At this year&#39;s International Yoga Day celebrations here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have for company scores of roza-observing Muslims who will be performing various asanas.

At least 300 Muslim men and women under the banner of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch will be among the 55,000-strong participants at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan.

&quot;More than 1,000 Muslims had contacted us about participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations, but at least 300 have confirmed their participation. Most of the participants will be observing roza, while performing yoga.

&quot;In fact most of them are likely to arrive to the programme venue after Sehri (pre-dawn meal),&quot; Mahiraj Dhwaj Singh, national co-convenor (organisation) of Muslim Rashtriya Manch for UP and Uttarakhand, told PTI.

Azam Khan, the national president of Shriram Mandir Nirman Muslim Karsevak Manch, will also be performing yoga while fasting. 
&quot;I will be participating in the third International Yoga Day celebrations and performing various yoga asanas (postures),&quot; he said.

Singh said a request seeking a separate area for the Muslims participants will be made to the organisers.

Mohsin Raza, minister of state for Muslim Waqf and Haj, when contacted, said, &quot;I will also participate and perform yoga while observing roza. Both yoga and roza are good for one&#39;s health.&quot;

Raees Khan, the UP and Uttarakhand in-charge of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, informed that the manch is trying to ensure attendance of at least 1,000 Muslim yoga enthusiasts at Modi&#39;s programme.

&quot;So far 300 have already confirmed their participation. Most of the participants will be rozadars. Since 15 days, the participants have been practicing different aasans and postures,&quot; he said.

Member of UP unit of BJP Iqbal Haidar, who also heads a brotherhood committee of Muslims and had pledged to build Ram temple in Ayodhya, said, &quot;I will be fasting, but at the same time participate in the Yoga Day celebrations. Yoga and roza are two different entities, and there should be no confusion in this regard. There should also be no difficulty or restriction on the participation of a rozedar in yoga programmes.&quot;

For convenience of ordinary citizens, LED screens will be installed at different parks in Lucknow, so that visitors could also participate simultaneously. Directions have already been issued to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to the International Yoga Day.

The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to Common Yoga Protocol. Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes.

(PTI)&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have for company scores of roza-observing Muslims who will be performing various asanas

At this year's International Yoga Day celebrations here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have for company scores of roza-observing Muslims who will be performing various asanas. At least 300 Muslim men and women under the banner of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch will be among the 55,000-strong participants at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan. "More than 1,000 Muslims had contacted us about participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations, but at least 300 have confirmed their participation. Most of the participants will be observing roza, while performing yoga. "In fact most of them are likely to arrive to the programme venue after Sehri (pre-dawn meal)," Mahiraj Dhwaj Singh, national co-convenor (organisation) of Muslim Rashtriya Manch for UP and Uttarakhand, told PTI. Azam Khan, the national president of Shriram Mandir Nirman Muslim Karsevak Manch, will also be performing yoga while fasting. "I will be participating in the third International Yoga Day celebrations and performing various yoga asanas (postures)," he said. Singh said a request seeking a separate area for the Muslims participants will be made to the organisers. Mohsin Raza, minister of state for Muslim Waqf and Haj, when contacted, said, "I will also participate and perform yoga while observing roza. Both yoga and roza are good for one's health." Raees Khan, the UP and Uttarakhand in-charge of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, informed that the manch is trying to ensure attendance of at least 1,000 Muslim yoga enthusiasts at Modi's programme. "So far 300 have already confirmed their participation. Most of the participants will be rozadars. Since 15 days, the participants have been practicing different aasans and postures," he said. Member of UP unit of BJP Iqbal Haidar, who also heads a brotherhood committee of Muslims and had pledged to build Ram temple in Ayodhya, said, "I will be fasting, but at the same time participate in the Yoga Day celebrations. Yoga and roza are two different entities, and there should be no confusion in this regard. There should also be no difficulty or restriction on the participation of a rozedar in yoga programmes." For convenience of ordinary citizens, LED screens will be installed at different parks in Lucknow, so that visitors could also participate simultaneously. Directions have already been issued to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to the International Yoga Day. The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to Common Yoga Protocol. Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes. (PTI)

Yoga Day: Fasting Muslims to take part in PM Modi's UP event

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi &nbsp;inaugurated India&#39;s longest road tunnel connecting the Kashmir Valley with Jammu on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Sunday afternoon.

The 10.9 km-long Chenani-Nashri tunnel&nbsp;will reduce distance between the two places&nbsp;by 31 km.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> live from J&amp;K: PM Narendra Modi takes a view of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel <a href="https://t.co/JWXgDREe5t">https://t.co/JWXgDREe5t</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/848484391328202753">April 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Chenani-Nashri Tunnel - An Engineering marvel<a href="https://t.co/4PFTpc0lwR">https://t.co/4PFTpc0lwR</a>
&mdash; Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) <a href="https://twitter.com/nitin_gadkari/status/848530257925652481">April 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The Chenani-Nashri Tunnel will have a transformative impact on Jammu &amp; Kashmir&rsquo;s progress. The tunnel is truly world class. <a href="https://t.co/JxCPl8QIdC">pic.twitter.com/JxCPl8QIdC</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/848535294676795392">April 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

 
The tunnel, which bypasses the snow-bound upper reaches of the Valley, will reduce the journey time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours and provide a safe, all-weather route to commuters travelling from Jammu and Udhampur to Ramban, Banihal and Srinagar.

The prime minister drew a contrast between &quot;misguided&quot;&nbsp;stone-pelters who have been clashing with security forces and &quot;the youth of Kashmir who are using the same stones to build infrastructure&quot;.&nbsp;He praised the &quot;2,500 youth of Jammu and Kashmir who&nbsp;have toiled hard to make this tunnel a reality&quot;.

&quot;On one hand, some misguided youth pelt stones in Kashmir, on the other hand, the same stones are carved by other youth to build infrastructure,&quot; PM Modi said&nbsp;while addressing a rally in&nbsp;Udhampur&#39;s Battal Balian. 
 
&quot;The path of terrorism has neither helped anyone or never will,&quot; he said.

Measures have been taken to safeguard the Himayalas and the environment, the prime minister assured.

He said the tunnel would &quot;change the fortunes of the Valley&#39;s farmers&quot;, since their produce will not rot due to road closures.

The prime minister arrived in a special plane at the airfield at Udhampur, where the headquarters of the army&#39;s Northern Command are located. He flew in an army helicopter to Chenani where he inaugurated the tunnel&nbsp;that connects the Udhampur and Ramban districts on the highway.

The tunnel will save fuel worth nearly Rs 99 crores a year. &quot;Rs. 27 lakh worth of fuel is likely to be saved per day,&quot; the Prime Minister&#39;s Office said earlier.

The PMO added that&nbsp;the tunnel &quot;is an alternative all weather route&quot;.

&quot;It is an alternative to the highway which often closes at the time of snow and rains. It will boost trade and increase revenue in the state. It will also help boost tourism,&quot; the PMO said. 
 
It is equipped with world-class security systems, and is expected to boost tourism and economic activities in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, senior ministers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Council Chairman Haji Inayat Ali and top army, police and civil administration officials welcomed PM Modi when he arrived in Udhampur.

The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is India&#39;s first and the world&#39;s sixth tunnel to have a&nbsp;transverse ventilation system, which provides fresh air to passengers. 
 
In such long tunnels, ventilation systems are essential to maintain clean air, permissible carbon dioxide levels and expel harmful vehicle emissions.

The tunnel, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,519 crore, will ensure a safe and swift passage for commuters, even in adverse weather conditions.&nbsp;

The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is among the longest highway tunnels in Asia. The tunnel, at an altitude of 1,200 meters, is a part of National Highway Authority of India&#39;s (NHAI&#39;s) project between Jammu and Srinagar, along the National Highway 44.

The key features of the tunnel are that it is a single-tube bi-directional tunnel, with a 9.35-metre carriageway, and a vertical clearance of 5 metres.

There is also a parallel escape tunnel, with &#39;Cross Passages&#39; connecting to the main tunnel at intervals of 300 metres.

It also has smart features such as an Integrated Traffic Control System; Surveillance, Ventilation and Broadcast Systems; Fire Fighting System; and SOS call-boxes at every 150 metres.

Technologically, this is one of the most advanced road tunnels built in the country, surmounting challenges of terrain and distance, Sanjeev Sharma, Managing Director, ABB India, which has built the ventilation system&nbsp;said. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The Chenani-Nashri tunnel will reduce the distance between the two places from the existing 41 kms to 10.9 kms

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's longest road tunnel connecting the Kashmir Valley with Jammu on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Sunday afternoon. The 10.9 km-long Chenani-Nashri tunnel will reduce distance between the two places by 31 km. #WATCH live from J&K: PM Narendra Modi takes a view of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel https://t.co/JWXgDREe5t — ANI (@ANI_news) April 2, 2017 × Chenani-Nashri Tunnel - An Engineering marvelhttps://t.co/4PFTpc0lwR — Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) April 2, 2017 × The Chenani-Nashri Tunnel will have a transformative impact on Jammu & Kashmir’s progress. The tunnel is truly world class. pic.twitter.com/JxCPl8QIdC — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 2, 2017 × The tunnel, which bypasses the snow-bound upper reaches of the Valley, will reduce the journey time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours and provide a safe, all-weather route to commuters travelling from Jammu and Udhampur to Ramban, Banihal and Srinagar. The prime minister drew a contrast between "misguided" stone-pelters who have been clashing with security forces and "the youth of Kashmir who are using the same stones to build infrastructure". He praised the "2,500 youth of Jammu and Kashmir who have toiled hard to make this tunnel a reality". "On one hand, some misguided youth pelt stones in Kashmir, on the other hand, the same stones are carved by other youth to build infrastructure," PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Udhampur's Battal Balian. "The path of terrorism has neither helped anyone or never will," he said. Measures have been taken to safeguard the Himayalas and the environment, the prime minister assured. He said the tunnel would "change the fortunes of the Valley's farmers", since their produce will not rot due to road closures. The prime minister arrived in a special plane at the airfield at Udhampur, where the headquarters of the army's Northern Command are located. He flew in an army helicopter to Chenani where he inaugurated the tunnel that connects the Udhampur and Ramban districts on the highway. The tunnel will save fuel worth nearly Rs 99 crores a year. "Rs. 27 lakh worth of fuel is likely to be saved per day," the Prime Minister's Office said earlier. The PMO added that the tunnel "is an alternative all weather route". "It is an alternative to the highway which often closes at the time of snow and rains. It will boost trade and increase revenue in the state. It will also help boost tourism," the PMO said. It is equipped with world-class security systems, and is expected to boost tourism and economic activities in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, senior ministers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Council Chairman Haji Inayat Ali and top army, police and civil administration officials welcomed PM Modi when he arrived in Udhampur. The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is India's first and the world's sixth tunnel to have a transverse ventilation system, which provides fresh air to passengers. In such long tunnels, ventilation systems are essential to maintain clean air, permissible carbon dioxide levels and expel harmful vehicle emissions. The tunnel, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,519 crore, will ensure a safe and swift passage for commuters, even in adverse weather conditions. The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is among the longest highway tunnels in Asia. The tunnel, at an altitude of 1,200 meters, is a part of National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI's) project between Jammu and Srinagar, along the National Highway 44. The key features of the tunnel are that it is a single-tube bi-directional tunnel, with a 9.35-metre carriageway, and a vertical clearance of 5 metres. There is also a parallel escape tunnel, with 'Cross Passages' connecting to the main tunnel at intervals of 300 metres. It also has smart features such as an Integrated Traffic Control System; Surveillance, Ventilation and Broadcast Systems; Fire Fighting System; and SOS call-boxes at every 150 metres. Technologically, this is one of the most advanced road tunnels built in the country, surmounting challenges of terrain and distance, Sanjeev Sharma, Managing Director, ABB India, which has built the ventilation system said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Some youth pelt stones, others build infrastructure: PM Modi says as he inaugurates India's longest road tunnel in J&K

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday.

The White House released Trump&#39;s schedule for Tuesday and said, &quot;President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00&nbsp;pm Washington time.&quot;

The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm.

Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday.

Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm.&nbsp;

(ANI)&nbsp;

Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday. The White House released Trump's schedule for Tuesday and said, "President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00 pm Washington time." The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm. Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday. Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm. (ANI)

Trump to hold talks with PM Modi over phone tonight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today briefed his Kiwi counterpart John Key about terrorism emanating from Pakistan and the recent Uri attack after which the two sides sought elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disruption of terrorist networks and their financing, and a halt to cross-border terrorism.

According to official sources, Modi &quot;forcefully&quot; conveyed India&#39;s concerns over cross-border terrorism and last month&#39;s Uri attack which was carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists killing 19 jawans.

&quot;Terrorism remains one of the greatest challenges to global peace and security. Today, the financial, logistical and information networks of terror span the entire globe. The barriers of geography do not safeguard against the threat of radicalization and terrorism. Nations who believe in humanity need to coordinate their actions and policies to counter this threat.

&quot;Prime Minister Key and I have agreed to strengthen our security and intelligence cooperation against terrorism and radicalization, including in the domain of cyber security,&quot; Modi said at a joint media event with Key.

A joint statement issued after the talks said the two Prime Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation, bilaterally as well as in the framework of UN and especially in 1267 Committee, to combat the full spectrum of terrorist threats in all their forms and manifestations.

&quot;They called for eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and their financing, and stopping cross-border terrorism.

&quot;Both sides called for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) that would contribute to the further strengthening of the international counter-terrorism legal framework,&quot; it said.

The two Prime Ministers also pledged to continue the close coordination between the two countries on issues of mutual interest during and beyond New Zealand?s UNSC term, including terrorism sanctions, peacekeeping policy and UNSC reform, the statement added.

New Zealand also welcomed India&#39;s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, which would strengthen global non- proliferation objectives.

Asserting that his government was committed to relations with India, Key said the bilateral partnership was growing in several areas including cyber security and trade.

&quot;Both Prime Minister Modi and I underlined a strong intent in advancing nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation,&quot; Key added.

The two leaders also underlined the fact that India and New Zealand are both maritime nations with a strong interest in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions being stable and prosperous, including by ensuring the safety and security of sea lanes and freedom of navigation.

Accordingly, they agreed to further strengthen the political, defence and security relationship and to drive this enhanced political-security relationship, the two Prime Ministers agreed that the sides establish a Bilateral Ministerial Dialogue through annual meetings, either in India, New Zealand or on the margins of regional or global gatherings.

(PTI)

The two prime ministers agreed to enhance cooperation, bilaterally as well as in the framework of the United Nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today briefed his Kiwi counterpart John Key about terrorism emanating from Pakistan and the recent Uri attack after which the two sides sought elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disruption of terrorist networks and their financing, and a halt to cross-border terrorism. According to official sources, Modi "forcefully" conveyed India's concerns over cross-border terrorism and last month's Uri attack which was carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists killing 19 jawans. "Terrorism remains one of the greatest challenges to global peace and security. Today, the financial, logistical and information networks of terror span the entire globe. The barriers of geography do not safeguard against the threat of radicalization and terrorism. Nations who believe in humanity need to coordinate their actions and policies to counter this threat. "Prime Minister Key and I have agreed to strengthen our security and intelligence cooperation against terrorism and radicalization, including in the domain of cyber security," Modi said at a joint media event with Key. A joint statement issued after the talks said the two Prime Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation, bilaterally as well as in the framework of UN and especially in 1267 Committee, to combat the full spectrum of terrorist threats in all their forms and manifestations. "They called for eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and their financing, and stopping cross-border terrorism. "Both sides called for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) that would contribute to the further strengthening of the international counter-terrorism legal framework," it said. The two Prime Ministers also pledged to continue the close coordination between the two countries on issues of mutual interest during and beyond New Zealand?s UNSC term, including terrorism sanctions, peacekeeping policy and UNSC reform, the statement added. New Zealand also welcomed India's entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, which would strengthen global non- proliferation objectives. Asserting that his government was committed to relations with India, Key said the bilateral partnership was growing in several areas including cyber security and trade. "Both Prime Minister Modi and I underlined a strong intent in advancing nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation," Key added. The two leaders also underlined the fact that India and New Zealand are both maritime nations with a strong interest in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions being stable and prosperous, including by ensuring the safety and security of sea lanes and freedom of navigation. Accordingly, they agreed to further strengthen the political, defence and security relationship and to drive this enhanced political-security relationship, the two Prime Ministers agreed that the sides establish a Bilateral Ministerial Dialogue through annual meetings, either in India, New Zealand or on the margins of regional or global gatherings. (PTI)

Indian Prime Minister Modi briefs New Zealand PM on terror emanating from Pakistan

Pakistan&#39;s long-standing ally, China came out in its defence after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s remarks touting its neighbour as the &quot;mothership of terrorism&quot; at the BRICS Summit in Goa yesterday. &nbsp;

&quot;China is opposed to linking any country or religion with terror,&quot; the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry Hua Chunying said in a sharp reaction when questioned about Modi&#39;s remarks.&nbsp;

Beijing asked the world community to acknowledge Pakistan&#39;s &quot;great sacrifices&quot; in combating terrorism and said that India and Pakistan are &quot;all victims of terrorism&quot;. China said it hoped that the two neighbours of China could resolve their differences in a peaceful manner through dialogue and consultation to serve the interests of both countries and the region.&nbsp;

To another query about Modi&#39;s criticism that Pakistan continues to aid and abet terror groups opposed to India, China maintained that its position on counter-terrorism is consistent, she said, &quot;we oppose terrorism in all forms and we believe that international concerted efforts are needed to ensure stability and security of all countries.&quot;

On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the summit with BRICS leaders had made a veiled attack on its neighbour Pakistan, calling it the &quot;mothership of terrorism&quot;.

He urged the leaders to collectively fight the global terror threat, and eradicate the sources of terror funding. He also asked the countries to adopt a &quot;holistic&quot; approach in successfully combating terrorism.

The Goa declaration issued at the end of the summit agreed to strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism both at the bilateral level and at international fora.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

After Indian PM blamed Pakistan of aiding & abetting terrorists, China urged the world to note Pakistan's 'sacrifices' in combating terror

Pakistan's long-standing ally, China came out in its defence after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks touting its neighbour as the "mothership of terrorism" at the BRICS Summit in Goa yesterday. "China is opposed to linking any country or religion with terror," the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry Hua Chunying said in a sharp reaction when questioned about Modi's remarks. Beijing asked the world community to acknowledge Pakistan's "great sacrifices" in combating terrorism and said that India and Pakistan are "all victims of terrorism". China said it hoped that the two neighbours of China could resolve their differences in a peaceful manner through dialogue and consultation to serve the interests of both countries and the region. To another query about Modi's criticism that Pakistan continues to aid and abet terror groups opposed to India, China maintained that its position on counter-terrorism is consistent, she said, "we oppose terrorism in all forms and we believe that international concerted efforts are needed to ensure stability and security of all countries." On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the summit with BRICS leaders had made a veiled attack on its neighbour Pakistan, calling it the "mothership of terrorism". He urged the leaders to collectively fight the global terror threat, and eradicate the sources of terror funding. He also asked the countries to adopt a "holistic" approach in successfully combating terrorism. The Goa declaration issued at the end of the summit agreed to strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism both at the bilateral level and at international fora. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India, Pakistan are both victims of terrorism: China defends ally after Modi's 'mothership' remark

In a major shift, India will now escalate the issue of alleged human rights violations in Pakistan Controlled Kashmir and Baluchistan in international forums. This is to offset Pakistan&#39;s attempt to rake up the Kashmir issue in multilateral forums.&nbsp; 
 
Last week, Pakistan had appointed 22 emissaries to address alleged human rights violations in the valley. Top sources in New Delhi confirmed to WION that India will exclude Pakistan from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) regional outreach programme to be held in Goa in the month of October. This marks a break in tradition where the host countries invite regional players or neighbours for the outreach programme - Latin American countries were called at Fortaleza in Brazil in 2014. The following year, Russia had invited all the Central Asian countries for an outreach event in Ufa. So, instead of calling SAARC nations, India has decided to engage with the BIMSTEC nations that include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. 
 
The Indian Express reports that while Pakistan has been excluded, there is a proposal to invite the neighbouring non-BIMSTEC countries of Afghanistan and Maldives as &quot;special invitees&quot; or &quot;observers&quot;. 
 
Sources say that India is also expected to raise the Baluchistan issue vigorously at next week&#39;s G-20 summit in China and at the NAM conference which is supposed to be held in Venezuela in September end.&nbsp; 
 
The change in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Pakistan policy has come after protests in the wake of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani&rsquo;s death after an encounter in Kashmir. Experts say that the idea is to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and portray it as an undependable neighbour which is not ready to invest in peace, development and stability of the region. 
&nbsp; 
India maintains that protests in the state have been actively fueled and financed by Pakistan. The thaw, which was evident after the Pathankot cantonment attack in Janaury this year, seems to have evaporated in the wake of the Kashmir crisis which continues to threaten stability of the coalition government in Kashmir. 
 
(WION)

India now aims at thwarting Pakistan's attempt to rake up the Kashmir issue in multilateral forums

In a major shift, India will now escalate the issue of alleged human rights violations in Pakistan Controlled Kashmir and Baluchistan in international forums. This is to offset Pakistan's attempt to rake up the Kashmir issue in multilateral forums. Last week, Pakistan had appointed 22 emissaries to address alleged human rights violations in the valley. Top sources in New Delhi confirmed to WION that India will exclude Pakistan from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) regional outreach programme to be held in Goa in the month of October. This marks a break in tradition where the host countries invite regional players or neighbours for the outreach programme - Latin American countries were called at Fortaleza in Brazil in 2014. The following year, Russia had invited all the Central Asian countries for an outreach event in Ufa. So, instead of calling SAARC nations, India has decided to engage with the BIMSTEC nations that include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The Indian Express reports that while Pakistan has been excluded, there is a proposal to invite the neighbouring non-BIMSTEC countries of Afghanistan and Maldives as "special invitees" or "observers". Sources say that India is also expected to raise the Baluchistan issue vigorously at next week's G-20 summit in China and at the NAM conference which is supposed to be held in Venezuela in September end. The change in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Pakistan policy has come after protests in the wake of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s death after an encounter in Kashmir. Experts say that the idea is to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and portray it as an undependable neighbour which is not ready to invest in peace, development and stability of the region. India maintains that protests in the state have been actively fueled and financed by Pakistan. The thaw, which was evident after the Pathankot cantonment attack in Janaury this year, seems to have evaporated in the wake of the Kashmir crisis which continues to threaten stability of the coalition government in Kashmir. (WION)

Pakistan to be kept away from BRICS outreach: Indian sources

indian-pm-modi

Indian Pm Modi, News on Indian Pm Modi, stories on Indian Pm Modi, articles on Indian Pm Modi, Indian Pm Modi stories at Wion, Indian Pm Modi news, Indian Pm Modi latest news