattle markets

The State Bank of Pakistan has initiated a nationwide “Go Cashless” campaign to promote digital payments and reduce reliance on cash transactions within cattle markets during the forthcoming Eidul Azha.

This strategic initiative was officially launched in line with SBP’s goal of fostering digital financial inclusion throughout Pakistan. It will run until June 6, the eve of Eid.

In partnership with the banking industry, the campaign aims to streamline the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals nationwide in 54 designated cattle markets.

Spanish PM calls for Israel to be banned from Eurovision

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly called for Israel’s exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest and other international cultural events over the “indiscriminate killing of civilians” in Gaza.

His remarks come after Israel’s controversial second-place finish in the 2025 Eurovision final, held in Malmö, Sweden.
Speaking during a media appearance, Sánchez urged the international community to take a stronger stance on Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, saying that cultural platforms like Eurovision should not serve as public relations shields for states accused of grave human rights violations.

Sánchez emphasised that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, should uphold the same ethical standards it applied in 2022 when Russia was barred from the competition following its invasion of Ukraine, reported the BBC.
“What we are seeing in Gaza is not acceptable. The indiscriminate killing of civilians, of children, women — it is simply not acceptable,” Sánchez said. “Just as we did with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, we must not have double standards when it comes to upholding values of peace and human rights in cultural spaces.”

Govt fails to sell inefficient power plants

The government got an apathetic response to its auction for three inefficient power plants, compelling it to go for a second round of bidding by the end of this month.

Only a single bidder — Siddiqsons from Karachi — came up with a bid for Jamshoro Power Company Ltd (JPCL). Two other plants — Muzaffargarh and Faisalabad — did not fetch even a single offer. The government set a combined reserve price of Rs26.625 billion for the three plants with 2,362MW of cumulative generation capacity.

The auction was called through a ‘single-stage two envelop’ bid to ensure transparency, said the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), adding the bidding date was set for May 19. “Only one company, Siddiqsons, submitted a bid for JPCL. No company submitted any bid for Muzaffargarh and Faisalabad Power plants”, the Power Division said.

Pakistan to send a high-level diplomatic mission

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to send a “high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose Indian propaganda” in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India.

The military confrontation between New Delhi and Islamabad came as tensions over last month’s Pahalgam attack continued to build up, as India, without evidence, blamed Pakistan for the attack. On the night of May 6-7, India launched a series of air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets.

After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally drop their guns and declare a ceasefire. India has since continued its aggressive posturing even as Pakistan has warned against any further military aggression and offered talks.

In light of the situation, PM Shehbaz decided to send a high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to counter Indian propaganda related to the escalation and the Pahalgam attack.

The delegation comprises Dr Musadik Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Senator Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, and Jalil Abbas Jilani, it added. The delegation will visit London, Washington, Paris, and Brussels to highlight India’s disinformation campaign and its attempts to destabilise regional peace.

In a similar development, the Indian government also announced that seven all-party delegations would visit key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council, later this month to present the country’s stance on terrorism and “project India’s national consensus”.

Pakistan, IMF open talks on budget finalisation

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) opened high-level policy talks in Islamabad to discuss the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 federal budget.

The current round of discussions, which will continue till May 23, will help determine whether Pakistan’s proposed budget meets the fiscal and reform targets agreed with the IMF under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

An IMF delegation arrived in Islamabad for the formal policy-level negotiations on budget finalisation, after technical discussions via video link amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Islamabad talks focus on revenue targets, expenditure controls, and budgetary projections as Pakistan grapples with mounting fiscal and external financing pressures.

An agreement between the IMF staff mission and the authorities on next year’s budgetary measures and macroeconomic framework would lead to the announcement of the federal budget on June 2.

IMF staff have emphasised the need to align budget priorities with programme goals of “restoring macroeconomic stability, building resilience through stronger reserve buffers, and advancing structural reforms for inclusive growth”.

BCCI denies reports of withdrawal from Asia Cup

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has denied reports of withdrawal from all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events amid recent tensions with Pakistan.

The Indian Express reported that the BCCI had informed the ACC about its decision to pull out from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Sri Lanka next month and from the biennial Men’s Asia Cup in September to “isolate Pakistan cricket.”

“The Indian team can’t play in a tournament that is organised by the ACC, whose chief is a Pakistan minister”, the source said, referring to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was appointed as the new president of the ACC last month.

Israel will ‘take control of all’ of Gaza: Netanyahu

Israel will “take control” of the whole of Gaza, where aid entered for the first time in more than two months as rescuers reported dozens killed in a newly intensified offensive.

With the Gaza Strip under a total Israeli blockade since March 2, the World Health Organisation said the besieged territory’s “two million people are starving”.

The leaders of Britain, France, and Canada condemned Israel’s “egregious actions” in Gaza, opposed its expanded offensive and aid blockage, and slammed Israeli ministers for threatening the mass displacement of civilians.

“We will not stand by” while the government of Benjamin Netanyahu pursues those actions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a joint statement.

Israel, facing mounting criticism over the humanitarian crisis, has announced it would let limited aid into Gaza and said the first five trucks entered, carrying supplies “including food for babies”.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said nine trucks had been “cleared to enter… but it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who was unable to confirm the exact number of trucks inside Gaza, said that “none of the aid has been picked up” at a designated zone as it was “already dark” and due to “security concerns, we cannot operate in those conditions”.

For film star Sana, art has no boundaries

Pakistani film actress Sana has called for artistic unity across borders, saying that “artistes are ambassadors of peace” and “there are no boundaries for artistes.”

Having previously worked in India and earned praise for her role in Sunny Deol’s Kaafila, Sana is no stranger to cross-border collaboration. But in light of the current climate, where India has reportedly blocked Pakistani celebrities’ Instagram accounts and erased actors like Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane, and Fawad Khan from Bollywood posters, Sana’s comments have struck a nerve.

In a video circulating online, Sana emphasised that she doesn’t believe in borders when it comes to art. “Artistes spread love, not hate. That’s what I believe in.”

Bhutan sets bold targets to safeguard mothers and newborns

Bhutan has launched an ambitious new roadmap to improve the health and survival of mothers and newborns. The Bhutan Every Newborn Action Plan (BENAP) 2025–2029, released by the Ministry of Health, signals a renewed national commitment to eliminating preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths, while strengthening the country’s health system.

The plan sets new targets: reduce newborn mortality to 5 per 1,000 live births, stillbirths to 2 per 1,000, and maternal mortality to 40 per 100,000 live births by 2029. These targets build on the progress achieved under the previous BENAP (2016–2023), during which Bhutan surpassed the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) threshold for neonatal mortality.

The 2023 National Health Survey (NHS) reported a 6.9 per 1,000 live births neonatal mortality rate—well below the SDG benchmark of 12—and a maternal mortality ratio of 53 per 100,000, nearing the global target of 70.

World Bank Reopens Kabul Office

F ollowing negotiations between the Ministry of Finance and representatives of the World Bank, the organization’s office in Kabul has reopened.

The World Bank announced that it will begin repaying its debts to Afghan companies. According to an official statement, the bank owes $50 million to logistics and construction companies in Afghanistan. These payments will be made to the companies in three phases.

Ahmad Wali Haqmal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance, said: “Based on figures verified by the World Bank, the institution owes approximately $50 million to logistics and construction companies in Afghanistan.

Celebs extend solidarity as Pakistan Armed Forces retaliate to India’s aggression

As Pakistan retaliated to India’s unprovoked aggression in the early hours of May 10, Pakistani celebrities extended their solidarity towards the armed forces, supporting their valour and courage to protect the country and its people.

Among the many names supporting the country’s soldiers on the battlefield were Saba Qamar, Faysal Qureshi and Zara Noor Abbas, and others.

Taking to Instagram Stories, the Baaghi actor shared a Quranic verse, which is supplicated in times of distress seeking Allah’s help.

Faysal Qureshi penned a note on his Instagram Stories: “We do not ask for war. We ask to live, to till the earth, to raise our children beneath a sky that doesn’t split open with bombs.”

Actor Zara Noor Abbas, who has been very vocal against India’s unprovoked attacks for the last few days, wrote a message of solidarity for soldiers.

“My soldiers are at the border now. They have taken the oath to keep me protected, and thus they will. But them, their families. Their families are all/can think of right now.”

Zara’s husband, actor Asad Siddiqui, also took to Instagram to share his sentiments during this time of solidarity, praying for the armed forces.

Actor Rabya Kulsoom, known for her acting prowess and humorous Instagram content, took to her personal social media to reiterate the nation’s emotions.

Veteran actor Aisha Khan also shared a post celebrating being the wife of a soldier of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Actor Naveed Raza, taking to Instagram, wrote: “Pakistan has successfully taken a firm stand on its core issues and is effectively countering the Indian agenda. This is the time for us to rise, respond, and dismantle that agenda with unity and strength.

Iran is open to a regional nuclear fuel consortium

Iran is open to establishing a regional nuclear fuel consortium, reiterating that it would not stop enriching uranium.

Tehran and Washington have held four rounds of Omani-mediated nuclear talks since April 12, the highest-level contact between the two foes since the United States abandoned the 2015 nuclear accord. US officials have recently voiced strong opposition to Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, while Tehran has repeatedly insisted that it was “non-negotiable”.

Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States “will lead nowhere” if Washington insists that Tehran drop its uranium enrichment activity to zero, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi was quoted by state media as saying.

International media, including The Guardian and The New York Times, have reported in recent days that Iran floated the idea of forming a regional consortium to enrich uranium. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei denied that Iran had proposed the idea but said several countries had floated it in the past without elaborating.