World

Panama City, Oct 10 (IANS) A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Panama, with its epicentre 39 kilometres northwest of Tonosi, a town in Los Santos province, according to a revised report from the University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences.

Strong shaking was felt locally on Friday (local time). Videos shared on social media showed the roof of the Albrook bus terminal swaying and windows shaking violently in several buildings.

Tremors were felt in the capital, Panama City, a Xinhua correspondent in the city reported, with strong side-to-side jolts while sitting and a hanging light in a room swaying intensely.

The United States Geological Survey, which initially reported a magnitude of 8.0, later revised its estimate to 7.7.

The US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat following the earthquake, warning that hazardous tsunami waves were possible along parts of the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico within the next three hours. The US tsunami warning was later revoked.

The tsunami warning department of the Chilean Navy's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service issued an alert, saying the earthquake could trigger a tsunami affecting the country's Easter Island, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Panama Canal Authority said operations were continuing normally after the earthquake struck. Emergency protocols had been activated, and technical teams were inspecting canal facilities for possible damage, it said in a statement.

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino urged the public to remain calm in a post on X.

"What happened must not be used to spread alarm and disorder," he wrote.

Mulino added that he had asked Government Minister Dinoska Montalvo for a report on the earthquake's impact.

The Education Ministry suspended afternoon classes at all schools nationwide. Its administrative offices would also remain closed.

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Seoul, Oct 10 (IANS) A recent snub of Seoul's spy agency during a trilateral meeting with Washington and Tokyo has heightened concerns over possible friction in the South Korea-US alliance, sources have said.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Thursday acknowledged that it had been excluded from the June meeting on North Korean cyber threats, after a news report said the agency had been left out at Washington's request.

While the NIS downplayed the incident, the exclusion has fueled concerns over bilateral ties, with continued reports of friction between the two partners, reports Yonhap news agency.

Earlier on Friday, the industry ministry dismissed a local news report alleging US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had voiced distrust of the NIS during bilateral negotiations on strategic investment projects.

In light of the reports, a senior ruling bloc insider acknowledged that "various issues" between the two sides have had an impact on overall bilateral ties.

"It is not good for bilateral relations to be shaky like this," the official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "It is never desirable for problems to arise in the intelligence sector."

The allies have faced signs of friction in the intelligence sector after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's disclosure of a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong in March.

While Chung has said he only shared what was already in the public domain, the move prompted Washington to restrict Seoul's access to some intelligence related to North Korea in apparent protest over the disclosure.

Some have called on the presidential office to dispatch National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to Washington for talks to defuse the apparent friction.

An official from the ruling bloc, however, said there appear to be no such plans for Wi, while noting that the situation calls for exploring various options.

Related to the apparent strain, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday voiced regret over the delayed issuance of a US visa for former party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae.

DP senior spokesperson Park Sung-joon said Jung's visa application status remains under review without a final decision. Chung had planned to visit the United States for a parliamentary audit of Seoul's diplomatic missions.

"(We) hope the diplomatic authorities of South Korea and the United States swiftly and actively resolve the issue," Park said in a written briefing.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) raised suspicions that friction in the alliance may have influenced the apparent delayed proceedings.

"If such warning signs across the diplomatic, intelligence and security sectors continue, the government must thoroughly inspect whether there are problems in communication and trust between South Korea and the US," Choi Eun-seok, the PPP's senior floor spokesperson, said.

Jung addressed the issue in a Facebook post, noting that his US visa is under review and asking others to refrain from remarks that could harm the South Korea-US alliance.

A foreign ministry official said it is inappropriate to link Jung's visa issue with broader South Korea-US relations.

"South Korean and US authorities are closely communicating and cooperating on various issues, and it is inappropriate to connect an individual visa issue with overall South Korea-US relations," the insider said.

The official noted that individual visa applications and review results are treated confidentially under US laws and procedures, adding that it is difficult for the ministry to confirm details.

Jung previously failed to obtain a US visa as a lawmaker in 2013. He had been imprisoned for his role in leading the 1989 occupation of the US ambassador's residence in Seoul by student activists.

--IANS

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Kyiv, Oct 10 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump's agreement allowing Russia to supply diesel to the United States and global markets, arguing that the move would provide Moscow with additional funds to sustain its war against Ukraine and undermine ongoing efforts to secure peace.

In a lengthy post on social media platform X, Zelensky said that allowing Russia to generate revenue through petroleum product exports would strengthen the Kremlin's ability to continue military operations rather than encourage an end to the conflict.

"Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilised world," Zelensky wrote.

"Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged," he added.

Trump on Friday (local time) announced a major agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin under which Moscow would supply millions of tonnes of diesel to the United States and global markets, saying the move would bring down fuel prices sharply.

The announcement came at a time when a Ukrainian negotiating delegation was in Florida for two days of discussions with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The talks focused on possible arrangements to end the war, including a proposal for a ceasefire that would halt attacks on energy infrastructure.

In a post published on Truth Social on Friday afternoon, Trump described his conversation with Putin as highly successful and outlined the proposed scale of Russian diesel supplies to international markets.

"I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter," Trump wrote.

The US Treasury Department also issued a temporary licence that eases sanctions on Russian diesel exports, facilitating the proposed supply arrangement.

Zelensky questioned the timing of Trump's announcement, particularly because the Ukrainian delegation was engaged in discussions with American officials on possible ways to bring the conflict to an end. He suggested that the Ukrainian team's presence in Florida could be serving as a "smokescreen" for the agreement reached between Washington and Moscow.

Speaking to reporters, the Ukrainian President stressed that his country's representatives were in the United States to discuss ways to stop the fighting and secure a ceasefire, making the announcement of the Russian diesel deal particularly concerning for Kyiv.

He then pointed to the contrast between the ongoing negotiations involving Ukrainian and American officials and the simultaneous communication between Trump and Putin, whom he described as "the leader of this war".

Zelensky argued that the revenue Russia would earn from diesel exports could directly contribute to sustaining its military campaign and prolonging the suffering caused by the conflict.

"Means more money for this war, more money to inflict suffering on us, without a doubt," he said, referring to the financial benefits Moscow could obtain from the agreement.

"It only feeds Putin and gives him the ability to fight even more," Zelensky said, describing the agreement as a "weak decision by strong partners".

--IANS

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Washington, Oct 10 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised the Nobel Peace Prize committee for overlooking his claims of having ended eight international conflicts, calling the decision an embarrassment and a disservice to the United States.

Addressing a Republican election rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, Trump said his administration had achieved an unprecedented record in resolving international disputes and argued that the United States deserved recognition for those efforts.

"The United States of America, represented by me as your President, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn't," Trump told supporters.

He described the decision as "an indelible stain" and accused the Norwegian Nobel Committee of allowing political considerations to influence its selection.

Trump said he had helped resolve eight conflicts and was working towards agreements involving Russia, Ukraine and Iran.

"I settled eight wars," he declared, arguing that each of the conflicts he claimed to have resolved could have justified a separate peace prize.

Beyond South Asia, Trump listed disputes involving Kosovo and Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Israel and Hamas among the conflicts he claimed to have resolved.

He also credited himself with preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and averting wider regional warfare.

Trump said his administration was now moving towards resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the confrontation with Iran.

"Russia, Ukraine we're going to get that all done, too and that's happening quickly," he said.

He also issued a warning to Tehran, saying that Iran would have to meet American demands or face further consequences.

The President criticised the Nobel committee's decision to recognise another recipient, saying he was unfamiliar with the person selected for the 2026 award.

He accused the committee of failing to acknowledge what he described as extraordinary American diplomatic achievements.

Trump also expressed frustration with the United Nations, claiming that the organisation had played no meaningful role in the conflicts he said his administration had resolved.

"In all of the wars that I have settled, I never spoke to the United Nations they were of no help to me," he said.

The President argued that the award should have recognised the United States rather than an individual, saying his administration's peace efforts were undertaken on behalf of the American people.

His criticism came during a campaign rally supporting Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 congressional elections, where he also highlighted his administration's economic, immigration and national security policies.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, an independent five-member body appointed by Norway's parliament. The prize recognises individuals and organisations considered to have made significant contributions to peace, international cooperation and conflict resolution.

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United Nations, Oct 10 (IANS) India has demanded that Pakistan stop the military's human rights violations in the part of Kashmir it illegally occupies, where the people have risen in revolt against it.

“In the last few months, the Pakistani armed forces and their proxies have killed dozens of innocent civilians who were agitating for their basic rights and freedoms and basic necessities”, BJP MP Mahima Kumari Mewar said here on Friday.

“We call upon Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it, where the population is in open revolt against Pakistan, its military occupation, repression, brutality, and illegal exploitation of resources”, she said at the General Assembly's Fourth Committee that deals with decolonisation.

She delivered the tough message, exercising the right of reply to Pakistan's Acting Permanent Representative Usman Jadoon's attempt to draw Kashmir into the debate.

“A country like Pakistan, with an established record of military dictatorship, sham elections, incarceration of popular elected leaders, religious extremism, and sponsoring terrorism as an instrument of state policy, should, in future, refrain from preaching homilies of this sort at this platform”, Mewar said.

“Jammu and Kashmir is and always remains an integral and inalienable part of India”, she declared.

More than 90 people have been killed by Islamabad's security forces, which brutally put down Kashmiris' protests that began against Pakistan sending outsiders there to manipulate the elections.

The people's anger over the exploitation of its natural resources, the worsening living conditions, and the rising prices boiled over and a civil society coalition, Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), has led the broader protests.

Mewar represents Rajasthan's Rajsamand constituency in the Lok Sabha and is among the MPs in India's delegation to the General Assembly.

Earlier, delivering India's statement at the committee, she reaffirmed that India would work tirelessly to achieve the goal of decolonisation.

“The fight against colonisation has been arduous” and although more than 80 countries have been able to break free of the shackles of colonialism, the decolonisation “process, however, remains unfinished”, she said.

Seventeen non-self-governing territories remain on the agenda of the Fourth Committee, and a pragmatic approach will lead to their decolonisation and the fulfilment of the legitimate wishes of the people there, she said.

The UN's list of the non-self-governing territories includes the Falkland Islands or Malvinas, which are claimed by Argentina, over which there were heated exchanges between Britain, which holds them, and Argentina and its supporters.

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United Nations/Ottawa, Oct 10 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and foreign ministers of eight countries on Friday criticised the US announcement of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution.

"The secretary-general is deeply alarmed by the expected impact of today's sanctions on the International Criminal Court as a whole, and in particular, its continued ability to perform its important mandates, including in relation to the situations referred to it by the Security Council and states parties to the Rome Statute," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Guterres.

"Today's decision marks a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar. Accountability for international crimes and delivery of justice to victims are central to our global commitment to peace, security, human rights and fundamental freedoms," said the spokesman.

He said the secretary-general reiterated his unwavering support for the independence of the ICC and its officials, adding that Guterres called on all states to uphold their commitments under international law and to support efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.

Also on Friday, foreign ministers of eight countries, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement, expressing regret over and strong opposition to the US announcement of sanctions against the ICC.

"We, the undersigned States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the ICC," said the statement.

The eight nations pledged to engage in constructive and inclusive dialogue with non-States Parties as they prepare for the Assembly of States Parties in December 2026.

Earlier Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against the ICC, saying the measures would ban transactions with the court, cut off its resources and cripple its ability to operate.

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Washington, Oct 10 (IANS) US Vice President JD Vance has warned that companies shifting American jobs overseas or replacing US workers with legal immigrants could face steep tariffs, outlining the Trump administration's approach to protecting domestic employment and encouraging manufacturing investment.

Addressing a Republican midterm election rally in Lima, Ohio, Vance said the administration would reward companies that manufacture goods in the United States and employ American citizens, while penalising businesses that move production and jobs abroad.

"If you're making things in America and you're employing American citizens to do it, great. We're gonna give you a big fat tax cut and we're gonna reward you for building and expanding production," Vance said.

"But if you're sending American jobs overseas, if you're trying to ship your factory to a foreign corporation or you're trying to replace American workers with a legal immigrant later, you know what you're gonna get? A big fat tariff," he told supporters.

The remarks are significant because Vance explicitly referred to legal immigrants while describing the administration's efforts to protect American workers.

The Vice President did not identify any new tariff measure specifically targeting employers of legal immigrants or explain how such a penalty would be implemented.

His comments nevertheless highlighted the administration's emphasis on giving preference to American citizens in employment and encouraging companies to expand production within the United States.

Vance framed the administration's policies as an effort to reverse decades of industrial decline and prevent American manufacturing jobs from moving overseas.

Drawing on his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, he recalled watching factories close and families struggle after workers lost their jobs.

"I know what it does to families when mom or dad loses their job," he said.

The Vice President argued that government policy should encourage companies to invest in domestic production rather than move jobs to foreign countries.

"We are gonna fight for our people," he said.

Vance also claimed that the administration's economic policies had attracted trillions of dollars in investment and generated new manufacturing employment.

He cited planned investments by automobile, aerospace and pharmaceutical companies in Ohio as examples of businesses expanding American manufacturing operations.

Among them, he referred to a $400 million investment by Stellantis in automobile manufacturing, an $850 million aerospace project and a $2.2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing investment.

The Vice President also criticised Democrats over immigration and employment policies, accusing the previous Biden administration of allowing illegal immigration to undermine wages and job opportunities for American workers.

His remarks formed part of a broader campaign speech supporting Republican candidates, including Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running for Ohio governor, and Senator Jon Husted.

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Washington, Oct 10 (IANS) US Vice President JD Vance has thrown his weight behind Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio governor, portraying him as a businessman capable of creating jobs, lowering energy costs and providing property tax relief as Republicans step up their campaign ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Addressing a Republican rally in Lima, Ohio, Vance praised Ramaswamy's business background and said his experience would help revive manufacturing, attract investment and improve economic opportunities in the state.

"Vivek is an entrepreneur. He's a guy who hasn't just received a paycheck he signed a paycheck to," Vance told supporters, drawing a contrast between the Republican candidate and career politicians.

The Vice President, who previously represented Ohio in the US Senate, said Ramaswamy understood the challenges facing businesses and working families.

"What Vivek is gonna do is he's gonna to attract jobs and he's gonna unleash the incredible potential of this state," Vance said.

He said Ramaswamy would focus on reducing living costs, particularly energy expenses, and creating conditions for businesses to expand their operations in Ohio.

Vance also highlighted Ramaswamy's proposal to provide property tax relief to homeowners, presenting it as a central element of the Republican candidate's economic agenda.

"He's gonna get historic property tax relief for every single citizen who owns a house in this state," he said.

The Vice President described Ramaswamy as someone capable of translating policy proposals into action.

"Vivek is not like so many politicians, a person who just talks about things," Vance said, adding that the candidate had demonstrated an ability to execute his ideas.

Ramaswamy, a biotechnology entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, is seeking the governorship against Democrat Amy Acton.

Vance sharply criticised Acton over her role in Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing her of supporting restrictions that disrupted schools, religious gatherings and family activities.

His criticism was part of a broader attack on Democrats, whom he accused of pursuing policies that increased costs and weakened American manufacturing.

The Vice President also campaigned for Republican Senator Jon Husted, who is seeking election to the Senate seat previously held by Vance.

He credited Husted with supporting the Trump administration's tax and economic policies, including measures affecting overtime income, tips and Social Security benefits.

Vance argued that Republican leadership was essential to maintaining what he described as an economic revival in Ohio.

He pointed to manufacturing investments involving automobile, aerospace and pharmaceutical companies, claiming that administration policies were encouraging businesses to expand domestic production.

"We've created 72,000 manufacturing jobs just in 2026 alone," Vance said.

The employment figure was presented as an administration claim and was not independently verified in the speech.

Vance also defended President Donald Trump's tariff policies, arguing that companies investing in American manufacturing should receive tax incentives while businesses moving jobs overseas should face financial penalties.

"But if you're sending American jobs overseas, if you're trying to ship your factory to a foreign corporation or you're trying to replace American workers with a legal immigrant later, you know what you're gonna get? A big fat tariff," he said.

The Vice President's remarks reflected the administration's emphasis on domestic manufacturing, immigration restrictions and economic nationalism as Republicans campaign to retain political control in Washington.

Vance also attacked former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who is challenging Husted, accusing him of supporting policies that harmed American workers and encouraged illegal immigration.

He urged Republican supporters to turn out in large numbers on November 3, describing the elections as critical to continuing the Trump administration's economic agenda.

--IANS

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Washington, Oct 10 (IANS) Former US Vice President Kamala Harris is considering another presidential run in 2028, but her husband, Doug Emhoff, has privately expressed reservations about the prospect, while some Democratic donors have warned that another campaign would face significant challenges, according to a media report.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Emhoff has told people privately he would prefer Harris not to seek the presidency again, although those close to him expect he would support her if she decides to enter the race.

The report, citing people familiar with the conversations, said Harris has been taking steps that could lay the groundwork for another White House campaign, including meeting major donors, hiring political staff and travelling to battleground states to campaign for Democratic candidates ahead of the November midterm elections.

Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, has publicly maintained that she has not decided whether to make another attempt to become America's first woman president.

"I have not decided if I’m going to run again," Harris said at an NAACP event in Michigan last month, according to the newspaper.

"I do sincerely believe ’28 won’t matter if we don’t get through ’26," she added, emphasising the importance of the upcoming congressional elections.

A spokesman for Harris declined to comment on the Journal's report.

Harris was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024 and lost to Republican Donald Trump.

According to the newspaper, some Democratic donors have privately questioned whether Harris should seek the nomination again, while several party figures believe Democrats should consider a fresh candidate in 2028.

The report said Emhoff's concerns come after years of supporting Harris through demanding political campaigns and intense public scrutiny.

In her memoir, "107 Days," Harris described the personal toll of the 2024 campaign on their marriage, including the pressure created by political attacks and public criticism.

Since leaving Washington, Emhoff has resumed practising law in Los Angeles, while the couple have purchased a home in Malibu.

Despite uncertainty surrounding her presidential ambitions, Harris has remained politically active.

The Journal reported that she has participated in several private fundraisers in California, including events supporting Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley and Nevada gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford.

She also joined a Democratic National Committee mobilisation call involving more than 2,000 volunteers, encouraging campaign workers to reach voters in competitive states.

Harris is expected to campaign in Nevada and Georgia, including on behalf of Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is seeking re-election.

She has also strengthened her political operation, working with advisers including former ambassador Candace Bond and communications director Eduardo Negrón.

The report said Harris has maintained ties with Democratic strategist Brian Fallon, who worked on her 2024 presidential campaign.

Her political activities come as several prominent Democrats weigh potential presidential bids.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, another possible contender, has said he would not run if Harris entered the race, according to the newspaper.

Harris continues to have support among important Democratic constituencies, particularly Black women, and has been campaigning to mobilise voters in competitive states.

Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, who remains in contact with Harris, told the Journal that the former vice president was concentrating on helping Democratic candidates in the November elections.

Harris served as vice president from 2021 to 2025 under Biden, becoming the first woman, first Black American and first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. Before that, she represented California in the US Senate and served as the state's attorney general.

--IANS

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United Nations, Oct 10 (IANS) India has warned Pakistan that it will not be deterred by Islamabad using nuclear weapon risks to attempt to evade the repercussions for its terrorism, and will respond to terror attacks.

“India will not bow to nuclear blackmail”, Anmol Sher Bedi, the senior adviser in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, said on Friday.

He served notice on Pakistan that “any terrorist attack against India will receive a fitting response” and it will “make no distinction between those who sponsor terrorism and those who mastermind it”.

Operation Sindoor last year against terrorist bases in Pakistan “followed a grave provocation” of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-based terrorists who killed 26 civilians, he said.

“India acted in self-defence”, he said, and “these actions were measured, targeted, and designed to be non-escalatory”.

“Nuclear weapons must not be treated as routine instruments of statecraft” and “a posture that relies on nuclear overhang to limit the consequences of subconventional activity raises the risk of escalation and not the prospect of restraint”, he said at the meeting in New York of the General Assembly's First Committee, which deals with disarmament issues.

He was responding to Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, who spoke at the New York meeting.

Bedi gave the committee the reassurance that India's nuclear capabilities are not directed at anyone and stressed they “are defensive in nature”.

“They are shaped by our own security environment”, he said.

India, unlike Pakistan, has declared a policy of no-first-strike, meaning it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons against any country.

Bedi, who responded strongly to Pakistan, is from Amritsar and ranked second in the 2016 public service exam. He holds a computer science degree from BITS Pilani and has studied Mandarin in China.

He exposed the facts behind Pakistan's call for nuclear cooperation, citing the nuclear bazaar run by Abdul Qadeer Khan, who headed its nuclear programme, that provided nuclear bomb know-how to other countries and traded nuclear material for missile technology with North Korea.

Bedi warned countries to look out for their own safety when they cooperate with Islamabad on nuclear and military technology.

“On proliferation, India refers to the history of the AQ Khan network, which contributed to the Security Council Resolution 1540 almost two decades back”, he said.

“This is relevant in the context of demands for unquestioned nuclear cooperation and transfer of advanced weapons and military capabilities”, he said.

“We urge all states and all responsible suppliers to exercise the highest degree of vigilance, not because of India, but for their own security”, he said.

Security Council Resolution 1540, adopted in 2004, is a binding measure that prohibits all countries from transferring weapons of mass destruction to terrorists, euphemistically referred to as “non-state actors”, or enabling them to obtain them.

It also set up a body, known as the 1540 Committee, to monitor compliance with the resolution.

What destabilises the region, Bedi said, is Pakistan using cycles of crises fueled by terrorism.

“In India's experience, crises in the region have tended to follow a recurring pattern: first, provocation; second, denial of responsibility; and third, appeals for restraint once a response has been made”, he said.

“That is how instability becomes useful, and that is how the cycle keeps on repeating”, he said.

Bedi pointed out that this is enabled by Pakistan's system of governance where the real power is wielded by the military.

“Those in power are neither elected by people nor accountable to them, their decisions carry no risk and impose no cost for those who take them”, he said. “That is how crisis becomes an instrument of power”.

Where the real power lies in Islamabad behind the facade of a civilian government was made clear during Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent visit to Pakistan, when he took the unusual step of meeting the military chief Asim Munir, while formal talks with military leaders are not in his usual itinerary.

Bedi said that India put the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance because it was signed on the understanding of trust and cooperation, and Pakistan undermined them.

As for Andrabi raising the Kashmir issue, Pakistan does so regardless of the topic on the meeting agenda, Bedi said, “Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India. We call for India's illegally occupied territories to be vacated and returned back”.

--IANS

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