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United Nations, May 3 (IANS) Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has called for intensifying international intervention in the tense situation between his country and India, saying that there was "imminent threat of kinetic action" by New Delhi.

He lamented that their "impact" on India to de-escalate was not there in an acknowledgement of Islamabad's failure to rally support for its cause.

Speaking at a news conference here on Friday, he reiterated his country's claim that withholding Indus waters "will be considered as an 'Act of War'" and said that Islamabad will retaliate and "exercise its inherent and legitimate right to self-defence".

He said with the continuing escalation of the situation, Pakistan will consider calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council.

Efforts by "common friends of both India and Pakistan" should continue to de-escalate the situation, he added.

"But there is a sense that, you know, the impact that is desirable, especially on the Indian side, to de-escalate is not yet there," he said.

"So that's why we're saying that there is a need to intensify," he added.

Tension has been building up in the region following last month's terrorist attack in Pahalgam for which The Resistance Front, a front outfit of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba, owned responsibility.

A conflict has "the potential for far-reaching and disastrous consequences," and "that's why I'm emphasising the need for these preventive actions, preventive diplomacy and dialogue to calm down," Ahmad said.

He added that he has met twice with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Islamabad has invited him to visit the region, "that would mean both India and Pakistan".

Guterres' Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that "good officers only work if all the parties involved accepted it".

India is opposed to any third-party involvement in the disputes with Pakistan citing the 1972 Simla Agreement between the leaders of the two countries that declared their issues to be bilateral matters to be dealt with between themselves.

While Guterres has spoken with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his contact with India has only been at the level of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Ahmad said that he had also had a range of meetings, including with UN Security Council President Evangelos Sekeris, UN General Assembly President Philomen Yang, and representatives of the Security Council members and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

He added that "there is reasonable intelligence indicating towards imminent threat of kinetic action by India against Pakistan," but would not explain what the reports were based on.

"Pakistan does not seek escalation. This has been made clear by the political leadership and at all levels. At the same time, we are fully prepared to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.

Ahmad asserted that "Pakistan categorically rejects any attempt to associate it with the April 22 terrorist incident in Pahalgam," adding, "We are concerned over the loss of lives in the Pahalgam attack."

But when pressed by a reporter about Islamabad's links to terrorism and Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's recent admission that his country trained and provided assistance to terrorists, he did not give a direct reply and instead flung allegations about India.

He was asked about the Mumbai 26/11 attackers who came from Pakistan and the presence of internationally declared terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of that attack, and even Osama bin Laden.

"You know this is the kind of discussion I would like to avoid," he said.

--IANS

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Muzaffarabad, May 2 (IANS) In the wake of rising tensions and fears of an aggressive military operation by India in response to the Pahalgam incident, the legislative government of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has instructed residents living along the de-facto border, the Line of Control (LoC) with India to stockpile food and other essential items for at least two months. The instructions have been given the Prime Minister of PoK Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.

The instructions were issued during a session of the legislative Assembly on Friday when PM of the PoK said that precautionary measures are being done to safeguard the lives of Kashmiris amid looming fears of an attack by India.

“Instructions have been issued to stock food supplies for two months in the 13-constituencies along the Line of Control (LoC),” said Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq.

An emergency fund has also been created of $3.5 million (One billion rupees) to ensure that basic necessities including food and medicines are facilitated through the 13 constituencies situated along the LoC.

Moreover, the legislative government has deployed government and private owned machinery to maintain clearance of roads in the borderline areas.

Following the Pahalgam incident, India claims has clear prints of Pakistan’s involvement and tensions have escalated along the Line of Control (LoC) as both sides have had heavy exchanges of fire, causing considerable damages on both sides.

“Indian and Pakistani security forces have exchanged gunfire for eight consecutive night along the militarised Line of Control,” said a local journalist from Muzaffarabad, Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Pakistan has categorically denied any involvement in the Pahalgam incident, calling for a neutral and credible investigation by a third party or parties.

Both Pakistan and India have taken some major decisions in a tit-for-tat measures, among which the most notable and crucial one is the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by India, and closing down of airspace by Pakistan.

Both sides have also shut down the Wagah-Attari border crossing and directed all Pakistanis nationals in India and Indian nationals in Pakistan to leave the country with immediate effect.

Islamabad maintains that it would not be the first to attack India, however, it asserts that any misadventure by New Delhi will be responded to with full force and decisive response.

Pakistan has also claimed that it has credible intelligence that India is planning to conduct military attacks within the coming days, prompting the legislative government of Pakistan Administered Kashmir to take immediate pre-emptive and precautionary measures, including closure of over 1000 religious seminaries in Kashmir for at least 10 days and instructing residents in 13 constituencies to stockpile food for at least two months.

--IANS

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Jerusalem/Damascus, May 2 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, in a joint statement, said on Friday that Israel carried out overnight attacks near the presidential palace in Syria's capital, Damascus.

The strike followed the deadly clashes that intensified earlier this week between local Druze fighters and pro-government forces south of Damascus.

"This is a clear message to the Syrian regime," the Israeli statement said.

"We will not allow the move of forces south of Damascus and any danger to the Druze community."

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Israeli airstrikes targeted early Friday a site near the Syrian presidential residence in Damascus, causing loud explosions but no immediate casualties.

The observatory described the strikes as a "warning message" as they took place near one of the most fortified and symbolic locations of the Syrian government.

The Syrian authorities have yet to comment on the Israeli air raids.

Amid the sectarian unrest, two wounded Druze Syrians were evacuated on Thursday to Ziv Medical Centre in Safed in northern Israel for medical treatment. On the same day, Katz warned of harsh responses if clashes with the Druze community continue in Syria.

Before dawn on Friday, hundreds of Israeli Druze protesters demonstrated in front of Netanyahu's private residence in Israel's northern coastal town of Caesarea, demanding that the Israeli army intervene and protect the Druze in Syria, according to reports by Israeli media outlets.

Earlier on Thursday night, thousands of Druze residents took to the streets in northern Israel, blocking major highways, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to a SOHR update on Thursday, the death toll from two days of sectarian clashes near Damascus has climbed to 101, including nine field executions.

Druze people primarily live in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, with smaller groups in Jordan. Israel has been working to solidify ties with the Druze community since expanding its territorial control near the border with Syria and in the Golan Heights following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024.

--IANS

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Phnom Penh, May 2 (IANS) With India's assistance, Cambodia on Friday declared the Botum Sakor district in Koh Kong as mine-free, ensuring the safety and sustainable development of the region.

"Towards a Mine-Free Future: India Supports Cambodia's Progress! With grant assistance from India, Botum Sakor District in Koh Kong has been declared mine-free—enabling safer land use, improved livelihoods, and sustainable development," the Embassy of India in Phnom Penh posted on X.

India and the Cambodia Mine Action and Victims Assistance Authority (CMAA) had signed an agreement in 2023 for making Botum Sakor, Srae Ambel, Thma Bang districts, and Trapeang Rung Commune in Koh Kong province mine-free with a total Indian grant of $426,709.

The Indian assistance was announced by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar during his visit to Cambodia in November 2022 during a meeting with then Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen.

The agreement was signed by India's Ambassador to Cambodia and Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice-President of CMAA.

Thuch, in his speech, appreciated India for its contribution in demining activities in Cambodia to boost the mine clearance work and help Cambodia achieve its goal of becoming a mine-free nation by 2025.

He had mentioned that India has been assisting in making four villages in Koh Kong Province mine-free under the Quick Impact Project with a grant of USD$ 50,000.

Thuch said that CMAA is looking forward to working with the Indian Embassy for the successful implementation of the grant assistance projects in Koh Kong.

Earlier this month, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane called for global support to work towards the national goal of making Cambodia mine-free by 2030.

Cambodia, one of the worst affected countries by landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), has extended its mine-free goal to 2030 from the previous 2025 target, due to geographical difficulties for mine search and clearance along the border.

An estimated four to six million landmines and other munitions have been left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.

According to an official report, landmine and ERW explosions claimed 19,830 lives and either injured or amputated 45,242 others in Cambodia from 1979 to June 2024.

--IANS

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Lilongwe, May 2 (IANS) Malawi recorded one more confirmed mpox case, bringing the total number of cases to six since the first three were confirmed in April.

The Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) announced the update on Thursday, saying the latest case is an 18-year-old student from the capital, Lilongwe.

According to the PHIM, the patient had his samples collected on Wednesday, at a local health facility after presenting with symptoms including fever, fatigue, shortness of breath, and a skin rash. The samples tested positive for mpox.

Malawi declared a mpox outbreak on April 17, following the confirmation of the first three cases a day earlier, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Malawian government have established an emergency treatment centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital, one of the country's major regional referral facilities located in Lilongwe.

According to the WHO, Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain and low energy. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.

Mpox spreads from person to person mainly through close contact with someone who has mpox, including members of a household. Close contact includes skin-to-skin and mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact, and it can also include being face-to-face with someone who has mpox (such as talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate infectious respiratory particles).

Mpox causes signs and symptoms which usually begin within a week but can start 1–21 days after exposure. Symptoms typically last 2–4 weeks but may last longer in someone with a weakened immune system.

For some people, the first symptom of mpox is a rash, while others may have a fever, muscle aches, or sore throat first.

The mpox rash often begins on the face and spreads over the body, extending to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It can also start on other parts of the body where contact is made, such as the genitals. It starts as a flat sore, which develops into a blister filled with liquid that may be itchy or painful. As the rash heals, the lesions dry up, crust over, and fall off.

--IANS

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Tehran, May 2 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has strongly condemned fresh US sanctions on individuals and entities in Iran and other countries on the pretext of cooperating with Tehran in different areas, calling them a clear sign of US attempts at "economic terrorism".

The sanctions imposed over the past few days were a clear sign of US policymakers' insistence on law-breaking and violation of other countries' rights and interests, as well as their bids to disrupt friendly and legal relations among developing states through economic terrorism, Baghaei said on Thursday in a statement.

They are "another conspicuous proof of the US decision makers' contradictory approach and lack of goodwill and seriousness in advancing the path of diplomacy," he added.

Baghaei was reacting to sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department and State Department on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, on six Iran-based individuals and 13 entities in Iran and other countries for their alleged involvement in trading Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals and procurement of ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of the Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Xinhua news agency reported.

The US said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on five companies based outside Iran involved in selling Iranian oil.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "So long as Iran attempts to generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund its destabilising activities, and support its terrorist activities and proxies, the United States will take steps to hold both Iran and all its partners engaged in sanctions evasion accountable."

The move came ahead of a fourth round of Iran-US talks on Saturday in Rome, where Tehran is seeking relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has reinstated a campaign of "maximum pressure" on Iran, mirroring his approach during his first term, while also calling for dialogue.

In March, he sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in major state policies, urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.

During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed biting sanctions, prompting the Islamic Republic to roll back its commitments.

It came as the fourth round of the Omani-mediated indirect talks between Iran and the US, which was originally scheduled for Saturday in Rome, has been postponed.

--IANS

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Abu Dhabi, May 2 (IANS) UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reaffirming his country's support to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war, media reported.

During the phone conversation on Thursday, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation within the framework of their strategic partnership, Xinhua news agency reported.

President Mohamed bin Zayed thanked the Russian President for Moscow's cooperation in making previous mediation efforts successful, emphasising the UAE's commitment to continuing its humanitarian engagement in the war.

President Putin expressed his appreciation for the UAE's successful mediation in the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine last month.

He praised the UAE's consistent and constructive efforts in the humanitarian domain.

On April 19, the UAE announced that its mediation efforts had led to the largest prisoner exchange since the conflict began.

The exchange involved 246 Ukrainian and 246 Russian prisoners, as well as the repatriation of 31 wounded Ukrainian and 15 wounded Russian soldiers, bringing the total number of prisoners exchanged through UAE mediation to 3,771.

Earlier on March 24, the UAE President received a phone call from President Putin during which they discussed bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen ties.

The conversation took place within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries and as part of efforts to serve their mutual interests. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing these ties across multiple sectors for the benefit of their people.

During the call, Putin expressed his appreciation to the UAE President for the successful mediation efforts undertaken by the UAE in recent months to facilitate the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine -- the most recent of which took place earlier this March.

UAE President Al Nahyan, in turn, thanked the Russian government for its cooperation with the UAE in this regard in playing a vital role in the success of the initiative.

He also reiterated the UAE's commitment to continuing its efforts in this important humanitarian domain and its support for all endeavours aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution to the crisis while mitigating its humanitarian impact.

The two leaders also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern. In this context, Al Nahyan reaffirmed the UAE's consistent approach of supporting peace and stability around the world, as well as promoting peaceful solutions and initiatives to resolve conflicts.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that it marked the 14th successful mediation undertaken by the UAE during the conflict, reflecting the country's strong ties with both sides.

--IANS

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Tehran, May 2 (IANS) Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said that the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks with the US, scheduled for Saturday in Rome, has been postponed at the mediator Oman's proposal.

He made the announcement on Thursday in an address to reporters, adding that the new dates would be announced later, according to a statement by the Ministry.

Baghaei reaffirmed Iran's determination to use diplomacy to safeguard the nation's "legitimate and legal" interests and to end the sanctions and economic pressure against Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

The spokesman stressed that "since entering the talks with goodwill, the Iranian delegation has been discussing specific frameworks based on the country's principled positions under international law regarding using nuclear energy peacefully and ending illegal sanctions, demonstrating its seriousness in result-oriented talks aimed at achieving a just, rational, and sustainable agreement".

Earlier in the day, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi officially announced on social media platform X that the fourth round of the Iran-US talks scheduled for Saturday had been postponed for "logistical reasons," adding, "New dates will be announced when mutually agreed."

The administration of President Donald Trump has said its aim is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, though Tehran has long denied armament as a goal. It frames its nuclear programme as a civilian energy project.

The Trump White House has hinted its goals may extend further, though, to the total dismantlement of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme.

In mid-April, US special envoy Steve Witkoff released a statement saying that "Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponisation program" as part of a final deal.

Earlier on Thursday, before the postponement was announced, Iran accused the US of issuing "contradictory behaviour and provocative statements" about the nuclear negotiations.

And on Wednesday, the US made a series of aggressive moves as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran, heightening the already uneasy relations.

First, the US Department of State sanctioned seven entities involved in the trade of Iranian oil products, on the basis that the proceeds "support its terrorist activities and proxies". Then, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth offered his own remarks, warning that Iranian support of the Houthis, a Yemen-based armed group, could result in US retaliation.

"Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing," Hegseth wrote on social media on Wednesday.

"You know very well what the US Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing."

Trump himself later chimed in with a social media message on Thursday, warning the international community to stop its purchases of Iranian oil products.

"Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions. They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form," Trump wrote.

Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thursday's postponement came "at the request of Oman's Foreign Minister".

Iranian spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also emphasised that his country was committed to achieving "a fair and lasting agreement" with the US.

Successive US administrations have sought to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. One recent effort culminated with a 2015 agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The multilateral agreement, forged during the administration of US President Barack Obama, created a framework for Iran to receive relief from international sanctions, in exchange for reducing its uranium enrichment and submitting to inspections of its nuclear facilities.

But when Trump succeeded Obama as US President, he set into motion plans to withdraw the US from the JCPOA in 2018, causing the deal to crumble.

Instead, during his first term as President from 2017 to 2021, Trump pursued a campaign of "maximum pressure" against Iran, a strategy he has returned to since taking office a second time in January.

Oman has been facilitating the dialogue between Iran and the US to help narrow differences between the two countries and promote regional stability.

With the Omani mediation, the first and third rounds of Iran-US talks were held in the Omani capital Muscat on April 12 and April 26, and the second one in Rome on April 19.

--IANS

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Washington, May 2 (IANS) US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Thursday extended his "strong support" for India on a call with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Secretary Hegseth joined a growing number of US leaders who have called their counterparts in India in the aftermath of the attack that left 26 people dead on April 22.

US President Donald Trump had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi within hours of the attack and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday.

"Today, I spoke with Indian Defence Minister @rajnathsingh to personally extend my deepest condolences for the loss of life in the heinous terrorist attack last week."

"I offered my strong support. We stand with India and its great people."

Unlike Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth did not call for de-escalation of tensions in the region in anticipation of an Indian retaliatory military response against Pakistan, which is in the crosshairs as "backers" of the terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for the attack, and which is also home to most of terrorist groups that have targeted India, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others.

In a statement released earlier, the Ministry of Defence said the Defence Minister Singh told his American counterpart that "Pakistan has a history of supporting, training and funding terrorist organisations".

"Pakistan has been exposed as a rogue state, fuelling global terrorism, and destabilising the region. The world can no longer turn a blind eye to terrorism," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said to Secretary Hegseth.

He added, according to the statement, that it is important for the global community to explicitly and unequivocally condemn and call out such heinous acts of terrorism.

India has vowed to punish both the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack and their backers, which is widely taken to mean Pakistan.

Prime Minister Modi has left it to the military to decide the timing, form and extent of the retaliatory action.

In separate calls to Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Secretary Rubio on Wednesday also urged the two sides to "de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia".

--IANS

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Washington, May 2 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Thursday named Mike Waltz, the National Security Advisor, as the new US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold dual charge as the interim NSA.

This was the first top level change in President Trump's second term.

"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," President Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation's Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role."

The position of Ambassador to the UN had fallen vacant after the US administration withdrew the nomination of Elise Stefanik, a member of the House of Representatives, because her presence in the Chamber was needed in view of the Republican Party's precarious, razor-thin majority.

"In the interim," the President said, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department."

There was no word on other changes, but news reports have suggested some of Waltz's hires at the National Security Council are also leaving, such as his Deputy Alex Wong.

Waltz had been on exit watch for weeks over the sharing of military attack plans on the Houthis of Yemen on a group of Trump administration officials on Signal, a messaging app, which he had set up.

The group included Vice-President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others.

The group also included Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic. He wrote about messages shared in the group, specially specific weapons to be used and the timing by Defence Secretary Hegseth.

"Trump and senior administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, had been frustrated with Waltz even before the Signal debacle," The Wall Street Journal reported on Waltz's departure.

"Waltz hired aides that his critics said didn't appeal to Trump's MAGA base and struggled to relay the President's national security priorities on television -- once seen as the former Florida Congressman's strength, according to administration officials. He also was sometimes ideologically out of step with Trump, pushing more traditionally hawkish views on Ukraine and Iran, and clashed with other White House officials," the Journal said, further citing people close to President Donald Trump.

President Trump had publicly defended both Waltz and Hegseth, who has faced even more scrutiny because of another Signal group he has set up that included his wife, brother and lawyer.

Waltz's departure, although so early in President Trump's second term, will still be far longer than Mike Flynn, the first of four National Security Advisors in the President's first term. He had left after only 24 days in office.

Waltz is a former member of the House of Representatives, who served as the Republican Co-Chair of the India Caucus alongside Democrat Ro Khanna and his appointment to the top National Security Council job had been widely celebrated by India watchers.

--IANS

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