Pakistan's growing dependence on 'fixers' reflects diplomatic failure: Report

IANS | May 8, 2026 9:30 PM

Washington, May 8 (IANS) Pakistan appears to be leveraging a web of lobbyists, intermediaries, and influential business and political figures to secure diplomatic opportunities, particularly in situations where Islamabad's formal official channels either fail to deliver results or move too slowly, a report said on Friday.

Pakistan: Islamisation of military consolidates under Asim Munir

IANS | May 8, 2026 9:27 PM

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) The origins of the Pakistani Armed Forces are rooted in the colonial history of British India. When the Indian subcontinent was partitioned into two sovereign states, India and Pakistan, based on the Muslim League's 'Two-Nation Theory', the division extended beyond territory. Resources and personnel, including the military, were also split. The nascent Pakistani state inherited the Muslim segment of the British Indian Army. While India opted to remain a secular democratic state, Pakistan emerged as a state where the military held significant power. Over time, religion was increasingly used as an ideological tool to motivate forces, particularly in the context of its rivalry with India.

Operation Sindoor underscored India's dominant air defence system against Pakistan

IANS | May 8, 2026 9:09 PM

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) India's decisive Operation Sindoor last year, in the aftermath of the heinous Pahalgam terror attack, was followed by 72 hours of operations that underscored a key development — the Indian air defence system had reached a level of maturity decisively defeating Pakistani saturation offensive through indigenous system integration.

How Pakistan missed $8bn FDI opportunity from China

IANS | May 8, 2026 9:03 PM

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Pakistan's Investment Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh has admitted that the country has lost an opportunity to attract over $8bn in foreign direct investment, mostly from China, and generate half a million industrial jobs between 2018 and 2024, according to an article in the local media.

ITTF World Team Table Tennis Finals: China avenges S. Korea to reach men's semis

IANS | May 8, 2026 8:35 PM

London, May 8 (IANS) China avenged their group stage loss with a 3-0 victory over South Korea in the men's quarterfinals at the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals on Friday. World No. 1 Wang Chuqin gave China the lead with a five-game victory over Oh Jun-sung, who had scored two points in a 3-1 win over China in the group match with Wang rested.

India offers $50 billion aircraft leasing opportunity: Ram Mohan Naidu​

IANS | May 8, 2026 8:23 PM

Gandhinagar, May 8 (IANS) Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Friday that India’s commercial airlines currently have outstanding deliveries of 1,640 aircraft, which translates into a $50 billion opportunity for the country’s leasing ecosystem over the coming decade.​

Reconstructed Jaish terror complex exposes Pakistan's counter-terrorism compliance

IANS | May 8, 2026 8:15 PM

Tel Aviv, May 8 (IANS) Pakistan has long portrayed itself as both a victim of terrorism and a partner in the global war on terror, yet the reported reconstruction of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's Bahawalpur headquarters following a major Indian military strike during Operation Sindoor last year goes far more than just a South Asian security concern.