• Pakistani carriers unlikely to operate flights to Dhaka.
• Direct routes could boost profits for traditional industries: envoy.
• South Asia trade potential blocked by politics, says Hussain.
  

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan has confirmed that Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to launch three weekly flights to Karachi.

He made these remarks while speaking to The News on the sidelines of his address at the Foreign Services Academy on Wednesday. The academy has recently introduced a new lecture series featuring foreign envoys, giving young Pakistani diplomats in training a chance to engage directly with ambassadors on diplomatic affairs and regional issues.

“Yes, we are starting direct flights with Pakistan. Our national airline will operate three weekly flights to Karachi”, the Bangladesh high commissioner said when asked about the development.

When asked whether the route would pass over Indian airspace, he said that, just as Indian aircraft can use Bangladesh’s airspace, Biman flights would also fly over India.

Sources indicate that, due to India’s ongoing airspace restrictions on Pakistan, there is currently no immediate prospect of Pakistani carriers operating flights to Dhaka.

Earlier, High Commissioner Khan delivered a detailed lecture and also responded to questions from young diplomats in an interactive session.

The high commissioner said South Asia holds vast potential for trade, connectivity, and cooperation, but limited access, border restrictions, and regional politics continue to obstruct economic growth. He said platforms such as the Foreign Services Academy’s new lecture series allow constructive dialogue with young diplomats who represent the region’s future.

He said Pakistan and Bangladesh can significantly expand bilateral trade, but access constraints remain the biggest barrier. He noted that, in the past, railway links facilitated trade between the two countries, but today Pakistan’s dates reach regional markets via Dubai.

Direct access, he said, would boost profits and raise farmers’ incomes. Citing the centuries-old pashmina industry in Kashmir, he noted that traditional sectors like dates and pashmina could multiply trade volumes if given direct market routes.

High Commissioner Khan said weak geographical connectivity is South Asia’s most serious obstacle to progress, even though ancient trade routes once linked Kabul, Peshawar, Dhaka, and Myanmar.

No country, he stressed, can progress in isolation, and regional cooperation is the only practical way forward. Referring to BIMSTEC, he called it an important regional grouping including India, Thailand, and Bangladesh, but said border restrictions and the behaviour of larger powers often weaken regional trust.

He said colonial mindsets, ideological dominance, and tendencies towards regional supremacy hinder the effectiveness of regional organisations. Across the world, he said, countries experiencing internal inequalities often create external distractions, particularly during election periods, to consolidate political advantage.

“South Asian societies share deep historical, cultural, and civilisational linkages. The influence of Arab traders, interactions during the British era, and the legacy of Muhammad bin Qasim remain visible in the region’s culture and social structures,” the high commissioner said.

Bangladesh’s coastal and maritime history, he added, has contributed to a tradition of openness and exchange.

He highlighted that the younger generation in South Asia is more aware, ambitious, and eager for change. Political shifts in Bangladesh in 2024, he said, have revived optimism among youth.

“As young leadership emerges, new avenues of economic progress will open, and older barriers can be dismantled. Despite artificial restrictions, people across the region want to come closer, and with time, democratic processes will strengthen and better leadership will emerge.”

Concluding his remarks, he expressed hope that a new era of regional trade, connectivity, and shared development can take shape if South Asian nations prioritise collective progress and put cooperation at the centre of policymaking.

Recently, Aleema Khanum appeared on Sky News to talk about her jailed brother and former prime minister Imran Khan. Shortly after the interview aired, a clip began circulating in which an online user accused Khanum of calling Khan “an asset of the West” who also wants to “befriend” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s ruling party.

The claim is false. Khanum made no such comment.

Claim

A user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a one-minute clip of Aleema Khanum from her December 2 Sky News interview. The video was captioned: “Now this is insane! What is Aleema Khanum sabhiba upto? She is speaking as if she is a BJP leader!”

In the alleged footage, Yalda Hakim, the interviewer, asks Khanum why Pakistan went to war with India in May. Khan’s sister can then be heard criticising the military and replying: “Imran Khan is pure liberal. So, whenever Imran Khan comes to power, you will see that he always tries to befriend India and even BJP… I keep telling again and again that Imran Khan is an asset, and the West needs to increase its efforts to free Imran.”

At the time of writing, the post had been viewed over 18,500 times, reposted 148 times and liked 343 times.

Similar claims had also been shared here and here.

Fact

Aleema Khanum did not make any such remarks about Imran Khan in the Sky News interview. Independent verification confirms the clip circulating online was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.

Geo Fact Check reviewed the entire interview available on the official Sky News YouTube channel, aired on December 2, as well as the live broadcast from that day.

Neither does the host, Yalda Hakim, ask the question about India, nor does Aleema Khanum give the response shown in the viral clip.

The entire interview can be viewed here:

Separately, Hiya, a deepfake voice detector, gave the audio an authenticity score of 1 out of 100, meaning it is a deepfake audio.

Geo Fact Check also contacted journalist Yalda Hakim, who confirmed via messages that Khanum did not make any such remarks.

“She absolutely did not make those statements,” wrote Hakim.

It must also be noted that in the online clip the voice of Hakim has been slowed down, which is another indicator that the clip was manipulated.

Verdict: The viral video is manipulated. Aleema Khanum did not describe Imran Khan as “an asset of the West,” nor did she say he wants to “befriend the BJP.” The statements circulating online were created using AI-generated audio and do not appear anywhere in her Sky News interview.

Follow us on @GeoFactCheck on X (Twitter) and @geo_factcheck on Instagram. If our readers detect any errors, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected]

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton may be surrounded by breakup rumours, but insiders say their marriage is far from falling apart. 

A source told the Daily Mail that the couple is “like every other couple” as they move through married life, and pointed out that their strong physical chemistry is still a major source of connection.

“Things are pretty good with them, certainly not as dire as the rumours,” the insider shared, noting that their “off-the-charts” romantic spark is “keeping the spark going.” 

Their attraction, according to the source, is “as good now as it was when they first started dating 10 years ago.”

The pair has had “a few bumps in the road,” but those close to them say their busy work schedules are the real challenge. 

They’re now making sure to be more intentional about spending quality time together and staying connected, even when their careers keep them apart.

Breakup talk escalated earlier this year after they skipped public events together, including the CMA Awards, despite Shelton’s nomination.

However, Stefani addressed the speculation with a bold fashion statement at the New York premiere of Oh. What. Fun, where she proudly showed off her engagement and wedding rings along with the emerald and diamond ring Shelton gifted her for Valentine’s Day.

She also shared a sweet moment in November on Instagram Stories, posting a photo of Shelton kissing her cheek. 

And when rumours continued to swirl, Shelton’s rep told Page Six the speculation was “a completely made-up story created solely for headlines and clicks.”

Stefani and Shelton met on The Voice in 2014 and tied the knot seven years later in Oklahoma. 

While they navigate their busy lives and the attention that comes with being a high-profile couple, insiders say the spark that brought them together is still very much alive.