The top US official’s remarks come as the Taliban have intensified attacks since the official withdrawal of US troops….reports Asian Lite News
Kenneth McKenzie, Commander of the US Central Command, has said that Washington will seek to “keep pressure” on the Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda terror groups in Afghanistan, a media report said on Monday.
“We will still do everything we can to keep pressure on the IS and Al Qaeda, from our over-the-horizon locations,” TOLO News quoted quoted McKenzie as saying in an interview with Military Times.
“That is a task I’ve been given. Those are plans I’m in discussion with now with the Secretary of Defense. How we will do that, I’ve said before, that will be a very difficult thing to do,” he added.
Regarding a recent UN report warning that the Taliban appeared poised to take back control of Afghanistan, McKenzie said: “We still intend to support the Afghan military from just over the horizon. We’re still going to support them with funding.
“We’re going to try very hard to support the Afghan air force over the horizon; some things will come out of the country to be worked on.
“I don’t want to minimise this, because I think they’re going to be tested, but we will continue to support them, just not in the way we are supporting them now.”
Asked if the US would provide any combat support to Afghan forces if major cities such as Kabul were at risk of being overrun, McKenzie said: “Those are actually policy decisions, not military decisions. Right now what we’re planning to do after we withdraw is keep pressure on Al Qaeda and IS, and that would be what we’d be doing, going back into Afghanistan.”
The top US official’s remarks come as the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints since the official withdrawal of the US and other NATO troops in Afghanistan on May 1.
At least 15 districts have fallen to the Taliban since May 1, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of Afghans.
According to a UN report, the Taliban were able to capture five districts in the past year, four of which were recaptured by the government within several days.
The withdrawal of international troops is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.
A three-judge bench issued the order in the case related to the implementation of a 2014 judgment on minorities rights…reports Hamza Ameer
The Pakistan Supreme Court has barred the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) from demolishing a Hindu dharamshala in Karachi and leasing it out to an individual.
A three-judge bench issued the order in the case related to the implementation of a 2014 judgment on minorities rights.
Ramesh Kumar, the co-opt member of the one-man commission on minorities, upraised the court that the property, located in the heart of Saddar town in Karachi city and measuring about 716 square yards, was a dharamshala.
Kumar also submitted photographs of the building and told the Supreme Court that the ETPB had leased the property to the individual for the demolition and allowed construction of a commercial plaza.
The Supreme Court’s order in the case, maintained: “The very photograph apparently shows that the building is of a dharamshala constructed in the year 1932, which can be read from the marble slab affixed on the building and must be protected heritage building.”
The court issued a notice to the Sindh provincial secretary heritage, asking for a report on the building and barred authorities from demolishing it.
“In the meantime, no demolition activity of the said building shall be conducted by anyone and possession of the building and the land shall be taken over by the Commissioner Karachi, who shall manage the same and not allow any person to enter upon it,” the order added.
The court noted that the one-man commission has also requested for allocation of more funds for clearance of outstanding liabilities and also for allocation of budget for the year.
“In the meantime, the amount of 14.994 million PKR be disbursed to the commission. For allocation of a new budget, let a proper response be filed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.”
During their first in-person meeting, Biden and Erdogan discussed a number of issues, including the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and the vaccine situation…reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held their first in-person meeting here on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, which the latter described as “fruitful and sincere”.
The meeting on Tuesday was part of Biden’s first foreign trip as President. The first leg of the visit took him to the UK for the G7 Summit last weekend and his next stop will be Geneva where the much-anticipated meeting with Russian leader Vladmir Putin will be held on Wednesday.
During the 90-minute meeting, Biden and Erdogan discussed a number of issues, including the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and the vaccine situation. “There are no outstanding problems between the US and Turkey that cannot be solved. On the contrary, there are many areas where we could focus on prospective and fruitful cooperation,” Erdogan told journalists at a news conference.
“Our history goes back a long time and we managed to exchange views on a vast area of issues. We also focused on the incidents on which we have different opinions and, in a very constructive fashion, talked about areas where we could further explore cooperation.
“We agreed on the necessity to effectively use dialogue channels between our nations in a regular fashion so, at the end of the day, it was a very fruitful and very sincere meeting. We also underlined the fact that bilateral cooperation should be revitalised,” he added.
In response to a query about whether the S-400 defence system was discussed, Erdogan said: “I expressed our previous opinion on the S-400, I also expressed our opinion on the F-35.
“What are the steps we can take, I expressed them. Of course, this process does not end here, our ministers will secure this process as a result of their talks.
“We said that our Defense and Foreign Ministers should discuss these among themselves, and after this meeting they will hold among themselves, we have to take our steps, we have come to such a decision.”
Describing his relationship with Biden as “long-standing”, Erdogan said he invited his American counterpart to visit Turkey.
He added that Biden indicated that he might pay a visit once his intense schedule allows it.
@trpresidency
Addressing a separate press conference, Biden said of the meeting: “We had a positive and productive meeting, much of it one-on-one. We had detailed discussions about how to proceed on a number of issues…
“Our teams are going to continue our discussions and I’m confident we will make real progress with Turkey and the US.”
He also emphasised that it was a”positive and productive meeting”, adding that “our countries have big agendas. Our teams will continue our discussions, I think we will make great progress as the US and Turkey”.
Biden, who has sought to reassert American backing for the 72-year-old alliance, said that NATO was critically important for “US interests” and it had a “sacred obligation” to observe Article 5 of its founding treaty, which commits members to defend each other from attack, the BBC reported.
Asked about his forthcoming summit with Putin, he described the Russian President as a “worthy adversary”.
US-based Pak-linked ‘Charity’ Organisations are collecting funds in the name of helping India during Covid Crisis. After collecting millions of dollars, some of them came together and sent peanuts in the name of help. All of them claimed the credits, so that their donors would think that money is well spent. The money collected could go from terror finance to Pak army to Hamas – apart from the pocket money to the Charities and its so called patrons. This is the story of #CovidAidScam2021. Illinois-based IMANA is at the centre of a major COVID aid scam after DisinfoLab released a report investigating its activities … writes Kaliph Anaz
When the entire world is fighting to stem the raging pandemic, some anti-social forums channel public empathy to line their pockets and fund anti-India-related activities. Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) is under the cloud of suspicion as DisinfoLab in an investigative report revealed that their tall claims on helping India are a charade to fleece people.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
The report identified various red flags in IMANA’s #HelpIndiaBreathe campaign on Instagram, which was started in late-April with an initial target of Rs 1.8 crore. IMANA managed to get a huge response from Instagram alone, raising Rs 8.7 crore.
The target was revised twice, once to Rs 3 crore and then again to Rs 5.62 crore as and when they were met. Using the same campaign on the crowd-funding platform Just Giving, the charity raised another Rs 2 crore and also pushed donation options on many websites and on Facebook, but it remains unclear how much was raised.
Gathering all the available information about IMANA’s fundraising on various platforms, DisinfoLab revealed the charity managed to raise anywhere from Rs 30 crore to Rs 158 crore. Up until the fund-raising, everything seemed normal, but things started to get fishy when it came to actually help the needy in India as intended. Dr Ismail Mehr, the chairman of IMANA, in a recent interview, made some extremely tall claims, ranging from providing 100K nasal cannulas, 40K non-breather masks, 450 oxygen concentrators, tying up with Air India for free logistics, having on-ground workers and even partnering with DRDO and Ministry of Agriculture for coordination.
But the ground reality turns out to be entirely different. The said medical supplies never reached Delhi, rather, over 100 oxygen concentrators sent to Gujarat was allegedly in association with another organisation, which raised its own funds for COVID relief, the Disinfolab said in the report.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
The report highlighted similar efforts portrayed by the organisation, but never saw the light of the day. It found IMANA’s links with other charities, such as Saiyad Foundation, which also made several claims without backing of subsequent events.
According to the report, IMANA allegedly routes its funds through various organisations, only to eventually reach the terrorists, Islamists or Pakistan Army. Only a fraction of the total funds raised go anywhere close to helping people as intended, the report said.
“IMANA provides ‘help’ to Pakistan through Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMT), according to IMANA Care 2020 Annual Report. The AMT is nothing but part of Pakistan’s Milbus ‘military capital’, that is used for the personal benefit of the Pak Army fraternity, especially the officer cadre, but is neither recorded nor part of the defence budget,” the report notes.
The report also established links between IMANA and Al Khidmat, which has extensive ties with Hamas. According to the report, funds worth tens of crores have been stolen and used for terror funding.
#Helpbreathindia
IMANA collected money in the name of Covid crisis in India from all over the world, including from countries where India had sent Covid vaccines, and thereby exploiting the goodwill that India and the Indians have, the Disinfolab said.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
IMANA remained opaque about everything, from fund collection to its actual deliveries. Its Chairman nonetheless seems capable of fluent lie in fluent English, who claimed to have robust ground network of ‘Hindu and Sikh’ friends. He was also in touch with DRDO and Indian Ministry of Agriculture for distributing the help.
However, in terms of delivery, till date they could manage 100-odd concentrators (that too in association with Saiyad Foundation which itself was collecting funds for same.) And at the end, the help is sent to GSWT affiliated Shifa Hospital, whose staff was arrested for illegal activities related to essential medicines during the crisis.
The report also highlighted that the IMANA is now setting up fundraisers to help people in Palestine. This was after the COVID started to subside in India. It is now raising funds for Gaza since May 18 and it claims to have provided $2 million worth medical help in Gaza and meals to 12,000 people.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
Naftali Bennett, the head of a small ultranationalist party, was sworn in as prime minister after a narrow 60-59 vote in parliament, reports Asian Lite News
The UAE on Monday congratulated Israel’s new prime minister Naftali Bennett. In the official tweet, the UAE also congratulated the alternate prime minister and foreign minister Yair Lapid on the formation of a new Israeli government.
“We look forward to working together to advance regional peace, strengthen tolerance and coexistence and embark upon a new era of cooperation in technology, trade, and investment,” a tweet from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation read.
Israel’s parliament on Sunday approved a new coalition government that sent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into the opposition after a record 12 years in office and a political crisis that sparked four elections in two years.
Naftali Bennett, the head of a small ultranationalist party, was sworn in as prime minister after a narrow 60-59 vote in parliament. But if he wants to keep the job, he will have to maintain an unwieldy coalition of parties from the political right, left and center.
The eight parties, including a small Arab faction that is making history by sitting in the ruling coalition, are united in their opposition to Netanyahu and new elections but agree on little else. They are likely to pursue a modest agenda that seeks to reduce tensions with the Palestinians and maintain good relations with the US without launching any major initiatives.
LEAD – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and former Defence Minister Naftali Bennett. (Xinhua_JINI_IANS)
Netanyahu sat silently during the vote. After it was approved, he stood up to leave the chamber, before turning around and shaking Bennett’s hand. A dejected Netanyahu, wearing a black medical mask, briefly sat in the opposition leader’s chair before walking out.
Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, remains the head of the largest party in parliament and is expected to vigorously oppose the new government. If just one faction bolts, it could lose its majority and would be at risk of collapse, giving him an opening to return to power.
The country’s deep divisions were on vivid display as Bennett addressed parliament ahead of the vote. He was repeatedly interrupted and loudly heckled by supporters of Netanyahu, several of whom were escorted out of the chamber.
Bennett’s speech mostly dwelled on domestic issues, but he expressed opposition to US efforts to revive Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.
Yair Lapid, leader of Israeli centrist party of Yesh Atid, speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Gil Cohen Mage/IANS)
“Israel will not allow Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons,” Bennett said, vowing to maintain Netanyahu’s confrontational policy. “Israel will not be a party to the agreement and will continue to preserve full freedom of action.”
Bennett nevertheless thanked President Joe Biden and the US for its decades of support for Israel.
Netanyahu, speaking after him, vowed to return to power. He predicted the incoming government would be weak on Iran and give in to US demands to make concessions to the Palestinians.
“If it is destined for us to be in the opposition, we will do it with our backs straight until we topple this dangerous government and return to lead the country in our way,” he said.
Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, said the new government will likely be more stable than it appears.
Israel’s Arab party leader vows to bridge gaps
Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party in Israel, has vowed on to advance the interests of the country’s Arab citizens from within the new coalition government.
Addressing the Knesset ahead of the swearing-in of the new government on Sunday, Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party, said his faction will work to achieve civil rights and “unprecedented achievements” for Israel’s Palestinian citizens.
He said the party will struggle to return lands that have been confiscated by Israel to their original owners, residents of Bedouin villages in the Negev Desert.
Unrecognised by the state of Israel, these villages do not appear on any official map and Israel does not provide them any services such as electricity or water.
“I hope that the civil partnership will bridge gaps in the national and religious levels so that we could benefit and not stand as enemies,” Abbas said.
Ra’am, which won four seats in the 120-seat Knesset, is the first Arab party to sit in a governing coalition in Israel.
Israeli Arabs comprise about 20 per cent of the population in Israel.
The fight between India and Pakistan over the claim of the origin of Basmati rice has a long history, as this variety is produced largely on both sides of the border….reports Hamza Ameer
In a rare agreement between two arch-rivals India and Pakistan, which have a history of long-time rivalry with disputes on every front from sea to land, exporters from both sides of the border have mutually agreed to share the ownership of the regions prized Basmati rice, a solution considered the most workable to reach the European markets.
“There has to be a joint ownership, which is a logical solution to the dispute,” said Faizan Ali Ghouri, a Pakistani rice exporter.
The fight between India and Pakistan over the claim of the origin of Basmati rice has a long history, as this variety is produced largely on both sides of the border.
India has filed a claim in the European Union (EU) seeking a geographical indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice. Pakistan, on the other hand, has opposed India’s claim and has filed a request for a protected GI tag.
“There is no logic in both countries’ claim for the sole exclusivity of Basmati rice. Although its origin is Pakistani Punjab, it is grown in both sides of the border. Therefore, a joint ownership is the only viable solution to the long-standing dispute,” said Ghouri.
“The EU buyers also prefer joint ownership of the rice variety as they want to keep both New Delhi and Islamabad on board in terms of commodity exports,” he added.
Ghouri’s views were seconded by Ashok Sethi, the director of Punjab Rice Millers Export Association in India, who also suggested that both the countries should jointly protect the Basmati heritage.
“India and Pakistan are the only two countries which produce Basmati in the world. Both should jointly work together to save the heritage and protect the GI regime of the rice,” said Sethi.
It is pertinent to mention that EU had recognised Basmati as a joint product of India and Pakistan in 2006.
Both Pakistan and India make good money from their respective exports of Basmati rice. Pakistan annually earns $2.2 billion, while India makes about $6.8 billion from Basmati exports.
basmati rice(wikipedia)
“Both countries export Basmati rice. India, in its application to the EU, has never stated that it is the only Basmati producer in the world,” insisted Vijay Sethi, a New Delhi-based exporter.
While both sides still have their own historical details on the origin of Basmati, it is rare to see two arch-rivals, who are not ready to come to the table for talks until their demands are met, come down to a mutual agreement.
Pakistan demands India to reverse its August 5, 2019 decision that changed the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A, as a benchmark to make way for dialogue and address other issues between the two countries.
India, on the other hand, demands Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and take decisive action against terror elements, which it claims, enjoy the support of the establishment.
Nurturing Excellence in Higher Education Program builds on Nepal’s previous successful higher education projects supported through results-based financing, said World Bank statement…reports Asian Lite News
The World Bank has approved USD 60 million to improve the quality of Nepal’s higher education, scale up online learning, and expand access to academic institutions for underprivileged students.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of building back better and prioritizing human capital development,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
“Improving access to quality higher education and helping students acquire the skills that are in demand in the labor market will contribute to Nepal’s COVID-19 recovery and strengthen its resilience.”
In a press release published on Friday, World Bank said that the Nurturing Excellence in Higher Education Program builds on Nepal’s previous successful higher education projects supported through results-based financing.
Nepal
It will help the government of Nepal align its higher education sector with labour market needs, boost collaborative research and entrepreneurship, improve governance, and access to quality higher education, especially for disadvantaged students, the release said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created strong incentives to expand online platforms and blended learning, which the program will help scale up across Nepal’s universities.
“A key priority of the program is to promote the inclusion of disadvantaged students, including those facing economic hardship due to COVID-19,” stated Mohan Aryal, World Bank’s Program Task Team Leader.
“The program will expand targeted scholarships to help disadvantaged students pursue labor market-driven academic programs and support equity grants to higher education institutions in needy and disaster-affected areas in Nepal.”
1st liquid oxygen plant
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has laid a foundation stone virtually for the construction of the country’s first liquid oxygen plant which is expected to help substitute oxygen import from India.
“As they will be insufficient at the time of a pandemic, the liquid oxygen plant will be important in meeting the deficit in oxygen supplies,” Oli said during the virtual inauguration ceremony on Sunday.
Shankar Oxygen Gas Pvt. Ltd, the sole importer of liquid oxygen in Nepal, is setting up its own liquid oxygen plant in the southwestern city of Bhairahawa, reports Xinhua news agency.
Covering an area of 3,716 square metres, the plant will have a production capacity of 60 tons per day, according to the company.
The excess production could be exported to neighbouring countries and used in the industrial sector once the Covid-19 pandemic is over, said Oli.
Some hospitals in Nepal which were relying on imported liquid oxygen were forced to resort to bottled oxygen for several days last month after Indian authorities ordered a halt to exports due to a surging demand for oxygen at home to cope with a deadly second wave of the pandemic.
In May, some Nepal hospitals had to turn away Covid patients due to an acute shortage of medical oxygen and beds as 8,000-9,000 new cases were reported in most days of the month after a second wave hit the nation in April.
In response, the Nepal government had made it mandatory for hospitals with over 100 beds to establish their own oxygen plants. (ANI/IANS)
Indian ambassador to Cambodia said that in the absence of any scientific basis to prove that Covid-19 virus spreads through food and packaging material, the temporary ban is becoming a non-tariff barrier and is also harmful for business sentiments, reports Ateet Sharma
India has asked Cambodia to withdraw the temporary ban on import of buffalo meat and other meat products from India immediately, making it clear that the move is harmful for business sentiments, especially when both countries are trying to negotiate a Bilateral Free Trade Agreement.
As New Delhi battled a massive surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave, Phnom Penh had on May 1 imposed a ban on import of frozen meat products from India labeling them as a “high risk”.
In a letter addressed to Customs and Excise Director General Kun Nhem, Cambodia’s Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said that the ban is in accordance with Article 20 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and Article 12 of the ASEAN-India Commodity Trade Agreement on the basis of “urgent public health protection”.
As many as 35 containers of frozen meat items shipped from India had also recently remained stuck at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port customs control for several weeks before finally being released in the last week of May after no trace of the deadly virus was found in the shipment.
With things making little headway, Devyani Khobragade, Ambassador of India to Cambodia, raised the issue with the Cambodian Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth on June 3. Khobragade requested Pornmoniroth to withdraw the ban immediately as the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, which collected and tested the samples from meat exported from India, had already certified that the products were Covid-19 negative and fit for human consumption.
The Indian ambassador also conveyed that, in the absence of any scientific basis to prove that Covid-19 virus spreads through food and packaging material, the temporary ban is becoming a non-tariff barrier and is also harmful for business sentiments.
India revealed that the Cambodian minister assured that the ban would be reviewed expeditiously.
Rapid increase in India’s meat exports to Cambodia
Indian have been supplying good quality meat and meat products to Cambodia for a long time now. In 2020, buffalo meat exports from India reached US $ 17.7 million from US $ 6.4 million in 2019, garnering 12.28% share of total bilateral trade. Buffalo meat exports from India to Cambodia in the first two months of 2021 had already reached $ 9.32 million and are expected to see exponential growth in the coming times.
On April 28, just a few days before the temporary ban decision was taken by the Cambodian government, the Indian embassy in Phnom Penh had organised the first-ever virtual Buyer Seller Meet (BSM) of buffalo and other meat exporters from India and importers from Cambodia, an event which saw participation of around 61 companies from the both sides.
The joint activity was done in coordination with India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Cambodian Chamber of Commerce.
During the meeting, Khobragade had expressed hope that given world class facilities and the resilient nature of Indian meat industry, Indian companies will be able to supply good quality meat and meat products to Cambodia at a much cheaper price and increase its already growing market share. This would obviously lead to further strengthening of trade and commercial relations between the two countries.
APEDA Chairman M. Angamuthu had assured the Cambodian businessmen that, as per the current export and import policy of the Indian government, each export consignment of meat is already subjected to compulsory microbiological and other tests. India’s all export-oriented abattoirs are also most modern while the state-of-the-art integrated meat plants, which are certified for quality management, are under constant inspection and monitoring by various government agencies and veterinarians.
Vaccines to road connectivity, India strengthens bond with Cambodia
The current standoff has however not hampered the warm and cordial relations between both the countries.
Cambodia remains an important interlocutor and a good partner in the context of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and the ASEAN. From recognizing the new government after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime to restoring the famous Angkor Wat temple and now supplying the Covid-19 vaccine doses as a part of the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative, India has always assisted Cambodia in diverse fields for its economic and social growth.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had described the arrival of Indian vaccines in Cambodia as a “civilizational commitment” while recalling the age-old civilzational and cultural linkages between the two countries.
In April, the Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen received his second shot of ‘Made-in-India’ Covid-19 vaccine before departing for the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia. The Premier’s wife and several ministers of his cabinet were also administered shots of Indian vaccine.
New Delhi has also been considering an eastward extension of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway towards Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
On Wednesday, Khobragade met Cambodia’s Senior Minister of Public Works and Transport, Sun Chanthol, to brief him about the availability of USD 1 billion Line of Credit (LoC) offered by India to all ASEAN countries for physical and digital connectivity projects. The ambassador requested the Cambodian minister to look into the possibility of undertaking some physical connectivity projects utilising the available LoC, including projects falling under eastward extension of India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway into Cambodia from Laos and further connecting Vietnam and Thailand.
Vaccine (ANI)
Cambodia was also briefed about the Luang Namtha-Muang Singh Junction-Friendship Bridge Road project across the Mekong river that is under consideration from Laos.
Chanthol, while noting that physical connectivity is not only important for economic growth and people-to-people exchanges but will also enhance trade between India and Cambodia, welcomed the suggestion and instructed his officials to identify infrastructure projects of considerable importance with the LoC of $1 billion available for connectivity projects.
(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (government) complicated the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav,” said Pakistan foreign minister Qureshi…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has blamed the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government for complicating the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.
Qureshi claimed that India was trying to take Pakistan again to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for not implementing its verdict, the Hindustan Times reported.
“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (government) complicated the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Qureshi said on Sunday, according to news agency ANI, without explaining his comment.
Meanwhile, welcoming Pakistan’s decision to allow Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to appeal against his conviction in the country’s high courts, his friend said Islamabad’s recent move is a diplomatic win for India and the countrymen.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s National Assembly approved a bill allowing Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to appeal his conviction in the high courts of the country.
Speaking to ANI, Arvind Singh, a friend of Kulbhushan Jadhav, deemed the passage of the bill as “good news” and expressed hope to see his friend, who was arrested by Pakistan forces in 2018, soon.
“This is very good news. It is our diplomatic win. Under international pressure, following the International Court of Justice’s verdict, Pakistan passed a bill in the national assembly that allows Kulbhushan Jadhav to appeal in High Courts. It is a win for India and countrymen,” he said.
“We are hoping that things will fasten up after this and we will see him among us soon. The government is making all efforts to bring him back through diplomatic channels and international pressure,” he added.
The bill seeks to provide a further right of review and reconsideration in giving effect to the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
According to the bill, the High Court has the power to review and reconsider where the ICJ in relation to a foreign national passes an order in respect of rights under the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations or a foreign national is aggrieved in respect of the rights available under the same.
Earlier this year, a larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had resumed hearing of the case related to Jadhav and four other Indian prisoners who were under detention even after completion of their respective sentences.
In January, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) slammed Pakistan for not acting upon the ICJ’s 2019 judgment that had upheld India’s claim of the Pakistani regime committing the grievous violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations on several counts regarding Jadhav. India has also lashed out at Pakistan for failing to provide consular access to Jadhav.
Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017. Pakistan claims that Jadhav was arrested from Balochistan in 2016 on charges of espionage. India has rejected Pakistan’s allegations and said he was kidnapped from the Iranian port of Chabahar. (with inputs from ANI)
Myanmar refugees staged a protest against China's support to the new military rule in Myanmar at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday 03rd March, 2021. (Photo: IANS)
Global rights groups have called for unconditional release all those wrongfully held and end all collective punishment….reports Anwesha Bhaumik
Myanmar security forces are arbitrarily arresting and detaining family and friends of activists, protesters and opposition members.
The trend is increasing, says global rights groups, who demand the authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all those wrongfully held and end all collective punishment.
Since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar, security forces have detained at least 76 people, including an infant, during raids when they were unable to find the person they sought to arrest, according to documentation by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
At least 48 of those people are still in detention, with some now held for more than three months.
“Seizing family members and friends as hostages is a thuggish tactic by Myanmar’s security forces to terrorize the population and coerce activists to turn themselves in,” said Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
“The authorities should end the practice of collective punishment immediately and release everyone held on this illegal basis.”
Security forces unable to find specific suspects have arrested their parents, children, other relatives, and friends who happened to be present during the search.
On March 8, security forces searching for lawyer Robert San Aung seized his daughter and brother-in-law and held them for 18 days before releasing them.
On April 22, security forces searching for Pu Do Sian Pau, a member of the opposition Civil Disobedience Movement, seized his mother and his 70-year-old father, a retired pastor of the Cope Memorial Baptist Church. Both are still in detention.
On April 29, security forces searching for Salai Bawi Uk Thang, the editor-in-chief of the Chinland Post newspaper, detained his father. He is still in detention.
On May 23, security forces arrested the parents and younger brother of a striking worker from the fire department. All three relatives are still in detention.
In some cases, witnesses allege that the security forces beat the relatives before detaining them.
Tin Htut Paing, an activist who is in hiding, told the media that, on May 2, security forces searching for him and his brother beat his 90-year-old grandmother and 64-year-old mother.
Security forces detained his mother and charged her with “incitement”. On May 28, she was sentenced to three years in prison.
According to the AAPP, security forces searching for Associate Judge Kaung Myat Thu of Chaung-U Township Court beat his mother before arresting her. His mother is still in detention
Young children and even an infant have also been detained, at least temporarily. Security forces detained five relatives of strike leader Ko Jay Lah, including two girls aged two and four.
Similarly, forces searching for protest leader U Tan Win detained his wife and 20-day-old baby.
While in both cases the family members were released later the same day, the arrests send a chilling message to activists and members of the Civil Disobedience Movement that no member of their family is safe, HRW’s Robertson said.
Myanmar refugees staged a protest against China’s support to the new military rule in Myanmar at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday 03rd March, 2021. (Photo: IANS)
The detention of people based solely on their relationship to another person is a form of collective punishment, which violates the right to liberty and security of person and the right to a fair trial.
“Myanmar’s junta has taken unlawful detention to a noxious new level by detaining those close to people who themselves should not be facing arrest,” Robertson said.
“Concerned governments should urgently impose targeted sanctions and a global arms embargo or expect the junta to continue to raise the stakes on abusive actions.”
Last month, the Burmese army Tatmadaw used villagers as shields during their attempt to regain control of the Mindat town in the Chin Hills.
“Using civilians as shield is a gross violation of the rules of war,” said Amrita Dey, an author of a volume on Myanmar.
