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Inox Cinema Complex in Srinagar. Hibban, says Shah, is hooked to the e-gaming zone at the complex. As night falls, they make their hour-long journey back to Tral. This very ordinary weekend activity was the stuff of dreams in Kashmir as recent as five years ago. Shah says it is safe now to drive at night, all the way back to Tral. “The Valley has been peaceful in the last few years. Some of the sectors such as tourism and construction have witnessed a boom never seen before,” Shah tells ET. Five years ago, in February 2019, a suicide attack killed 40 Indian soldiers in Pulwama, bringing New Delhi and Islamabad perilously close to a full-blown war. The incident, which happened on the eve of the 2019 general elections, drummed up nationalistic fervour in the rest of India and was one of the factors that helped BJP sweep the polls. And one of the first steps taken by the new government under Narendra Modi was to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution, a provision that granted special status to Jammu & Kashmir. The Centre divided the state into two Union territories: Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. It was an unpopular decision in the Valley but there were no big protests as all local political leaders and separatist-leaning youth were under preventive detention.

₹5,000 crore worth of projects and programmes. PM Modi launched multiple projects related to the tourism sector worth more than ₹1400 crore under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme. Prime Minister launched the 'Chalo India Global Diaspora Campaign' to inspire the Indian diaspora to become Incredible India ambassadors and promote tourism to India.

IMF) will support formulating a new economic programme for Pakistan if its new government asks for one, a spokesperson said on Friday, and added that the fund encourages fair resolution of all electoral disputes. Pakistan's cash-strapped economy is struggling to stabilise after securing a $3 billion standby arrangement from the IMF last summer, with record inflation, rupee devaluation and shrinking foreign reserves.

Shehbaz Sharif after taking oath as Pakistan's new PM for a second time, nearly four weeks after an uncertain national election caused delays in the formation of a coalition government. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi wrote, “Congratulations to @CMShehbaz on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan." Shehbaz Sharif on Monday officially took up office at a swearing-in ceremony at the presidential office in the nation's capital, Islamabad, a day after parliament elected him prime minister despite protests from lawmakers aligned with jailed former premier Imran Khan.

Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Sunday announced that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was elected as its chairman following fresh intra-party polls. The party was forced to hold the election to elect key office holders after its elections of last year were not accepted as legal by the Election Commission of Pakistan which also deprived it of the iconic symbol of cricket bat. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PTI's spokesperson and Chief Election Commissioner Raoof Hasan announced that Gohar was elected unopposed as the chairman.

The Indian Express. Pakistan has also decided to hold its National Day celebrations in New Delhi for the first time since 2019. For India until May this year -- when the Lok Sabha poll results would be declared, it will be a wait and watch situation to assess the vision of the Pakistan’s military-backed new Sharif-Zardari government.

supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party have been arrested from different parts of Punjab province of Pakistan for staging rallies against alleged vote rigging, police said on Sunday. On the call of party founder Imran Khan, supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party held protests across Pakistan on Saturday against the alle-ged «massive rigging» in the February 8 general elections. Most arrests took place in Lahore where newly elected Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz ordered a clamp down on the protesting PTI supporters.

China has rolled over a $2 billion loan to Pakistan, caretaker finance minister Shamshad Akhtar confirmed in a response to Reuters on Thursday. The $2 billion loan was due in March and has been extended for one year, Geo News which first reported the news said, citing sources in the Pakistan finance ministry. Beijing had communicated the decision to Islamabad, it added.

Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan is writing a letter to the International Monetary Fund urging it to link any talks with Islamabad to an audit of the country’s recent election

Pakistan political parties said on Tuesday that they had reached a formal agreement to form a coalition government, ending ten days of intense negotiations after an inconclusive national election did not return a clear majority. The agreement between Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of three-time Premier Nawaz Sharif ends days of uncertainty and negotiations after the Feb. 8 elections produced a hung national assembly.

Tabadlab, a think tank based in Islamabad, presents a grim outlook on Pakistan's economic condition, characterizing its debt situation as an «intense blaze» and significantly more severe than the International Monetary Fund's evaluation of being «close to» manageable. With debt levels reaching alarming highs, Pakistan faces the grim prospect of an «inevitable default,» which could trigger a devastating economic spiral.

prohibitory orders here in Pakistan's capital as jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party began nationwide protests against alleged rigging and stealing of its mandate in the recent elections. Criticising the outcome of the polls, which saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party-backed independent candidates emerging as the largest group by winning over 90 National Assembly seats, the PTI announced holding countrywide «peaceful protests» against what it termed «record-high rigging». The protests began with a march in Wana in South Waziristan of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Imran Khan's party has decided to sit in the Opposition in Parliament while launching a countrywide protest against alleged rigging in the elections after its efforts to form the next government failed. Pakistan's major political parties have stepped up efforts to form a federal government after the February 8 elections delivered a split verdict, according to a report published by the news agency PTI. While Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed independent candidates dominated the election results, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) claimed to have enough numbers to form the government as some independents joined the Nawaz Sharif-led party post-polls.

The people of Pakistan appear to have spoken – if not resoundingly enough, at least loudly – against the army's overwhelming dominance in the country's politics. However, with the recent election results returning a hung parliament, it seems the Pakistan Army remains influential regardless of the popular verdict.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), asserted on Saturday that President Arif Alvi will extend an invitation to his party to form the government because they have gained a majority in the National Assembly, according to Geo News. He claimed that voters used their freedom to vote freely. He said that Form 45 was prepared and the votes were counted by the presiding officers.

An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted bail to jailed former Pakistan premier Imran Khan in 12 cases linked to the May 9 attacks on military installations by his supporters following his arrest in an alleged corruption case.

Amir-Abdollahian on Monday visited Islamabad at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani. This diplomatic engagement took place amidst tension in relations following recent reciprocal strikes between the two countries.

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued visas to the Indian Davis Cup team, including the support staff, to play the Davis Cup World Group -1 Playoff Tie between Pakistan and India. The World Group 1 play-off tie is scheduled to be played at the Islamabad Sports Complex on February 3 and 4.

National Defence University, due to the fear of possible attacks by the militants. The move by the Pakistani authorities to temporarily close down the armed forces run National Defense University, Air University and Bahria University in addition to other institutions, came after a security alert was issued by intelligence organisations about a possible attack on military-linked educational institutions of higher learning. «At least three armed forces-run universities that include the National Defense University, Air University and Bahria University and a few other higher institutions were shut temporarily after intelligence was received about a possible attack on them,» said a source.

Mint explains. Iran launched a missile attack at reported terror camps in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province last week. The target was Jaish al-Adl, which operates in Pakistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province.

Iran's recent air strikes in Pakistan, India has chosen a diplomatic path by refraining from direct comments on Islamabad's subsequent actions. The Indian government's muted response underscores its belief that Iran's targeted strike against the Balochi terror group, Jaish al Adl, aligns with India's persistent stance on the menace of cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. India's Anti-Terror Position The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a press release clarifying India's position on terrorism, with a spokesperson stating, «We will not be commenting on the Pakistan-Iran matter.» This statement follows the government's recent affirmation of its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, expressing understanding for nations resorting to self-defense measures. Historical Alignments India's tacit support for Iran's actions mirrors its own anti-terror operations on Pakistani soil in 2016 and 2019.