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Showing results for tags 'dastagir'.
Found 13 results
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Arshad Nadeem, Nooh Dastagir Butt to receive Pride of Performance awards
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam will be awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz -
Is Pakistan going to name a dam after Nooh Dastagir Butt?
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
The weightlifter won the first gold for Pakistan in any category in the ongoing games in Birmingham -
Pakistanis shower praise on CWG 2022 gold medalist Nooh Dastagir Butt
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Pakistanis came out on social media to celebrate the maiden gold by Nooh Dastagir Butt in the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham -
Weightlifter Nooh Dastagir Butt wins the gold medal for Pakistan in the Commonwealth Games with a record lift of 405kg.
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No proposal on increase in electricity rates approved: Khurram Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Water inflow into Tarbela Dam has increased significantly over last five days, and it has begun producing 3,864MW, says Dastagir -
Cabinet portfolio: PM Shehbaz hands power to Dastagir, economic affairs to Sadiq
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Hussain Prizada appointed as human rights minister and Muhammad Hashim Notazai state minister for power -
Dastagir to serve as Secretary Narcotics Control whereas Umar Sheikh to continue as Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO)
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Pakistan should not be made scapegoat for US failure in Afghanistan: Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir on Monday said that Pakistan should not be made scapegoat for United States' failure in Afghanistan, where the coalition forces have been fighting for the last 16 years. Giving a policy statement in the National Assembly, the minister said the way forward for Pakistan-US relations should not be through threats, notices and suspension of support. He said that Pakistan, being a US ally, had suffered a huge loss in the war against terrorism. "Pakistan had to face economic loss and damage to lives and property of the citizens. "The suffering has been immense and painful and it is unfair by the US to blame Pakistan, when it had not been able to pacify situation in Afghanistan," Dastagir said. He said around 43 per cent of Afghan territory was beyond the control of its government, but Pakistan respects the sovereign state of Afghanistan as a neighboring country. The minister said Pakistan had paid huge price in the war against terrorism and cleared its territory of terrorists. Maintaining that Afghan war could not be fought on Pakistani soil, Dastagir said that Pakistan had paid huge price for the war against terrorism and cleared its territory of terrorists. He informed the National Assembly that Indian forces committed more than 1300 ceasefire violations at Line of Control (LoC) in 2017, which resulted in 52 deaths and injuries to 175 persons. "Just today, our four valiant soldiers embraced martyrdom in unprovoked firing by Indian forces. The nation salutes these martyrs and prays that Almighty Allah may grant fortitude to their families,? the minister said. The minister said that Indian government had accelerated Pakistan bashing as a highly militarised and belligerent neighbour, adding, "The case of Kulbhushan Jadhav was proof of its efforts for unrest in other countries." He also slammed New Delhi for its involvement in grave human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. Dastagir maintained that Pakistan was a responsible nuclear state and it would continue with its policy of full-spectrum deterrence, in line with the policy of credible minimum deterrence and avoidance of armed race. He said the government would meet with vigour and commitment the growing challenges to Pakistan's security and towards maintaining strategic stability in the region. The minister said Pakistan's defence was robust and country?s vigilant and highly trained armed forces continue to protect and defend our land, sea and air borders. -
Do not want current situation with US to escalate: Khurram Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir on Friday said that the country does not want to escalate the current situation which arose due to "Trump's mercurial nature" and added that Pakistan's cooperation with the US will remain. The defence minister was speaking on Geo News Naya Pakistan. The US on Friday announced that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad comes after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a ?double game? on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid. When asked how he would describe the current Pak-US relationship, Dastagir said the ties are in a state of "cold peace" and regretted the use of such language by Trump. "You do not use such language with allies." Elaborating on US aid to Pakistan, the defence minister said that facts need to be put forward first and added that, according to US statistics, military aid to Pakistan has reduced by 62 per cent from its peak and Coalition Support Funds have reduced by the same number. He added that economic aid has also reduced by 73pc. The defence minister maintained that the reduction in US aid will not have a significant effect on the country. Dastagir also said that the finance ministry is preparing a paper and there would be complete accountability regarding the amount of aid received and used by Pakistan over the course of the war on terror. He said, according to initial estimates, the US owes Pakistan $10 billion for services rendered during the period. Dastagir lamented that the US has even included funds which were given for anti-narcotics effort and which were not related to the war on terror. Price of liberty Reiterating the losses Pakistan has suffered and the sacrifices the country has given during the war, the defence minister said the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. He added that the country and its armed forces learned their lesson after the Osama bin Laden raid and the armed forces are well trained and alert. "This is not Salala and bin Laden's Pakistan, this is Pakistan after Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad," said Dastagir. He also said the objective is to restore peace in Afghanistan and added that the US had asked for an operation in North Waziristan, which was conducted after capacity building. Dastagari further said the armed forces conduct operations in whichever valley they receive information regarding the presence of terrorists. In a tweet on January 1, Trump claimed that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan over $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years. In his tweet, the US president accused Pakistan of thinking US leaders to be fools. ?They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!? Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in a reply to the US president's tweet, said Pakistan will let the world know the truth and will be responding to Trump's tweet. -
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir said on Thursday that Pakistan is prepared to face any unusual measure by the United States, which may cause damage to it. Speaking to Geo News at Parliament House, Islamabad, Dastagir said US officials, during their recent visits to Pakistan, held discussion maintaining diplomatic ethics. "When Tillersen and Marttis visited Pakistan, they held discussions keeping diplomatic ethics in view, and there was no element of threat or insult in their talks," he said. "But Trump and Mike Pence's statements have that element of threat." The minister said they have to analyse the entire situation pertaining to the US issue and that his side was finalising a strategy with a cool-mind approach after discussion with the Parliament. He said there is no fear with regards to the defence of the country. "Pakistan's defence is strong," Dastagir said, adding, "But the question is whether the US may not take such measure, which could harm us." "We are ready for that, but, for now, we want to move forward with Washington," he added.
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NSC reviewing negative statements by US officials in recent months: Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
ISLAMABAD: Minister of Defence Khurram Dastagir, following a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Tuesday, said that the committee has been reviewing negative statements by US officials, including President Donald Trump, for the past few months. The minister, in an interview with BBC Urdu, said that Tuesday's meeting of the NSC observed that 'better results can be yielded if all the stake-holders cooperate and jointly struggle for peace in Afghanistan and fight against terror, instead of achieving objectives through negative statements'. He further said that "straightforward talks will be held with the US, yet in a courteous manner". Dastagir said if Trump only understands the 'language of dollars', then not only did we invest our own resources in the war on terror but did not demand anything in return for it, for we are serious in eradicating terrorism. Asked if Pakistan would demand an apology from the US over the statements, he said Trump is the elected president of the United States and so we take his tweets seriously, however, the matter has not yet gone that far. NSC session expressed its disappointment over US President Donald Trump's anti-Pakistan statement and decided not to take measures in haste in reply to US accusations. A statement added that during visits by US officials, it was decided to move forward with mutual trust and cooperation, which would also lead to stability in Afghanistan. Pakistan also voiced its support for the Afghan government's efforts for peace, with the NSC agreeing that peace in Afghanistan is not only linked to peace and stability in the region but also important for peace in the world. Referring to the international coalition operating in Afghanistan, the Pakistani leadership stated that the country, even today, is helping the coalition. The committee further said Pakistan's anti-terrorism operations have wiped out al-Qaeda from the region. The NSC also said that the Pakistani nation knows how to defend itself and vowed to continue efforts for stability in the region, adding that the country fought the war on terror with its limited economy and resources. -
Pakistan fully capable of defending itself: Defence Minister Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir, in response to US President Donald Trump?s tweet, has said that Pakistan is fully capable of defending its motherland. The jawans of Pakistan Armed Forces and civilians have given great sacrifices in the war against terrorism, he told a private news channel after Trump lashed out at Pakistan with threats to cut aid over "lies" about militancy. Commenting on the tweet, Dastagir said Pakistan had extended unprecedented cooperation to the United States for eliminating Al-Qaeda from its soil and Afghanistan, besides fighting the war against terrorism. Pakistan does not have any safe havens for terrorists, he said. The terrorists from Afghanistan have targeted our armed forces and civilians due to which Pakistan has had to suffer a lot, the Defence Minister said. He made it clear that Afghanistan's war would not be fought from the soil of Pakistan. To a question, he said that Pakistan had started fencing to secure its border. Replying to a query, he said it was Pakistan?s mistake to provide bases to the US. Dastagir said that Pakistan could gain nothing from the US. Pakistan has had to face huge economic losses due to fighting the war against terrorism, he added. Trump on Monday threatened to cut aid to Pakistan after accusing the country of giving nothing in return except for "lies and deceit". In a tweet on New Year?s Day, he claimed that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan over $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years. Trump also accused Pakistan of thinking US leaders to be fools. ?They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!? Trump?s ?no more? holds no importance: Khawaja Asif 'Already told US we will not do more, so Trump?s ?no more? does not hold any importance,' foreign minister says Trump?s tweet drew a strong reaction from Pakistan. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan has already refused to ?do more? for the United States. ?We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump?s ?no more? does not hold any importance,? Asif told Geo News. ?Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received,? Asif added. -
Pakistani soil not being used against any country, says Dastagir
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
KARACHI: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir while responding to the BRICS declaration on Wednesday clearly stated that Pakistani soil is not being used against any country. During his appearance on Geo News' programme 'Aapas Ki Baat', Dastagir admitted that Pakistan has not been able to tell the world the extent of war it fought on its soil. He said that following operation 'Zarb-e-Azb', there are no safe havens for terrorists inside Pakistan, while their remnants are being wiped out through intelligence-based operations (IBOs) under the military campaign 'Raddul Fasaad'. Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa condemned "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations" at the 9th BRICS Summit in China on Monday. The member states released the Xiamen declaration expressing concern over the security situation in the region. BRICS leaders condemn 'terrorism in all its manifestations' For the first time, BRICS name Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad while expressing concern at terrorism "We strongly condemn terrorist attacks resulting in death to innocent Afghan nationals....We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir," said the declaration. "We deplore all terrorist attacks worldwide, including attacks in BRICS countries, and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed and by whomsoever and stress that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. We reaffirm that those responsible for committing, organising, or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable," it added further. Dastagir asserted that there is no place for any armed militia in Pakistan and only the men in uniform can carry arms in the country. Commenting on China signing the BRICS statement, the minister reiterated that China is an iron friend and all-weather strategic partner of Pakistan, however, it too had some diplomatic limitations while dealing with other BRICS member states.