The local wheat price saw a dramatic decline during the caretaker government’s tenure, primarily due to imports by the private sector, including wheat flour millers…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, revoked its March order on Friday, banning the export of flour made from imported wheat amid a nationwide strike by millers, Pakistan-based daily, Dawn reported.
The ban came after the farmers protested against wheat imports despite the high crop produce in the country, Dawn reported.
The Pakistan Ministry of Commerce issued two notifications that withdrew the March 29 order that allowed millers to export flour made from imported wheat. However, no data on the export of such flour was available on the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) website. Export of wheat and its byproducts from locally produced wheat is already banned, Dawn reported.
The local wheat price saw a dramatic decline during the caretaker government’s tenure, primarily due to imports by the private sector, including wheat flour millers.
Out of 65 total wheat importers, 17 were flour mills that also imported wheat. The government had previously formed a committee to investigate the issue, but it took two months to impose a ban on wheat imports, which was officially notified on Friday.
On Thursday, the All-Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) went on strike as a mark of protest on Thursday against the new withholding tax.
Flour dealers and owners of atta chakkis (small wheat grinding units joined the protest, causing disturbances in the supply flow of flour.
Chairperson of PFMA, Asim Raza said that the measure has made flour mills withholding agents for tax collection. He said the tax is expected to increase flour prices by Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 8 per kg.
Raza said that he would continue the strike until the demands are met and the strike would adversely affect the supply chain.
“The tax measure is unacceptable and impracticable as flour dealers are refusing to lift their consignments instead of sharing their tax details for withholding tax purposes,” he said. (ANI)
The decision that was widely criticised by civil society, women activists and lawyers. The verdict had coincided with the Toshakhana and cipher case sentences…reports Asian Lite News
An Islamabad district and sessions court ordered on Saturday to release former Pakistan PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Iddat case, Dawn reported.
Additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Afzal Majoka announced the judgment a little after 3pm after reserving the verdict earlier in the day.
According to the Dawn, the judge said after accepting their appeals: “If they are not wanted in any other case, then PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be released [from jail] immediately.”
The judge said the orders for the release of PTI founder and his spouse have been issued.
The PTI founder and Bushra were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each, in February earlier this year after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent as Khawar Maneka, Bushra’s ex-husband, moved the court against the couple’s marriage.
The decision that was widely criticised by civil society, women activists and lawyers. The verdict had coincided with the Toshakhana and cipher case sentences.
The couple had then challenged their conviction and had even moved the IHC seeking varying relief from the court.
The verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping Imran in jail as he has been acquitted by various courts in several other cases — including Toshakhana and cipher — filed against him since the events of May 9, 2023 — the day when his first arrest had caused riots across the country, following which the state had launched a crackdown against him and his party, the Dawn reported.
The couple was convicted in Iddat case on February 3 — days before the general elections — on a complaint filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, Khawar Fareed Maneka, who alleged that they contracted marriage during the former first lady’s Iddat period.
Following the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, while speaking to the media, said that the purpose of the conviction was to force Imran to compromise but “Imran has stood steady as a rock”.
“I met Imran Khan and Bibi today as well in Adiala, and he was very happy about yesterday’s verdict,” Gohar said referring to the Supreme Court’s decision to rule the PTI eligible for reserved seats.
“The win today is the country’s win and is a win for the independent judiciary. The world has now seen that this was merely a case made for political victimisation”, it reported. (ANI)
A flood-affected woman prepares food in Jamshoro district in Pakistan's Sindh province on Sept. 8, 2022. (Str/Xinhua/IANS)
The Pakistani government has been spending a huge amount on observing the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ – an event to condemn India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir state. It is observed on August 5thevery year … writes Sakariya Kareem
Pakistan’s economy is in a dire state and a majority of its population is suffering from worst-ever food inflation. Yet, Islamabad’s priority remains inciting enmity with neighbouring India. The Pakistani government has been spending a huge amount on observing the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ – an event to condemn India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir state. It is observed on August 5thevery year.
Islamabad has not kept the observation of the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ event restricted to Pakistani cities but the embassies in different countries have been directed to mark the anniversary. South Africa, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Sweden, United States, China, Nepal, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Korea, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, France, Japan, and Ghana are among the countries where Islamabad held the event.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif speaks in an interaction with foreign media in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad Kamal/Xinhua/IANS)
Pakistani embassies in different countries regularly hold the Youm-e-Istehsal event, which adds a burden on its public exchequer. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has always been blamed for making inordinate expenses. Recently, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had to enforce austerity measures amid growing criticism about exorbitant expenditure on foreign matters.
The Auditor General of Pakistan has expressed concerns over the excess expenditure incurred by the foreign missions in its 2022-23 and 2021-22 reports. “(Foreign) Ministry incurred an expenditure of PKR 11.550 million against the budget allocation of PKR 38,373, resultantly excess expenditure of PKR 11.512 million (29,998.32 percent in excess) was incurred in violation of rules,” it said. The audit reports slammed foreign missions for irregular payments and mishandling of funds when holding events abroad.
Pakistan’s 68 percent population cannot afford a healthy diet and half of their earning goes into buying food. This led the World Bank to demand urgent reforms to strengthen Pakistan’s food system. However, Islamabad appears apathetic as its priorities are placed on inciting enmity with India by fuelling the Kashmir issue.
It seems a political compulsion for Pakistani leaders to keep the Kashmir controversy alive to keep the local population calm and distracted from seeking basic rights. “For Pakistan, Kashmir stands as its jugular vein. Altering its status poses challenges to Pakistan’s security and integrity,” admitted former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Notably, the local people of Jammu & Kashmir have not ever held any such event to condemn the move to fully integrate the region with the rest of India. It has seen bloodshed for decades, which India claimed was supported by Pakistan. Now the revocation of special status has ensured the infrastructure and human development in Jammu & Kashmir occurred at a faster rate.
Leaders from different countries including the US and Russia have clarified that the Jammu & Kashmir issue is an internal matter of India. US Congressmen including Scott Perry said the Indian decision to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution led to the welfare of local people and economy. He said it allowed India to “address the stagnant economy and high youth unemployment plaguing the region by providing economic opportunity and sound governance.”
UK parliamentarian Bob Blackman was among the big voices that supported revocation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. He said those who migrated out of Kashmir due to alleged Pakistan-sponsored militancy could return to their homes. “Kashmiri Pandits must be guaranteed right of return after they were the victims of ethnic cleansing and this move should prevent any other minority groups being forced to leave the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
While Islamabad raises the issue of the plight of Kashmiris in Jammu & Kashmir, the situation is very bad for those Kashmiris living in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. In Jammu & Kashmir, the unemployment rate is just 4 percent where as it is a staggering 14.4 percent in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. In Jammu & Kashmir, the per capita income is USD 950, which is almost five times that in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
When the people of Kashmir, experts, and global leaders welcomed the change in the status of Kashmir, Pakistan’s criticism seemed irrelevant and futile. Yet, Pakistan continues to spend a huge sum of money on the event of ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’. Pakistani leaders harped on resolving the alleged problems of Muslims living in Jammu & Kashmir when the average Muslim in Pakistan is struggling to earn daily bread and butter.
Pakistani journalist Imad Zafar said activities by Islamabad such as observing Youm-e-Istehsal or printing a map showing Indian areas inside Pakistan’s territory would not help Kashmiris. “Maps do not change realities, and a country only has control of those areas under its administration. Everything else is dreaming, perhaps for the consumption of respective audiences. In Islamabad’s case, it is the Kashmir dispute that justifies billions of dollars of investment on defense,” he said.
Sindh Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Khan confirmed that there were no casualties in the fire incident….reports Asian Lite News
Following a fire at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) building in Karachi, which resulted in a two-hour suspension of trading activities, rescue officials have successfully brought the situation under control, according to a report by Dawn.
Sindh Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Khan confirmed that there were no casualties in the fire incident.
Hassan Khan informed that the fire initially broke out on the fourth floor of the Ali Habib Trading Company building on I.I. Chundrigar Road. He further added that the cooling process of the building had started as fire brigades reached the spot.
Sindh Rescue 1122 spokesperson also informed that as soon as Central Command and Control received the information regarding fire, noted that as soon as Rescue 1122’s Central Command and Control received the information, two fire brigade trucks reached the spot to douse the blaze, according to Dawn.
To extinguish the fire, one snorkel and a total of six fire brigades had reached the building, Khan said.
Due to the fire incident, trading was halted at around 10:30 am and resumed at around 12:30 pm. Once the fire was brought under control, the KSE-100 index, the PSX’s main index, gained 484 points in intraday trade at around 2:00 pm and reached 80,697 points, according to Dawn. (ANI)
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, saw unidentified assailants fatally shoot DSP Raza near a residential building….reports Asian Lite News
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ali Raza of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was killed in what authorities have described as a ‘targeted attack’ in Karachi’s Karimabad area, Geo News reported.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, saw unidentified assailants fatally shoot DSP Raza near a residential building.
Raza, known for his close friendship with the late senior superintendent police (SSP) Chaudhry Aslam, sustained a fatal head injury from the assailants’ gunfire. Despite being rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. A security guard of the residential building also lost his life in the intense gunfire.
Police officials reported that the attackers, consisting of two gunmen, carried out the attack with precision. One of the assailants wore an ajrak, a traditional block-printed shawl from Sindh, while the other concealed his face with a helmet. The gunman who targeted DSP Raza used a 9mm pistol equipped with a silencer, indicating a well-planned operation.
Authorities disclosed that DSP Raza frequently visited the area to meet childhood friends, raising suspicions that the assailants meticulously planned the attack following thorough reconnaissance. At the crime scene, investigators recovered 11 spent bullet casings from a 9mm pistol.
CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asif Aijaz Shaikh, addressing reporters after the incident, vowed that those responsible for the attack would face justice. He confirmed that DSP Raza typically used a bullet-proof vehicle.
When asked about potential threats to DSP Raza, DIG Shaikh acknowledged that all CTD officers are at risk due to the nature of their work. He stated that two individuals were involved in the attack, firing a total of 11 rounds at DSP Raza.
However, DIG Shaikh cautioned that it was premature to speculate on the motives behind the attack, emphasising the need for a thorough investigation to uncover the assailants’ intentions.
Following the incident, senior CTD officials including Raja Umar Khattab, Mazhar Mashwani, and Khurram Waris visited the crime scene to assess the situation. Law enforcement agencies swiftly cordoned off the area, initiating a comprehensive inquiry to determine the underlying reasons behind the targeted killing, Geo News reported. (ANI)
The BYC has urged all supporters to participate in their assembly and express solidarity with the Baloch community in their quest for justice and respect.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has planned a national gathering that seeks to bring attention to and protest against the systematic extermination of Baloch people in Pakistan.
BYC organiser Mahrang Baloch on Saturday said details regarding the Baloch National Gathering will be announced on the outfits official YouTube channel this evening as per a social media post on X of the BYC.
The gathering seeks to bring attention to and protest the “systematic extermination” of the Baloch people. The BYC has urged all supporters to participate in their assembly and express solidarity with the Baloch community in their quest for justice and respect.
According to BYC, the event aims to amplify awareness about the challenges faced by the Baloch population and advocate for their rights amidst ongoing struggles. It serves as a platform for unity and collective action to address the issues impacting the Baloch people’s well-being and future.
As per the BYC, the well-being and future of the Baloch people are profoundly affected by several critical issues, particularly concerning human rights violations and natural resources. Human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detentions, are rampant in Balochistan.
These violations create a pervasive atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the population, undermining their ability to live freely and securely, the organisation claimed. In addition, the exploitation of Balochistan’s abundant natural resources, like gas, minerals, and fisheries, has often occurred without equitable distribution of benefits to the local Baloch communities, it said.
This economic marginalisation exacerbates poverty and unemployment, contributing to socio-economic disparities and hindering sustainable development in the region. The combination of human rights violations and the exploitation of natural resources underscores the urgent need for advocacy and intervention to address these systemic challenges and uphold the rights and well-being of the Baloch people, the BYC said.
Global bodies have condemned the violations committed against the Baloch people and urged Pakistan to investigate and prosecute those responsible and to ensure the protection of fundamental rights in Balochistan.
Earlier in June, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee highlighted the situation of family members amid cases of enforced disappearances. It said that Baloch families continue to protest in Turbat demanding safe return of their loved ones.
“Eid has come and gone, but Baloch families continue to protest at Shaheed Fida Chowk Turbat, demanding the safe return of their loved ones who have been missing since Eid. The District Administration had falsely assured them of their loved ones’ release before. Now, no state authority has come forward to address their demands,” BYC posted on X.
According to the statement, the protesters included families of victims of enforced disappearances like Fateh, Nisar Karim, Rafiq, Meeras Hussain, and Jan Mohammad, all missing since 2023. (ANI)
Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, Bilawal emphasised the need to end the recurring issue of rigging in elections through political consensus, reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has criticised the transparency of the 2024 general elections, describing them as “not transparent.” Despite acknowledging rigging against his party in every election, he refuted claims that the February 8th elections saw the largest rigging in Pakistan’s history, as reported by ARY News.
Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, Bilawal emphasised the need to end the recurring issue of rigging in elections through political consensus. “The politicians need to agree that the match should be played fairly and the result should also be accepted,” he asserted.
Bilawal highlighted PPP’s proactive role in advocating for election reforms, lamenting occasional hindrances from rival parties or individual politicians. He pointed out ongoing cases of election rigging being adjudicated in election tribunals, underscoring the importance of fair electoral practices, ARY News reported.
Regarding developmental initiatives, Bilawal praised the Sindh government’s achievements in healthcare, citing the establishment of a state-of-the-art hospital in Gambat for liver transplants. He pledged similar advancements in Quetta, ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare and education for its residents.
“The hospital in Naseerabad, Balochistan, will match the standards set by the Gambat facility,” Bilawal affirmed.
Discussing PPP’s manifesto, Bilawal reiterated the party’s stance on the abolition of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He criticised NAB for allegedly engaging in political engineering, revenge tactics, and tarnishing the reputations of politicians, which he claimed has adversely impacted Pakistan’s economy and democratic processes.
Bilawal expressed disappointment over the lack of consensus regarding NAB’s abolition, signaling PPP’s intent to continue advocating for its removal.
Commenting on the 2024-25 budget, Bilawal stated that PPP supported the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to ensure the federation’s stability. However, he voiced dissatisfaction with PML-N’s alleged failure to uphold agreements made between the two parties.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari emphasised PPP’s commitment to electoral integrity, healthcare advancements, and economic reform, underscoring the party’s ongoing efforts to address national challenges and uphold democratic values in Pakistan, ARY News reported. (ANI)
Composite image of wheat field with bright blue sky.
The escalation in pesticide residues and mycotoxins has raised alarms among exporters, who now face the looming threat of an EU ban unless corrective measures are promptly implemented…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s agricultural and food sector is grappling with significant challenges, particularly in its narrow export base dominated by a limited range of commodities. Among these, rice emerges as the primary export, generating over $3.5 billion in foreign exchange in the fiscal year 2024, according to a report published in Dawn.
However, the rice export industry is increasingly plagued by the threat of shipment rejections, particularly from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, citing serious food safety concerns.
In 2023, the European Union issued a surge in alerts due to the discovery of pesticide residues in rice shipments, particularly basmati, originating from Pakistan and India. These shipments failed to meet the EU’s maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides. In previous years, India had a higher non-compliance rate compared to Pakistan. However, the situation took a sharp turn in 2024, with Pakistan’s rice shipments triggering more alerts than those from India, as reported by Dawn.
Additionally, Pakistan has consistently recorded higher cases of mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins, compared to India over the past three years. Aflatoxins are toxic substances that develop in rice when infected by fungus or mold.
The escalation in pesticide residues and mycotoxins has raised alarms among exporters, who now face the looming threat of an EU ban unless corrective measures are promptly implemented. Strengthening Pakistan’s food safety protocols within the rice sector is now a critical imperative.
The rice value chain in Pakistan involves key players such as farmers, stockists, millers, and exporters. Farmers frequently use agrochemicals like chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, and imidacloprid–chemicals intended for other crops like cotton and sugarcane–to combat pests such as stem borers, brown bugs, and fungal infections. However, these chemicals are not approved for use in rice crops, leading to heightened levels of pesticide residues in harvested rice, the report added.
Furthermore, improper application practices by farmers, such as using higher than recommended concentrations or applying pesticides too close to harvest time, contribute to elevated residue levels. The lack of education among many farmers exacerbates the problem, as they are often unaware of rice-specific agrochemicals, their proper dosages, and the required pre-harvest intervals (PHI) for pesticide dissipation.
The issue of mycotoxins is compounded by inadequate post-harvest practices. Many farmers resort to premature harvesting due to climate change-induced erratic rainfall patterns and the need to shorten crop cycles. This premature harvesting, often done at moisture levels of 20-30 per cent, coupled with suboptimal drying methods, promotes fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination in the harvested rice.
Even among millers, the use of outdated sun drying methods persists, despite their inefficiency in reducing moisture levels to the safe threshold of 14-15 per cent. This highlights a broader systemic issue of inadequate infrastructure and technology adoption within Pakistan’s rice milling industry.
Moreover, the procurement practices of rice mills are fraught with challenges. Most mills purchase paddy from local markets without adequate knowledge of its origin or the farming practices employed. This lack of traceability and quality control further contributes to the prevalence of non-compliant rice shipments.
The ongoing enforced disappearances in Balochistan are a stark example of serious human rights violations. Thousands of Baloch men, women, children, and elderly individuals have fallen victim to this persecution…reports Asian Lite News
The leaders and activists of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) are holding meetings with diplomats, international organisations, and academics in Geneva to intensify advocacy for the Baloch cause on the international stage against rights violations by Pakistan.
Niaz Baloch, the Deputy Coordinator of the BNM Foreign Committee and Member of BNM’s Central Committee posted on X: “Over the past two days, we had meetings with diplomats, international organizations, and academics. We discussed the challenges the Baloch nation is currently facing and sought support for our national movement. The response was positive and impressive.
Earlier, BNM chairman Dr Naseem Baluch raised the issue of enforced disappearances on social media. In a post on X, he said “In the modern era of the 21st century, forced disappearances have become an integral part of life for many Baloch people, filled with unbelievable horrors that we endure daily. Over the past fifteen years, this experience has not been a mere passage of time but a continuous series of agonizing, anxiety-ridden, and unjust moments. For the family and friends of Deen Muhammad Baloch, these years have been marked by terrible waiting and uncertainty.”
The ongoing enforced disappearances in Balochistan are a stark example of serious human rights violations. Thousands of Baloch men, women, children, and elderly individuals have fallen victim to this persecution.
“These disappearances not only violate human rights but also suggest that human life and dignity hold no value in the eyes of the Pakistani state,” said Baluch.
Dr Naseem highlighted that the silence of international justice institutions exacerbates this problem. “Why do these organizations, which are supposed to protect human rights and deliver justice, neglect their responsibilities? Their indifference and silence have granted the Pakistani state immunity, allowing the continued, unabated series of enforced disappearances,” he asked.
The BNM chairman emphasized that the Baloch nation is striving to alert the world to this cruelty.
He urged saying “We must stand up for the oppressed, who have been forced into this dark path without any crime. We need to do much more than our current efforts to recover the missing persons. The fight for justice for Dr Deen Muhammad Baloch and other forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals are not just the responsibility of his family and party but of all individuals. Our silence or indifference will turn our country into a symbol of pain and an unbearable place. We appeal to the international community and human rights institutions to fulfill their responsibilities and take notice of the atrocities committed in Pakistan. It is time for the international community to awaken and meet the demands of justice.”
The BNM continues to push for international attention and action regarding the human rights abuses and enforced disappearances occurring in Balochistan. (ANI)
The conversation on amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 should also be revived. Finally, a law criminalizing enforced disappearances, used frequently to quell dissenting narratives, must be passed…reports Asian Lite News
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday organized a round table conference in Islamabad, raising their concerns about the Punjab Defamation Act.
The HRCP called upon the administration to repeal the act pushed through a defamation law to curb fake news, however, civil society, and journalists say that it infringes on freedom of press and expression.
HRCP in a statement said that it could build fears of a national firewall and greater censorship – the law’s real purpose is much more nefarious, aims to muzzle free speech and inhibit dissenting voices.
The event witnessed the participation of journalists, digital rights experts and civil society members who drew the state’s attention to receding civic spaces and democracy in the country.
During the event Law and Policy Expert Muhammad Aftab Alam while discussing the key loopholes of the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 pointed out that radical changes need to be made to the definitions of key terms such as ‘broadcasting’, ‘newspaper’ and ‘journalist’.
Moreover, journalist and researcher Adnan Rehmat mentioned that the law exceptionalised political and state elites and legalized discrimination. A member of the HRCP Farhatullah Babar mentioned that the law was yet another step in the militarization of the state and society, and tantamount to overwriting other laws, such as those governing the right to information.
Co-founder of Media Matters for (MMFD) Sadaf Khan pointed out a probable plan of the administration to install a national firewall and said this would broaden the scope of censorship by monitoring Internet traffic. “It was an ill-thought plan that had bred fear and mistrust,” she said. Furthermore, another MMFD member also added that such a move would have a serious economic impact on freelance work and online trading.
According to the HRCP statement academic and journalist Tauseef Ahmed Khan traced the history of censorship in the legacy media and chalked out a plan of action. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Afzal Butt said that civil society must hold social media platforms accountable for blocking content on Kashmir and Gaza.
Former senator Afrasiab Khattak said that the establishment must be held accountable for its continuous overreach in such matters. Senior journalist Sohail Sangi added that the working conditions of media persons and press freedom were closely linked.
Further during the roundtable conference, the participants and experts of the various fields recommended repealing the Punjab Defamation Act at once, adding that ‘digital rights should be recognised in the Constitution’.
The conversation on amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 should also be revived. Finally, a law criminalizing enforced disappearances, used frequently to quell dissenting narratives, must be passed.
HRCP co-chair Munizae Jahangir felt that journalists, lawyers and activists must unite and consolidate their demands before the Parliament. HRCP Islamabad vice-chair Nasreen Azhar agreed, adding that activists must be more organized in countering online disinformation.
HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique in the conclusive statement mentioned that ‘A nexus between the political leadership, big business and the state establishment is apparent,’ he added. To combat such repressive tactics, all rights-based movements must come together to develop a charter of demands that can be presented to the Parliament. (ANI)
