Myanmar’s State Administration Council has announced that the citizens can continue the use of 5,000 and 10,000 kyat notes, while denying rumours of demonitisation of banknotes.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Council said that rumours and fake news were spread in social media about the demonetization of 5,000 and 10,000 kyat notes published by the state officially, reports Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Myanmar on Wednesday announced that the citizens can continue the use of the notes and banking services without worries as the directive has been given to the banks to operate banking services as usual.
The Central Bank of Myanmar placed emphasis on stabilizing the monetary system regarding the rumours.
On Monday, the military seized control of Myanmar after it detained government leaders and other senior officials of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), including State Counseelor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.
The President’s Office later declared the one-year state of emergency and the state power was handed over to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
The coup was staged over the disputed results of the November 2020 parliamentary polls in which the NLD won an overwhelming majority.
What would the 70-odd farmers who died braving rain, bone-chilling cold on Delhi roads who may have considered Sachin Tendulkar a role model be thinking now? The ‘God’ of cricket, who was conferred the Bharat Ratna, seems to have proved that he is nothing more than a “sarkari celeb.”
His Twitter statement on Wednesday urging those “foreigners” to keep off farmers protest hasn’t gone down too well.
Since Tendulkar was conferred the highest civilian award in 2014, he has been the mascot of the Mumbai India IPL team, which is owned by Reliance Industries. The Mukesh Ambani-led company now finds itself in the center of the contentious farm laws along with the Adani Group.
India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let's remain united as a nation.#IndiaTogether#IndiaAgainstPropaganda
Since his cricket career which began in 1989, why has the ‘God of cricket’ found his voice now on social and political issues 32 years hence?
During his stint as Rajya Sabha MP, the cricketer held the ignominious record of 7.3% attendance in Parliament. As per Parliament records, Tendulkar attended just 29 of the nearly 400 Parliament sessions, asked just 22 questions and introduced no bills. The fiver year stint earned him nearly Rs 1 crore (Rs 86.23 lakh to be precise).
What is more intriguing is Tendulkar’s timing of the tweet, it took a foreign pop singer, foreign climate and an international porn actor to wake up the former Test cricketer and ex-MP to back the government?
While critics have panned Tendulkar for his message, Right-wing trolls have welcomed his “awakening.” Many said the “God has spoken,” while others saw it as the cricketer’s coming of age. Whatever the reason may be, it seems that the “Little Master” is following the “Master’s” call.
China and Turkey are going all out to consolidate Pakistan’s defence arsenal even as the country’s external debt continues to accumulate and the Imran Khan government finds itself on a sticky wicket yet again ahead of this month’s plenary meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog…reports Ateet Sharma. While ‘iron brother’ China launched a second advanced warship for Pakistan in Shanghai last week, Turkey – its only other all-weather ally – also held a welding ceremony of third ship of MILGEM class corvettes for Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard (INSY).
The launch of the second Type 054 Class Frigate was held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard on Friday with the Pakistani Navy highlighting how warship’s induction will enhance country’s maritime defence and deterrence capabilities.
The first of the four warships of Type-054 Class Frigate constructed by China for Pakistan was launched in August, last year.
“Technologically advance platform fitted with latest Surface, Subsurface, Anti-air weapons, Combat Management System & Sensors will strengthen PN combat capabilities & maintain peace & stability in IOR,” Pakistan Navy tweeted Saturday.
In Istanbul, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi jointly kicked off the MILGEM class corvettes project by performing the block welding.
The contract for four MILGEM class corvettes for Pakistan Navy with concurrent Transfer of Technology (ToT) was signed with ASFAT Inc, a Turkish state owned Defence contractor in 2018. The ToT entails construction of two corvettes at Istanbul Naval Shipyard and another two at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW).
Erdogan highlighted deep-rooted relationship between the “two strategically aligned nations” and underscored the defence collaboration for construction of MILGEM class warships as major milestone in Pak-Turkey defence ties.
The MILGEM class corvettes will be surface platforms equipped with modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons and sensors integrated through a network centric Combat Management System.
These ships, said Pakistan Navy, will augment its “kinetic punch” and will significantly contribute in maintaining peace, stability and “balance of power” in Indian Ocean Region.
Pakistan Navy’s top officers are now regular visitors to Ankara and Beijing, just like the country’s ships now frequently call at their ports.
Last month, after taking over the command of the Pakistan Navy in October, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi visited the Turkish Fleet Headquarters at Golcuk Naval Base and also the Istanbul Naval Shipyards where he was briefed on the current status of the ongoing construction of the first corvette of the ‘Jinnah’ Class Corvette Project.
During his visit, Niazi, who was conferred with ‘Legion of Merit of the Turkish Armed Forces’ by Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Adnan Ozbal, also called on Turkey’s President of Defence Industries Ismail Demir.
After being commissioned in November at the Black Sea Port of Constanta in Romania, Pakistan Navy’s new Corvette e a Damen OPV 1900 named PNS Tabuk – visited Turkey’s Port Aksaz on her return passage to Pakistan. On departing the port, Tabuk participated in coordinated patrol with Turkish Navy ships.
The Commanding Officer of the ship, in a meeting with Aksaz Naval Base Commander Rear Admiral I Kurtulus Sevinc discussed “matters of mutual interest”, including Kashmir.
Discussing Kashmir to further foster the “brotherly relations” between both the countries comes naturally to Pakistan and Turkey.
Pakistan Navy Ship Zulfiqar, with embarked helicopter, had visited Port Aksaz in October 2020 to participate in Turkey-led Mavi Balina 2020 multinational Anti Submarine Warfare exercise. During the stay, Commanding Officer of the ship had called on senior naval officials and dignitaries, including Sevinc and Flag Officer Commanding Aksaz Naval Base to discuss Kashmir.
In March, another Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook – the first ship commissioned at Constanta Port – had visited Golcuk during its voyage back to “develop interoperability” with Turkish Navy. The Commanding Officer of PNS Yarmook had also called on important authorities of Turkish Navy to discuss Kashmir.
At the same time, China continues to strengthen Pakistan Navy, enhancing its ability with new assets and joint Sino-Pakistani naval exercises.
“Pakistan Navy is enlarging its marines, which now operates from Gwadar into a division-sized force. China funds the marines defending Chinese interests at Gwadar and PN’s Special Service Group Navy (SSGN) originally trained by US Seals is planned to grow into a brigade-sized force by 2023. China is enabling Pakistan to set up a network-enabled warfare capability with satellite feeds to monitor the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) like the Indian Navy employs Centrix provided by the US Navy,” Commodore Ranjit B Rai, a former Naval Intelligence and Operations Director, wrote in Indian Defence Review, last year.
Meanwhile, India and the new Joe Biden administration in Washington will be closely watching the proceedings at this month’s Aman-2021 exercise scheduled to be held in the water area of the Pakistani port of Karachi.
Besides China and Turkey, the Russian Navy has confirmed the participation of its Black Sea Fleet (BSF), including a frigate, a patrol ship, a rescue tug, a Marine Corps unit, a demining squad and a sea-based helicopter, in the exercise.
It is expected to be held at around the same time when FATF meets virtually from February 22 to 25 to consider blacklisting Pakistan as it continues to abate terrorism.
“The government is trying hard efforts to tackle Covid-19, including through vaccination,” the Health Ministry’s Secretary General Oscar said Primadi..reports Asian Lite News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyXTTtwCpWY
A total of 10 million doses of raw materials for Covid-19 vaccine from the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech reached Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia’s city of Tangerang, an official said.
“The government is trying hard efforts to tackle Covid-19, including through vaccination,” the Health Ministry’s Secretary General Oscar Primadi said, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
With the arrival, there are 28 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia, Primadi noted, adding that among them, three million doses were ready to use, and another 25 million doses arrived in the form of raw materials.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzZMZ320s7U
Bambang Heriyanto, Corporate Secretary of Indonesian state-run vaccine manufacturer Bio Farma, said 15 million doses of vaccine raw materials that arrived in Indonesia on January 12 are still under process for the ready-to-use vaccine, targeted to be completed on February 11.
Heriyanto said the raw materials that arrived Tuesday would be processed starting from February 13 and expected to be completed on March 20.
Indonesia is targeting to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to 181.5 million people until next year.
A spokesperson for the Health Ministry’s Covid-19 Vaccination said more than 500,000 medical workers have so far been vaccinated.
The target is that 1.5 million medical workers would have been vaccinated before the end of February.
“After that, 17.4 million public workers will be vaccinated,” the spokesperson said.
Chaired by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the council is comprised of 10 other members including Vice-Senior General Soe Win as deputy chair…reports Asian Lite News
The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services announced formation of a new 11-membered State Administration Council under Section 419 of Constitution late on Tuesday.
Chaired by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the council is comprised of 10 other members including Vice-Senior General Soe Win as deputy chair, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The newly formed State Administration Council announced appointments of new Union Attorney-General, Union Auditor-General, governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, union ministers for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Construction, chairmen of Administration Councils in six self-administered division and zones– Naga, Danu, Pa’O, Palaung, Kokang and Wa, chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, chairmen of Administration Councils for 12 regions and states, excluding Yangon and Ayeyarwady regions.
The council terminated Deputy Attorney-General from his duties.
On the same day, the State Administration Council approved the retirement of Police Lieutenant General Aung Win Oo, Chief of Myanmar Police Force while transferring Major General Soe Tint Naing, former Deputy Minister for Home Affairs to serve as Deputy Minister for the Union Government Office.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Than Hlaing is appointed to concurrently serve as Deputy Home Affairs Minister and Chief of Myanmar Police Force.
The council also formed a six-member Union Election Committee in accordance with the Constitution.
The Section 419 of the Constitution stipulates that the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services to whom the sovereign power has been transferred shall have the right to exercise the powers of legislature, executive and judiciary.
The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services may exercise the legislative power either by himself or by a body including him. The executive power and the judicial power may be transferred to and exercised by an appropriate body that has been formed or a suitable person, it said.
Myanmar declared the one-year state of emergency and the state power was handed over to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing on Monday.
The person who volunteered himself for the first-ever official jab in the country was Rana Imran Sikander, an anesthetist and critical care specialist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims)….reports Asian Lite News
Nearly a year after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that claimed 11,746 lives and infected more than half a million in Pakistan, the government began vaccinating the frontline warriors on Tuesday, with a 50-year-old doctor being the first health care worker (HCW) in the country to get the jab.
While a countrywide campaign is going to start formally on Wednesday in which over one million HCWs will be vaccinated against the coronavirus in a period of two months, an anaesthetist and critical care specialist, Prof Rana Imran Sikander, was the first doctor to have been vaccinated against the disease at PM Office in the presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Dawn reported.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister said: “I congratulate my team which has worked promptly and vaccine was imported. We are also thankful to China which has provided vaccine. Just like the vaccine has been inoculated to a doctor, it will be given to frontline health care workers who have been dealing with the Covid-19 patients.
“In a second phase, people of an age group (over 65) will be vaccinated. Vaccine is being distributed fairly in all the provinces and no one should think that one province has been getting more doses.”
As the first tranche of the vaccine was sent to all federating units, the premier urged all registered HCWs to get themselves vaccinated as they were considered the most vulnerable across the globe.
Interestingly, photos and video clips of the first shot being administered to a Pakistani in the presence of Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan and Minister for Planning Asad Umar went viral on social media and TV channels, majority of the people remained unaware of his identity as his face was covered with mask.
The person who volunteered himself for the first-ever official jab in the country was Rana Imran Sikander, an anesthetist and critical care specialist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
Sikander said: “I am 50 years old, married, and father of four children. I drove to PM Office and then drove back to my house, after being vaccinated. I am in good health and did four-kilometre jogging in the evening.”
He said people should not hesitate, as vaccination was part of everyone’s life. “We get BCG just after birth, polio vaccine till the age of five and a number of other vaccines throughout the life. Even pregnant women are vaccinated. So Covid-19 vaccine is also just a vaccine similar to other vaccines we take regularly,” the doctor said.
Unfortunately, he said, there was a segment of society both in developing and developed countries, which resisted vaccination.
Meanwhile, according to the National Command and Operation Centre, as many as 1,220 more cases of coronavirus and 63 deaths have been reported from across the country during the past one day.
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said Pakistan is a peace loving country that had rendered great sacrifices for regional and global peace. He also emphasised that Pakistan and India should resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue in a dignified manner.
Gen Bajwa said this while congratulating the graduating cadets at PAF Academy on Tuesday, the Geo TV reported.
The graduation ceremony of 144th GD (P), 90th Engineering Course and 100th AD courses was held at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) academy Asghar Khan and Bajwa was the chief guest on the occasion, said the Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press release.
Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan was also present at the ceremony.
While addressing the graduating cadets, Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan stands firmly committed to the ideals of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence.
“It is time to extend a hand of peace in all directions,” he remarked.
Pakistan and India should also resolve the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a dignified and peaceful manner as per the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir and bring this human tragedy to its logical conclusion, the army chief emphasised.
“However, we will not allow anybody or any entity to misinterpret our desire for peace as a sign of weakness,” he added.
The Army chief said that Armed Forces of Pakistan were fully capable and prepared to thwart any threat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan
The immaculate coordination and harmony displayed by all the three services in operations against the enemies of Pakistan had brought great improvement in the internal security environment, he said.
The Army chief specially commended the critical role played by Pakistan Air Force in the War on Terror.
“The outstanding courage and professional excellence displayed by brave air warriors of Pakistan Air Force during Operation Swift Retort is a manifestation of our resolve and capability.
“The whole nation is proud of its Air Force and I earnestly hope that PAF will scale new heights of glory and excellence in the years to come,” Gen Bajwa said.
He hailed the presence of cadets from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for training at PAF Academy Asghar Khan.
“This is a manifestation of warm fraternal ties between Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and our Defence Forces indeed.”
“We are proud of the strong bonds of Islam, brotherhood and cultural communion that bind us together,” the Army chief said.
Khalfan’s tweet raised a kerfuffle among the Twitterati. Of the 41,861 votes polled on the Dubai police chief’s tweet, 39 per cent said yes while a majority 61 per cent disagreed with him…reports Rahul Kumar
Dubai’s deputy chief of police and public security, Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan has once again raised Pakistani heckles. A couple of days back, Khalfan tweeted whether the Baloch people in Pakistan should be given missiles to defend themselves.
Khalfan’s tweet raised a kerfuffle among the Twitterati. Of the 41,861 votes polled on the Dubai police chief’s tweet, 39 per cent said yes while a majority 61 per cent disagreed with him.
One of the main reactions on his tweet came from Sobdar Baloch, journalist and human rights activist, associated with the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM). He wrote back to Khalfan: “I agree 100% that our Arab friends must fully support #FreeBalochistanmovement, provide all necessary help and recognition…”
In 2018 also, Khalfan had hit out against Pakistan, saying: “Pakistanis pose a serious threat to the Gulf societies for the drugs they bring with them… There must be very strict measures against them at the outlets…” A few minutes later, he again tweeted: “Why are Indians disciplined? While idleness, criminality and smuggling in the Pakistani community are rampant.”
Khalfan is often perceived to be politically incorrect and very much in-your-face.
However, he is a good barometer for judging how people perceive Pakistan in the UAE. Currently, Pakistanis are not welcome in the Arab country owing to the strategic winds blowing in West Asia. With the signing of the Abraham accords, the UAE has moved closer to Israel and much travel is happening between the nationals of the two countries.
Soon after the historic rapprochement between the UAE and Israel in August, the Arab nation stopped issuing new visas to the citizens of 13 countries, including Pakistan in November 2020. The reason was guided by intelligence inputs that highlighted threat perception to Israelis visiting the UAE. Publicly UAE is maintaining that it is
streamlining procedures to effectively screen applicants from these countries.
Months later, that ban has still not been lifted against Pakistani nationals while Israel has been given the permission to open an embassy in the UAE.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. (File Photo: IANS)
The Imran Khan government in Pakistan is under pressure from its nationals over the suspension of visas. In fact Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s visit to the UAE in December 2020 did not help resolve matters. He took up the issue in the UAE but was told that visa restrictions were due to the Covid-19 outbreak and were temporary. But the restrictions on Pakistani nationals visiting the UAE remain in place.
On the other hand, India and UAE relations continue to grow. Just a few days back Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss boosting trade and investment in a post-Covid world. “They agreed to continue close consultations and cooperation to further strengthen the India-UAE partnership in the post-Covid-19 world. In this context, they discussed the opportunities for further diversifying trade and investment links,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.
It is not just trade ties. The relations between the UAE and India includes defence ties and people-to-people contacts. The UAE had recently provided mid-air refuelling to three Rafale aircraft on their way from France to India. In December 2020, Indian Army chief M.M. Naravane became the first chief of the defence forces to visit the UAE.
There are an estimated 3,5 million Indians working in UAE alone, contributing enormously to the land of their choosing while sending large amounts of foreign currency home.
On India’s 72nd Republic Day, the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, highlighted the Indian Tricolour on the iconic building. In a tweet, the @burjKhalifa handle said: “#BurjKhalifa commemorates India’s Republic Day, honouring the date in which the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950.” It posted the tweet in Hindi, highlighting how mutual relations between the two countries continue to flourish at multiple levels.
Hours after the coup, the military, known as the Tatmadaw, also announced a major cabinet reshuffle, under which there were new appointments for 11 Ministries, while 24 Deputy Ministers were removed….reports Asian Lite News
A day after seizing control of the country, the military in Myanmar on Tuesday released a majority of the detained regional and state Chief Ministers, but there was no word on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.
Confirming the development to Xinhua news agency, a military official said: “There may be a reshuffle among chief ministers by appointing qualified ones.”
MPs belonging to Suu Kyi’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party were also among the freed government official, the source added.
Hours after the coup, the military, known as the Tatmadaw, also announced a major cabinet reshuffle, under which there were new appointments for 11 Ministries, while 24 Deputy Ministers were removed.
The Union Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court of the Union, Chief Justices and Judges of Regional or State High Courts are allowed to remain in office, according to a statement issued by the military.
Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi (C) arrives for the plenary session of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei/IANS)
Members of Anti-Corruption Commission, Chairman, Vice Vhairman and members of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission will also remain in office.
Chairmen and members of the Nay Pyi Taw Council and the Union Civil Service Board will be removed from their posts, while a new Chairman was appointed for the Union Civil Service Board, the statement said.
In an earlier release, the military also said that the Union Election Commission (UEC) will be reformed and ordered a review into the results of the disputed polls, noting that there were some irregularities in the voting process in the previous months.
“When these tasks have been completed in accord with the provisions of the State of Emergency, free and fair multi-party general elections will be held and the assigned duty of the state will be handed over to the winning party meeting norms and standards of democracy.”
At present, access to state-run broadcasting channels and telecommunications have resumed after being cut off across the country earlier Monday.
The Military True News Information Team announced on Tuesday that all banks were open to provide customer services.
Internet services have also been reactivated after they were suspended after the coup.
Monday’s actions reversed a 10-year period of democratic transition following 50 years of military rule.
Since the election, where the NLD obtained more than 80 per cent of the seats and increased its parliamentary majority, the Tatmadaw had called for an investigation into voting lists, alleging fraud and discrepancies.
The Election Commission rejected the allegations of election fraud on January 29.
Suu Kyi has asked the people “to respond and wholeheartedly to protest against the coup by the military”.
No one has claimed responsibility for the majority of the attacks, but Afghan officials have generally accused Taliban militants for the targeted attacks in recent months….reports Asian Lite News
Targeted killings across Afghanistan in the month of January claimed the lives of more than 50 people, triggering concerns among civilians of the war-torn country, according to official figures published on Tuesday.
According to the figures by Xinhua news agency, five people comprising two security forces members and three civilians were killed in three attacks in Kabul, while a praying leader and teacher of a local seminary was shot dead in Kandahar province over the weekend.
A service member of the Afghan National Directorate of Security, the country’s intelligence agency, was assassinated in Kabul on January 30, while a civil society activist was mysteriously killed in Nuristan province.
On January 26, Safiullah Amiri, deputy provincial councillor in Kunduz province, and the son of a local official were killed in a bomb attack.
Abdul Raqeeb, a local religious figure, was killed by gunmen in Parwan province on January 23.
On January 21, two army officers in an army pick-up truck were shot dead in Police District (PD) 5 of Kabul near a crowded traffic circle. The attackers fled the scene.
Wali Raghi, a senior government official, was killed after gunmen opened fire on him in Chahar Dara district of Kunduz on January 19.
On January 18, two brothers, both employees of the NDS, lost their lives in a terror attack in Logar province.
The same day, gunmen attacked and killed Mohammad Zahir Haqyar, chief of Washer district of southern Helmand province, in provincial capital Lashkar Gah city.
Also on Jan. 18, the director of provincial directorate of Environmental Protection Agency lost his life in an attack in eastern Ghazni province.
Some remaining 27 people were killed and several others wounded in separate targeted attacks in Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Farah and Badghis provinces.
No one has claimed responsibility for the majority of the attacks, but Afghan officials have generally accused Taliban militants for the targeted attacks in recent months.
Militants of the Taliban and Islamic State (IS) have conducted scores of targeted attacks against civilians and military officials in recent years.
They consider anyone working for the government and NATO and US-led troops as a target.
Over 60 people were killed in targeted attacks in December 2020 across Afghanistan.
