The Japanese government has placed Tokyo under a fourth state of emergency from July 12 to August 22…reports Asian Lite News
The number of new Covid-19 cases in Tokyo reached 3,177 for the first time in a single day, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on Wednesday.
The all-time high comes just a day after Tokyo, hosting the Olympics since last week, marked 2,848 daily infection cases Tuesday, topping the earlier record of 2,520 cases logged on January 7, the Xinhua news agency reported.
As the virus spread rapidly elsewhere, the nationwide tally of daily cases of infection reported on Tuesday exceeded 7,000 for the first time since May 12, nearing its record figure of about 8,000 recorded in early January.
Olympic organizers have pledged to perform strict restrictions for “safe and secure” games and emphasised that the number of infection cases among athletes and others associated with the sporting events is very low, while a fifth wave of the pandemic stimulated by the highly contagious Delta variant is putting pressure on hospitals in the Olympic host city.
Tokyo Olympics
The Japanese government has placed Tokyo under a fourth state of emergency from July 12 to August 22, as restaurants and bars are required to stop offering alcohol and close early.
Tokyo’s neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, which are currently under looser quasi-emergency restrictions, are also witnessing the peak of infection cases with a number of their residents traveling to the capital.
Governors of the three prefectures are considering asking the government for the declaration of emergency states for their regions.
France will double the number of police patrolling its beaches as part of a deal with the UK to stem the number of migrants crossing the English Channel, the media reported citing officials.
The UK will pay more than 54 million pounds as part of the deal agreed between ministers, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
The Home Office said the two countries would also improve intelligence sharing and use better technology to target those who organise the crossings.
The number of people crossing the Channel this year has now overtaken last year’s total.
A group of migrants was seen arriving at Dover on Wednesday morning, bringing the total number this year to more than the 8,461 who made the crossing in 2020.
On Monday, at least 430 migrants crossed the Channel — a record for one day. The previous daily high of 416 was set in September last year.
The Home Office said on Tuesday that 287 people had landed in the UK.
On Tuesday, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and French interior minister Gerald Darmanin agreed to “strengthen co-operation”.
The Home Office said UK support last year helped France double the number of officers deployed daily on the beaches of its northern coast.
It said this resulted in France preventing twice as many crossings so far this year compared with the same period in 2020.
However, it said the people who facilitated the crossings had now changed their tactics and had moved further up the French coast, “forcing migrants to take even longer, riskier journeys”.
The new support announced by the UK would enable France “to respond by posting more security forces further up the coast, installing and utilising the latest surveillance equipment throughout northern France”, the Home Office said.
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said the extra funding would “help to stem the flow of people seeking to make that very dangerous crossing”.
Bui Van Cuong, Secretary-General of the NA, made the remarks at a press briefing held here about the agenda of the session…reports Asian Lite News
The 15th National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam, the country’s top legislature, will gather for its inaugural session from July 20-31, focusing on decisions about high-ranking personnel of the state apparatus, an official said on Saturday.
Bui Van Cuong, Secretary-General of the NA, made the remarks at a press briefing held here about the agenda of the session, reports Xinhua news agency.
At the sitting, Vietnamese lawmakers will spend three working days to review and decide on 50 high-ranking positions of the state apparatus, Cuong said.
In particular, the NA will elect the NA chairperson, the state president, the prime minister and the vice state president among other top positions, and decide on the number of cabinet members as well as approve appointments for those positions.
At the last session of the 14th NA in late March, lawmakers elected Vuong Dinh Hue as the NA chairman, Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the state president, and Pham Minh Chinh as the prime minister, among other personnel decisions.
During the upcoming session, the NA will also review important reports including the country’s five-year socio-economic development plan, the five-year financial plan, and medium-term public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period.
Compared to a previous plan, the duration of the session will be shortened by five days to ensure utmost safety for participants amid the complicated development of Covid-19 in the country, Cuong said.
On May 23, Vietnam held a general election where 499 deputies to the 15th NA for the 2021-2026 tenure, were elected.
@VNGovtPortal
Vietnam slams China
As China plans to deploy one of its “largest-ever” oceanographic research and training vessels in Paracel Islands, Vietnam said that all the activities in the islands without the country’s permission are “illegal”.
It has been reported that China plans to deploy one of its “largest-ever” oceanographic research and training vessels, named the Sun Yat-sen University, in October of this year, reported Vietnam News.
Speaking at the press briefing on Thursday Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said, “As we have reiterated many times, Vietnam has sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and Hoang Sa Islands (Paracel Islands). Vietnam has lawful rights over these waters which is provided by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”.
Paracel Island is also known as Xisha in China and Hoang Sa in Vietnam. The island chain lies about 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of Vietnam and 350 kilometres (220 miles) south of China.
The Vietnamese diplomat stressed that all research activities, surveying, and scientific exploration conducted in the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa islands, without Vietnam’s approval, constitutes a “violation of the sovereignty and relevant rights of Vietnam, and is therefore illegal and null and void.”
The South China Sea is grouped into three archipelagos including the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its sovereign territory, and it has aggressively asserted its stake in recent years.
Paracel island is disputed between China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It has been occupied by China.
Meanwhile, Spratly island is claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and to a lesser degree, Brunei. (ANI)
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has said the country annually loses about USD 26.3 billion to piracy and sea robbery, among other forms of maritime crimes.
In this light, securing the shipping lanes was crucial to Nigeria’s economic interests, Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said while performing the inauguration of Falcon Eye Project, Nigerian Navy’s strategic maritime surveillance system, at the Naval headquarters in Abuja.
“Why is this project so important to us as a nation? The maritime industry occupies a prominent position in the matrix of our vital economic interests and it encompasses activities ranging from fishing and resource exploration to marine research and shipping among other endeavors,” the Nigerian leader noted.
Of all these activities, he said shipping stands out as a critical link in Nigeria’s international trade engagements “because it is the cheapest and most efficient means of moving large volumes of goods,” Xinhua reported.
According to him, Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources, which are largely domiciled in the maritime environment, remain the mainstay of the country’s economy.
“It accounts for 55 per cent of our gross domestic product, 95 per cent of our export earnings, and about 70 per cent of government revenue,” he said.
Some threats within Nigeria’s maritime environment had in recent years taken more harmful dimensions to the economy and even the safety of citizens and commercial entities which used the maritime domain, the Nigerian leader said, identifying piracy, armed attacks on ships, kidnapping for ransom, crude oil theft, smuggling, as well as illegal unregulated and unreported fishing, among others.
“It is estimated that Nigeria loses about 26.3 billion dollars annually to various forms of criminality, particularly piracy and sea robbery. On account of the escalated risks in some of our maritime areas, insurance premiums for commercial vessels coming to these areas have risen sharply, making maritime trade an unattractive proposition,” he added.
Child abuse is under-reported due to social and economic reasons. The abusers are politically and economically powerful, while the victims are the underdog, punished further if they complain … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem
Pakistan last week vehemently rejected the charge of deploying child soldiers, on being listed by the United States Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, 2021. But it cannot escape the charge of tolerating child abuse that is rampant and goes largely unpunished.
A report just out says eight children, both boys and girls, are abused daily in Pakistan. There was a four percent increase during 2020. Punjab, the most populous province, does not have a comprehensive institutional arrangement to monitor and curb the growing crime.
Sexual abuse of minor children covers both boys and girls. The latter are worse off. Together, the ratio is 49 percent to 51 percent. Thriving as a result is an illegal business of promoting child pornography wherein the victim is often forced to face the camera.
Child abuse is under-reported due to social and economic reasons. The abusers are politically and economically powerful, while the victims are the underdog, punished further if they complain.
There is also an indirect religious sanction in that much of the crime occurs in madrassahs and involves the powerful teachers/staff against hapless students.
NGOs investigate and report the crime, but the religious seminaries reject it as a way to malign them by ‘secular’ bodies, and claim that that they have their own way of punishing the crime.
Child abuse has a history as a form of human slavery and is called “bacha bazi”, the slang for a practice that is prevalent in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to Wikipedia, it is “a custom created in Afghanistan involving child sexual abuse between older men and young adolescent males or boys, who are called dancing boys.”
“In the 21st century, Bacha bazi is reportedly practiced in various parts of Afghanistan and Northwestern Pakistan. Force and coercion are common, and security officials state they are unable to end such practices because many of the men involved in bacha bazi-related activities are powerful and well-armed warlords.”
While the practice in Afghanistan has been depicted in world cinema, including Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi’s documentary film, “The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan” that attracted horror and criticism from the world community, no such effort has been made about this crime in Pakistan.
Madarsa child sex abuse rocks Pakistan
But Punjab Police was forced to release information in response to the Right to Information Commission where it conceded 312 cases of children kidnap, their rape and gang-rape were registered only in Lahore from January to October 2020. Out of those cases, 275 were about kidnapping of children, 22 about child rape and 17 were about gang-rape of children. The police arrested 152 alleged criminals, challans of 87 cases were submitted in courts, and seven cases were still pending inn courts. According to the record, only five persons were awarded sentence in all the cases, (The News International, July 3, 2021).
The report by Asif Mahmud said: “In 2017, a case in Peshawar came to light in which the head of a religiously oriented school was accused of raping students and others who worked at the school and placing cameras to record the act. Despite the presence of this evidence, he has now received bail from the Peshawar High Court after being sentenced to 105 years by a Sessions Court.”
Mahmud says that “in the past women who have complained of sexual assault, sometimes after marriage, have had acid thrown on them by husbands as a form of rejection or to punish the victim rather than the perpetrator.”
Lahore recently witnessed a controversy of a cleric running a madrassah was filmed by the victim. Sabir Shah, a student at a Lahore religious school stated that he was sexually abused by Mufti Aziz ur Rehman for over an year. After it went viral, the cleric went into hiding. Caught, he confessed and is on trial. Such cases are, however, rare, media reports say.
Dawn reported on April 9, 2021: “As many as 2,960 major crimes against children were reported in the four provinces, including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in 2020.
People wearing face masks walk on a road in Rawalpindi of Pakistan’s Punjab province
According to data released by an NGO, eight children were abused every day in Pakistan in one form or the other while 51pc of the victims were girls and 49pc boys.
The report, ‘Cruel numbers 2020’ is a compilation of statistics on crimes against children, including child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children and child marriages. The report was compiled by Sahil, based on cases reported in 84 national and regional newspapers in 2020.
According to Sahil’s Executive Director Manizeh Bano Children most vulnerable to abuse belonged to the age group of 6-15 years. Moreover, children as young as 0-5 years were also sexually abused.
The data showed that more than 80pc of the abusers were known to the children. In most of the cases, the abusers were either acquaintances (1,780) or service providers (109) such as teachers, shopkeepers and drivers. In a total of 91 cases, family members and relatives and in 92 cases neighbours were involved. In only 468 cases, strangers abused the children.
Out of the total 2,960 cases, 1915 (65pc) were reported from rural areas and 1,045 (35pc) from urban areas.
Drawing a contrast in relative inaction on child abuse with other issues, The News International (July 1, 2021) says: “Religious uproar on issues relating to blasphemy or any action that would be considered as a deliberate attempt to ridicule the Islam, has more often than not paralyzed Pakistan with violent protests by hundreds of thousands of followers of religious leaders issuing clear and open threats to the government to meet their demands of capital punishment for such transgressors.” Indicating the thinking at the top that perpetuates conservative notions, the newspaper pinpointed the recent statement by Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding less clothes on women would have a “sexual desirous impact on the men”, was seconded by many religious leaders and scholars, who said that Pakistani society is based on Islamic values, which do not allow women to wear less clothes in public.”
The minister, Marcelo Queiroga, made the announcement about Covaxin at a press conference, following the guidance of the federal Comptroller General of the Union (CGU)…reports Asian Lite News
Brazil’s health minister has announced the suspension of a $324 million contract with an Indian firm for made in India vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) which has seen president Jair Bolsonaro mired in accusations of irregularities.
The minister, Marcelo Queiroga, made the announcement about Covaxin at a press conference, following the guidance of the federal Comptroller General of the Union (CGU). Queiroga further said his team would probe the allegations during the period of the suspension of the contract.
“According to the preliminary analysis of the CGU, there are no irregularities in the contract, but for compliance, the health ministry chose to suspend the contract,” a statement from the ministry read.
The allegations against Bolsonaro, who is facing mounting pressure and protests at home for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, became known after whistleblowers went public with the alleged irregularities. An official of the health ministry said he, too, alerted the president about his concerns.
Brazil signed a deal with India’s Bharat Biotech International Limited for 20 million doses of its anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin. But federal prosecutors have now opened an investigation into the deal, citing comparatively high prices, “quick talks,” and pending regulatory approvals as red flags. The deal is also under the scanner of a Senate panel probing the federal government’s handling of the pandemic.
Additionally, a leading opposition member on the Senate panel, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, on Monday filed a formal complaint against Bolsonaro at the Supreme Court, seeking a probe into the “serious allegations” by the court. Bolsnaro, who has denied any wrongdoing, faces a presidential election next year.
According to Johns Hopkins University, Brazil’s cumulative Covid-19 infection tally stands at over 18.5 million, the third-highest globally behind the infection tallies of the United States and India respectively. The virus has till now claimed more than 510,000 lives in the South American nation, the Johns Hopkins’ dashboard shows; this is the second-highest coronavirus-related death toll in the world after that of the United States (604,474). Also, the US and Brazil are the only two countries with a Covid-19 death toll exceeding 500,000.
Antonio Guterres ran unopposed because none of the self-nominated candidates was sponsored by a member nation, reports Arul Louis
The UN General Assembly on Friday appointed Antonio Guterres, to a second term as the Secretary General to lead the world body through the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic and the fight against global warming, which he has made his priority.
After being sworn-in to his second term, Guterres said that he would work for a “breakthrough” for a world at “a critical moment in history”.
The world is “at the cusp of a new era”, he said. “We are truly at a crossroads, with consequential choices before us. Paradigms are shifting. Old orthodoxies are being flipped.”
The 193-member General Assembly’s resolution adopted by acclamation said that in “appreciation for the effective and dedicated service rendered to the United Nations”, it approved the Security Council recommendation to give the former Portuguese Prime Minister another five years starting in January as the world’s top diplomat.
Security Council President Sven Jurgenson said that Guterres conformed to the highest standards of competence and integrity.
"I am deeply honoured and grateful for the trust you have placed in me to serve as the Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term."
The Assembly’s endorsement of the Council’s recommendation was only a formality because, in reality, the five permanent members of the Council through their veto powers control the selection and reappointment of the Secretary General.
Guterres ran unopposed because none of the self-nominated candidates was sponsored by a member nation.
India, which is a non-permanent member of the Security Council, supported Guterres’s re-election there and in the Assembly.
After a meeting with Guterres last month, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar tweeted that New Delhi “values” his leadership and would back his re-election.
Guterres said on Friday: “We are writing our own history with the choices we make right now.”
But he warned, “It can go either way: breakdown and perpetual crisis or breakthrough and prospect of a greener, safer and better future for all.”
However, he said that there were hopeful signs and “we feel a new momentum everywhere for an unequivocal commitment to come together to chart a course towards a better future” because of the pandemic’s lessons of “our shared vulnerability, our inter-connectedness and the absolute need for collective action”.
The cooperation seen now in the fight against Covid-19 may not have been possible a decade ago, he said.
He said that the world was beset by “geostrategic divides and dysfunctional power relations” that are manifest in “too many asymmetries and paradoxes”.
They have to be met head-on and “we also need to be aware of how power plays out in today’s world when it comes to the distribution of resources and technology”, he said.
The global proliferation of mistrust is another problem that should not be allowed to overwhelm the world, he added.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, left foreground, at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan in February 2020. (File Photo UNIAN)
Guterres displayed masterful diplomacy in navigating a deeply polarised Council without antagonising the permanent members while managing the reflexive opposition of former US President Donald Trump to the UN and China’s aggressive diplomacy.
Earlier this month announcing the Council’s recommendation for a second term for Guterres, Jurgenson described him as a “bridge-builder”.
Seven of Guterres’s predecessors were re-elected and only Boutros Boutros Ghali, an Egyptian, was limited to a single term because of Washington’s opposition.
During the Covid-19 crisis, Guterres pursued the equitable distribution of vaccines and other resources while fighting disinformation, and set an agenda for post-pandemic rebuilding to put the world back on track in pursuit of the UN’s sustainable development goals.
His first term was marked by his passionate advocacy of fighting global warming, which he has called an existential threat to humanity, and a top agenda item.
Guterres, who was a UN High Commissioner for Refugees, was the surprise consensus candidate in 2016 when the bets were on a woman, likely from East Europe, getting the job that had been held only by men and never by a East European.
In his first bid in 2016, he received the essential approval of the Security Council after six straw polls in which he outlasted 12 candidates, seven of them women.
But this time Guterres, who was nominated by Portugal, had no official rivals as the Security Council did not recognise at least seven other self-nominated candidates — including Arora Akanksha, a Canadian of Indian descent — because they lacked the backing of any nation.
The requirement for sponsorship by a UN member is not unambiguously stated in the UN Charter or its regulation, but the Council and the Assembly considered it a de facto qualification based on tradtion.
The Assembly resolution appointing Guterres to a second term, said it was “guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity” as set out in its 2015 resolution that established a modicum of openness to a process that had been shrouded by backroom deals.
The Assembly required the candidates to appear before it to make a pitch for their election.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Front) attends the screening of the United Nations Day Concert 2020 in the General Assembly Hall at the UN headquarters in New York, on Oct. 22, 2020. (Mark Garten/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)
This time only Guterres came before the Assembly to layout his vision for his second term and the others were excluded because they were not recognised.
Jugenson and General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir have maintained that a nomination by a member state is necessary — a requirement that would prevent a stampede of self-nominated candidates demanding equal time at the General Assembly with the officially nominated candidates.
Of the self-nominated candidates, only Rosalia Arteaga, a former President of Ecuador, had any shred of credibility and the self-nominations were publicity stunts.
Akanksha, 34, is an employee of the UN Development Programme who made a splashy campaign video pitching her youth and the need for change at a UN weighed down by a sclerotic bureaucracy.
Although she received media coverage, she could not get the support of even her country, Canada, or of India and Saudi Arabia, where she had lived earlier.
Israel has launched air strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, after incendiary balloons were launched from the territory.
Explosions were heard in Gaza City in the early hours of Wednesday.
Several balloons were sent from Gaza into Israel earlier on Tuesday, which caused multiple fires, according to the Israeli fire service, the BBC reported.
It is the first major flare-up since 11 days of fighting between the two sides ended in a ceasefire on 21 May.
It followed a march by Jewish nationalists in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, which had drawn threats from Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets had hit military compounds operated by Hamas in Khan Yunis and Gaza City.
It said “terrorist activity” took place in the compound, and that the IDF was “prepared for all scenarios, including the resumption of hostilities, in the face of continued terror acts from the Gaza Strip”.
It is not immediately clear if the air strikes have caused any injuries.
A Hamas spokesperson said in a statement on Twitter that Palestinians would continue their “valiant resistance” and defend their rights “until the occupier is expelled from our entire land”.
Israel’s fire service said the incendiary balloons launched earlier from Gaza had caused at least 20 fires in fields by communities in southern Israel.
This is the first violent exchange since Israeli’s new coalition government came to power last weekend, headed by Naftali Bennett and drawing an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime minister.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has approached the Pakistan government for immediate repair of the historical Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib, whose building is on verge of collapse
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Sikh community’s largest representative body, has approached the Pakistan government for immediate repair of historical Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib.
Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib
“The shrine is on verge of collapse, and has also offered to perform ‘sewa’ (voluntary service) if the Pakistan government is not able to reconstruct the religious place constructed in the memory of Sikh’s first master Guru Nanak Dev,” SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur told Zee News.
The SGPC leader said that she was deeply moved to see the crumbling building of Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib.
Bibi Jagir Kaur also told the leading Indian news channel that she had written a letter to the Pakistan government to pay immediate attention and order repair of the religious site.
Situated at Chak Fateh Bhinder village in Daska tehsil of Sialkot district of Pakistan’s Punjab Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib has constructed over a hundred years ago, said Pak historian Shahid Shabbir alias Baba Ji who had recently visited the Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib.
Sikh’s first master Guru Nanak Dev had stayed at Chak Fateh Bhinder village after completion of his fourth ‘udasi’ (travel) said, Baba Ji. He said there was not even a single Sikh family in around twenty-five kilometres of the Gurdwara, but it was still being maintained by a local Muslim family who lived near the Gurdwara. He said only a handful of Sikhs lived in Sialkot.
While stating that Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) didn’t take care of less frequented Gurdwara of Pakistan, an Indian historian Surinder Kochhar said that according to photographs of the Gurdwara, its building was falling apart and its roof’s had already caved in, besides, the doors had been removed, he said.
SGPC PRESIDENT BIBI JAGIR KAUR: Once the real condition of Gurdwara buildings in Pakistan is documented, I am sure Sikhs from around the world would volunteer to carry out repair and other necessary development of the area which will also not put any burden on the Pak government
“The building has borne the brunt of vagaries of bad weather but strangely PSGPC didn’t bother to even repair the Sikh holy place leave alone beginning the religious services in the Gurdwara,” said Kochhar.
Kochhar suggested that PSGPC should prepare a list of historical Gurdwara’s in Pakistan and the condition of their buildings to maintain transparency.
“Once the real condition of Gurdwara buildings in Pakistan is documented, I am sure Sikhs from around the world would volunteer to carry out repair and other necessary development of the area which will also not put any burden on the Pak government,” he told the Zee News.
Bibi Jagir Kaur said the SGPC had also offered the Pakistan government to carry out the ‘sewa’ if they had any problem in doing so.
US-based Pak-linked ‘Charity’ Organisations are collecting funds in the name of helping India during Covid Crisis. After collecting millions of dollars, some of them came together and sent peanuts in the name of help. All of them claimed the credits, so that their donors would think that money is well spent. The money collected could go from terror finance to Pak army to Hamas – apart from the pocket money to the Charities and its so called patrons. This is the story of #CovidAidScam2021. Illinois-based IMANA is at the centre of a major COVID aid scam after DisinfoLab released a report investigating its activities … writes Kaliph Anaz
When the entire world is fighting to stem the raging pandemic, some anti-social forums channel public empathy to line their pockets and fund anti-India-related activities. Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) is under the cloud of suspicion as DisinfoLab in an investigative report revealed that their tall claims on helping India are a charade to fleece people.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
The report identified various red flags in IMANA’s #HelpIndiaBreathe campaign on Instagram, which was started in late-April with an initial target of Rs 1.8 crore. IMANA managed to get a huge response from Instagram alone, raising Rs 8.7 crore.
The target was revised twice, once to Rs 3 crore and then again to Rs 5.62 crore as and when they were met. Using the same campaign on the crowd-funding platform Just Giving, the charity raised another Rs 2 crore and also pushed donation options on many websites and on Facebook, but it remains unclear how much was raised.
Gathering all the available information about IMANA’s fundraising on various platforms, DisinfoLab revealed the charity managed to raise anywhere from Rs 30 crore to Rs 158 crore. Up until the fund-raising, everything seemed normal, but things started to get fishy when it came to actually help the needy in India as intended. Dr Ismail Mehr, the chairman of IMANA, in a recent interview, made some extremely tall claims, ranging from providing 100K nasal cannulas, 40K non-breather masks, 450 oxygen concentrators, tying up with Air India for free logistics, having on-ground workers and even partnering with DRDO and Ministry of Agriculture for coordination.
But the ground reality turns out to be entirely different. The said medical supplies never reached Delhi, rather, over 100 oxygen concentrators sent to Gujarat was allegedly in association with another organisation, which raised its own funds for COVID relief, the Disinfolab said in the report.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
The report highlighted similar efforts portrayed by the organisation, but never saw the light of the day. It found IMANA’s links with other charities, such as Saiyad Foundation, which also made several claims without backing of subsequent events.
According to the report, IMANA allegedly routes its funds through various organisations, only to eventually reach the terrorists, Islamists or Pakistan Army. Only a fraction of the total funds raised go anywhere close to helping people as intended, the report said.
“IMANA provides ‘help’ to Pakistan through Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMT), according to IMANA Care 2020 Annual Report. The AMT is nothing but part of Pakistan’s Milbus ‘military capital’, that is used for the personal benefit of the Pak Army fraternity, especially the officer cadre, but is neither recorded nor part of the defence budget,” the report notes.
The report also established links between IMANA and Al Khidmat, which has extensive ties with Hamas. According to the report, funds worth tens of crores have been stolen and used for terror funding.
#Helpbreathindia
IMANA collected money in the name of Covid crisis in India from all over the world, including from countries where India had sent Covid vaccines, and thereby exploiting the goodwill that India and the Indians have, the Disinfolab said.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
IMANA remained opaque about everything, from fund collection to its actual deliveries. Its Chairman nonetheless seems capable of fluent lie in fluent English, who claimed to have robust ground network of ‘Hindu and Sikh’ friends. He was also in touch with DRDO and Indian Ministry of Agriculture for distributing the help.
However, in terms of delivery, till date they could manage 100-odd concentrators (that too in association with Saiyad Foundation which itself was collecting funds for same.) And at the end, the help is sent to GSWT affiliated Shifa Hospital, whose staff was arrested for illegal activities related to essential medicines during the crisis.
The report also highlighted that the IMANA is now setting up fundraisers to help people in Palestine. This was after the COVID started to subside in India. It is now raising funds for Gaza since May 18 and it claims to have provided $2 million worth medical help in Gaza and meals to 12,000 people.
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
#CovidAidScam202: Pak-linked US ‘Charities’ Fleece Public With ‘Help India’ Campaigns
