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The Taliban reject Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

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The Taliban reject Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

Jalalabad, Afghanistan — The Taliban government on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban’s hands.

Trump on Saturday renewed his call to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram, even saying “we’re talking now to Afghanistan” about the matter. He did not offer further details about the purported conversations. Asked by a reporter if he’d consider deploying U.S. troops to take the base, Trump demurred.

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“We won’t talk about that,” Trump said. “We want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”

On Sunday, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Trump’s assertions and urged the U.S. to adopt a policy of “realism and rationality.”

Afghanistan had an economy-oriented foreign policy and sought constructive relations with all states on the basis of mutual and shared interests, Mujahid posted on X.

It had been consistently communicated to the U.S. in all bilateral negotiations that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity were of the utmost importance, he said.

“It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that ‘it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs,’” he said. The U.S. needed to remain faithful to its commitments, he added.

Mujahid did not reply to questions from The Associated Press about conversations with the Trump administration regarding Bagram and why Trump believed the U.S. could retake it.

Ceding Afghan soil is out of the question

Earlier Sunday, the chief of staff at the Defense Ministry, Fasihuddin Fitrat, addressed Trump’s comments. “Ceding even an inch of our soil to anyone is out of the question and impossible,” he said during a speech broadcast by Afghan media.

In August last year, the Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover at Bagram with a grand military display of abandoned U.S. hardware, catching the eye of the White House. Trump has repeatedly criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for his “gross incompetence” during the withdrawal of U.S. forces after the country’s longest war.

Trump last week during his state visit to the United Kingdom hinted that the Taliban, who have struggled with an economic crisis, international legitimacy, internal rifts and rival militant groups since their return to power in 2021, could be game to allow the U.S. military to return.

“We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Trump said of the Taliban. While the U.S. and the Taliban have no formal diplomatic ties, the sides have had hostage conversations. An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist was released by the Taliban in March.

The Taliban also said they reached an agreement with U.S. envoys on an exchange of prisoners as part of an effort to normalize relations between the United States and Afghanistan.

They gave no details of the detainee swap, and the White House did not comment on the meeting in Kabul or the results described in a Taliban statement. The Taliban released photographs from their talks, showing their foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, with Trump’s special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler.

SOURCE : AP NEWS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Malawi’s Former President Mutharika Takes Early Lead in Election Against Incumbent Chakwera

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Malawi’s Former President Mutharika Takes Early Lead in Election Against Incumbent Chakwera

Lilongwe, Malawi — Former President Peter Mutharika has taken an early lead in Malawi’s closely watched presidential election, provisional results from one-quarter of the country’s councils showed this week.

According to tallies released by the electoral commission, Mutharika has secured around 51% of valid votes in nine of Malawi’s 36 councils, compared to nearly 39% for incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, Reuters calculations indicated.

A candidate must win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.

A Two-Horse Race

Political analysts had long predicted the September 16 vote would be a direct contest between Mutharika, 85, and Chakwera, 70 — leaders of Malawi’s two largest political parties.

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Mutharika, a former law professor credited with improving infrastructure and curbing inflation during his 2014–2020 presidency, is seeking a return to power. Chakwera, a former pastor who came to office in 2020 pledging to fight corruption, has overseen a period marked by economic stagnation, high inflation, and worsening climate shocks including droughts and a devastating cyclone.

Inflation in the Southern African nation has remained above 20% for more than three years, eroding household incomes and fueling discontent.

Results Awaited

The electoral commission has until September 24 to announce full provisional results. It has urged candidates not to claim victory prematurely, stressing that every tally sheet is being thoroughly cross-checked to ensure accuracy.

Malawi’s courts have previously played a decisive role in elections. In 2020, Chakwera won a re-run after the constitutional court annulled Mutharika’s 2019 victory, citing irregularities such as the use of correction fluid on results sheets.

For now, all eyes remain on the commission’s announcement, which will determine whether Malawi heads for a second round or a decisive win in the first.

SOURCE : REUTERS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

UK, Australia, and Canada Recognize Palestinian State; Israel Condemns Decision

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UK, Australia, and Canada Recognize Palestinian State; Israel Condemns Decision

LONDON/TORONTO/PNG — Britain, Canada, and Australia officially recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday in a move driven by frustration over the Gaza war and intended to promote a two-state solution, prompting a furious response from Israel.

The decision by these three major Western nations, traditionally strong allies of Israel, aligns them with roughly 140 other countries that support Palestinian aspirations for an independent homeland in the Israeli-occupied territories.

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Britain’s recognition carried particular symbolism, given its major role in Israel’s creation as a modern nation in the aftermath of World War Two. Speaking on Sunday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine. The man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths. The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his decision reflects Canberra’s “longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, which has always been the only path to enduring peace and security for the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples.” He also stressed that “the terrorist organization Hamas must have no role in Palestine.”

Israel Condemns Recognition

As expected, Sunday’s announcements set off a wave of furious denunciations across the Zionist political spectrum in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting ahead of the formal announcements, called for a “fight” against the move, warning that it would “endanger [Israel’s] existence.

Israel’s response to the recognition will come after Netanyahu returns from the United States next week. In a video statement, the premier said: “I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre on October 7 — you are handing a huge reward to terror. It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan.” He also boasted that under his leadership, Israel “doubled Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria — and we will continue on this course.”

Palestinian leaders welcomed the recognition as a historic step toward international legitimacy and a boost for their long-standing efforts to achieve statehood. Representatives from Britain, Canada, and Australia stressed that their recognition aims to support a negotiated two-state solution and encourage constructive dialogue between Israel and Palestine.

The coordinated announcements came a day before the opening in New York of the annual United Nations General Assembly, which will feature a significant focus on the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution. Saudi Arabia and France are hosting a summit on Monday in New York, at which more leaders are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Analysts say the recognition may heighten tensions between Israel and these Western allies while influencing other nations to reconsider their stance on Palestinian statehood.

SOURCE : AGENCIES |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube

Modi Urges Indians to Cut Dependence on Foreign Goods

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Modi Urges Indians to Cut Dependence on Foreign Goods

New Delhi, India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday renewed his call for Indians to reduce reliance on foreign-made goods and strengthen the domestic economy, as part of his broader push for Swadeshi and self-reliance.

The appeal, made during a public address, has sparked debate over which countries India should reduce dependence on most urgently — China, its largest trading partner and regional rival, or Russia, a longtime strategic ally but also a major supplier of defense equipment and energy.

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Analysts note that while India’s trade deficit with China has been a longstanding concern, cutting ties with Russia could complicate defense cooperation and energy security. “India faces a delicate balance — self-reliance is the goal, but the choice of where to decouple will shape both its economy and its foreign policy,” one observer said.

The discussion comes at a time when global supply chains are shifting and India seeks to position itself as a hub for manufacturing and innovation, while also navigating strained trade ties with the United States
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday renewed his call for Indians to reduce reliance on foreign-made goods and strengthen the domestic economy, as part of his broader push for Swadeshi and self-reliance.

The appeal, made during a public address, has sparked debate over which countries India should reduce dependence on most urgently — China, its largest trading partner and regional rival, or Russia, a longtime strategic ally but also a major supplier of defense equipment and energy.

Analysts note that while India’s trade deficit with China has been a longstanding concern, cutting ties with Russia could complicate defense cooperation and energy security. “India faces a delicate balance — self-reliance is the goal, but the choice of where to decouple will shape both its economy and its foreign policy,” one observer said.

The discussion comes at a time when global supply chains are shifting and India seeks to position itself as a hub for manufacturing and innovation, while also navigating strained trade ties with the United States.

SOURCE : REUTERS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

US new H-1B visa fee will not apply to existing holders, White House says

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US new H-1B visa fee will not apply to existing holders, White House says

Washington, USA – A new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas in the United States that goes into effect on Sunday will be levied per petition and will not be applied to existing holders of valid visas re-entering the country, the White House said on Saturday.

“This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X on Saturday.

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Leavitt also said that current H-1B visa holders who are currently outside of the country right now will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter the United States.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday said the fee, opens new tab would be paid annually but added that details were “still being considered.”

Some companies including Microsoft, opens new tab, JPMorgan, opens new tab, and Amazon, opens new tab, had responded to the Friday announcement by advising employees holding H-1B visas to remain in the United States, according to internal emails reviewed by Reuters. A Goldman Sachs, opens new tab internal memo seen by Reuters on Saturday urged employees with such visas to exercise caution on international travel.

Leavitt said on X that H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would and that the new fee would only apply in the next H-1B lottery round and not to current visa holders or renewals.

The White House said the fee was being imposed to level the playing field for American workers which it said are being “replaced with lower-paid foreign labor.”

The executive order imposing the new fee on H-1B visa applications, which was signed by President Donald Trump on Friday night, could disrupt the global operations of Indian technology services companies that deploy skilled professionals to the United States, Indian IT industry body Nasscom said early on Saturday.

In a fact sheet distributed on Saturday, the White House said it would allow an H-1B visa application without the $100,000 fee on a case-by-case basis “if in the national interest.”

The fact sheet said that the share of IT workers with H-1B visas has risen from 32% in FY 2003 to over 65% in recent years.

It also requires the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to issue joint guidance for verification, enforcement, audits, and penalties and directs the Labor Secretary to start a rulemaking to “revise the prevailing wage levels for the H-1B program” and “to prioritize high-skilled, high-paid H-1B workers.”

Friday’s announcement sparked concerns among employees across swaths of corporate America.

On the popular Chinese social media app Rednote, many H-1B holders shared stories of rushing back to the U.S. — some just hours after landing abroad — fearing they would be subject to the new $100,000 fee.

SOURCE : REUTERS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Vietnam wins Russian-hosted Intervision song contest after US singer drops out at last minute

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Vietnam wins Russian-hosted Intervision song contest after US singer drops out at last minute

Moscow, Russia – Vietnam was crowned the winner of the Russian-hosted Intervision song contest in the early hours of Sunday morning after the Australian-born U.S. participant dropped out at the last minute after what the Russian organisers said was political pressure.

Banished from Eurovision because of the war in Ukraine, Russia revived the Soviet-era song contest featuring acts meant to promote “traditional family values” which saw singers hailing from 23 countries accounting for more than half the world’s population, including China, India and Brazil, compete for a cash prize of 30 million roubles ($360,000).

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A professional jury made up of representatives from each participating country decided that Vietnam was the strongest act. Kyrgyzstan was awarded second place and Qatar third place. Songs were performed in national languages.

Russia’s own entrant – “Shaman”, whose real name is Yaroslav Dronov – asked the jury to disregard his performance due to Moscow being the host. The organisers said that Saudi Arabia had agreed to host the contest next year.

The show was broadcast live on Russian television and the Russian organisers said it was also broadcast over the internet or on TV in other countries with a combined population of more than 4 billion people.

“Vassy”, an Australian-born-singer representing the United States, had dropped out at the last minute after coming under “unprecedented political pressure from the government of Australia,” the organisers said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Australia.

Aside from a duo of Russian-language presenters, the presenting team included a female Indian presenter speaking in English and a Chinese male presenter speaking in Mandarin.

President Vladimir Putin opened the final with a video statement saying that the world was changing fast and wishing the contestants good luck.

SOURCE : REUTERS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Russia hits Ukraine with barrage of drones, missiles, kills 3, Kyiv says

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Russia hits Ukraine with barrage of drones, missiles, kills 3, Kyiv says

Kyiv, Ukrain – Russia unleashed a major drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight, killing three people, injuring dozens more, and damaging infrastructure and residential buildings, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday.

Despite diplomatic efforts to find ways to end the war that began when Russia invaded in February 2022, the fighting has intensified in recent months.

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In a statement on the Telegram app, Zelenskiy said Russia had launched around 580 drones and 40 missiles targeting infrastructure, civilian manufacturing companies and residential areas in different parts of the country.

Air defences shot down 552 of the drones and 31 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said.

RUSSIA IS ‘TERRORISING’ CIVILIANS, SAYS ZELENSKIY

“All night, Ukraine was under a massive attack by Russia,” Zelenskiy said. “Every such strike is not a military necessity but a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorise civilians and destroy our infrastructure.”

Russia denies targeting Ukrainian civilians.

In the central city of Dnipro, a missile with a cluster munition hit a residential apartment building, Zelenskiy said.

One person was killed, and at least 26 people were injured in Dnipro, regional officials said.

Two people were also killed in the Chernihiv region in the north and the Khmelnytskyi region in the west of the country, regional officials said.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

“I could hear the ‘Shahed’ (drone) getting closer and closer. I understood it was flying towards us. My child and I were very frightened,” Yulia Chystokletova, a resident of Kyiv, told Reuters.

“It should not be happening in the 21st century. We are all people. Agree… sit down at the negotiating table.”

Kyiv faces increasing pressure in eastern Ukraine, where Russian troops are keeping up their grinding advance, devastating villages and towns and claiming new territory.

BOTH SIDES STEPPING UP DRONE ATTACKS

To hit Ukrainian cities far from the frontline, Russia appears to have changed its tactics and now launches swarms of hundreds of drones in one strike, compared with dozens early in the war.

Ukraine typically responds with drone strikes of its own, aiming to reach deeper into the Russian territory, hitting refineries, fuel depots, and logistics hubs.

Ukraine hit two Russian oil refineries in the Saratov and Samara regions in attacks overnight, causing explosions and fires, the Ukrainian General Staff said.

“Regarding refineries: we have drones, we know how to produce them. It all depends on the number of drones we use per day,” Zelenskiy told reporters.

“As soon as the number of drones is comparable to that of the Russians, they will feel it in terms of fuel shortages and the number of queues at petrol stations.”

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had successfully carried out strikes with high-precision weapons on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities overnight.

Polish and allied aircraft were also deployed early on Saturday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after some of Russia’s airstrikes targeted western Ukraine near the border with NATO member Poland, the Polish military command said.

SOURCE : REUTERS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Brazil’s health minister skips trip to UN assembly due to visa limitations from Trump administration

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Brazil’s health minister skips trip to UN assembly due to visa limitations from Trump administration

Sao Paulo — Brazil’s health minister said on Friday he will not attend the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York next week because the United States government gave him “an unacceptable visa” with mobility restrictions within the country.

Alexandre Padilha, one of the closest aides to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said in a statement he will stay in Brazil due to “unfounded and arbitrary limitations to Brazil’s diplomatic exercise” from the U.S. government.

The two countries have been at odds since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian exports, a move linked to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced by Brazil’s Supreme Court to 27 years in prison for leading a coup attempt.

Earlier, two Brazilian government officials told The Associated Press that the Lula administration had lodged a protest with the United Nations after Minister Padilha was granted a much-delayed U.S. visa. The visa restricts his movement in New York to U.N. headquarters and a limited area around his hotel.

Brazil’s government also said in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres it is concerned the Trump administration may deny, revoke or restrict visas to other officials expected to attend the assembly.

The Brazilian sources spoke under condition of anonymity due to their lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly.

Brazil argued the move by the U.S. government violates article 105 of the U.N. charter and the convention about privileges and immunities that guarantee no restrictions for immigration and movement of government officials.

The Lula administration also said in its letter to Guterres that U.N. resolution 43/48 states that the host country has a legal obligation to assure every delegation has unlimited access regardless of their political affiliations.

Neither the U.N. nor the U.S. government responded a request for comment from the AP.

Padilha was initially scheduled to travel to Washington for other meetings. His U.S. visa expired in August. In June, his wife and 10-year-old daughter had their U.S. visas revoked in connection with Trump’s decision to impose visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign government officials involved in Cuba’s medical missions.

Brazil had a program that hired thousands of Cuban doctors during the presidency of Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016), who also had Padilha as her health minister.

Speaking to TV GloboNews, Padilha said Brazil’s “international activities will continue.”

“They might stop the minister from being present, but the defense of science, vaccines (will go forward),” the Brazilian health minister said. “This U.S. president will not be able to stop it.”

On Sunday, Lula said in a New York Times op-ed that his government is open to negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits, but added “Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table.”

Lula said he was proud of the Supreme Court for its “historic decision” which safeguards Brazil’s institutions and the democratic rule of law. Bolsonaro’s trial, he added, is not a “witch hunt,” as Donald Trump described it when he announced higher tariffs on Brazilian goods.

The U.S. government has also sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the Bolsonaro trial. The U.S. Treasury Department cited the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which targets perpetrators of human rights abuse and corrupt officials, as its authority to issue the sanctions.

The decision orders the freezing of any assets or property de Moraes may have in the U.S.

SOURCE : AP NEWS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube 

Thai king endorses prime minister anutin’s new cabinet appointments

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Thai king endorses prime minister anutin’s new cabinet appointments

Bangkok, Thailand – The king of Thailand has approved the new 36-member cabinet of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the final step to form a government ahead of a swearing-in ceremony.

The Royal Gazette published the endorsement on Friday of the ministers appointed by the Bhumjaithai Party’s conservative leader, who has chosen technocrats and businesspeople for key positions.

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Among them, deputy prime minister and finance minister will be Ekniti Nitithanprapas, who heads the Treasury amidst global economic uncertainty and the decline of the Thai economy.

Anutin, a 59-year-old construction tycoon, has also appointed hotel executive Suphajee Suthumpun as commerce minister at a time when the country is trying to boost tourist numbers, crucial to its economy, and former CEO of Thai energy giant PTT, Auttapol Rerkpiboon, as energy minister.

Sihasak Phuangketkeow, former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will remain in charge of foreign affairs, signaling continuity. While he is expected to try to improve relations with Cambodia, a country with which Thailand fought in a five-day armed border confrontation at the end of July, Anutin will also retain Nattaphon Nakpanich as defense minister.

Anutin’s new cabinet will be sworn in next Wednesday before King Maha Vajiralongkorn, according to local media reports on Friday.

With the legalization of marijuana as one of his political achievements when he was health minister, Anutin assumed office as the nation’s 32nd prime minister – the third in two years – on Sep. 7, two days after being elected by parliament, with the support of the party with the most seats in the chamber, the reformist and progressive People’s Power Party (PP).

The PP—the new formation of the party that swept to victory in the 2023 elections, but was prevented from forming a government by the conservative Senate—installed Anutin in power on the condition that he call snap elections by January.

Anutin’s rise to power came after the conservative-leaning Constitutional Court removed former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Aug. 29 for ethical breaches.

Paetongtarn was removed from office for criticizing the powerful military during a conversation with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, triggering a political crisis in Thailand that led Anutin’s party to exit the ruling coalition.

Anutin, who previously also served as interior minister, could now interfere with reforms planned by Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai Party, including those related to the regulation of cannabis sales. 

SOURCE : EFE. |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Pakistan says its nuclear program can be made available to Saudi Arabia under defense pact

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Pakistan says its nuclear program can be made available to Saudi Arabia under defense pact

Dubai, UAE — Pakistan’s defense minister says his nation’s nuclear program “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if needed under the countries’ new defense pact, marking the first specific acknowledgment that Islamabad had put the kingdom under its nuclear umbrella.

Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif’s comments underline the importance of the pact struck this week between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which have had military ties for decades.

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The move is seen by analysts as a signal to Israel, long believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed nation. It comes after Israel’s attack targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar last week killed six people and sparked new concerns among Gulf Arab nations about their safety as the Israel-Hamas war devastated the Gaza Strip and set the region on edge.

Minister’s remarks touch on the nuclear program

Speaking to Geo TV in an interview late Thursday night, Asif made the comments while answering a question on whether “the deterrence that Pakistan gets from nuclear weapons” will be made available to Saudi Arabia.

“Let me make one point clear about Pakistan’s nuclear capability: that capability was established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battlefield,” Asif said.

“What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement,” he added.

The two countries signed a defense deal Wednesday declaring that an attack on one nation would be an attack on both.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, with which both nations have monitoring agreements, did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the Pakistani defense minister’s remarks. Asif criticized Israel in the interview for not fully disclosing its suspected nuclear weapons program to the IAEA.

The pact comes after Israel’s attack on Qatar

Israel has not commented on the two nations’ defense pact. Pakistan long has criticized Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, but has not been directly involved in any war against it. And while neither nation has diplomatic ties to Israel, American officials had sought to mediate a diplomatic recognition deal involving Saudi Arabia before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war.

“We have not named any country whose attack would automatically trigger a retaliatory response. Neither has Saudi Arabia named any country, nor have we,” Asif said in the interview. “This is an umbrella arrangement offered to one another by both sides: if there is aggression against either party — from any side — it will be jointly defended, and the aggression will be met with a response.”

The deal came a week after the attack in Doha as Gulf Arab countries weigh how to defend themselves. Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, have stretched across Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, Syria and Yemen.

Asked if others could join the pact, the minister added: “I can say the door is not closed to others.”

That idea was repeated by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

“It is premature to say anything, but after this development, other countries have also expressed a desire for similar arrangements,” Dar told reporters in London in televised remarks. “Such things follow due process. Even with Saudi Arabia, it took several months to finalize.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have longstanding ties

Saudi Arabia has long been linked to Pakistan’s nuclear program. Retired Pakistani Brig. Gen. Feroz Hassan Khan has said Saudi Arabia provided “generous financial support to Pakistan that enabled the nuclear program to continue, especially when the country was under sanctions.” Pakistan faced U.S. sanctions for years over its pursuit of the bomb, and saw new ones imposed over its ballistic missile work at the end of the Biden administration.

Pakistan developed its nuclear weapons program to counter India’s atomic bombs. The two neighbors have fought multiple wars against each other, and again came close to open warfare after an attack on tourists in April in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India is believed to have an estimated 172 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan has 170, according to the U.S.-published Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

Pakistan’s Shaheen 3 ballistic missile, believed to be able to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, has a maximum range of 2,750 kilometers (1,700 miles) — making it capable of reaching Israel.

SOURCE : AP NEWS |  Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube 

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