• COAS says Balochistan’s people are Pakistan’s true strength.
• Highlights federal, provincial efforts for socio-economic uplift.
• Stresses youth empowerment for provincial development.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir, said on Tuesday that India-backed proxies, Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij, were propagating anti-people and anti-development agendas in Balochistan with malicious intent to perpetrate violence.

“All necessary actions are being taken to pursue these terrorists and rid the province of this menace,” the field marshal said while interacting with participants of the 17th National Workshop Balochistan at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on Tuesday.

During his address, COAS Munir said Balochistan is the pride of Pakistan, endowed with vibrant, resilient and patriotic people who are its true wealth.

He highlighted the federal and provincial governments’ development initiatives aimed at uplifting the province’s socio-economic landscape through a people-centric approach, stressing the need to realise its immense economic potential.

Acknowledging the constructive role of civil society, particularly in engaging and empowering the youth, he underscored their pivotal role in ensuring sustainable development and countering vested political agendas for the long-term prosperity of Balochistan.

The field marshal reiterated that while Pakistan seeks regional peace and stability, any violation of its territorial integrity, direct or indirect, would be met with a firm and decisive response to safeguard the lives and well-being of its citizens.

The workshop concluded with a candid, interactive question and answer session between the army chief and the participants.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan — both of which share a porous border with neighbouring Afghanistan — faced the brunt of the terrorism incidents, accounting for more than 96% of the total violence across the country.

Balochistan, as per a report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), witnessed at least 25% of the total violence-linked fatalities (230) and incidents (85).

During his last visit to Balochistan, Field Marshal Munir stressed the significance of joint civil-military efforts in addressing the challenges faced by the people.

Prince Harry’s behavior following his marriage to Meghan Markle has prompted an expert to come forward with the message ‘I just wish he didn’t blame everyone else for it. It wasn’t the press, it wasn’t the public, they all wanted it to succeed’.

The expert in question is royal expert and author, Phil Dampier and he’s offered a no holds barred take on the royal couple, from the days of their very first Invictus Games appearance, in Toronto after their wedding.

He spoke about everything with Royal editor Matt Wilkinson on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, and the conversation saw the expert get specific about the media paranoia that erupted right after their marriage.

“We were completely and utterly shocked by that. I just couldn’t believe it when he did that,” the expert said in regards to Prince Harry’s statement about his wife’s media coverage.

“Looking back I think there were one or two remarks in a couple of columns that made some rather unpleasant remarks about her background. But generally speaking,” Mr Dampier admitted, “99 per cent of the coverage was overwhelmingly positive and welcoming.”

Later in the interview the expert also called it a “very bad beginning” where “Harry’s paranoia” was out on full display, even though at the start of her wedding “she seemed like a breath of fresh air.”

That is why “I just couldn’t believe it when he started complaining to the press that she was being mistreated because, generally speaking, I don’t think she was,” he said.

Before concluding he also noted, “We know from Spare and everything that has happened subsequently that obviously he bottled up a lot of angst and bitterness. But William had to go through the same and he has managed to cope with it.”

While “it’s obviously really affected him but I just wish he didn’t blame everyone else for it. It wasn’t the press, it wasn’t the public, they all wanted it to succeed.”

• Takaichi set to become Japan’s first female prime minister.
• Takaichi’s election marks a shift to the right in Japan.
• Equity markets optimistic about Takaichi’s economic policies.

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was set to become Japan’s first female prime minister on Tuesday after winning a critical vote in parliament’s lower house.

An acolyte of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and an admirer of Britain’s Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi received 237 votes in the lower house election to choose the next premier, topping the majority of the 465-seat chamber. 

Her victory shatters the glass ceiling in a country where men still hold overwhelming sway and puts Japan, a close US ally, on a forceful shift to the right.

Her victory comes after her Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of its postwar history, agreed to a coalition deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin.

Takaichi will likely be approved by the less-powerful upper house and sworn in as Japan’s 104th prime minister this evening to succeed the incumbent Shigeru Ishiba, who last month announced his resignation to take responsibility for election losses.

But her elevation is unlikely to be feted as a sign of progressive change, marking instead a turn to the right on immigration and social issues. After years of deflation, Japan is now grappling with rising prices, something that has sparked public anger and fuelled support for oppositions groups including the far-right Sanseito party.