Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: The year 2026 has barely begun, yet the early signals for India&rsquo;s economy are already deeply unsettling.&nbsp; In the first week of January alone, India&rsquo;s foreign exchange reserves suffered their sharpest weekly fall in 14 months, dropping by nearly 10 billion dollars to around $552 billion.&nbsp; The decline was not the result of a sudden external shock but of a conscious policy response: the Reserve Bank of India stepped in to sell dollars to defend a weakening rupee.&nbsp; That intervention itself is telling.&nbsp; It signals that currency pressures have intensified to the point that market forces alone are no longer trusted to maintain stability. The rupee&rsquo;s weakness is not new, but its persistence is increasingly problematic.&nbsp; Over the course of 2025, the currency depreciated by nearly 6%, making it Asia&rsquo;s worst-performing unit, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.&nbsp; The slide has continued into the opening days of 2026, with further losses driven by foreign capital outflows and uncertainty surrounding India&rsquo;s external economic relationships. Eroding external confidenceForecasts from major financial institutions suggest the Indian rupee could approach 92 to the dollar by March from the current value of 90.25, a level that would deepen imported inflation, strain corporate balance sheets, and tighten domestic financial conditions.&nbsp; In effect, currency weakness is becoming a mirror of eroding external confidence. Equity markets are reflecting the same anxiety.&nbsp; The new year opened with a sharp selloff that pushed both the Sensex and the Nifty lower, erasing between $140 billion and $166 billion in investor wealth in a matter of days.&nbsp; The immediate trigger was political, renewed warnings from Washington of higher tariffs on Indian goods, but the reaction revealed something more fundamental.&nbsp; Investors are increasingly uneasy about India&rsquo;s exposure to a world in which trade is becoming more politicized, alliances more conditional, and economic relationships more vulnerable to geopolitical shifts. Foreign investors, in particular, are voting with their feet.&nbsp; Largest annual outflow&nbsp;In 2025, foreign portfolio investors sold roughly $18 billion worth of Indian equities, the largest annual outflow on record.&nbsp; The trend has not reversed with the calendar.&nbsp; In the first nine days of 2026 alone, another $1.3 billion has already been pulled out of Indian markets.&nbsp; Capital that once flowed steadily into India&rsquo;s growth story is now retreating, not because growth has vanished, but because the risks surrounding that growth have become harder to price and harder to ignore. Trade tensions with the United States have emerged as one of the most destabilizing forces. Washington has already imposed tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods, partly linked to India&rsquo;s continued purchases of Russian oil.&nbsp; The situation has escalated further with political support in the US for even harsher measures, including proposals for tariffs of up to 500% on imports from countries doing business with Russia.&nbsp; As the world&rsquo;s second-largest buyer of Russian crude after China, India finds itself uncomfortably exposed.&nbsp; Even if such extreme tariffs are never fully implemented, their mere possibility is enough to chill investment, disrupt planning, and inject uncertainty into trade and financial markets. What makes this moment particularly troubling is not any single indicator, but the convergence of pressures.&nbsp; Weakening currency&nbsp;A weakening currency is forcing the central bank to intervene. Falling reserves are signaling external vulnerability.&nbsp; Trade tensions are undermining investor confidence. Capital is flowing out, not in.&nbsp; Together, these forces form a feedback loop in which uncertainty feeds financial stress, and financial stress reinforces uncertainty. India is not facing a crisis in the classic sense.&nbsp; Growth has not collapsed, and the economy retains significant underlying strengths. But the narrative has shifted.&nbsp; For years, India was presented as the world&rsquo;s next great growth engine, stable, predictable, and increasingly central to global supply chains.&nbsp; In 2025, that narrative was replaced by a quieter, more cautious one: the economy is under strain. In 2026, it is only getting worse.

India

In 2025, foreign portfolio investors sold roughly $18 billion worth of Indian equities, the largest annual outflow on record; the trend has not reversed with the calendar. 

2026 starts rough for India: FX reserves drop, stocks lose over $140B

MUMBAI: India is aggressively seeking trade deals to open markets for exporters and soften the blow of steep US tariffs, as efforts to secure an agreement with Washington remain elusive.&nbsp;Relations between Washington and New Delhi plummeted in August after President Donald Trump raised tariffs to 50 percent, a blow that threatens job losses and hurts India&#39;s ambition of becoming a manufacturing and export powerhouse.&nbsp;That pressure, experts say, has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.&nbsp;India signed or operationalized four trade agreements last year, including a major pact with Britain &mdash; the fastest pace of deal-making it has seen in years &mdash; and is now eyeing fresh deals.&nbsp;Negotiations are underway with the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, Mexico, Chile and the South American Mercosur trade bloc, either for new deals or to expand existing agreements.&nbsp;If successful, India would have trade arrangements with &quot;almost every major economy,&quot; said Ajay Srivastava, from the New Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).&nbsp;Srivastava said 2025 was &quot;one of the most active years&quot; for trade agreements, which he said aimed to &quot;spread risk&quot; rather than to pivot from Washington.&nbsp;&#39;Expand its destinations&#39;Washington&#39;s punishing tariffs aimed at stopping India&#39;s purchases of Russian oil &mdash; which it says finances Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine &mdash; have driven New Delhi&#39;s desire to grow other markets.&nbsp;&quot;The strategy was a reaction, as I read it, to what Trump did,&quot; trade economist Biswajit Dhar told AFP. &quot;This has now become an imperative for India to actually expand its destinations.&quot;&nbsp;Major deals will help labor-intensive sectors hurt by tariffs.&nbsp;India&#39;s apparel export promotion council projects that the UK trade deal could help double garment exports to Britain over the next three years.&nbsp;The gains from a potential EU agreement could be even bigger.&nbsp;European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expected to visit New Delhi later in January, has said it would be the &quot;largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world&quot;.&nbsp;Although the two sides missed a deadline to conclude talks by the end of 2025 &mdash; reportedly over disputes related to steel and auto exports &mdash; Indian negotiators remain optimistic.&nbsp;German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, holding talks on &quot;intensifying cooperation in trade and investment&quot;, Modi&#39;s office said in a statement.&nbsp;Smaller agreements also matter.&nbsp;Trade between Oman and India totaled less than $11 billion last financial year, but a December deal with Muscat offers &quot;a gateway to the broader Middle East and Africa markets&quot;, and a template for a wider &quot;Gulf engagement strategy&quot;, analysts at Nomura suggested.&nbsp;And while a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand added little to Indian export growth, it secured $20 billion in foreign investment, increased visa access and showed Washington that New Delhi is willing to compromise.&nbsp;&quot;The New Zealand FTA makes concessions on agricultural produce like apples, even though farmers here may have concerns,&quot; said an Indian commerce ministry official, who declined to be identified.&nbsp;&quot;Who says we can&#39;t be flexible?&quot;&nbsp;&#39;Eggs in one basket&#39;&nbsp;India&#39;s goods exports rose a surprising 19 percent in November 2025, reversing an October decline.&nbsp;While the surge was helped by electronics shipments &mdash; still exempt from US tariffs &mdash; marine product exports also posted gains.&nbsp;&quot;Diversification has certainly happened,&quot; KN Raghavan, of the Seafood Exporter Association of India said.&nbsp;&quot;We have increased exports to the EU and China,&quot; he said, adding they were the top markets after the United States.&nbsp;But exporters caution that alternative markets cannot fully replace the United States, with Raghavan saying a US deal is &quot;paramount&quot;.&nbsp;That remains in limbo.&nbsp;India&#39;s imports of Russian oil fell sharply in December to 1.2 million barrels per day from 1.8 million per day in November, according to Kpler trade data.&nbsp;It is unclear if that will be enough for Trump.&nbsp;Pankaj Chadha, chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council, said diversification had become a necessity to lessen dependence on the &quot;biggest and the most lucrative&quot; market.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s better not to put all your eggs in one basket,&quot; he said.

Experts says the pressure from the United States to stop buying Russian oil has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.


India eyes new markets with US trade deal limbo

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: India on Friday said it is &ldquo;closely following the developments&rdquo; on a proposed US legislation that seeks to impose 500% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, Indian media reported. Reacting to the proposed legislation, India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said: &ldquo;We are aware of the proposed bill. We are closely following the developments. Our position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well known. In this endeavor, we are guided by the evolving dynamics of the global market and by the imperative to secure affordable energy from diverse sources to meet the energy security needs of our 1.4 billion people,&rdquo; the MEA said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 417px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009574142857908257&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=0dfc7bbdac468c5b6e22137503d5558da1ddc4b8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2009574142857908257"></iframe></div></div>India is once again facing the heat of a proposed US law that would seek to levy as much as 500% tariffs on countries for buying Russian oil, after US Senator Lindsey Graham said President Donald Trump has &ldquo;greenlit&rdquo; the Russia sanctions bill. &lsquo;Tremendous leverage&rsquo; against IndiaGraham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said: &ldquo;This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India, and Brazil to incentivize them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for [Vladimir] Putin&rsquo;s bloodbath against Ukraine.&rdquo; The bill, titled the &ldquo;Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025&rdquo;, enables the US administration to impose tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil, gas, and uranium, among other goods. &ldquo;The President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services,&rdquo; according to the bill. Trade deal stalemate&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, a planned India&ndash;US trade deal stalled because Prime Minister Narendra Modi <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-commerce-secretary-blames-modi-call-for-india-trade-deal-stalemate" style="color:#0073e6;">did not call </a>President Donald Trump, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed on Friday. Lutnick made the remarks in an interview on the All-In podcast, a US business and technology show hosted by four venture capitalists.&nbsp; He said, &ldquo;It&#39;s all set up, and you have got to have Modi call the president,&rdquo; and they were uncomfortable doing it. So Modi didn&#39;t call.&rdquo;

India again faces pressure from a proposed US law seeking tariffs up to 500% on countries buying Russian oil, after Senator Lindsey Graham said President Donald Trump has greenlit the Russia sanctions bill.

‘Closely following developments’: India on US bill seeking to impose 500% tariff 

ISLAMABAD: A planned India&ndash;US trade deal stalled because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed on Friday.&nbsp;Lutnick made the remarks in an interview on the All-In podcast, a US business and technology show hosted by four venture capitalists. He said, &ldquo;It&#39;s all set up, and you have got to have Modi call the president,&rdquo; and they were uncomfortable doing it. So Modi didn&#39;t call.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to Lutnick&rsquo;s comments, the Indian foreign office said the &ldquo;characterization of these discussions in the reported remarks is not accurate.&rdquo;&nbsp;Bilateral trade talks between Washington and New Delhi had previously collapsed, a situation that worsened when Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods in August last year to 50%, the highest rate in the world. This included a 25% levy in retaliation for Indian purchases of Russian oil.&nbsp;The deadlock contrasted sharply with early optimism, when leaders from both countries had pledged to &ldquo;double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030,&rdquo; according to Indian media reports.&nbsp;Additional friction arose over India&rsquo;s continued imports of Russian oil, prompting the US to impose what it described as &ldquo;punitive&rdquo; tariffs.

New Delhi–Washington trade talks falter as tariffs rise to 50%, risking bilateral trade growth and straining agreements aimed at doubling commerce to $500 billion by 2030

US commerce secretary blames Modi call for India trade deal stalemate

ISLAMABAD: Fears of large-scale voter disenfranchisement have intensified after the Election Commission of India (EC) released draft electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025, showing massive deletions across nine states and three Union Territories, Indian media reported on Wednesday. Preliminary figures indicate that nearly 13% of electors have been removed so far, a number that could translate into close to 110 million voters losing their voting rights if not adequately corrected. The most striking case is Uttar Pradesh, where the draft rolls show 28.9 million fewer voters than the previous list, nearly 18.7% of the state&rsquo;s electorate. Similar patterns have emerged elsewhere: around 5.8 million voters were deleted in West Bengal (7.6%), 2.408 million in Kerala (8%), and 9.73 million in Tamil Nadu. BJP-ruled states have also seen sharp reductions, with about 4.2 million deletions in Madhya Pradesh, 41.85% of voters removed in Rajasthan, and at least 7.3 million deletions in Gujarat as per the draft electoral rolls. The EC maintains that most deletions involve duplicate entries, deceased voters, or those who have permanently shifted or were absent during verification. While a month-long window has been provided for objections and corrections, the final number of deletions is likely to be around two or three per cent less than the currently known figure. &lsquo;Opacity and arbitrariness&rsquo;Opposition parties, however, have raised serious concerns over the transparency and design of the SIR process. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the EC of &ldquo;opacity, arbitrariness and informality,&rdquo; alleging procedural violations and misuse of IT systems. The Congress, DMK and Left parties have echoed similar objections, warning that the exercise is being conducted in a hurried and ad hoc manner. &lsquo;Fundamentally flawed&rsquo;&nbsp;Political scientist Yogendra Yadav has described the 2025 SIR as fundamentally flawed, arguing that it places the entire burden of proving eligibility and even citizenship on voters, unlike the 2002 revision, which relied on trained enumerators and existing records. He has also highlighted disproportionate deletions among women, migrants and residents of net in-migration states. With the EC yet to release detailed data on wrongful exclusions, critics warn that unless corrective measures are taken urgently, the SIR could result in unprecedented mass disenfranchisement, undermining the credibility of India&rsquo;s electoral process. Exclusion of over 6 million namesIndia launched a revision of its voter rolls on Nov. 4, 2025, expanding a contentious exercise that activists warn could fuel disenfranchisement in the world&#39;s largest democracy, according to an AFP report. The three-month voter registration overhaul, the SIR &mdash; kicked off in 12 states and territories, many of which are slated to hold local elections next year. Earlier last year, the ECI conducted a similar revision in the eastern state of <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-opposition-criticizes-ruling-bjp-of-voter-purge-driving-bihar-election-victory" style="color:#0073e6;">Bihar</a>, home to more than 130 million people, ahead of its state elections. The process led to the exclusion of around 6.5 million names, which the ECI said was necessary to prevent the inclusion of &quot;foreign illegal immigrants.&quot;

Preliminary figures indicate that nearly 13% of electors have been removed so far, a number that could translate into close to 110 million voters losing their voting rights if not adequately corrected, Indian media reported.

Deletions in draft electoral rolls trigger fears of disenfranchisement in India 

ISLAMABAD: India reached out to three senior Trump administration officials on May 10, 2025, the day a ceasefire was announced following the Pakistan-India conflict, to discuss &quot;media coverage&quot; of the clash, according to a report published by India&rsquo;s The Hindu.&nbsp; The newspaper cites filings made under law by SHW LLC, a US-based lobbying firm,&nbsp;under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) with the US Department of Justice. The disclosures contradict the Indian government&rsquo;s repeated denials of any US involvement in bringing about a ceasefire to the May 2025 conflict. FARA filings, including 60 entries made in December 2025, reveal a significant disconnect between India&#39;s public denials of US involvement in mediating the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict and the extensive behind-the-scenes lobbying efforts New Delhi undertook during the operation.&nbsp; While the documents do not specify whether the May 10 calls were made before or after the ceasefire announcement, The Hindu reports that &quot;they indicate close interaction on [the] day.&quot; This is when both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly claimed credit for brokering the end to hostilities. $1.8 million contractAccording to the newspaper, India relied on&nbsp;SHW LLC to facilitate high-level outreach to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and National Security Council official Ricky Gill. They were hired two days after the Pahalgam attack, the filings show. The firm is led by Jason Miller, Trump&#39;s former spokesperson and senior adviser during his 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential campaigns. The annual contract is worth $1.8 million, paid in quarterly installments of $450,000. SHW had no other clients during the period covered by the filings. Pakistan&#39;s consistent positionThroughout the conflict, Pakistan maintained it had not sought third-party mediation and that Kashmir remained a bilateral issue. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told Al Jazeera that when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered to facilitate dialogue on May 10, Rubio informed him that &quot;India says that it is a bilateral issue&quot; and does not support outside involvement.&nbsp; Dar stated, &quot;Unless India wishes to have dialogue, we can&#39;t force dialogue.&quot; A timeline of contact refutes constant denial&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s&nbsp;government has repeatedly denied that the US played any role in mediating the four-day Pakistan-India conflict. India&#39;s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said India did not accept mediation &ldquo;at any level.&rdquo; Modi said that operations were paused only after Pakistan sought a ceasefire. On May 10, approximately 30 minutes after Trump&#39;s announcement, India&#39;s Foreign Secretary held a special briefing stating that Pakistan&#39;s Director General of Military Operations had initiated contact with his Indian counterpart. On May 12, Modi stated in a national address that the conflict, which India codenamed &quot;Operation Sindoor,&quot; was paused after Pakistan &quot;pleaded&quot; for a ceasefire.&nbsp; On June 17, during a phone call with Trump at the G7 Summit, Modi explicitly told the US president that India had never discussed a trade deal or accepted US mediation at any level during Operation Sindoor, according to Indian government statements. However, FARA filings provide a detailed account of intensive engagement with American officials during the same period. Of the 60 entries, 30 telephone calls show the lobbying firm contacted officials at the White House, the US Trade Representative&rsquo;s office, and the Department of Commerce, with the stated purpose in multiple calls being discussions on the &quot;status of US-India trade conversations.&quot; India launched Operation Sindoor on May 6-7, carrying out strikes on what it described as militant targets in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has consistently denied the presence of any such entities. Hostilities escalated over the following days, including aerial engagements, drone attacks, and cross-border fire, before a ceasefire was announced on May 10. On May 7, during active combat operations, lobbying firm SHW contacted Fox News anchor Bret Baier to &quot;pitch a media interview with Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra to discuss Operation Sindoor,&quot; the filings show. On the day of the ceasefire, the filings show four separate contacts by SHW with senior US officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, National Security Council officials, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. All four were logged as discussions on &ldquo;media coverage&rdquo; of Operation Sindoor. Greer was contacted twice on the same day. &lsquo;Standard practice&rsquo;The Indian Embassy did not deny the filings when contacted by The Hindu but said hiring lobbyists is &quot;standard practice&quot; to &quot;augment outreach.&quot; The embassy stated it &quot;has hired such firms, consistent with local practice and requirements, under successive governments since the 1950s,&quot; but did not respond to specific questions about the May 10 contacts or why lobbying firms were asked to arrange meetings with senior US officials. &quot;Such meetings are routinely sought by the mission directly,&quot; officials stated, noting that lobbyists are typically hired &quot;for advice and to understand the landscape&quot; but that &quot;meetings and calls are made between diplomats directly.&quot; The filings also document that SHW made calls to White House officials to &quot;flag&quot; social media posts by Modi praising Trump, including after the president made positive comments about bilateral ties on Sept. 6, and after Modi congratulated Trump on a Gaza peace proposal on Oct. 9.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with US President Donald Trump (right) at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025. (AFP/File)

The Hindu reports that India's embassy in the US contacted three senior Trump officials on May 10, the ceasefire day, to discuss 'media coverage,' according to filings made by the lobbying firm hired by India, contradicting the government's repeated denials of US involvement in the May 2025 ceasefire.

India reached out to US on day of ceasefire with Pakistan: Indian media

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The International Cricket Council (ICC), chaired by Jay Shah, has reportedly rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to shift Bangladesh&rsquo;s matches out of India for the upcoming ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup. Shah, who assumed charge as ICC chair in August 2024, previously served as secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the decision was conveyed to the BCB during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, where the ICC informed the Bangladesh board that it would not consider relocating the fixtures.&nbsp; The governing body is also understood to have warned that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points. However, the BCB has denied receiving any such ultimatum, stating that the ICC has relayed no formal communication to that effect. Neither the ICC nor the BCCI has issued an official statement on the outcome of Tuesday&rsquo;s meeting, which was convened after the BCB wrote to the ICC on Sunday requesting it to &ldquo;consider&rdquo; moving Bangladesh&rsquo;s matches outside India. Last week, the BCB said&nbsp;it had &quot;formally requested&quot; the ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-say-will-not-play-t20-world-cup-matches-if-in-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">shift their games to Sri Lanka</a>.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&quot;The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,&quot; a BCB statement read. The development comes less than a month before the 20-team T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held across India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 7 to March 8.&nbsp; Bangladesh, placed in Group C, are set to play their first three matches in Kolkata, against the West Indies on Feb. 7, Italy on Feb. 9, and England on Feb. 14, before facing Nepal in Mumbai on Feb. 17. The BCB&rsquo;s concerns reportedly stem from a recent decision by the BCCI to instruct IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-drops-bangladeshi-star-from-ipl-amid-political-pressure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman,</a>&nbsp;who was bought at the December auction for INR 9.2 crore (about $1.02 million).&nbsp;The decision was confirmed to the media by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, though no reason was provided for the release. It remains unclear who was involved in the decision, as the IPL Governing Council is understood not to have convened to discuss the matter. Mustafizur was the only Bangladesh player selected at the 2026 IPL auction.

Cricket

Warns that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points.

Jay Shah-led ICC refuses to shift Bangladesh matches out of India: Report

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Indian-occupied Kashmir have summoned a local cricketer for police questioning after a video showing him wearing a helmet bearing a Palestinian flag triggered an online backlash, drawing criticism over India&rsquo;s intolerance of political expression.&nbsp;According to Indian local media, police in Jammu have launched a 14-day preliminary inquiry into the incident, which occurred during a local league match, citing the &ldquo;sensitivity of the matter&rdquo; and its potential implications for public order.&nbsp;The reports said the inquiry would examine the facts of the case, the player&rsquo;s intent, and whether any further action is warranted, as stated by a police official.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006794264928465220&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=60131b389dd71f617da7bccbeeb97ec027094349&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The cricketer, identified by police as Furqan-ul-Haq, is a resident of Pulwama district in south Kashmir. The video, widely shared on social media, shows him wearing the helmet while participating in a match of the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League at Muthi, around 10 kilometres from Jammu city. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 735px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006953088595460246&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=60131b389dd71f617da7bccbeeb97ec027094349&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>According to police officials, objections were raised by players from the opposing team after Furqan walked in to bat for his side, JK Eleven Kings, against Jammu Trail Blazers. He was subsequently asked to leave the field and did not take further part in the match.&nbsp;An official of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), Brigadier Anil Gupta, said the tournament was privately organized and did not fall under the association&rsquo;s jurisdiction. &ldquo;The matter was brought to our notice, but it is being dealt with by the local police,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Police confirmed that both Furqan and the organizers of the tournament were later called to a police station for questioning as part of the inquiry.&nbsp;Last month, United Nations human rights experts sharply criticised New Delhi&rsquo;s security crackdown in Indian-occupied Kashmir, warning that counter-terrorism operations launched after the April 22 Pahalgam attack had led to mass detentions, alleged torture, collective punishment, and sweeping restrictions on civil liberties.&nbsp;In a statement, the UN said Indian authorities detained around 2,800 people, including journalists and human rights defenders, under laws allowing prolonged detention without trial, reported punitive house demolitions without due process, imposed communication blackouts, and blocked thousands of social media accounts.&nbsp;While condemning the attack, the experts stressed that India&rsquo;s response violated international human rights law and called for the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.&nbsp;The incident with Kashmiri cricketer has reignited concerns among rights advocates over shrinking space for political expression in Indian-occupied Kashmir, where athletes and civilians alike increasingly face scrutiny and punitive action for symbolic acts deemed politically sensitive by authorities.

India summons Kashmiri cricketer over Palestinian flag, prompting criticism amid broader UN warnings of repression, mass detentions, and shrinking free expression in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

India probes Kashmiri cricketer over Palestinian flag, raising free speech concerns

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday rejected the &ldquo;irresponsible assertions&rdquo; made by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, saying that New Delhi was again seeking to &ldquo;deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.&rdquo; Although Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs&rsquo; press release did not make a specific mention of the remarks by the Indian minister, its censure came after Indian media reported Jaishankar as saying on Friday that New Delhi had a right to defend itself against terrorism while talking about &ldquo;bad neighbors.&rdquo; &ldquo;You can also have bad neighbors &hellip; unfortunately, we do. When you have bad neighbors &hellip; if you look to the one to the West &mdash; if a country decides that they will deliberately, persistently, unrepentantly continue with terrorism, we have a right to defend our people against terrorism,&rdquo; Jaishankar was quoted as saying by Indian media. Speaking in reference to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the Indian external affairs minister said: &ldquo;Many years ago we agreed to a water-sharing arrangement &mdash; the belief was it was gesture of goodwill &mdash; because of good neighborliness we were doing it &hellip; but if you have decades of terrorism there is no good neighborliness and you don&rsquo;t get the benefit of good neighborliness.&rdquo; In response to media queries regarding remarks made by the Indian Minister of External Affairs about Pakistan, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Andrabi, stated: &ldquo;Pakistan firmly rejects the irresponsible assertions made by the Indian External Affairs Minister. Once again, India seeks to deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 875px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007347186431078670&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b7c3715df63b46b2e18cb457e1c44c887d4d1889&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Andrabi said, &ldquo;India&rsquo;s documented involvement in promoting terrorist activities in the region, particularly in Pakistan, is well known.&rdquo; &ldquo;The case of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav remains a stark example of organized, state-sponsored terrorism directed against Pakistan.&rdquo; Andrabi said, &ldquo;equally concerning are recurring instances of extraterritorial killings, sabotage through proxies, and covert support to terrorist networks.&rdquo; &ldquo;This pattern is consistent with the extremist ideology of Hindutva and its violent proponents,&rdquo; the spokesperson said. Andrabi further underlined that &ldquo;India continues its illegal and violent military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to extend full political, moral, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle to realize their right to self-determination, as enshrined in relevant UN Security Council resolutions.&rdquo; The IWT is &ldquo;an international agreement concluded in good faith and at considerable cost.&rdquo; &ldquo;Any unilateral violation of the Treaty by India would undermine regional stability and call into question its credibility as a state that claims to respect international legal obligations. Pakistan will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights under the Treaty,&rdquo; Andrabi said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan rejects remarks by Indian External Affairs Minister, calling them ‘irresponsible’; says India seeks to deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism.

Pakistan rejects Jaishankar’s ‘irresponsible assertions’, warns against Indus treaty violations

ISLAMABAD: A recent verification drive in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has drawn public attention in India after an SHO (Station House Officer) reportedly told residents he could determine their nationality using a mobile phone, said an Indian media report Friday. The incident occurred on December 23, 2025, at Bhowapur slum, a settlement of roughly 50 shanties, in Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, where SHO Ajay Sharma and his team conducted document checks. According to the Indian media report, Sharma asked a slum dweller to show his identity card. When the man identified himself as a resident of Araria district in Bihar, the SHO reportedly asked if he was from Bihar or Bangladesh. Sharma then told the man that he had a machine, a mobile phone, that could &ldquo;immediately&rdquo; detect if someone was an &ldquo;illegal.&rdquo; The phone was placed on the man&rsquo;s back, and Sharma remarked that it showed &ldquo;Bangladesh.&rdquo; The resident insisted he was from Bihar and that no Bangladeshi was present in the slum. A video clip of the incident that surfaced on social media has prompted widespread discussion. Sharma defended his actions, telling an Indian media outlet that he &ldquo;tried to put pressure on them so that they reveal their true identity&rdquo; and that no one was harassed. A senior police officer clarified that the verification was part of a routine foot march during the Christmas and New Year period, but added that no orders for such methods had come from senior officials. Journalist Mohammed Zubair highlighted the incident on X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 1, questioning whether the police had a new device to detect citizenship.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 601px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006682102436413601&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f953ae37638cf094fd17f8066aa73d6c72aa1f0a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In response, the Ghaziabad Police Commissioner stated that these verification exercises are part of ongoing efforts to maintain law and order, and document checks are conducted to ensure accuracy.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 730px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006742625597247777&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f953ae37638cf094fd17f8066aa73d6c72aa1f0a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to the media report, Commissioner J. Ravindra Goud said the video was under review and added, &ldquo;If any person is harassed by police, we will take action.&rdquo; The episode has sparked debate over police methods, citizen dignity, and the appropriateness of using technology in identity verification, particularly in vulnerable slum communities.

Police officer tells man that he has a mobile phone that can ‘immediately’ detect if someone is an illegal resident.

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