The maker of the rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has offered some of the victims' families an amount of $33 million to settle their lawsuit.

The offer was filed late on Tuesday at the Waterbury Superior Court in Connecticut.&nbsp;

As per the lawyers, the nine families suing the company, who are being offered nearly $3.7 million apiece are considering the proposal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/he-is-a-moron-us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-as-mccarthy-says-mask-rule-based-on-india-study-401378">Also read |&nbsp;'He is a moron': US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as McCarthy says mask rule based on 'India study'</a>

Lawyer Josh Koskoff, in a statement, was quoted by BBC saying, "Since this case was filed in 2014, the families' focus has been on preventing the next Sandy Hook. An important part of that goal has been showing banks and insurers that companies that sell assault weapons to civilians are fraught with financial risk".

A Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle made by Remington was used to kill 20 first-graders and six educators at the Newtown, Connecticut, school on December 14' 2012.&nbsp;

Adam Lanza, a 20-year-old gunman, killed his mother at their Newtown home before the massacre.

He then killed himself with a handgun as police arrived at the school.

The maker of the rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has offered some of the victims' families an amount of $33 million to settle their lawsuit.

The maker of the rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has offered some of the victims' families an amount of $33 million to settle their lawsuit. The offer was filed late on Tuesday at the Waterbury Superior Court in Connecticut. As per the lawyers, the nine families suing the company, who are being offered nearly $3.7 million apiece are considering the proposal. Also read | 'He is a moron': US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as McCarthy says mask rule based on 'India study' Lawyer Josh Koskoff, in a statement, was quoted by BBC saying, "Since this case was filed in 2014, the families' focus has been on preventing the next Sandy Hook. An important part of that goal has been showing banks and insurers that companies that sell assault weapons to civilians are fraught with financial risk". A Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle made by Remington was used to kill 20 first-graders and six educators at the Newtown, Connecticut, school on December 14' 2012. Adam Lanza, a 20-year-old gunman, killed his mother at their Newtown home before the massacre. He then killed himself with a handgun as police arrived at the school.

Gun maker offers $33M to settle suit by victim families

About 100 CIA officers and family members are among some 200 US officials who have fallen sick by "Havana syndrome," CIA Director William Burns said on Thursday.&nbsp;

Even though the syndrome is unexplained, US scientists say that it is most probably caused by directed microwave radiation.

Tapped by US President Joe Biden as the first career diplomat to serve as CIA chief, said in a National Public Radio interview that he has bolstered his agency's efforts to determine the cause of the syndrome and what is responsible.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/havana-syndrome-mystery-illness-affects-vienna-us-diplomats-398809">Also read |&nbsp;'Havana syndrome': Mystery illness affects Vienna US diplomats</a>

He further confirmed that among other steps, he tapped a senior officer who once led the hunt for Osama bin Laden to head a task force investigating the syndrome, and said he tripled the size of the medical team involved in the probe.

First discovered in Cuba in 2016-17, the US and Canadian diplomats have complained of symptoms ranging from dizziness, loss of balance, hearing loss, and anxiety to something they described as "cognitive fog".

In the year 2019, a US academic study found "brain abnormalities" in the diplomats who had fallen ill. However, Cuba dismissed the report.

Also, the US accused Cuba of carrying out "sonic attacks", which is strongly denied.

About 100 CIA officers and family members are among some 200 US officials who have fallen sick by "Havana syndrome," CIA Director William Burns said on Thursday.

About 100 CIA officers and family members are among some 200 US officials who have fallen sick by "Havana syndrome," CIA Director William Burns said on Thursday. Even though the syndrome is unexplained, US scientists say that it is most probably caused by directed microwave radiation. Tapped by US President Joe Biden as the first career diplomat to serve as CIA chief, said in a National Public Radio interview that he has bolstered his agency's efforts to determine the cause of the syndrome and what is responsible. Also read | 'Havana syndrome': Mystery illness affects Vienna US diplomats He further confirmed that among other steps, he tapped a senior officer who once led the hunt for Osama bin Laden to head a task force investigating the syndrome, and said he tripled the size of the medical team involved in the probe. First discovered in Cuba in 2016-17, the US and Canadian diplomats have complained of symptoms ranging from dizziness, loss of balance, hearing loss, and anxiety to something they described as "cognitive fog". In the year 2019, a US academic study found "brain abnormalities" in the diplomats who had fallen ill. However, Cuba dismissed the report. Also, the US accused Cuba of carrying out "sonic attacks", which is strongly denied.

About 100 CIA officers, family members sick due to 'Havana Syndrome'

In an attempt to provide the much-needed boost to marriages,&nbsp;Iran has come up with a state-approved&nbsp;Islamic dating app, Hamdam.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The users of the&nbsp;app&nbsp;will first&nbsp;have to take a psychology test and&nbsp;later, the&nbsp;successful matches will be accompanied by a consultant for the first four years of marriage, &nbsp;The Guardian said in a report.

According to the state television,&nbsp;the country has come up with the app for&nbsp;facilitating 'lasting and informed marriage' for its youth.&nbsp;

The name, Hamdam, means&nbsp;companion in&nbsp;Farsi.&nbsp;The service allows users to 'search and choose spouse'.&nbsp;

Although&nbsp;dating apps are popular in the Islamic Republic, Iran’s cyberspace police chief Colonel Ali Mohammad Rajabi&nbsp;said,&nbsp;“This&nbsp;is the only state-sanctioned platform of its kind in the country.&nbsp;All others are illegal.”&nbsp;

This app has been developed by the&nbsp;Tebyan&nbsp;Cultural Institute, which is a&nbsp;part of Iran’s Islamic Propaganda&nbsp;Organisation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the unveiling,&nbsp;Tebyan&nbsp;head Komeil Khojasteh, said, “Family values were threatened by outside forces. Family is the devil’s target, and (Iran’s enemies) seek to impose their own ideas on it. The app helps create 'healthy' families.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The website of the app claims it uses 'artificial intelligence' to find matches 'for bachelors seeking permanent marriage and a single spouse only'.&nbsp;

Before browsing&nbsp;the potential partners, the&nbsp;users have to first verify their identity and go through a ‘psychology test'.&nbsp;Registration is free on the app.&nbsp;

After a match is made,&nbsp;the app 'introduces the families together in the presence of service consultants', who will 'accompany' the couple for the first four years&nbsp;of&nbsp;marriage.&nbsp;

In an attempt to provide the much-needed boost to marriages, Iran has come up with a state-approved Islamic dating app, Hamdam. The users of the app will first have to take a psychology test and later, the successful matches will be accompanied by a consultant for the first four years of marriage, The Guardian said in a report.

In an attempt to provide the much-needed boost to marriages, Iran has come up with a state-approved Islamic dating app, Hamdam. The users of the app will first have to take a psychology test and later, the successful matches will be accompanied by a consultant for the first four years of marriage, The Guardian said in a report. According to the state television, the country has come up with the app for facilitating 'lasting and informed marriage' for its youth. The name, Hamdam, means companion in Farsi. The service allows users to 'search and choose spouse'. Although dating apps are popular in the Islamic Republic, Iran’s cyberspace police chief Colonel Ali Mohammad Rajabi said, “This is the only state-sanctioned platform of its kind in the country. All others are illegal.” This app has been developed by the Tebyan Cultural Institute, which is a part of Iran’s Islamic Propaganda Organisation. At the unveiling, Tebyan head Komeil Khojasteh, said, “Family values were threatened by outside forces. Family is the devil’s target, and (Iran’s enemies) seek to impose their own ideas on it. The app helps create 'healthy' families.” The website of the app claims it uses 'artificial intelligence' to find matches 'for bachelors seeking permanent marriage and a single spouse only'. Before browsing the potential partners, the users have to first verify their identity and go through a ‘psychology test'. Registration is free on the app. After a match is made, the app 'introduces the families together in the presence of service consultants', who will 'accompany' the couple for the first four years of marriage.

Iran government launches Islamic dating app to create 'healthy' families 

In this age of equality and modernisation, Japan’s top court has denied giving couples a chance to keep their own surnames after marriage.

A little while ago, Japanese couples had argued that individuals should be allowed to keep their own surnames rather than having to change it to one family name.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dating-app-bumble-gives-employees-entire-week-off-to-deal-with-burnout-393201">Dating app Bumble gives employees entire week off to deal with 'burnout'</a>

The matter came to rise when, in 2018, plaintiffs, three couples, submitted their marriage registration documents with different surnames of husbands and wives. However, the municipal government refused to accept these documents.

After that, the couples argued that the rule of couples having to choose a single surname "is against equality under the law and freedom of marriage, which are guaranteed by the constitution”.

As per the law, the couples have a choice to opt for either the husband’s surname or the wives’, but in reality, it is generally the wives who have to change their surname. The people in favour of the law have argued that the idea behind choosing one surname is to promote close and healthier family ties.

In this age of equality and modernisation, Japan’s top court has denied giving couples a chance to keep their own surnames after marriage. A little while ago, Japanese couples had argued that individuals should be allowed to keep their own surnames rather than having to change it to one family name.

In this age of equality and modernisation, Japan’s top court has denied giving couples a chance to keep their own surnames after marriage. A little while ago, Japanese couples had argued that individuals should be allowed to keep their own surnames rather than having to change it to one family name. Also read | Dating app Bumble gives employees entire week off to deal with 'burnout' The matter came to rise when, in 2018, plaintiffs, three couples, submitted their marriage registration documents with different surnames of husbands and wives. However, the municipal government refused to accept these documents. After that, the couples argued that the rule of couples having to choose a single surname "is against equality under the law and freedom of marriage, which are guaranteed by the constitution”. As per the law, the couples have a choice to opt for either the husband’s surname or the wives’, but in reality, it is generally the wives who have to change their surname. The people in favour of the law have argued that the idea behind choosing one surname is to promote close and healthier family ties.

'Family ties': Japan court rules against couples' freedom to choose different surnames

Ever since their birth as two separate countries in 1947, India and Pakistan have been psychologically obsessed with their assorted mutual conflicts. They have fought four conventional wars, and regularly display their nuclear capability to outpace and undermine each other. From the outside, it resembles nothing so much as a family feud – and psychologically speaking, it’s a very apt analogy.

Across the subcontinent, family and lineage are the most influential institutions in people’s lives, and people tend to transpose the psychological moral structure of their kinship relations into every other institution in the outside world. Respecting your seniors and expecting care and nurture is the norm, and it holds sway in various forms across every sphere of life.

As one famous South Indian proverb puts it, after living together for six months, “they” become “we” and “we” become “they”; neighbours should be treated like family members. It is the violation of this norm that underpins the modern India-Pakistan (or Hindu-Muslim) rivalry.

By the time of partition, the two sides had lived together in one society for more than a millennium. South Asian Hindus and Muslims shared not just a cultural gene pool and biological ties, but common kinship institutions: the extended family group joined by marriage, which is called Khandan in Pakistan and Pariwar in India, or the lineage group with common descendants, known as Biradari in Pakistan and Jati in India.

The rupture between the two can be traced to what happened within India’s predominantly Hindu Congress party, which represented both communities against the British Raj in the years before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. As partition neared, the reservations of Muslims were not properly considered, and their demands were thus not met. The Muslim minority was excluded from most decisions, which created in them a fear of “not mattering at all”. The Muslims, suddenly the “junior” family members, felt neglected – and as younger siblings oftentimes do, they became extra-competitive.&nbsp;

Them and us

Viewed this way, the India-Pakistan conflict owes more to historical and psychological “nearness” than to mere competition for resources or territory. And that much is clear in the language they use to talk about each other.

In many parts of India and Pakistan, especially in both Punjabs, the word used for the 1947 Partition of India is “batwara”, which literally means “the distribution of ancestral land” between brothers or patrilineal cousins. The word comes with resonances that the English word “partition” simply doesn’t carry: harmonious family, painful division, cousin rivalry, love-hate competition.&nbsp;

These are the psychological dynamics that play out in the dispute over Kashmir. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir as if it were their ancestral property, and people on both sides feel a deep emotional attachment to it. In the subcontinent, to give up a claim to one’s ancestral property brings “dishonour” to one’s family and group, and is considered a weakness.

For Pakistanis, the rivalry against Indians is driven by a deep sense of being “wronged” at the time of partition, the corollary being a “desire” to compete with and trump Indians at any cost. It’s this bitterly competitive urge that drives Pakistan’s leaders, army officers and populace to defy India’s obvious demographic, economic and military supremacy, and to do so with such intensity.

As William Blake said, “it is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend”. Whoever we are, it seems we can all feel a special kind of enmity for the enemies we most resemble – whether a sibling or a neighbour, we simply cannot accept “them” as “us” despite our obvious similarities. 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Neighbours should be treated like family members. It is the violation of this norm that underpins the modern India-Pakistan rivalry.

Ever since their birth as two separate countries in 1947, India and Pakistan have been psychologically obsessed with their assorted mutual conflicts. They have fought four conventional wars, and regularly display their nuclear capability to outpace and undermine each other. From the outside, it resembles nothing so much as a family feud – and psychologically speaking, it’s a very apt analogy. Across the subcontinent, family and lineage are the most influential institutions in people’s lives, and people tend to transpose the psychological moral structure of their kinship relations into every other institution in the outside world. Respecting your seniors and expecting care and nurture is the norm, and it holds sway in various forms across every sphere of life. As one famous South Indian proverb puts it, after living together for six months, “they” become “we” and “we” become “they”; neighbours should be treated like family members. It is the violation of this norm that underpins the modern India-Pakistan (or Hindu-Muslim) rivalry. By the time of partition, the two sides had lived together in one society for more than a millennium. South Asian Hindus and Muslims shared not just a cultural gene pool and biological ties, but common kinship institutions: the extended family group joined by marriage, which is called Khandan in Pakistan and Pariwar in India, or the lineage group with common descendants, known as Biradari in Pakistan and Jati in India. The rupture between the two can be traced to what happened within India’s predominantly Hindu Congress party, which represented both communities against the British Raj in the years before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. As partition neared, the reservations of Muslims were not properly considered, and their demands were thus not met. The Muslim minority was excluded from most decisions, which created in them a fear of “not mattering at all”. The Muslims, suddenly the “junior” family members, felt neglected – and as younger siblings oftentimes do, they became extra-competitive. Them and us Viewed this way, the India-Pakistan conflict owes more to historical and psychological “nearness” than to mere competition for resources or territory. And that much is clear in the language they use to talk about each other. In many parts of India and Pakistan, especially in both Punjabs, the word used for the 1947 Partition of India is “batwara”, which literally means “the distribution of ancestral land” between brothers or patrilineal cousins. The word comes with resonances that the English word “partition” simply doesn’t carry: harmonious family, painful division, cousin rivalry, love-hate competition. These are the psychological dynamics that play out in the dispute over Kashmir. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir as if it were their ancestral property, and people on both sides feel a deep emotional attachment to it. In the subcontinent, to give up a claim to one’s ancestral property brings “dishonour” to one’s family and group, and is considered a weakness. For Pakistanis, the rivalry against Indians is driven by a deep sense of being “wronged” at the time of partition, the corollary being a “desire” to compete with and trump Indians at any cost. It’s this bitterly competitive urge that drives Pakistan’s leaders, army officers and populace to defy India’s obvious demographic, economic and military supremacy, and to do so with such intensity. As William Blake said, “it is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend”. Whoever we are, it seems we can all feel a special kind of enmity for the enemies we most resemble – whether a sibling or a neighbour, we simply cannot accept “them” as “us” despite our obvious similarities. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Indo-Pak war is psychological, not territorial

Several hundred mourners joined a public funeral service on Saturday to bid farewell to a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man in a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police said was driven by hate. 
 
The hour-long ceremony started after the four coffins draped in Canadian flags rolled into the compound of the Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario, and ended with prayers and condolences offered by religious and community leaders. 
 
The four victims, spanning three generations, were killed when Nathaniel Veltman, 20, ran into them while they were out for an evening walk near their home in London, Ontario. A fifth family member, a nine-year-old boy, is recovering from his injuries in the hospital. 
 
Police have said the attack was premeditated and allege the family was targeted because of their Islamic faith. 
 
The funeral procession later proceeded for a private burial. 
 
"And the very fact their coffins are draped in the beautiful Canadian flag is an apt testimony of the fact that the entire Canadian nation stands with them," Raza Bashir Tarar High Commissioner for Pakistan to Canada told the gathering. 
 
The family moved to Canada from Pakistan some 14 years ago. 
 
The attack sparked outrage across Canada, with politicians from all sides condemning the crime, spurring growing calls to take action to curb hate crime and Islamophobia. The city of London, 200 km (120 miles) southwest of Toronto, has seen an outpouring of support in the aftermath of the attack. 
 
That has given some hope to the grieving community to look beyond the tragedy. 
 
"Irrespective of colour and creed, the expressions of raw emotion, the prayers, the quiet tears, the messages of comfort from people we know and from people that are complete strangers, it has been the first step towards finding a way to heal," Ali Islam, maternal uncle of Madiha Salman, one of the victims, told the gathering. 
 
Veltman, who returns to court on Monday, faces four charges of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder. 
 
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the killings a 'terrorist attack' and vowed to clamp down on far-right groups and online hate. 
 
"I think we're emotionally exhausted," Imam Aarij Anwer told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp before the ceremony. "We're looking forward to having some closure on Saturday." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Several hundred mourners joined a public funeral service on Saturday to bid farewell to a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man in a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police said was driven by hate.

Several hundred mourners joined a public funeral service on Saturday to bid farewell to a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man in a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police said was driven by hate. The hour-long ceremony started after the four coffins draped in Canadian flags rolled into the compound of the Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario, and ended with prayers and condolences offered by religious and community leaders. The four victims, spanning three generations, were killed when Nathaniel Veltman, 20, ran into them while they were out for an evening walk near their home in London, Ontario. A fifth family member, a nine-year-old boy, is recovering from his injuries in the hospital. Police have said the attack was premeditated and allege the family was targeted because of their Islamic faith. The funeral procession later proceeded for a private burial. "And the very fact their coffins are draped in the beautiful Canadian flag is an apt testimony of the fact that the entire Canadian nation stands with them," Raza Bashir Tarar High Commissioner for Pakistan to Canada told the gathering. The family moved to Canada from Pakistan some 14 years ago. The attack sparked outrage across Canada, with politicians from all sides condemning the crime, spurring growing calls to take action to curb hate crime and Islamophobia. The city of London, 200 km (120 miles) southwest of Toronto, has seen an outpouring of support in the aftermath of the attack. That has given some hope to the grieving community to look beyond the tragedy. "Irrespective of colour and creed, the expressions of raw emotion, the prayers, the quiet tears, the messages of comfort from people we know and from people that are complete strangers, it has been the first step towards finding a way to heal," Ali Islam, maternal uncle of Madiha Salman, one of the victims, told the gathering. Veltman, who returns to court on Monday, faces four charges of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the killings a 'terrorist attack' and vowed to clamp down on far-right groups and online hate. "I think we're emotionally exhausted," Imam Aarij Anwer told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp before the ceremony. "We're looking forward to having some closure on Saturday." (With inputs from agencies)

Muslim victims of truck attack given farewell with coffins draped in Canadian flags

Thousands of people marched on Friday in support of a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man driving a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police described as a hate crime. 
 
The four victims, spanning three generations, were killed when Nathaniel Veltman, 20, ran into them while they were out for an evening walk near their home. A fifth family member, a 9-year-old boy, survived. 
 
People in London, Ontario marched about 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the spot where the family was struck down to a nearby mosque, the site close to where Veltman was arrested by police. 
 
Some carried placards with messages reading 'Hate has no home here', 'Love over hate'.&nbsp;Similar events were held in other cities in Ontario, Canada's most populous province. 
 
"The best part was not just the numbers ... but the diversity of the people coming from every single community in London, coming together for this cause," said 19-year-old college student Abdullah Al Jarad at the march. 
 
The attack sparked outrage across Canada, with politicians from all sides condemning the crime, spurring growing calls to take action to curb hate crime and Islamophobia. 
 
Veltman made a brief court appearance on Thursday and will return to court on Monday. He faces four charges of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder. 
 
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the killings a 'terrorist attack' and vowed to clamp down on far-right groups and online hate. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Thousands of people marched on Friday in support of a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man driving a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police described as a hate crime.

Thousands of people marched on Friday in support of a Canadian Muslim family run over and killed by a man driving a pick-up truck on last Sunday in an attack the police described as a hate crime. The four victims, spanning three generations, were killed when Nathaniel Veltman, 20, ran into them while they were out for an evening walk near their home. A fifth family member, a 9-year-old boy, survived. People in London, Ontario marched about 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the spot where the family was struck down to a nearby mosque, the site close to where Veltman was arrested by police. Some carried placards with messages reading 'Hate has no home here', 'Love over hate'. Similar events were held in other cities in Ontario, Canada's most populous province. "The best part was not just the numbers ... but the diversity of the people coming from every single community in London, coming together for this cause," said 19-year-old college student Abdullah Al Jarad at the march. The attack sparked outrage across Canada, with politicians from all sides condemning the crime, spurring growing calls to take action to curb hate crime and Islamophobia. Veltman made a brief court appearance on Thursday and will return to court on Monday. He faces four charges of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the killings a 'terrorist attack' and vowed to clamp down on far-right groups and online hate. (With inputs from agencies)

Thousands march in support of Muslim family killed in truck attack in Canada

A federal minister in Pakistan found himself in hot waters on Tuesday after video clips showing his family getting shots of coronavirus vaccine surfaced online, creating a stir as netizens accused him of 'jumping the queue' and demanded an apology from him.&nbsp;

The clips showed a nurse giving vaccine jabs to family members of Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema, which seems to be a clear violation of government policy regarding Covid-19 vaccination.&nbsp;

Cheema belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), which is an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).&nbsp;

Pakistan's vaccination drive began on February 2 starting with frontline workers followed by general health workers and people over 60 years of age. The government expanded it to people above the age of 50 from Tuesday.&nbsp;

Eligible people register themselves by sending an SMS to a designated phone number and get a message about the date and place of vaccination.&nbsp;

The people in the video clips were seen flashing the thumbs-up sign after getting the shots. Former model and television host, Iffat Omar, was also shown in one of the videos.&nbsp;

The videos were shared on the Instagram account of one of Cheema's relatives but the account is no longer active and apparently has been deactivated after backlash on social media.&nbsp;

The video clips stirred up a storm on social media as netizens and journalists called out the minister for&nbsp;'jumping the queue'.&nbsp;

"I expect and demand an apology from Cheema. First, he along with his family did an immoral thing, and then he had the audacity to lie about it calling it a trial shot," said journalist Mehr Tarar.&nbsp;

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shehbaz Gill took a shot at television host Iffat Omar, who often posted videos critical of the government.&nbsp;

"These fake liberals are liberal to the extent of swearing. They have no morals or shame. They portray themselves as law-abiding citizens but their actions show otherwise," Gill tweeted.&nbsp;

Cheema, in a statement, denied using his political influence to get his family members vaccinated and claimed that the teams from the University of Health Sciences came to his home to administer a booster shot of a trial vaccine, adding that it had done the same before.&nbsp;

However, the university rejected it by saying that all trials of the vaccines had already ended.&nbsp;

“No&nbsp;trial vaccination is going on as we are now following up the trials' results which will go on for months,"&nbsp;said Mohammad Asif, University's Director, Media.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A federal minister in Pakistan found himself in hot waters on Tuesday after video clips showing his family getting shots of coronavirus vaccine surfaced online, creating a stir as netizens accused him of 'jumping the queue' and demanded an apology from him.

A federal minister in Pakistan found himself in hot waters on Tuesday after video clips showing his family getting shots of coronavirus vaccine surfaced online, creating a stir as netizens accused him of 'jumping the queue' and demanded an apology from him. The clips showed a nurse giving vaccine jabs to family members of Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema, which seems to be a clear violation of government policy regarding Covid-19 vaccination. Cheema belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), which is an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). Pakistan's vaccination drive began on February 2 starting with frontline workers followed by general health workers and people over 60 years of age. The government expanded it to people above the age of 50 from Tuesday. Eligible people register themselves by sending an SMS to a designated phone number and get a message about the date and place of vaccination. The people in the video clips were seen flashing the thumbs-up sign after getting the shots. Former model and television host, Iffat Omar, was also shown in one of the videos. The videos were shared on the Instagram account of one of Cheema's relatives but the account is no longer active and apparently has been deactivated after backlash on social media. The video clips stirred up a storm on social media as netizens and journalists called out the minister for 'jumping the queue'. "I expect and demand an apology from Cheema. First, he along with his family did an immoral thing, and then he had the audacity to lie about it calling it a trial shot," said journalist Mehr Tarar. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shehbaz Gill took a shot at television host Iffat Omar, who often posted videos critical of the government. "These fake liberals are liberal to the extent of swearing. They have no morals or shame. They portray themselves as law-abiding citizens but their actions show otherwise," Gill tweeted. Cheema, in a statement, denied using his political influence to get his family members vaccinated and claimed that the teams from the University of Health Sciences came to his home to administer a booster shot of a trial vaccine, adding that it had done the same before. However, the university rejected it by saying that all trials of the vaccines had already ended. “No trial vaccination is going on as we are now following up the trials' results which will go on for months," said Mohammad Asif, University's Director, Media. (With inputs from agencies)

Jumping queue? Pak minister creates stir for getting family vaccinated against Covid-19 

Pakistan's Hindu community is in shock following the killing of a five-member family in mysterious circumstances in Pakistan on Friday.&nbsp;

The members of the family were found dead with their throats slit with some sharp-edged weapon in their house in Abu Dhabi Colony, Chak No 135-P, 15-kilometre away from Rahim Yar Khan city, reported The News International.&nbsp;

Police have recovered murder weapons including a knife and an axe. Social activist Birbal Das in Rahim Yar Khan told The News International that Ram Chand was a Meghwal Hindu and he was 35-36 years old. &nbsp;

He used to run a tailor shop. He was a peaceful man and lived a happy life, and the incident was shocking for everyone. &nbsp;

According to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with Muslim residents. They often complain of harassment by the extremists.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a report submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on February 5 has revealed that most of the Hindu holy sites across the country were in a state of decay.&nbsp;

The seventh report of the one-man Dr Shoaib Suddle commission submitted to the Apex Court has depicted a dismal picture of most revered Hindu sites in the country.&nbsp;

The Commission was set up by the apex court in 2019 to oversee implementation of its judgement on minority rights.&nbsp;

It regretted that the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) 'failed to maintain most of the ancient and holy sites of the minority Hindu community'.&nbsp;

Dr Shoaib Suddle's one-man commission has been established by the Supreme Court but it has three supporting members, Dr Ramesh Vankwani, Saqib Jillani and the attorney general for Pakistan, who has nominated the deputy attorney general to participate in fact-finding activities of the commission, the report said.&nbsp;

Some of the major Hindu temples in Pakistan include Shri Hinglaj Mata temple (Balochistan), Shri Ramdev Pir temple (Sindh), Umarkot Shiv Mandir (Sindh), and the Churrio Jabal Durga Mata temple (Sindh).&nbsp;

In December last year, a temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak district was torched by members of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group).&nbsp;

The attack on the temple drew strong condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community leaders, prompting the Supreme Court to order its reconstruction.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pakistan's Hindu community is in shock following the killing of a five-member family in mysterious circumstances in Pakistan on Friday. The members of the family were found dead with their throats slit with some sharp-edged weapon in their house in Abu Dhabi Colony, Chak No 135-P, 15-kilometre away from Rahim Yar Khan city, reported The News International.

Pakistan's Hindu community is in shock following the killing of a five-member family in mysterious circumstances in Pakistan on Friday. The members of the family were found dead with their throats slit with some sharp-edged weapon in their house in Abu Dhabi Colony, Chak No 135-P, 15-kilometre away from Rahim Yar Khan city, reported The News International. Police have recovered murder weapons including a knife and an axe. Social activist Birbal Das in Rahim Yar Khan told The News International that Ram Chand was a Meghwal Hindu and he was 35-36 years old. He used to run a tailor shop. He was a peaceful man and lived a happy life, and the incident was shocking for everyone. According to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with Muslim residents. They often complain of harassment by the extremists. Meanwhile, a report submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on February 5 has revealed that most of the Hindu holy sites across the country were in a state of decay. The seventh report of the one-man Dr Shoaib Suddle commission submitted to the Apex Court has depicted a dismal picture of most revered Hindu sites in the country. The Commission was set up by the apex court in 2019 to oversee implementation of its judgement on minority rights. It regretted that the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) 'failed to maintain most of the ancient and holy sites of the minority Hindu community'. Dr Shoaib Suddle's one-man commission has been established by the Supreme Court but it has three supporting members, Dr Ramesh Vankwani, Saqib Jillani and the attorney general for Pakistan, who has nominated the deputy attorney general to participate in fact-finding activities of the commission, the report said. Some of the major Hindu temples in Pakistan include Shri Hinglaj Mata temple (Balochistan), Shri Ramdev Pir temple (Sindh), Umarkot Shiv Mandir (Sindh), and the Churrio Jabal Durga Mata temple (Sindh). In December last year, a temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak district was torched by members of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group). The attack on the temple drew strong condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community leaders, prompting the Supreme Court to order its reconstruction. (With inputs from agencies)

5-member Hindu family found dead under mysterious circumstances in Pakistan 

The family of Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought an extension of six more months on her suspended prison sentence for the former prime minister's treatment, according to a media report.

The government in March released the 74-year-old leader for six months on condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that Zia was freed on humanitarian grounds after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's approval.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018.

Zia's family filed a plea with the government for an extension of the suspended prison sentence as the six months allotted to her in March will end on September 24, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

A M Ehsanur Rahman, one of Zia's counsels, said that an application, signed by the BNP chief's younger brother Shamim Eskander, was sent to the home ministry on August 25.

The BNP chairperson did not receive proper treatment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, her family said. They also want another extension for her treatment, the counsel was quoted as saying in the report.

Home Minister Kamal confirmed that they have received an application which was sent to the law ministry for its consideration and "further steps will be taken after considering the legal basis of the application, the report said.

Zia served thrice as the premier since 1991. Her party was routed in the 2018 election, bagging only six seats in 300-seat Parliament.

Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges barred her from contesting the polls.

She was sent to jail in February 2018 by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and President Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006.

Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP.

She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

The family of Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought an extension of six more months on her suspended prison sentence for the former prime minister's treatment, according to a media report.

The family of Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought an extension of six more months on her suspended prison sentence for the former prime minister's treatment, according to a media report. The government in March released the 74-year-old leader for six months on condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that Zia was freed on humanitarian grounds after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's approval. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018. Zia's family filed a plea with the government for an extension of the suspended prison sentence as the six months allotted to her in March will end on September 24, the Dhaka Tribune reported. A M Ehsanur Rahman, one of Zia's counsels, said that an application, signed by the BNP chief's younger brother Shamim Eskander, was sent to the home ministry on August 25. The BNP chairperson did not receive proper treatment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, her family said. They also want another extension for her treatment, the counsel was quoted as saying in the report. Home Minister Kamal confirmed that they have received an application which was sent to the law ministry for its consideration and "further steps will be taken after considering the legal basis of the application, the report said. Zia served thrice as the premier since 1991. Her party was routed in the 2018 election, bagging only six seats in 300-seat Parliament. Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges barred her from contesting the polls. She was sent to jail in February 2018 by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and President Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006. Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP. She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

Khaleda Zia's family seeks extension on her suspended prison sentence

Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is making the most of his family time amid coronavirus lockdown. He took to Twitter and shared a video of him batting against his son Zoravar.

Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is making the most of his family time amid coronavirus lockdown. He took to Twitter and shared a video of him batting against his son Zoravar. The prolific batsman called it "Quarantine Premier League". Also read: Watch: Seven-year-old Pari Sharma leaves Michael Vaughan, Shai Hope and other top cricketers in awe with her batting skills Dhawan posted the video with a caption: "Quarantine Premier League ka sabse gripping moment Dhawan vs Dhawan." Quarantine Premier League ka sabse gripping moment 😅 Dhawan vs Dhawan 💪🏻😈 pic.twitter.com/fDHVF8nVYC — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 22, 2020 × Dhawan is not the only one spending time with his family. Many cricketers such as David Warner, Virat Kohli, James Anderson are among those who shared videos with their loved ones. Australian opening batsman David Warner was seen dancing with his daughter on the famous Bollywood song "Sheila ki Jawaani". View this post on Instagram Indi has asked to also do one for you guys! 😂😂 please help me someone!!!!!! #statue A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) on Apr 17, 2020 at 11:37pm PDT × Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli who are spending and enjoying their quarantine time together, keep their fans occupied with updates of their lives. The couple is usually busy goofing around each other. In a recent video shared by Anushka, she can be seen sharing the screen with husband Virat Kohli as she brings the cricket field experience. Guessing that the cricket husband must be missing some on-field action, Anushka was seen imitating a crowd hoot as she asked for Virat to hit four runs. She was seen saying: "Aye Kohli chauka marna''( Kolhi hit a four) as Kohli gives her a straight face. View this post on Instagram I thought he must be missing being on the field. Along with the love he gets from millions of fans, he must be especially missing this one particular type of fan too. So I gave him the experience 😜😂🏏 A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Apr 17, 2020 at 12:54am PDT × Veteran England seamer James Anderson is enjoying his break from cricket due to the coronavirus threat. The English pacer spearhead posted a light-hearted video of him lifting his daughters as weights while training at home. He wrote: "The girls are more than happy to help me train at home," in the caption. View this post on Instagram The girls are more than happy to help me train at home 👍 A post shared by James Anderson (@jimmya9) on Mar 17, 2020 at 2:20pm PDT ×

Watch: Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, Virat Kohli, among top cricketers spending fun time with family!

Some of the most prominent film actors from different film industries in India recently came together for a short film 'Family'. Highlighting the importance of social distancing and how a film can be shot within the confinements of one's home. 
 
The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mamooty, Mohanlal, Prasenjit Chatterjee, Sonali Kulkarni, Prithviraj Rajkumar and Diljit Dosanjh- some of the leading names from various regional film industries.

Considering the stars shot their respective portions from their own homes, they had to rely on family members to shoot the sequences. In an interview to a news daily, ad filmmaker Prasoon Pandey, who conceptualised the film and virtually directed it revealed that how Ranbir and Alia, who have recently moved in together, shot each other's portions while Nick Jonas turned cameraman for wife Priyanka Chopra at their LA home. 
 
"Amitji’s portions were shot by Abhishek. Nick Jonas shot Priyanka’s segment, Rajinikanth ji’s was shot by his daughter Soundarya. Ranbir and Alia went behind the camera for each other. Everyone was so gracious. They didn’t come into the frame, but they were simply helping. They were so selfless,” Prasoon said.

The director added that his son shot the template video with him portraying all the characters, to give the stars a better idea about what is expected and how to frame the shots and which direction to look at. 
 
Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan shared the film on Instagram and revealed how he had shot his father, superstar Maoomty's portion at home.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-ph73Wp4rJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Watch the most endearing video on unity and fighting Covid19 together ! From the safety of our homes !! #StayHomeStaySafe #BreakTheChain #FlattenTheCurve #yourstrulymayormaynothavefilmedhisfathersportion #justsaying #gleefullyhappy #thisissobeautiful #everythingaboutit #everyoneinit #allthegreatsinonevideo</a>

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Pandey further revealed "I sent it on April 2, and told them it would be great if they could shoot it by the next day, and they didn’t bat an eyelid. They started shooting on April." 
 
The filmmaker revealed that he first came up with the idea when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has praised the film on Twitter, announced the nation-wide lockdown of 21 days.

Some of the most prominent film actors from different film industries in India recently came together for a short film 'Family'. Highlighting the importance of social distancing and how a film can be shot within the confinements of one's home.

Some of the most prominent film actors from different film industries in India recently came together for a short film 'Family'. Highlighting the importance of social distancing and how a film can be shot within the confinements of one's home. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mamooty, Mohanlal, Prasenjit Chatterjee, Sonali Kulkarni, Prithviraj Rajkumar and Diljit Dosanjh- some of the leading names from various regional film industries. Considering the stars shot their respective portions from their own homes, they had to rely on family members to shoot the sequences. In an interview to a news daily, ad filmmaker Prasoon Pandey, who conceptualised the film and virtually directed it revealed that how Ranbir and Alia, who have recently moved in together, shot each other's portions while Nick Jonas turned cameraman for wife Priyanka Chopra at their LA home. "Amitji’s portions were shot by Abhishek. Nick Jonas shot Priyanka’s segment, Rajinikanth ji’s was shot by his daughter Soundarya. Ranbir and Alia went behind the camera for each other. Everyone was so gracious. They didn’t come into the frame, but they were simply helping. They were so selfless,” Prasoon said. The director added that his son shot the template video with him portraying all the characters, to give the stars a better idea about what is expected and how to frame the shots and which direction to look at. Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan shared the film on Instagram and revealed how he had shot his father, superstar Maoomty's portion at home. View this post on Instagram Watch the most endearing video on unity and fighting Covid19 together ! From the safety of our homes !! #StayHomeStaySafe #BreakTheChain #FlattenTheCurve #yourstrulymayormaynothavefilmedhisfathersportion #justsaying #gleefullyhappy #thisissobeautiful #everythingaboutit #everyoneinit #allthegreatsinonevideo A post shared by Dulquer Salmaan (@dqsalmaan) on Apr 6, 2020 at 11:09am PDT × Pandey further revealed "I sent it on April 2, and told them it would be great if they could shoot it by the next day, and they didn’t bat an eyelid. They started shooting on April." The filmmaker revealed that he first came up with the idea when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has praised the film on Twitter, announced the nation-wide lockdown of 21 days.

Loved the short film 'Family'? Meet camerapersons Nick Jonas, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Dulquer Salmaan

Amitabh Bachchan on Friday took a walk down memory lane as he revisited the time when his son and actor Abhishek penned a heartfelt letter dedicated to him while he was on an outdoor shoot for long. 
 
Depicting the strong father-son bond, the note written by Abhishek in cursive handwriting read, "Darling Papa, How are you? We are all well. I miss you very much''.&nbsp; ''Papa you will be home soon. I am praying for your smile. Papa God is hearing our prayers. Do not worry," it continued.&nbsp; 
 
Speaking like a responsible child, the junior Bachchan had written, "I will look after mama, Shweta didi and the house. I am naughty sometimes. I love you, papa. Your darling son Abhishek".

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T 3549 - Abhishek in his glory .. a letter to me when I was away on a long outdoor schedule .. 
पूत सपूत तो क्यूँ धन संचय ; पूत कपूत तो क्यूँ धन संचय <a href="https://t.co/Tatw1VU1oj">pic.twitter.com/Tatw1VU1oj</a>
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) <a href="https://twitter.com/SrBachchan/status/1195067709978857472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Sharing the letter on Twitter, Big B wrote, "T 3549 - Abhishek in his glory .. a letter to me when I was away on a long outdoor schedule". The two have been one of the most famous father-son duos in the industry and their bond is made on sight. 
 
Most recently, Abhishek also shared a warm message for his father when he completed 50 years in Bollywood. He raved about Amitabh writing, "Several generations of cinema lovers get to say we lived in the times of BACHCHAN!!!" Senior and junior Bachchan has starred in a number of films together including 'Paa', 'Sarkaar', 'Bunty Aur Babli', 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom', amongst others.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-1969-to-2019-50-year-journey-of-amitabh-bachchan-to-become-shahenshah-of-b-town-260787#the-lukewarm-debut-260760">Amitabh Bachchan completes 50 years in Bollywood: The journey of a 'Shehanshah'</a>

Amitabh Bachchan on Friday took a walk down memory lane as he revisited the time when his son and actor Abhishek penned a heartfelt letter dedicated to him while he was on an outdoor shoot for long.

Amitabh Bachchan on Friday took a walk down memory lane as he revisited the time when his son and actor Abhishek penned a heartfelt letter dedicated to him while he was on an outdoor shoot for long. Depicting the strong father-son bond, the note written by Abhishek in cursive handwriting read, "Darling Papa, How are you? We are all well. I miss you very much''. ''Papa you will be home soon. I am praying for your smile. Papa God is hearing our prayers. Do not worry," it continued. Speaking like a responsible child, the junior Bachchan had written, "I will look after mama, Shweta didi and the house. I am naughty sometimes. I love you, papa. Your darling son Abhishek". T 3549 - Abhishek in his glory .. a letter to me when I was away on a long outdoor schedule .. पूत सपूत तो क्यूँ धन संचय ; पूत कपूत तो क्यूँ धन संचय pic.twitter.com/Tatw1VU1oj — Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 14, 2019 × Sharing the letter on Twitter, Big B wrote, "T 3549 - Abhishek in his glory .. a letter to me when I was away on a long outdoor schedule". The two have been one of the most famous father-son duos in the industry and their bond is made on sight. Most recently, Abhishek also shared a warm message for his father when he completed 50 years in Bollywood. He raved about Amitabh writing, "Several generations of cinema lovers get to say we lived in the times of BACHCHAN!!!" Senior and junior Bachchan has starred in a number of films together including 'Paa', 'Sarkaar', 'Bunty Aur Babli', 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom', amongst others. Amitabh Bachchan completes 50 years in Bollywood: The journey of a 'Shehanshah'

'Darling Papa, I miss you', Amitabh Bachchan revisits Abhishek's childhood letter

The Pakistan government would file fresh corruption cases against jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family members after proof of money laundering was found against them, according to media reports.

Prime Minister Imran Khan gave approval of filing cases against the Sharifs during a parliamentary meeting here on Wednesday.

The federal and provincial departments have collected data regarding the alleged corruption by the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, dunyanews.Tv reported.

Sharif is the (PML-N) supremo, while his brother Shehbaz is the party's president.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed three corruption cases against Sharif on the orders of the Supreme Court following the publication of the Panama Papers.

Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were granted bail in September last year in the Avenfield properties case that involved buying of four luxury flats in London through fraudulent means.

He was acquitted in December last year in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.

Shehbaz too is facing charges that he misused his authority while he was the chief minister of Punjab province.&nbsp;

The Pakistan government would file fresh corruption cases against jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family members after proof of money laundering was found against them, according to media reports.

The Pakistan government would file fresh corruption cases against jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family members after proof of money laundering was found against them, according to media reports. Prime Minister Imran Khan gave approval of filing cases against the Sharifs during a parliamentary meeting here on Wednesday. The federal and provincial departments have collected data regarding the alleged corruption by the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, dunyanews.Tv reported. Sharif is the (PML-N) supremo, while his brother Shehbaz is the party's president. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed three corruption cases against Sharif on the orders of the Supreme Court following the publication of the Panama Papers. Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were granted bail in September last year in the Avenfield properties case that involved buying of four luxury flats in London through fraudulent means. He was acquitted in December last year in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Shehbaz too is facing charges that he misused his authority while he was the chief minister of Punjab province.

Pakistan government to file fresh corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif's family

<a href="http://13.232.42.114/south-asia/pak-authorities-sack-chief-of-punjabs-anti-terror-deptt-in-fake-encounter-case-192154">Pakistani authorities </a>have removed the commander of the counter-terrorism police in the province of Punjab and will charge five police with murder over a shooting last week in which an innocent family was killed.

The incident on Saturday saw counter-terrorism officials open fire on a car they said was being used by an Islamic State leader in the province, Zeeshan Javed. He was killed along with three passengers - grocery store owner Mohammad Khalil, his wife and their 12-year-old daughter.

However, the official account of the incident was disputed by witnesses, including Khalil's three other children, who survived the attack and discredited by video footage widely circulated on social media.

The latest in a long series of episodes of alleged police brutality sparked protests in Lahore and drew condemnation from politicians including Prime Minister Imran Khan, who promised a clean up of the Punjab police.

Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said the provincial government had removed the head of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and three other officials who will all face disciplinary action.

"Initial report of the Joint Investigation Team for the Sahiwal encounter reveals that the CTD officials were responsible for killing Khalil and his family, who were innocent," Basharat said.

The five officers who shot at the car in Sahiwal town will be charged with murder and tried in an anti-terrorism court, he told reporters

Pakistani authorities have removed the commander of the counter-terrorism police in the province of Punjab and will charge five police with murder over a shooting last week in which an innocent family was killed.

Pakistani authorities have removed the commander of the counter-terrorism police in the province of Punjab and will charge five police with murder over a shooting last week in which an innocent family was killed. The incident on Saturday saw counter-terrorism officials open fire on a car they said was being used by an Islamic State leader in the province, Zeeshan Javed. He was killed along with three passengers - grocery store owner Mohammad Khalil, his wife and their 12-year-old daughter. However, the official account of the incident was disputed by witnesses, including Khalil's three other children, who survived the attack and discredited by video footage widely circulated on social media. The latest in a long series of episodes of alleged police brutality sparked protests in Lahore and drew condemnation from politicians including Prime Minister Imran Khan, who promised a clean up of the Punjab police. Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said the provincial government had removed the head of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and three other officials who will all face disciplinary action. "Initial report of the Joint Investigation Team for the Sahiwal encounter reveals that the CTD officials were responsible for killing Khalil and his family, who were innocent," Basharat said. The five officers who shot at the car in Sahiwal town will be charged with murder and tried in an anti-terrorism court, he told reporters

Pakistani police to face murder charges over killing of family

They lead a life clouded by misery, often robbed of the opportunity of going to school and the fear of being killed is a daily reality.&nbsp;These are the children living under the shadow of the so-called Gjakmarrja vendetta. 
 
AFP met several youngsters living in dread of falling victim to Albania&#39;s blood tradition feuds between families in the mountainous north dating back to the 15th century that spare no male in a family capable of holding a weapon. 
 
The boys spoke out about their plight close to Shkod?r&nbsp;,a town 90 kilometres (55 miles) north of the capital Tirana on the border with Montenegro.&nbsp;Klevis, 13, said he wants to be a doctor while his brother Albert, 11, aspires to be Albania&#39;s justice minister.&nbsp;Marcel, 13, wants to be a singer and Taulant (not his real name), 13, dreams of being a footballer. But despite their lofty ambitions, none of them is able to go to school, join football clubs or learn music. 
 
Their families are &quot;bloodied&quot;, explained Klevis, trapped in the cycle of death and vengeance which is their heritage.&nbsp;Klevis, Albert and Marcel are part of the same extended family forced to hide in their spartan homes, awaiting attack by so-called &quot;Gjakes&quot; - an unknown assassin.&nbsp;They could be attacked tomorrow, or never, simply because they are all related to a man who killed another person in a dispute about a stream in 2010. 
 
&quot;(They) could be the killers of tomorrow,&quot; said Gjin Marku, who promotes reconciliation between families for local organisations. 
 
The Gjakmarrja, or blood feud, has its origins in the 15th century &quot;Kanun&quot;, or social code, set up to regulate everyday life in medieval Albania.&nbsp;It has detailed rules for blood feuds which state that when someone is killed, the victim&#39;s family can take revenge not only against the killer himself but all males of the extended clan. 
 
The families of those involved in a blood feud live &quot;in the knowledge that they will be killed or they must kill&quot;, said the mayor of Shkodra, Voltana Ademi.&nbsp;But Marku doesn&#39;t hold the Kanun code responsible for their plight, instead laying the blame at the door of the country&#39;s authorities. 
 
&quot;When the institutions don&#39;t work, when the judicial system is failing, these people aren&#39;t finding solutions to their problems,&quot; he said. Albania is particularly susceptible to traditional vendetta culture after its authoritarian, one-party state gave way to near anarchy in the 1990s. 
 
That sowed the seeds for the spread of &quot;Gjakmarrja&quot; feuds as a means of settling disputes. 
 
The government ombudsman responsible for tackling blood feuds, Igli Totozani, agrees that crimes stemming from them are not just &quot;a question of tradition&quot;.&nbsp;The authorities are reluctant to publicise numbers of those affected by blood feuds for fear of tarnishing Albania&#39;s reputation as it continues in its bid to join the EU. 
 
&quot;Where the state is absent, vendetta replaces it,&quot; said Totozani, adding: &quot;We damage Albania&#39;s image by acting as if the problem doesn`t exist.&quot; 
 
An estimated 66 families with 157 people including 44 children remain in hiding, according to an official report on the issue published in April.&nbsp;Some 57 of the families live in or around Shkodra and complaints to police or officials are rare, said the report. 
 
Marku, the expert involved in defusing blood feud violence, says there has been a steady decline in the phenomenon but estimated that some 190 children are still affected with as many as 80 deprived adequate schooling because of it.&nbsp;Others put the toll far higher, but accurate statistics are hard to come by because of fraudulent claims for asylum by those using the threat of blood feud violence as a ploy to secure refugee status abroad. 
 
Whatever the true scale of the problem, the threat is very real in a country where, according to recent estimates, more than half a million firearms are in circulation. Liliana Luani is a teacher who volunteers to help homeschooled students trapped by Gjakmarrja. 
 
The father of &quot;Taulant&quot;, one of the students she visits, became a convicted murderer in 1995 following a &quot;quarrel&quot;, according to Luani.&nbsp;He has been hiding in a mountainous area with his two oldest children, aged 16 and 17.&nbsp;Two or three times a month, &quot;Taulant&quot; ventures out to go to school.&nbsp;He blushed when asked about the signet ring on his finger, saying that he had made &quot;a female friend&quot; there.&nbsp;But he too will one day have to join his father and older siblings in hiding in the mountains. 
 
&quot;The Gjakmarrja weighs heavily on us,&quot; said Taulant&#39;s mother. 
 
Marcel&#39;s sister Maria Quku, 16, was fatally shot in front of her younger brother in June 2012 by a gunman who may have been targeting her grandfather, who they were visiting at the time.&nbsp;Maria&#39;s only crime was that she was the cousin of the man who killed another person in the dispute over a stream, in 2010.&nbsp; 
 
Her mother, Manushaqe Quku, 40, only learnt of her death when her husband asked her to pick out clothes to dress their daughter&#39;s body ahead of the funeral.&nbsp;She lives at the end of a rocky track in a desolate house where photos of Maria cover the walls.&nbsp; 
 
Her husband was an obvious target and no longer lives in the house. Their first son Marian is in hiding elsewhere but Marcel remains, eking out a meagre existence from the small strip of land around their house. 
 
Marcel refuses to go to school and his mother has forbidden him from swimming in the lake that lies 200 metres (yards) from their home. 
&quot;I know that it will make the boy introverted, but I&#39;m really scared,&quot; said Manushaqe. 
 
&quot;Our family is completely lost,&quot; she cried, demanding to know who killed Maria, adding: &quot;It is very difficult to forgive.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Albania still has 15th century blood feud rules, which permit a victim to exact revenge on not just the killer, but all that family's males

They lead a life clouded by misery, often robbed of the opportunity of going to school and the fear of being killed is a daily reality. These are the children living under the shadow of the so-called Gjakmarrja vendetta. AFP met several youngsters living in dread of falling victim to Albania's blood tradition feuds between families in the mountainous north dating back to the 15th century that spare no male in a family capable of holding a weapon. The boys spoke out about their plight close to Shkod?r ,a town 90 kilometres (55 miles) north of the capital Tirana on the border with Montenegro. Klevis, 13, said he wants to be a doctor while his brother Albert, 11, aspires to be Albania's justice minister. Marcel, 13, wants to be a singer and Taulant (not his real name), 13, dreams of being a footballer. But despite their lofty ambitions, none of them is able to go to school, join football clubs or learn music. Their families are "bloodied", explained Klevis, trapped in the cycle of death and vengeance which is their heritage. Klevis, Albert and Marcel are part of the same extended family forced to hide in their spartan homes, awaiting attack by so-called "Gjakes" - an unknown assassin. They could be attacked tomorrow, or never, simply because they are all related to a man who killed another person in a dispute about a stream in 2010. "(They) could be the killers of tomorrow," said Gjin Marku, who promotes reconciliation between families for local organisations. The Gjakmarrja, or blood feud, has its origins in the 15th century "Kanun", or social code, set up to regulate everyday life in medieval Albania. It has detailed rules for blood feuds which state that when someone is killed, the victim's family can take revenge not only against the killer himself but all males of the extended clan. The families of those involved in a blood feud live "in the knowledge that they will be killed or they must kill", said the mayor of Shkodra, Voltana Ademi. But Marku doesn't hold the Kanun code responsible for their plight, instead laying the blame at the door of the country's authorities. "When the institutions don't work, when the judicial system is failing, these people aren't finding solutions to their problems," he said. Albania is particularly susceptible to traditional vendetta culture after its authoritarian, one-party state gave way to near anarchy in the 1990s. That sowed the seeds for the spread of "Gjakmarrja" feuds as a means of settling disputes. The government ombudsman responsible for tackling blood feuds, Igli Totozani, agrees that crimes stemming from them are not just "a question of tradition". The authorities are reluctant to publicise numbers of those affected by blood feuds for fear of tarnishing Albania's reputation as it continues in its bid to join the EU. "Where the state is absent, vendetta replaces it," said Totozani, adding: "We damage Albania's image by acting as if the problem doesn`t exist." An estimated 66 families with 157 people including 44 children remain in hiding, according to an official report on the issue published in April. Some 57 of the families live in or around Shkodra and complaints to police or officials are rare, said the report. Marku, the expert involved in defusing blood feud violence, says there has been a steady decline in the phenomenon but estimated that some 190 children are still affected with as many as 80 deprived adequate schooling because of it. Others put the toll far higher, but accurate statistics are hard to come by because of fraudulent claims for asylum by those using the threat of blood feud violence as a ploy to secure refugee status abroad. Whatever the true scale of the problem, the threat is very real in a country where, according to recent estimates, more than half a million firearms are in circulation. Liliana Luani is a teacher who volunteers to help homeschooled students trapped by Gjakmarrja. The father of "Taulant", one of the students she visits, became a convicted murderer in 1995 following a "quarrel", according to Luani. He has been hiding in a mountainous area with his two oldest children, aged 16 and 17. Two or three times a month, "Taulant" ventures out to go to school. He blushed when asked about the signet ring on his finger, saying that he had made "a female friend" there. But he too will one day have to join his father and older siblings in hiding in the mountains. "The Gjakmarrja weighs heavily on us," said Taulant's mother. Marcel's sister Maria Quku, 16, was fatally shot in front of her younger brother in June 2012 by a gunman who may have been targeting her grandfather, who they were visiting at the time. Maria's only crime was that she was the cousin of the man who killed another person in the dispute over a stream, in 2010. Her mother, Manushaqe Quku, 40, only learnt of her death when her husband asked her to pick out clothes to dress their daughter's body ahead of the funeral. She lives at the end of a rocky track in a desolate house where photos of Maria cover the walls. Her husband was an obvious target and no longer lives in the house. Their first son Marian is in hiding elsewhere but Marcel remains, eking out a meagre existence from the small strip of land around their house. Marcel refuses to go to school and his mother has forbidden him from swimming in the lake that lies 200 metres (yards) from their home. "I know that it will make the boy introverted, but I'm really scared," said Manushaqe. "Our family is completely lost," she cried, demanding to know who killed Maria, adding: "It is very difficult to forgive." (AFP)

Living in fear: children trapped by Gjakmarrja's vendetta

Gunmen marched into a remote mountain village in Mexico on Friday and killed 11 members of a family, including two children, apparently over &quot;personal conflicts&quot;, authorities said. 
 
Five women, four men and two girls were killed in the pre-dawn attack in El Mirador, a community in central Puebla state, near Oaxaca. 
 
Two other girls were wounded in the attack and were taken to a hospital. 
 
Witnesses identified two assailants and recognised one of them as a man who allegedly sexually abused one of the dead women nine years ago, resulting in the birth a boy, according to the state prosecutor&#39;s office. 
 
The woman&#39;s current partner, who was killed, was stabbed several times and had &quot;more wounds than the other&quot; victims, the office said in a statement. 
 
The two assailants fled toward neighboring Oaxaca state. Authorities in both states are searching for them but the hamlet is so remote that it is only accessible on foot. 
 
&quot;It was an act of revenge,&quot; said Vicente Lopez de la Vega, mayor of Coxcatlan, the municipality that oversees El Mirador. 
 
&quot;To kill 11 people like that, you don&#39;t have feelings. It&#39;s alarming,&quot; Lopez de la Vega said. 
 
The prosecutor&#39;s office said the gunmen &quot;arrived on foot where the family was located, fired several times and left on foot.&quot; 
 
Pistol and rifle bullet casings were found at the scene. 
 
Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they was not authorized to speak publicly, said the attack took place inside one home. 
 
Two witnesses have been placed under state protection. 
 
An official at the prosecutor&#39;s office had earlier said that authorities were investigating whether the crime was related to organized crime or a family dispute. 
 
The village is inhabited by Evangelicals who broke away from another community of Catholics, El Potrero. But the mayor said the two villages respected each other. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a community in harmony, but things change. There&#39;s immigration. Many go north of the country and to the United States. Sometimes when people come back the harmony is lost,&quot; Lopez de la Vega said. 
 
Recent violence 
 
It is the latest murder to rock Puebla, a region that has been relatively spared the drug violence that has plagued other parts of Mexico. 
 
In March, an undetermined number of human remains were found in various acid containers in a rural area. 
 
In April, four bodies were found inside a burnt car near Veracruz, an eastern state beset by murders and disappearances linked to drug cartels. Two of the bodies belonged to sisters of a jailed Zetas drug cartel member, Veracruz authorities said. 
 
That same day, three other bodies were found in the same area near a facility of state-run oil firm Pemex. 
 
Late last month, four people died when gunmen linked to fuel thefts opened fire in the village of La Purisima, a region where rival gangs seek to control such illegal pipeline taps. 
 
Puebla has also seen a spate of mob lynchings of crime suspects.

The two assailants fled towards neighbouring Oaxaca state after killing 11 of a family including two children in a pre-dawn attack

Gunmen marched into a remote mountain village in Mexico on Friday and killed 11 members of a family, including two children, apparently over "personal conflicts", authorities said. Five women, four men and two girls were killed in the pre-dawn attack in El Mirador, a community in central Puebla state, near Oaxaca. Two other girls were wounded in the attack and were taken to a hospital. Witnesses identified two assailants and recognised one of them as a man who allegedly sexually abused one of the dead women nine years ago, resulting in the birth a boy, according to the state prosecutor's office. The woman's current partner, who was killed, was stabbed several times and had "more wounds than the other" victims, the office said in a statement. The two assailants fled toward neighboring Oaxaca state. Authorities in both states are searching for them but the hamlet is so remote that it is only accessible on foot. "It was an act of revenge," said Vicente Lopez de la Vega, mayor of Coxcatlan, the municipality that oversees El Mirador. "To kill 11 people like that, you don't have feelings. It's alarming," Lopez de la Vega said. The prosecutor's office said the gunmen "arrived on foot where the family was located, fired several times and left on foot." Pistol and rifle bullet casings were found at the scene. Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they was not authorized to speak publicly, said the attack took place inside one home. Two witnesses have been placed under state protection. An official at the prosecutor's office had earlier said that authorities were investigating whether the crime was related to organized crime or a family dispute. The village is inhabited by Evangelicals who broke away from another community of Catholics, El Potrero. But the mayor said the two villages respected each other. "It's a community in harmony, but things change. There's immigration. Many go north of the country and to the United States. Sometimes when people come back the harmony is lost," Lopez de la Vega said. Recent violence It is the latest murder to rock Puebla, a region that has been relatively spared the drug violence that has plagued other parts of Mexico. In March, an undetermined number of human remains were found in various acid containers in a rural area. In April, four bodies were found inside a burnt car near Veracruz, an eastern state beset by murders and disappearances linked to drug cartels. Two of the bodies belonged to sisters of a jailed Zetas drug cartel member, Veracruz authorities said. That same day, three other bodies were found in the same area near a facility of state-run oil firm Pemex. Late last month, four people died when gunmen linked to fuel thefts opened fire in the village of La Purisima, a region where rival gangs seek to control such illegal pipeline taps. Puebla has also seen a spate of mob lynchings of crime suspects.

Gunmen attack family in Mexico, kill 11

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