PAKISTAN’S Army has said it has "nothing to do with politics" as it asserted that its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa will retire on November 29 "no matter what."
Amidst a vicious social media campaign against the powerful "establishment" for not backing former prime minister Imran Khan, military spokesman major general Babar Iftikhar said that Pakistan's survival “lies solely on democracy” and its strength lies in the institutions, be it Parliament, Supreme Court or the Armed forces.
The Pakistan Army has "nothing to do with politics" and the institution has decided to remain apolitical in the future as well, he told a press conference on Thursday (14), three days after opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the new prime minister.
Khan, who came to power in 2018, reportedly with the backing of the military, became the first Pakistan prime minister who was defeated in a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly earlier this month.
Iftikhar confirmed that Khan had approached the army chief to find a solution to the political crisis.
"It is unfortunate that our political leadership was not ready to talk. So the army chief and DG ISI went to the PM Office and three scenarios were discussed," he said, recalling that one was that the no-confidence motion should be held as it was. The others were that the prime minister would resign or the no-confidence motion was retracted and the assemblies were dissolved.
Iftikhar rejected the rumours circulating on social media about the establishment meeting the opposition parties. "There is no truth to this," he asserted.
He clarified that General Bajwa was "unwell" on the day Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Sharif took office and had to skip the oath-taking ceremony on Monday (11).
Iftikhar also announced that General Bajwa, 61, will retire this year.
"Let me put this to rest. The chief of army staff is neither seeking an extension nor will he accept an extension. No matter what, he will be retiring on the 29th of November 2022," he said.
General Bajwa, who was appointed by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016, was granted an extension in August 2019 by the Khan government.
Iftikhar rubbished the rumours about the threat of martial law at the height of the recent political turmoil.
"There will never be martial law in Pakistan."
To a question about the opening of courts in the middle of the night when the battle for the no-confidence vote was going on, he said that it was a decision by the courts and the army had nothing to do with it.
The powerful army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 73 plus years of existence, has wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.
Khan, who was ousted from power on Sunday (10), had apparently also lost the support of the Army after he refused to endorse the appointment of the ISI spy agency chief last year. Finally, he agreed but it soured his ties with the Army.
In response to a question, the spokesman said that the army was on board with the visit of Khan to Russia. But termed it embarrassing when Russia launched an attack on Ukraine when Khan was in Moscow. The spokesman said that the United States had not asked Pakistan to provide army bases after withdrawing from Afghanistan.
"But if the US had asked for the bases, the army's response would have been the same as that of PM Khan,” he said.
(PTI)
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Veeraswamy was opened in 1926 by Edward Palmer, an Anglo-Indian and retired British Indian Army officer.
Veeraswamy fights eviction as Crown Estate plans building renovation
Jun 16, 2025
VEERASWAMY, the UK's oldest Indian restaurant, is locked in a legal battle with the Crown Estate, which is seeking to evict it from its home at Victory House on Regent Street, where it has operated since 1926.
The Crown Estate wants to take back the building to renovate the upper-floor offices, which have remained empty since a flood in late 2023.
According to The Times, the plans include removing the wall that separates the restaurant’s entrance from the office entrance to create a larger reception area. The restaurant’s co-owner, Ranjit Mathrani of MW Eat, has said this would block access to Veeraswamy, effectively shutting it down.
Mathrani told The Times he had proposed several alternatives, such as sharing the entrance or giving up the first floor and retaining only the basement and mezzanine levels, but none had been accepted. “My dealings with the [Crown Estate] have been characterised by an uncompromising refusal to consider any change to their design plan,” he said in a court filing.
Veeraswamy pays around £205,000 in annual rent, and Mathrani has said he is willing to match the rent paid by future office tenants after renovation. Though initially open to relocating, he said the Crown Estate's claim of helping find a new site was “disingenuous”. “They’ve made no real attempt to find alternative sites for us,” he told The Times.
Veeraswamy’s lease expires at the end of June. However, MW Eat can continue to trade until the court hearing, expected in spring or early summer next year. If the court rules in its favour, the restaurant’s protected tenancy could allow a 14-year extension. If not, Mathrani hopes for a two-year lease to allow time for relocation. “If we lost, that would be our fallback, but moving sites will cost us about £5 million and therefore it is not our preferred option,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Crown Estate said: “We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House to bring the building back into full use. We appreciate how upsetting this is for Veeraswamy and have offered to help find new premises elsewhere on our portfolio, having explored other options to accommodate the restaurant’s needs. We thank Veeraswamy and their customers for their contributions to the West End.”
Nearly a century on Regent Street
Veeraswamy was opened in 1926 by Edward Palmer, an Anglo-Indian and retired British Indian Army officer.
Located at 99-101 Regent Street, the restaurant has served regional Indian cuisine for decades, with dishes from Punjab, Lucknow, Kashmir and Goa.
It has long attracted royalty, political leaders and celebrities. Past diners include Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin, and King Gustav VI of Sweden.
Ownership and Michelin recognition
In 1997, the restaurant was acquired by Ranjit Mathrani and Namitha Panjabi. They restored its interiors and integrated it into their MW Eat group.
In 2016, Veeraswamy received a Michelin star. Inspectors noted that it continued to serve “classic dishes from across the country” with care and professionalism.
Historical roots
Before opening Veeraswamy, Edward Palmer had started EP Veeraswamy & Co. in 1896 to promote Indian food in Britain.
In 1924, he advised the Indian Government Pavilion restaurant at the British Empire Exhibition, which served around 500 curries a day.
Veeraswamy was not the first Indian restaurant in the UK, but it was among the first high-end ones and has remained at its Regent Street location for 99 years.
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The airline said the aircraft landed safely and was being inspected 'as a matter of abundant precaution'.
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Delhi-bound Air India Dreamliner returns to Hong Kong mid-air due to technical issue
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AN AIR INDIA Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Hong Kong to New Delhi returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff on Monday due to a suspected technical issue.
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The airline said the aircraft landed safely and was being inspected "as a matter of abundant precaution".
Recordings on the air traffic control website LiveATC.net, reviewed by Reuters, captured a pilot telling air traffic controllers about 15 minutes after takeoff, “for technical reasons, sir, we would like to stay closer to Hong Kong, maybe we will come back and land back into Hong Kong once we sort out the problem.”
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The aircraft returned to Hong Kong International Airport after requesting a local standby at around 1 p.m. (0500 GMT) and “landed safely at around 1:15 p.m.”, according to a spokesperson for Airport Authority Hong Kong.
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“The National Crime Agency, the UK’s most senior investigating agency, will carry out a nationwide operation to target predators who have sexually exploited children as part of a gang and put them behind bars,” the Home Office said in a statement.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said more than 800 grooming gang cases had already been identified by police.
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The scandal became widely known as official reports revealed long-term sexual exploitation in multiple parts of England.
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The gangs were active in towns and cities including Rotherham and Rochdale in the north, as well as Oxford and Bristol, over nearly four decades.
The issue gained international attention in January after Musk used his X platform to criticise the UK government for not backing a national inquiry.
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The airline did not provide details on the departure time, number of passengers or crew on board, or how long the flight was in the air before returning.
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The Siddhashram Shakti Centre, long a sanctuary for spiritual guidance and community healing, once again stood at the heart of London’s collective conscience. As Guruji reflected, “In our unity, we find peace, in prayer, we carry the light of those we lost.”
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