https://www.clearskiesmagazine.com/

Clear Skies Mag, Diplomatic Enclave sector G-5 Islamabad, Islamabad (2025)

Q: What is the address?

Diplomatic Enclave Sector G-5 Islamabad

30/07/2025

Imran Khan's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, have returned to London after meeting several US congressmen to advocate for their father's release from prison. However, they didn't secure an official meeting with the Donald Trump administration. This has sparked an internal conflict within the overseas chapters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, especially the US branch, which organized these meetings.

The sons met with congressmen like Brad Sherman, Mike Levin, Gregory Meeks, Jim Costa, Ted Lieu, Bill Huizenga, Andy Harris, and Joe Wilson. They also met with US President Donald Trump's key aide, Richard Grenell, but this meeting wasn't officially planned. It happened when Grenell was already meeting with a Sikh delegation, and sources say it was more of a photo op than a substantive discussion.

PTI sources claim there was no official meeting with the Trump administration, and Grenell wasn't prepared for the encounter. He even questioned his staffer about the sudden meeting and had to indirectly mention PAKPAC to cover himself. Some within the PTI feel the meetings were more about self-projection than securing Imran Khan's release.

Despite this, one of the people who arranged the meetings considers them successful, saying Imran Khan's sons raised their father's issue with key congressmen. Grenell did promise to raise the issue and tweeted his support, urging the brothers to "stay strong".

Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023, serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case, and faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Grenell's tweet emphasized global opposition to political prosecutions, saying, "There are millions of people around the world who are sick of political prosecutions. You are not alone".

Muhammad Khan Imran Khan

30/07/2025

US President Donald Trump announced that the US will slap a 25% tariff on goods imported from India starting August 1. Trump also mentioned an unspecified penalty for India, but didn't give details on what that's for. He justified this move by saying India's tariffs are super high, among the world's highest, and they've got really tough non-monetary trade barriers. Trump criticized India's close ties with Russia, pointing out they buy most of their military gear from Russia and are one of Russia's biggest energy buyers, alongside China, which is a big concern given the Ukraine situation.

This tariff decision crushes hopes for a limited trade agreement between the US and India, which had been in the works for months. Negotiators from both sides had multiple talks to sort out issues, especially regarding American agricultural and dairy products. However, India wasn't keen on opening up to imports like wheat, corn, and genetically modified soybeans, worried about its farmers' livelihoods.

The new tariffs will likely hit India's $87 billion goods exports to the US, which include labor-intensive products like garments, pharmaceuticals, and gems. The US currently has a $45.7 billion trade deficit with India. This move is part of Trump's "Liberation Day" trade policy, aiming to reshape US trade relations by demanding more reciprocity. The White House had previously warned India about its high tariffs, nearly 39% on agricultural products.

This is a setback, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump's earlier commitments to wrap up the first phase of a trade deal by autumn 2025 and boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. US exports to India, like manufacturing and energy products, might face retaliatory action if India chooses to respond in kind. Despite this, Indian officials see the US as a key strategic partner, especially to counterbalance China, but they want to preserve policy space on areas like agriculture and data governance.

Muhammad Khan Donald J. Trump Narendra Modi

30/07/2025

US President Donald Trump has given Russia a 10-day ultimatum to end its three-year war in Ukraine, or face tariffs and sanctions. Trump shared this while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, saying he hasn't heard back from Russian officials and time is running out. He's not worried about oil prices, confident that the US can boost its own production to offset any impact.

Trump's frustration with Russia is clear, especially after Moscow refused to agree to a ceasefire. This new deadline shows Trump's ready to act on his sanctions threat, which he previously hesitated on. In Scotland, he even threatened secondary sanctions on countries still buying Russian exports unless progress is made.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has already discussed secondary sanctions with Chinese officials, warning Beijing that continuing to purchase Russian oil could lead to steep tariffs. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev criticized Trump's move, saying he's playing "a game of ultimatums" that could lead to a US-involved war.

Trump's also dealing with pressure to secure a Gaza peace deal. He's touted his past successes in resolving conflicts between India and Pakistan, and Rwanda and Congo. Back in January, Trump campaigned on ending the Russia-Ukraine war in just a single day.

Muhammad Khan Donald J. Trump

30/07/2025

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK is ready to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly, unless Israel takes concrete steps to improve the situation for Palestinians. This move would make the UK the second Western power on the UN Security Council to do so, after France's announcement last week. This reflects Israel's growing isolation due to its actions in Gaza, where over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed and a humanitarian disaster is unfolding.

Starmer specified that Israel needs to allow more aid into Gaza, assure no annexation of the West Bank, and commit to a long-term peace process leading to a "two-state solution" - where Palestine and Israel coexist peacefully. He emphasized the immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, citing starving babies and children too weak to stand, and stressed that this suffering must end.

The UK government will assess the situation in September to see if Israel has met these conditions, but Starmer made it clear that no one will have a veto over the UK's decision. This announcement comes after Starmer recalled his cabinet during summer holidays to discuss a new European peace plan and ways to deliver more humanitarian aid to Gaza's 2.2 million people.

This isn't a sudden shift; successive UK governments have said they'd recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right. The pressure has been building, especially from Starmer's own Labour Party lawmakers, who want to recognize Palestine to pressure Israel, given the starvation warnings from international aid agencies. France's recent move to recognize Palestine, announced by President Emmanuel Macron, brought this issue to the forefront. Israel strongly opposed France's decision, calling it a reward for Hamas.

Starmer's stance on Israel has evolved over time. When he was opposition leader at the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, he fully supported Israel's right to defend itself. However, since becoming prime minister, his approach has become tougher. His government has dropped the previous challenge to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and suspended some weapon sales to Israel. Recently, the UK sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence against Palestinians.

Muhammad Khan

30/07/2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing government is facing another major diplomatic embarrassment, this time from the US, which is supposed to be a strategic ally. US President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a key pro-Khalistan activist and General Counsel for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), reaffirming his commitment to protecting American values and citizens' rights. This is a huge blow to New Delhi, especially since it's happening right before the Khalistan referendum on August 17 in Washington, DC.

The letter, dated July 24, 2025, and bearing the official White House seal, was shared by Pannun on X (formerly Twitter). Pannun welcomed Trump's stance, seeing it as a response to SFJ's campaign to check India's "assassination regime's trade imbalance", protect pro-Khalistan Sikhs from India's cross-border repression, and support the Sikh community's right to self-determination. Trump assured in his letter that "My Administration puts our citizens, our values, and our Nation FIRST… ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity worldwide".

In the letter, Trump praised American strength and emphasized prioritizing domestic security, justice, and economic revival. He said, "As President, I will always fight for the values that bind us together as Americans—freedom, justice, and faith". Trump also mentioned signing an Executive Order on his first day in office to prioritize American interests and freezing foreign aid for 90 days to reassess its impact.

This development puts more pressure on India, coming after last year's failed assassination attempt on Pannun, which was orchestrated by India's intelligence agency, RAW. The plot, planned to be carried out on US soil, led to the arrest and indictment of Indian national Nikhil Gupta.

Muhammad Khan Donald J. Trump Narendra Modi

30/07/2025

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that security forces found Pakistani voter IDs and locally made chocolates from three men killed in a gun battle in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Shah said these three were terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, which killed several citizens. He told parliament that India has "a lot of proof" the dead men were Pakistanis, citing the recovered IDs and Pakistani chocolates. Forensic tests also matched their rifles to the April attack ¹.

The Pahalgam attack happened in a tourist valley, with the attackers fleeing into nearby pine forests. This sparked a four-day intense fight between India and Pakistan. Unfortunately for India, they suffered an embarrassing loss when Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in retaliation for India's Operation Sindoor. During the 87-hour conflict, Pakistan downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones. The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.

Adding to this, India launched a new covert operation called "Operation Mahadev" to cover up its recent failures against Pakistan. This operation involves staging fake encounters and framing detained Pakistanis as cross-border terrorists to suppress the freedom movement in IIOJK and boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government credibility. The Indian military plans to use Pakistani detainees in these staged operations, killing them and declaring them terrorists who crossed the border.

Muhammad Khan Narendra Modi

28/07/2025

India has launched a new covert military operation called "Operation Mahadev" to cover up its recent failures in conflict with Pakistan. The plan, according to security sources, involves reviving fake encounter tactics and framing illegally detained Pakistanis as cross-border terrorists. This is basically India's way of trying to save face after its earlier campaign, Operation Sindoor, failed miserably.

The Indian military is staging fake operations under Operation Mahadev to suppress the growing freedom movement in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and to boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government credibility. They're using Pakistani detainees already in Indian jails, killing them, and then declaring them terrorists who crossed the border. This is super concerning, especially since Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that 723 Pakistanis are illegally detained in Indian jails, including 56 individuals forcibly held by Indian intelligence agencies.

After the false flag operation in Pahalgam, Indian forces resumed these fake encounters, resulting in the deaths of two Kashmiris who accidentally crossed the border on April 24. To back up these fabricated stories, Indian media has been fed images and videos of the bodies and planted weapons. This is all part of India's disinformation campaign, which DG ISPR Chaudhry warned could escalate, with detained Pakistanis being coerced into making anti-Pakistan statements or falsely presented as killed terrorists.

Recall that India suffered a huge loss in May when Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in retaliation for India's Operation Sindoor. During the 87-hour conflict, Pakistan downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones. The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.

Muhammad Khan

28/07/2025

P Chidambaram, India's senior Congress leader and former Home Minister, is super critical of the Modi government for not being transparent about the Pahalgam attack and the follow-up Operation Sindoor. In an interview with The Quint, Chidambaram slammed the government for keeping mum on crucial details like who the attackers were and what's happening with the NIA's investigation. He's basically saying the government's hiding something, maybe tactical mistakes and casualties, and not being upfront with the public. Chidambaram's questioning, like, where are the attackers? Why haven't they been caught or identified? And what about those people who allegedly sheltered the attackers – what happened to them after their arrest was reported?

Chidambaram's also frustrated with the lack of clear communication from the government. He's getting bits and pieces of info from different officers, but why isn't the PM or Defence Minister or Foreign Minister giving a comprehensive statement? When asked what he thinks the government's trying to conceal, Chidambaram speculates that maybe they made tactical errors during Operation Sindoor and re-strategized, but they're not owning up to it. Either that, or the BJP government just can't answer these questions or is deliberately avoiding them.

Chidambaram's also concerned about the NIA's role in the probe, wondering if they've identified the terrorists and where they came from. He's throwing out the possibility that they could be homegrown terrorists, questioning why everyone assumes they came from Pakistan without evidence. And, he's saying the government's also hiding their losses – in any war, both sides suffer losses, so just be honest about it.

Background on this – the Pahalgam attack happened on April 22, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, and was blamed on a security failure by the Modi government. This sparked a military confrontation between Pakistan and India, with Pakistan launching Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in response. After 87 hours of fighting, a ceasefire was brokered by the US, announced by President Donald Trump. Pakistan's acknowledged Trump's role in defusing tensions and even nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

Muhammad Khan

28/07/2025

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says his comments were "misinterpreted and taken out of context". He explained that during his talk at the Atlantic Council in Washington, his reference to Dr. Aafia's case was made while he was answering a question about former PM Imran Khan's legal proceedings in Pakistan.

Dar emphasized that successive PML-N governments have always given full diplomatic and legal support for Dr. Aafia's release and will keep doing so until she's repatriated. He stressed the importance of respecting each country's judicial processes, saying "Every country has its own legal and judicial systems that must be respected — whether it is Pakistan or the United States".

Dar reaffirmed the government's stance on Dr. Aafia's case is "firm and unambiguous". He compared Imran Khan's legal proceedings in Pakistan to Dr. Aafia's prolonged incarceration in the US, noting that her detention shouldn't be seen as a failure of legal procedures since the US followed their judicial system. Dar said, "If Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's imprisonment is the result of a legitimate legal process, then the same interpretation should apply universally".

Dar also mentioned he's personally worked on Dr. Aafia's case, saying "No one should tell us that nothing was done for Aafia. I spoke to Antony Blinken in 2016 for Aafia. We tried consular, legal and even forgiveness for Aafia".

For context, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was convicted in 2010 by a New York federal court for attempted murder and assault and sentenced to 86 years in prison. PM Shehbaz Sharif has been actively supporting her case, writing to former US President Joe Biden seeking clemency and forming a committee to ensure further progress in her case.

Muhammad Khan Ishaq Dar

28/07/2025

President Donald Trump announced that the US will set up "food centres" in to tackle the deepening hunger crisis. These centres will be super accessible, with "no boundaries" and "no fences", so people can easily get the food they need. Trump shared this plan while meeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland.

Both leaders are on the same page about needing a ceasefire in . They discussed what comes next after aid is delivered. For Trump, the top priority is feeding the starving people in . He's not taking a stance on statehood right now. The US has already given $60 million in humanitarian aid, and Trump is urging other countries to step up, too.

Trump talked to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who promised that European countries will significantly boost their aid. Trump and Starmer agree it's a huge humanitarian crisis – Starmer called it "absolutely intolerable" and said the UK public is really moved by what they're seeing. They both stress that food aid needs to get into Gaza ASAP.

Another big concern is getting the hostages held by Hamas released. Trump said Hamas has changed its position and isn't willing to release more hostages. Although Hamas has said it'll release hostages under a ceasefire agreement with Israel, recent talks in Doha fell through after Israel withdrew its delegation.

To help ease the crisis, Israel has done an air drop and promised daily humanitarian pauses in three Gaza areas, plus new safe corridors for aid convoys. Still, UN agencies say this isn't enough to stop the famine-like conditions. Sadly, at least 14 people died from starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll from hunger to 147, including 89 kids. Israel had cut off all supplies to Gaza from March until May, when it reopened with new restrictions. Israel claims it's following international law but needs to prevent aid from going to militants, blaming Hamas for Gaza's suffering.

24/07/2025

Imran Khan's sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, met with Donald Trump's aide, Richard Grenell, on Wednesday. This meeting happened ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) planned protest, which aims to push for Imran Khan's release from prison. Imran Khan, the former prime minister and PTI founder, has been incarcerated since August 2023. He's facing multiple cases, including corruption and terrorism charges, which piled up after he was ousted from power via a no-trust motion in April 2022.

Kasim Khan publicly highlighted his father's imprisonment for the first time in May. In June, he took to X to express concern over Imran Khan's jail conditions, stating that his father has been in solitary confinement for over 700 days, denied access to lawyers, family visits, and even his personal doctor. Kasim called this treatment not justice, but an attempt to isolate and break Imran Khan, who stands for the rule of law, democracy, and Pakistan.

After meeting Sulaiman and Kasim, Grenell, the US special presidential envoy for special missions, posted on X, saying he urged the brothers to "stay strong" during their time in California.

Muhammad Khan Imran Khan

24/07/2025

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Afzal Azeem Pahat, to 10 years in prison each over the May 9 case. The verdict was announced by the ATC after being reserved earlier. On the flip side, the court acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Hamza Azeem Pahat, Rana Tanveer, and Aizaz Rafiq in the same case.

This verdict is another blow to the PTI, founded by Imran Khan. In a similar development, an ATC in Sargodha sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, and other PTI workers to 10 years in prison each for a vandalism case linked to the May 9 riots. Bachar plans to challenge his conviction in the high court, alleging political victimization and constitutional violations.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan strongly criticized the court rulings, stating that the judiciary has "failed" and that the sentences were handed down without fulfilling legal requirements. He emphasized that the people have lost faith in the courts. Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik countered that justice had been served, dismissing PTI's criticism as politically motivated.

The May 9 incidents refer to the violent protests sparked by Imran Khan's arrest, leading to attacks on public properties and military installations like Corps Commander House Lahore, aka Jinnah House. Khan has been behind bars since August 2023, facing charges ranging from corruption to terrorism. These verdicts add to the legal woes of the PTI, which has launched an anti-government campaign set to peak by August 5.

Muhammad Khan Imran Khan

Clear Skies Mag

30/07/2025

30/07/2025

30/07/2025

30/07/2025

30/07/2025

30/07/2025

28/07/2025

28/07/2025

28/07/2025

28/07/2025

24/07/2025

24/07/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category