Attributing the slow speed of the internet within Pakistan due to the underwater cables, the PTA last month insisted that the fault would be fixed at the beginning of October. ..reports Asian Lite News
The internet users in Pakistan continue to witness major disruptions as the date promised by the authorities to resolve the issue comes closer, The News International reported.
Recently, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Retd. Major General Hafeezur Rahman, took a U-turn from the PTA’s own promise to resolve the issue last month, also expressing denial towards internet speed slowing down in the country.
Attributing the slow speed of the internet within Pakistan due to the underwater cables, the PTA last month insisted that the fault would be fixed at the beginning of October. But almost after a week, users continue to face patchy internet services, especially on their mobile phones.
Users witnessing slow internet speeds have become a constant reason of concern for Pakistanis since February this year and the issue has intensified particularly in the last five or six days, with the internet cut off completely in areas where political protests were being carried out, The News International reported.
Currently, these users also await relief from Pakistan’s courts regarding the petitions filed against the internet slowdown and shutdown of social media platform X.
Commenting on the constant disruption, digital rights advocate Haroon Baloch alleged that the government has found an ‘excuse’ in this notion for not upgrading web management systems and cyber security to counter fake news. The issue is interlinked with strengthening state-inflicted censorship and surveillance ecosystems in Pakistan for gaining control over the general public, as reported by The News International.
Meanwhile, Bolo Bhi, co-founder Fareiha Aziz, while speaking at a Geo News programme stated that mobile internet is shut down whenever there is a protest and WhatsApp disruption is also continuing in the country as media transfer has become difficult without the use of the virtual private network (VPN) or without WiFi connection.
Responding to the ban on X, Aziz said that she doesn’t see any likelihood of lifting the ban from the social media application.
“Petitions have been filed in all high courts across the country. The digital rights expert maintained that even in the courts, the PTA has been issuing contradictory statements regarding the ban. The government narrative has so far insisted on banning X due to national security,” she added. (ANI)
The move is yet another step taken by Paksitan against the banned Pashtun rights organisation Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) for raising human rights voices against Paksitan….reports Asian Lite News
In another attempt to mobilise state mechanisms for suppression of dissent, Pakistan has added the names of 52 individuals from various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the Fourth Schedule under Section 11EE of Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The move is yet another step taken by Paksitan against the banned Pashtun rights organisation Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) for raising human rights voices against Paksitan. The individuals added to the Fourth Schedule list have been blamed for assisting the PTM, Samaa TV news reported.
Reportedly, the Fourth Schedule is a list of individuals suspected of terrorism or facilitating terrorism, and their inclusion restricts their movement and other activities, subjecting them to close monitoring by law enforcement agencies.
In the Fourth Schedule list, 16 individuals have been added from South Waziristan. The names from South Waziristan include the founder of PTM, Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen.
Others include Shah Faisal Ghazi, Jamal Maliar, Alam Zeib, Muhammad Sami alias Pashteen, Hayat Khan, Ameer Hamza, Ishtiaq Mehsud, Muhammad Bilal, Abdul Qahar, Dr Syed Alam, Saifur Rehman, Murtaza Khan Mehsud, Mustafa Chamto, Muhammad Farooq, and Muhammad Sajjad, the Samaa TV report added.
Notably, the current actions against PTM supporters showcase the state’s ongoing efforts to curb voices raising concerns over Pakistan’s human rights record.
The inclusion of these names in the Fourth Schedule means that they will face severe restrictions, including travel bans and the freezing of assets, as part of the government’s strategy to counter terrorism and movements that challenge national unity.
The organisation PTM, under the leadership of Manzoor Pashteen, has been a major voice against human rights violations in Pakistan’s tribal regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This major crackdown on PTM has triggered significant public debate regarding freedom of speech and the limit of dissent within Pakistan.
The crackdown on the leaders of PTM comes as the date of the Pashtun National Jirga on October 11 approaches.
Amid this situation, PTM individuals associated with PTM have witnessed excessive force, tear gas shelling and burning of the encampment ahead of the Pashtun national gathering.
Despite assurances from the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regarding full security for their camp, the police initiated a midnight raid on the organisers of the Jirga, setting fire to the camps and continuing to attack, arrest, and detain peaceful activists gathered at the site. These actions by the authorities were condemned by the Pashtun National Jirga organising committee.
The committee at that time had demanded that the provincial government immediately cease its crackdown on activists, conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, and ensure the security of the encampment, allowing Pashtuns to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. (ANI)
The members of the Security Council “condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack…reports Asian Lite News
The UN Security Council issued a statement strongly condemning the terrorist attack in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, which resulted in the deaths of two Chinese and several Pakistani nationals, along with injuries to additional Chinese and Pakistani nationals.
The members of the Security Council “condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack near Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan,” the statement said.
They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the governments of China and Pakistan, and wished a speedy and full recovery to those injured, it added.
The Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, underlining the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, Xinhua news agency reported.
They urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the governments of China and Pakistan, as well as all other relevant authorities in this regard.
“The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,” the statement said, stressing the need for all states to combat by all means, by the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.
The banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Harris and Trump exchanged barbs over the airwaves as they reached out to the few remaining undecided voters in the final stretch of an election seen as one of the closest in modern US history…reports Asian Lite News
Harris has maintained a lead of two-to-three points in national polling since mid-August, despite presidential and vice presidential debates, encouraging jobs data, an interest rate cut, escalating international crises and a devastating hurricane.
“I literally lose sleep — and have been — over what is at stake in this election,” the Democratic vice president, 59, told radio icon Howard Stern in a 70-minute live interview.
A poll from Siena College and The New York Times out Tuesday highlighted the deadlock, finding Harris ahead of her Republican rival by 49 percent to 46 percent — although it had the pair in a dead heat in September.
Poll-watchers expect the stalemate to break only in the last couple of weeks before election day on November 5, as the small fraction of wavering Americans who will decide the election break one way or the other.
In the seven battleground states seen as likely to determine the election, the race is even tighter. The new poll gave Trump the edge on who is the stronger leader but, crucially, revealed that registered voters see Harris as the change candidate.
Harris — who has spent much of the campaign under pressure to sit down for more interviews — is spending the week targeting women, Latinos and young voters through traditional media and via appearances on influential podcasts and YouTube shows.
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” a staple of the evening comedy talk show circuit, was set to air a pre-recorded interview late Tuesday with Harris — and in excerpts shared ahead of the broadcast she called Trump a “loser.”
Trump “openly admires dictators and authoritarians,” she said during a weighty section of what was, at times, a light-hearted conversation in which both host and interviewee sipped beer.
“He has said he wants to be a dictator on day one if he were elected again as president. He gets played by these guys. He admires so-called strongmen and he gets played because they flatter him or offer him favor,” she said.
Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump has maintained an aggressive posture toward his Democratic rival Kamala Harris
Earlier, on popular ABC television show “The View,” she talked about campaigning recently with Republican former congresswoman Liz Cheney. There are more than 200 former officials from past Republican presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, as well as officials tied to Republican heavyweights John McCain and Mitt Romney, who have endorsed her, Harris said.
“We really are building a coalition around some very fundamental issues, including that we love our country and that we have to put country before party,” she said.
Trump meanwhile maintained his aggressive posture, attacking Harris as a “very low intelligence person” on conservative influencer Ben Shapiro’s podcast. The 78-year-old Republican claimed she had been “missing in action” over the federal response to Hurricane Helene — even though Harris visited the disaster zone last week.
Trump, who was on a blitz of several media organizations, then criticized Harris in an interview on right-wing network Newsmax over her plans to pay for her agenda, telling viewers: “You don’t tax the rich… the rich pay most of the tax in the country.”
And, in a more personal moment, he told Los Angeles radio station KFI AM 640 he sees campaign interviews as therapeutic. “You know what this is for me? Therapy, okay? I’m speaking to a smart man. This is like, some people go to a psychiatrist. I don’t have time so this is, like, my therapy,” he told host John Kobylt.
Both candidates were due to appear on the influential CBS show “60 Minutes” this week and while Harris fulfilled her commitment, Trump backed out, offering shifting explanations for his about-face.
He was mocked by Democrats and responded with a campaign statement demanding the transcript of the Harris interview be released, claiming that it had been “deceptively edited.”
Meanwhile, Emory University political science professor Zachary Peskowitz predicts that the polls will be a “nail-biter” and that no candidate has a decisive lead in any of the seven swing states.
Peskowitz says that the electoral college in the US elections will be “extraordinarily close” and the popular vote is going to be “very close.” Asked about his expectations from the two candidates with regards to electoral college and popular votes, Peskowitz says, “So, I think the popular vote is going to be very close. I think within two or three percentage points one way or the other, electoral college is going to be extraordinarily close as well. You know, it’s quite possible that there will be a narrow victory.”
“There’s even a possibility that it will be a tie in electoral college, 269 to 269 that will end up going to the US House of Representatives. You know it’s going to be very close and it’s going to come down to these seven states. So, all the recent polling shows it’s just very close. No candidate has a decisive lead in any of the seven states and it’s gonna be a nail-biter,” the US university professor says.
Primary teachers in the province protested in front of the Peshawar Press Club, mirroring demonstrations held throughout Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with significant participation from female teachers…reports Asian Lite News
School teachers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa organized protests to advocate for their demands, warning that they may shut down over 26,000 educational institutions, severely disrupting the province’s education system.
The teachers’ demands include the promotion of senior staff, the elimination of the Contributory Pension Fund, the reinstatement of the general provident fund, the regularization of contract teachers, and the cessation of the privatization policy for government schools.
The All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa stated that if their demands are not addressed by October 30, they will stage a protest in Peshawar on November 5 and completely shut down primary schools, as reported by the Express Tribune.
Primary teachers in the province protested in front of the Peshawar Press Club, mirroring demonstrations held throughout Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with significant participation from female teachers. The protest was led by Azizullah Khan, the provincial president of APTA, along with other officials. Demonstrators carried placards and banners that highlighted their demands.
Azizullah Khan emphasized that teachers have consistently favored dialogue. However, despite a year of ongoing efforts and discussions with government officials, a notification for the promotion of primary teachers has yet to be issued. He stated, “This notification was unanimously approved by the provincial cabinet on January 17, 2023, and was legally supposed to be enforced from July 1, 2023. However, the finance department has stalled this rightful decision by presenting inflated cost estimates, misleading the government, and preventing the implementation of the teachers’ upgradation, which aligns with the party’s educational vision.”
He added, “They had previously staged a historic five-day sit-in protest and are ready to do it again.” Despite facing hardships, the teachers remain undeterred.
The teachers called for the immediate implementation of their promotions, the appointment of class-specific teachers in primary schools, a reduction in the number of books for primary students, a rejection of the privatization of primary schools, the issuance of SPS teacher positions and codes in merged districts, the enforcement of the GP fund under the Regularization Act 2022, and the regularization of teachers who were overlooked. Additionally, they urged legislative action to ensure that teachers transferred under UC and interdistrict transfers remain in their current districts as reported by Express Tribune.
It was stated that if their demands are not met by October 30, 100,000 primary teachers from across the province will stage a sit-in in Peshawar on November 5, resulting in the complete shutdown of 26,000 primary schools.
Meanwhile, in Batkhela, primary school teachers locked their schools and held a protest in support of their demands. They warned that if their requests were not addressed, they would close government schools indefinitely and take to the streets. The demonstrators chanted slogans in front of the Malakand Press Club while holding banners and placards.
Speaking to the protesters, Dr. Salman Ali, President of the Malakand All Primary Teachers Association, along with other senior teaching staff, announced that boys’ and girls’ primary schools had been partially closed at 11 AM. They warned that if their demands were not fulfilled, the schools would be shut down permanently for an indefinite duration. (ANI)
Many attribute this increase to the government’s perceived inaction in addressing the root causes of economic instability….reports Asian Lite News
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub, is currently grappling with a troubling rise in unemployment. As the financial capital of the country, Karachi is facing significant job losses, raising concerns among citizens and economists alike.
Many attribute this increase to the government’s perceived inaction in addressing the root causes of economic instability.
Ishaq, a local resident, expressed his distress, stating, “Unemployment in Pakistan is very high, causing great hardship for the poor. Let alone having three meals a day, people are struggling to get even one. As a result, many have been forced to resort to robbery and theft.”
The situation has led to widespread frustration among residents, as many struggle to secure stable employment or make ends meet. The streets of Karachi echo with the concerns of its inhabitants as the economic landscape continues to deteriorate.
Currently, Pakistan is experiencing one of its worst crises since its inception, marked by a food shortage, currency devaluation, electricity shortages, and security challenges. The soaring prices of electricity and gas have compounded these economic issues, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.
According to The News International report, these rising energy costs are making it increasingly difficult for industries to operate, further exacerbating unemployment.
Another resident, Shabaz, voiced his frustration: “As long as the situation in Pakistan remains this dire, with rising inflation, things will only continue to worsen. There are no facilities available here, and the conditions in Karachi are such that taxes have been imposed on everything–electricity, gas cylinders, you name it.”
He added, “Gas cylinders are no longer being delivered to homes, and acquiring gas outside has become a challenge. People are genuinely worried about safety after incidents of explosions. The situation in Pakistan has led to a significant increase in unemployment.”
Inflation in Pakistan has reached crisis levels, affecting all aspects of daily life. As the government struggles with both domestic challenges and international pressures, finding a sustainable solution to control inflation remains a critical priority for the country’s economic stability. (ANI)
Ahead of the new border security and immigration bill, MPs called for “urgent reflection” on how its narratives could foster racism….reports Asian Lite News
Twenty-five black, Asian and minority ethnic MPs have written to the home secretary telling her that the framing of Britain’s immigration legislation “cannot be uncoupled from racism and the exclusion of people of colour”.
The MPs were responding to the publication last month of a previously suppressed Home Office report on the origins of the Windrush scandal, which highlighted how three decades of British immigration legislation between 1950 and 1981 were “designed at least in part to reduce the number of people with black or brown skin who were permitted to live and work in the UK”.
In advance of the new government’s border security, asylum and immigration bill, the MPs called for “urgent reflection” on how the narratives around legislation could become “enabling environments for racism”.
The letter to Yvette Cooper, written by the Labour MP Clive Lewis and signed by Labour and independent MPs, calls for “action to acknowledge the links between racism and hostile migration policies” and urges “a commitment to building a fair and compassionate system, which ensures that another Windrush scandal cannot happen again”.
Signed by Diane Abbott, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Marsha de Cordova among others, the letter says the government needs to address the “deep-seated institutional and cultural failures” of the Home Office, which led to officials burying the department’s own research paper, titled The Historical Roots of the Windrush Scandal.
“The research demonstrates how immigration policy and legislation has been designed to exclude and other people of colour in the UK for decades,” the letter states. “Following the shocking events of racist violence this summer, the government has an important opportunity to recognise the conclusions of this report and shift the dial. This means action to acknowledge the links between racism and hostile migration policies.”
It also calls on the government to remedy the “continued failures” of the Windrush compensation scheme, which has been repeatedly criticised for its slowness in delivering payments to those affected by the scandal, in which thousands of long-term UK residents were misclassified as being in the country illegally.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Windrush scandal, making sure those affected receive the compensation they rightly deserve, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the Home Office. We will ensure victims of the Windrush scandal have their voices heard and that the compensation scheme is delivered efficiently.”
In the previous round, Cleverly had finished joint fourth with Tugendhat on 21 votes…reports Asian Lite News
James Cleverly has shot to the top of the latest MPs’ vote in the Conservative leadership contest, as Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick face a battle to reach the final two.
In the third round of MP voting, Cleverly took 39 of the 120 votes, above Jenrick on 30 and Kemi Badenoch on 29. Tom Tugendhat came fourth, with 20 votes, becoming the latest candidate to be eliminated.
In the previous round, Cleverly had finished joint fourth with Tugendhat on 21 votes. He now seems a near-certainty to reach the final two in Wednesday’s final choice by MPs, with Tory members then selecting the winner in a ballot. The result will be on 2 November.
Jenrick had topped the previous two MPs’ votes and was seen as a virtual shoo-in for the last two. But after an underwhelming Conservative conference last week, his support among MPs fell from 33 to 31. He now has a desperate fight to recover some momentum and see off Badenoch, who gained two votes, as the representative of the Tory right.
Badenoch, the shadow housing secretary, seized on Jenrick’s faltering campaign, with a spokesperson saying: “There are three candidates left in this contest, two are gaining votes and one is going backwards and losing support. The right of the Conservative party now needs to coalesce around Kemi.”
A source in Jenrick’s campaign insisted, however, that he was “in prime position to make the final two”, stressing the endorsements he had received from MPs on the right and the centre of the party. But with Tugendhat eliminated, Cleverly is the sole remaining centrist, and seems likely to pick up a number of the shadow security minister’s supporters. With 121 Tory MPs in all, and Rishi Sunak having said he will not vote, even gaining two more MPs would guarantee Cleverly a place in the last two.
In a tweet after the result, Cleverly thanked colleagues for their support, adding: “The job’s not finished. I’m excited to keep spreading our positive Conservative message.” Tugendhat said: “To everyone who backed our campaign – thank you! Your energy, your ideas and your support have shown a vision of what our party could become. Our campaign has ended but our commitment to our country continues.”
In her post-vote message, Badenoch expressed her commiserations to Tugendhat and sought to play up the idea that she was the members’ favourite, saying it was “clear from every independent poll and survey, the support from members for my Renewal 2030 campaign is surging”.
With Cleverly so near to guaranteeing a space in the last two, there will be speculation he could lend some votes to Jenrick, seen as more beatable than Badenoch in a head-to-head vote by party members. However, such moves are risky, and it is likely he would want to present himself to members as the clear choice of MPs.
Cleverly’s campaign gained significant impetus during the Conservative conference in Birmingham, where he was generally considered as having performed best in set-piece events such as a Q&A in front of members, and the candidates’ speeches on the final day.In another boost, Cleverly was formally endorsed on Monday by Mel Stride, the shadow work and pensions secretary, who was eliminated in the previous round. Stride – who said the former home secretary was the “standout candidate” – had the backing of 16 MPs, a number of whom seemingly shifted to support Cleverly.
While Jenrick was highly visible and an energetic presence at the conference, with a consistent and strongly right-leaning message that included framing the idea of quitting the European convention on human rights as “leave or remain”, he was viewed as doing slightly less well than Cleverly. Badenoch faced some difficulties at the conference, including condemnation of comments in a radio interview in which she said maternity pay was “excessive” and people should exercise “more personal responsibility”. She also told a fringe event that up to 10% of civil servants were so bad they should be in prison.
She must now try to persuade MPs to put her through to the members’ vote, citing polling of party members which has tended to show that she is their favourite, although this seems to have narrowed recently.
Boris Johnson calls Starmer ‘greedy’
Keir Starmer’s decision to accept clothing freebies “looks greedy”, according to Boris Johnson. The former prime minister criticised his Labour successor’s decision to accept gifts of clothing and glasses, saying Starmer “must be worth a bob or two” as a result of his legal career.
Johnson made the remarks as he defended his government’s decision to award contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) to inexperienced suppliers during the Covid pandemic, some of which had close links with ministers.
Speaking to LBC on Tuesday, the former MP said: “I want you to know, I have no donors paying for my suits. Or spectacles. Who pays for your spectacles? You pay for your spectacles, don’t you? It’s unbelievable.
“I mean, the guy (Sir Keir), he’s a silk, right? I mean, he must be worth a bob or two. Why has he got some guy paying for his spectacles?” Johnson, who is promoting his memoir, Unleashed, questioned why Starmer had accepted lavish gifts from the Labour peer and donor Lord Alli when he was “on a perfectly good salary from the government anyway”.
He added: “You know, that looks greedy, right? But if you then give the guy a pass to No 10, that looks corrupt. And so I just don’t get it. I don’t know why he’s still wearing those spectacles. “Well, apart from the fact he can’t see. He can’t see what a mess he’s making of things.”
Johnson has received numerous donations towards his lifestyle. He received a donation worth £23,853 from the longtime Conservative benefactor, the JCB boss Anthony Bamford, towards his wedding to Carrie Symonds in 2022. The donation covered the cost of hiring a marquee, Portaloos, waiting staff, flowers, a South African barbecue and an ice-cream van.
Bamford’s wife, Carole, also donated luxury food from her business, Daylesford Organic, to the former prime minister. He also notoriously received contributions from Lord Brownlow towards the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat – the Electoral Commission ultimately fined the Tory party over the donation as it was not declared properly.
Elsewhere in the LBC interview, Johnson was asked if he would apologise for initiating wasteful and dubious Covid contracts related to PPE during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Saini to congratulate him on the stunning and record-setting win which BJP leaders described as “well-earned…reports Asian Lite News
Top BJP leadership on Tuesday signalled Nayab Singh Saini as its clear choice for the Haryana chief minister as the party created history by returning to power for a third term in a row.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Saini to congratulate him on the stunning and record-setting win which BJP leaders described as “well-earned and deserved given the short time Saini was given to make a difference”.
Born on January 25, 1970 in Ambala, Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as Haryana CM in March 2024 in the party’s bid to ward off anti-incumbency.
Khattar, who ran the Haryana government from 2014 to March 2024, was seen as arrogant.
In the short governance run of about six months, Saini fielded criticism as well as opposition Congress-led narratives that “jawan-pehelwaan-kisan” were angry with the saffron party and would “teach it a lesson”.
“It is clear that the people of Haryana have voted for the BJP government’s work over the past 10 years, for PM Modi’s policies and governance style and for our entire party. It was being said that sections were angry with us. But people understand everything. We did a lot for the farmers. Haryana’s democracy and voters are very mature, and they speak today,” Khattar said in Delhi.
All day today, top BJP leaders huddled at the residence of Khattar in Delhi to discuss the way forward and chalk out a plan for delivery of election promises to the people of Haryana. On Saini as CM, Khattar indicated it was a given but added: “Our parliamentary board will take the decision.”
In party circles, Saini was seen as more affable and accessible than his mentor Khattar, who was eased out of state politics and made a union minister after Modi won a third term at the Centre. Khattar stayed away from active campaigning in Haryana with the BJP depending on its OBC face Saini to deliver the goods.
While the Congress put all its eggs in one basket of Jat stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda, alienating senior leaders such as Kumari Selja who made her angst public, the BJP focused on all castes, mainly the non-Jats. The BJP ended up sweeping even the majority of Jat-dominated seats with sources pointing to counter-consolidation of other communities in favour of the ruling party which the exit pollsters had written off.
Modi targets Congress
Modi on Tuesday took a jibe at Congress over its complaint and subsequent letter to the Election Commission regarding “slowdown in updating results” of assembly polls in Haryana and alleged that the opposition party wants to tarnish every institution.
He also apparently referrred to Congress not accepting the outcome of Haryana polls. The Congress has said that the outcome is “totally unexpected, completely surprising, counter-intuitive and against ground-reality”.
Addressing party workers in Delhi after BJP victory in Haryana polls, PM Modi alleged that Congress has tried to mislead the people of the country.
“Whether it is the Election Commission of the country, the police, the judiciary, the Congress wants to tarnish every institution. You will remember the kind of ruckus they created before the results of the Lok Sabha elections. During the elections too, these people and their urban Naxalite allies had gone to the Supreme Court to tarnish the image of the Election Commission. Today also they have done the same. Congress has tried to mislead the people of the country. Congress always tries to question the impartiality of our institutions, tries to tarnish their reputation. This has been the habit of Congress. Congress has been doing such things shamelessly,” he said.
He also took “parjeevi” jibe at Congress over results in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference-Congress alliance won majority in the assembly polls with the former accounting for over three-fourth seats won by the alliance.
“In J-K, its (Congress) allies were already worried that they were suffering losses because of Congress and today’s results have shown the same. You must remember that we saw the same thing in the election results as well. In Lok Sabha, half of the seats won by Congress were because of their allies. Apart from this, where the allies trusted Congress, the boat of those allies sank. In many states, the allies of Congress had to bear the brunt of Congress’s poor performance,” he said.
“Congress is such a parasite party that swallows its allies. Congress wants to make such a country where people hate their own heritage, doubt their national institutions, wants to tarnish the image of everything that the countrymen are proud of. Whether it is the country’s Election Commission, the country’s police, the country’s judiciary, Congress wants to tarnish every institution,” he added.
Abdullah said the NC legislature party will meet to elect its leader, followed by an alliance meeting to decide on the coalition’s leader…reports Asian Lite News
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that he expects Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do the “honourable thing” by restoring the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“A lot of things can be done as a Union Territory, clearly, some things can’t but we expect that J&K will not remain a UT forever. We expect the honourable PM will do the honourable thing and return statehood to JK at the earliest and then the rest of our manifesto will be implemented,” the NC vice president, who is tipped to be the next chief minister of J&K, said.
Abdullah, who led the NC-Congress alliance to a victory in the J&K assembly polls, hoped that the prime minister will fulfil his promise of restoring statehood to the people of the UT.
“The prime minister and home minister are all honourable men. In their speeches and interventions in Parliament, through their Supreme Court representative, they promised restoration of statehood. So I believe it should happen at the earliest. And then, obviously, our priorities will go forward from there,” he added.
In response to a question, Abdullah said the J&K government cannot afford to have an antagonistic relationship with the Centre.
“Once the new government is in place, whoever the chief minister of J-K is, I would expect them to travel to Delhi to meet the PM, the home minister and other leaders to impress upon them that the mandate of the people of J-K was for restoration of statehood, was for development and peace and whoever the CM is, I hope they can establish a decent working relationship with the Government of Inda. There are far too many problems that J-K has, and it cannot afford an antagonistic relationship with the Central government. We will have to find a way of working together, and I hope that the Union government will respect the mandate of the people and will work together with the government of J-K to resolve the people’s problems,” he added.
Abdullah said the NC legislature party will meet to elect its leader, followed by an alliance meeting to decide on the coalition’s leader.
“At the moment, it is for the National Conference legislature party to sit and choose its leader; that has not yet been done. I think my colleagues deserve at least one day to celebrate their victories in their areas, so tomorrow we will do that,” he said.
In a day or two, the NC vice president said he expects party president Farooq Abdullah to call the legislature party meeting.
“The legislature party will elect its leader, then the alliance will elect the leader of the alliance, and then once the letters of support are available, we will stake our claim to form a government to the lieutenant governor. Beyond that, it is not for me to put priorities because none of that has been done yet,” he added.
Asked about the PDP extending support to the coalition government, Abdullah said it is for that party to decide.
“I cannot speak for the PDP. It is for the PDP to decide what to do. As far as I know, we currently have no communication channels with the PDP.
“In due course, let’s see what the PDP decides. I can understand the current circumstances and am probably looking more closely at what happened to their electoral prospects. So let the dust settle, and then we will see,” he said.
Regarding the NC’s performance in the polls, Abdullah said that while he expected to do well, he did not expect such a high number of seats.
“Speaking for myself, I did not expect these kinds of numbers. I did not expect the National Conference to come with these many seats. Last night, somebody messaged me asking how NC would do it.
“I said anything around 30 or above will be a good performance. I feel humbled by the faith people have reposed in me, but it is scary because we have to live up to this faith, which is our biggest responsibility now,” he said.
After the “We will be back” tweet after his party’s defeat in the 2014 assembly polls, Abdullah said he did not expect to wait ten years to be back.
“I did not expect to have to wait ten years. It has been a long wait, all those ten years, and since 2018, we have been without an elected government.
“So, more than being back, I am happy that democracy is back, that democratic rule is restored to Jammu and Kashmir. So yes, I would rephrase that tweet and say ‘democracy is back’,” he said.
