As India and Pakistan grapple with renewed tensions after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, a video of Pakistani Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan making provocative remarks in Pakistan parliament has gone viral, fuelling diplomatic ire and social media outrage.
In a fiery speech delivered in Pakistan’s Upper House on April 29, the senator declared, “The first brick of the new Babri mosque in Ayodhya will be laid by Pakistan Army soldiers, and the first azaan will be given by Army Chief Asim Munir himself.”
The comments, invoking the Babri mosque demolished in 1992, came as part of a broader tirade laced with religious and militaristic rhetoric. Palwasha Khan, a member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and deputy information secretary, suggested that the path was being laid for a “Muslim government, specifically a Pakistani Muslim government, in the Indian subcontinent.”
“There is no doubt, this enmity is not with Pakistan or Pakistanis; this is enmity against Muslims and against Islam,” she said.
Watch video-

Issuing a direct threat to India, she warned, “The Senate of Pakistan must send a message, if any hand reaches toward us, then the symbol of their power, the Red Fort of Delhi, will witness a bloodshed that its walls have never seen, and its ramparts will testify to it for centuries to come.”
Khan, who represents Sindh in the Senate and previously served in the National Assembly from 2008 to 2013, emphasized that Pakistanis were not weak. “We are not wearing bangles,” she said.
Quoting late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, she added, “We have guns, we have arms, we have trees—and if the enemy tries anything, we will hang their corpses from our trees.”
Despite the hostile language, she claimed to have no quarrel with Indian citizens. “But let me be clear: we have no enmity with the people of India.”
Khan also attempted to draw religious divides within the Indian armed forces, asserting, “The Sikh army will not attack Pakistan because it’s the land of Guru Nanak for them.”
She went on to praise Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is a designated terrorist under Indian law. “I want to salute Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who courageously declared that no Indian soldier will be allowed to cross into Pakistan from Indian Punjab.”
Ending her speech with a call to arms, the senator proclaimed, “Our army is not just six or seven lakh soldiers, we have 250 million people who, when the time comes, will stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces and become soldiers themselves, God willing.”
The speech has since circulated widely on social media platforms, drawing sharp reactions amid the already strained ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose Liberal Party won Canada’s federal election, though the outright majority is still in question.
| Photo Credit: DAVID KAWAI

It is rare for the results of an elections in one country to be swayed by the leader of a neighbouring country. Yet that was the case in Canada’s 2025 federal election, where U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements and actions dramatically shifted the national mood within days.

While the Conservative Party was expected to win decisively, Mr. Trump’s tariffs and his provocative suggestion of annexing Canada helped rescue the Liberal Party from a crushing defeat.

Chart 1 shows the voting intentions of Canadians based on opinion polls conducted during the campaign period.

The lines represent the average of 30 polls conducted between 2021 and 2025. As the chart illustrates, towards the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, support for the Conservatives began rising, while support for the Liberal Party started declining.

This marked shift can be attributed to the unpopularity of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose fiscal policies and generous immigration stance faced heavy criticism.

Just before Mr. Trudeau resigned in January this year, popular support for the Liberal Party had fallen to 20% — the lowest level for the party in years. In contrast, support for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party had surged to 45%. Barring any dramatic shifts, the Conservatives appeared poised for victory.

However, shortly after Mr. Trudeau’s exit and more significantly after Mr. Trump’s return to the White House was confirmed in February, there was a dramatic rise in support for the Liberals, as seen in Chart 1.

From last December, Mr. Trump repeatedly reiterated his claims about annexing Canada.

In March, he announced tariffs of 25% targeting Canada and Mexico. Canadians did not take these threats to their economy and sovereignty lightly.

More importantly, sensing the shift in public mood, the Liberals centred their election campaign around the theme of ‘American betrayal’. In contrast, Mr. Poilievre’s slogan ‘Canada First’ and promises appeared uncomfortably close to Mr. Trump’s promises in the eyes of many voters.

While the Liberal Party has started celebrating, the party is still short of the majority mark and may need help from smaller parties to form the government.

The party’s former ally — the New Democratic Party (NDP) — suffered a massive setback this election, possibly because most of its voters backed the Liberals this time.

Chart 2 | The change in vote share (in % points) in the 2025 elections when compared with 2021

As shown in Chart 2, the NDP recorded a 11.6% point drop in vote share compared to the 2021 elections. While the vote share of the Liberal Party rose by nearly 11% points, the Conservative Party also managed a 7.7% point increase. But this was not enough to derail the resurgence of the Liberals.

The Liberals are projected to win 69 seats in Ontario — fewer than the 78 they had secured in 2021 — a minor setback amid the national victory. In this province, the Conservatives have improved their performance and are projected to win 53 seats, up from 37.

In Quebec, the Liberals appear to have eaten into the vote share of the Bloc Québécois. This party’s main plank is Quebec’s secession from Canada. The Liberals are projected to win 43 seats in the province, up from 35 in the last election, while the Bloc Québécois seat share is set to fall to 11 from 32.

In British Columbia, the New Democrats, who had won 13 seats last time, are expected to secure only three. Meanwhile, the Liberals are projected to increase their tally from 15 to 20 seats, and the Conservatives from 13 to 19. 

Chart 3 shows the province-wise seats secured by parties in the 2025 election.

The data for chart 1 is an average of 30 opinion polls. The data for charts 2 and 3 were taken from Elections Canada.

With inputs from Raida N.M. and R.P. Josmani Joan, who are interning with the data team

Immigrants detained at Bluebonnet detention centre in Anson, Texas, created an S-O-S signal visible from above this week.
Thirty-one men arranged themselves to form the letters whilst a Reuters drone captured footage on Monday.
Previously, numerous Venezuelan detainees received notices from immigration officials suggesting their involvement with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, making them eligible for deportation under wartime legislation, as evidenced by documents, video calls and court records.
Seven detainees’ families spoke to Reuters, denying gang affiliations and confirming their relatives refused to sign the documents.
On Friday, April 18, authorities attempted to transport them to Abilene Regional Airport, but the journey was interrupted and they returned to the facility.
The Supreme Court subsequently issued a temporary halt to deportations, with the Department of Homeland Security offering no comment on the situation.
The Venezuelans at Bluebonnet remain at risk of transfer to CECOT, El Salvador’s high-security prison, where 137 Venezuelans were previously sent under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
The privately-operated Bluebonnet facility, situated 200 miles west of Dallas, houses approximately 846 detainees daily in fiscal year 2025. Reuters captured aerial photographs after being denied direct access, revealing some detainees in red high-risk uniforms.
Reuters identified several detainees, including Diover Millan, 24, and Jeferson Escalona, 19. Millan, transferred from Georgia’s Stewart detention centre, lacks a criminal record despite officials claiming gang membership without evidence.
Escalona, detained since January 2025, denies gang involvement, stating he served as a police officer in Venezuela. He believes authorities misinterpreted common Venezuelan hand gestures in photos on his confiscated phone.
Despite requesting voluntary return to Venezuela, Escalona remains detained, expressing fears for his safety.
Recent years have seen numerous Venezuelans seeking refuge in the United States, escaping economic hardship and alleged authoritarian measures under President Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration aims to revoke temporary humanitarian protections established during Joe Biden’s presidency.