As the world battles coronavirus, a lot of countries have been having a hard time saving their economy. Pakistan, a country that has already been struggling economically, has seen a steep decline in the economy.

Due to this, the World Bank has approved a USD 500 million loan for Pakistan to help the country out of a major economic crisis.

World Bank has decided to help Pakistan once again after four years. This decision has been taken to help the country out of a major economy crisis allegedly caused due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a media report.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/eid-al-fitr-observed-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-across-the-globe-300733#syria-300725">Have a look:&nbsp;Eid al-Fitr observed amid coronavirus pandemic across the globe!</a>&nbsp;

The money is to help the country get better access to quality healthcare and education, support economic opportunities for women and strengthen social safety nets as the country braces to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a media organisation reported.

"Political risks are high because COVID-19 response adds uncertainty to the relations among the federating units," said the World Bank documents.

Pakistan has been given 30 years to return the money back to World Bank.

"The global COVID-19 pandemic is impacting day-to-day life in Pakistan, not solely from economic disruptions but also additional stress on public services that jeopardise human capital accumulation," said World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu.

The World Bank documents underlined that the government had committed to staying the course and would be supported by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to ensure that.&nbsp;

As the microeconomic risk is higher now, due to the pandemic, it is riskier and tougher for Pakistan.

World Bank has asked Pakistan to&nbsp;restructure the existing Debt Policy Coordination Office into a single Debt Management Office. The proposed structure will not just be a coordinating entity like the Debt Policy Coordination Office that only advises the finance minister.

(With inputs from PTI)

As the world battles coronavirus, a lot of countries have been having a hard time saving their economy. Pakistan, a country that has already been struggling economically, has seen a steep decline in the economy.

As the world battles coronavirus, a lot of countries have been having a hard time saving their economy. Pakistan, a country that has already been struggling economically, has seen a steep decline in the economy. Due to this, the World Bank has approved a USD 500 million loan for Pakistan to help the country out of a major economic crisis. World Bank has decided to help Pakistan once again after four years. This decision has been taken to help the country out of a major economy crisis allegedly caused due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a media report. Have a look: Eid al-Fitr observed amid coronavirus pandemic across the globe! The money is to help the country get better access to quality healthcare and education, support economic opportunities for women and strengthen social safety nets as the country braces to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a media organisation reported. "Political risks are high because COVID-19 response adds uncertainty to the relations among the federating units," said the World Bank documents. Pakistan has been given 30 years to return the money back to World Bank. "The global COVID-19 pandemic is impacting day-to-day life in Pakistan, not solely from economic disruptions but also additional stress on public services that jeopardise human capital accumulation," said World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu. The World Bank documents underlined that the government had committed to staying the course and would be supported by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to ensure that. As the microeconomic risk is higher now, due to the pandemic, it is riskier and tougher for Pakistan. World Bank has asked Pakistan to restructure the existing Debt Policy Coordination Office into a single Debt Management Office. The proposed structure will not just be a coordinating entity like the Debt Policy Coordination Office that only advises the finance minister. (With inputs from PTI)

World Bank approves USD 500 million loan for Pakistan

Even as India continues to fight the onslaught of coronavirus on the ground, it is facing another different kind of battle in cyberspace where a &nbsp;wider than ever before an anti-India campaign is being run from multiple locations across the world.

According to Indian security agencies, not only the modus-operandi of India baiters has changed this time but in addition to some of the old locations like Pakistan and Bangladesh, some new locations in the Gulf have emerged as major hubs from where these campaigns have been launched. The focus of this campaign which began around three weeks ago is to project India’s efforts to fight COVID-19 as discriminatory against Muslims.

According to information gathered by the Indian Intelligence Agencies, based on monitoring and tracking of this campaign, since April 10, there is a significant change in the strategy of anti-Indian social media handles and many new handles have emerged which are posting content from Gulf region.

One of the key handles that has been disseminating this anti-India propaganda is information is @Alghurair98 which tweeted recently, “What if discrimination has become the DNA of a nation? its leaders, its administration, its forces, its media, its hospitals, its people at large? How do you deal with that?”. Another tweet done from the same handle on April 24 in both Arabic and English said, “This Ramadan night I pray for my sisters and brothers in Kashmir. Allah this Ramadan help end their turmoil.”

Similarly from another handle @KahlownYasin, a number of fake videos and pics have been posted and retweeted. One of the captions for a pic reads, “Media is sneaking into the mosque in hope of getting some content to spread hatred without himself taking any prevention measures. They can be seen without mask and gloves as well as violating the Social Distancing.”

Another Twitter account tracked by Indian security establishment was of @alnassar_kw. It has around 3 lakh followers. It was suspended recently for posting fake content.

A prolific Twitter account with address @AHMAD_ALWAHIDAH is run by an individual who claims to be a TV News Anchor in Kuwait. One of his &nbsp;recent tweets said, “Many who support terrorism in #India and #Kashmir will regret, where strict measures will be taken against them by the international community and international organizations, and they will be ostracized.” A number of fake pictures and videos with provocative captions has been posted from this handle also.

The most common hashtags used by all such handles while posting content is #IslamophobiaInIndia.

&nbsp;“Earlier we used to deal with a lot of bots which used to put messages automatically but now we are dealing with some real-life social media influencers who have followings in large numbers,” said a senior official in the Indian security establishment monitoring these developments.

“These social media handles are posting 20-25 tweets every day in addition to five to six posts on Facebook, Instagram etc. They are posting fake videos also. They were writing mostly in Arabic but of late many of them have started posting in several other foreign languages such as Japanese, Mandarin etc.,” &nbsp;he added.

Many such handles identified by Indian agencies had never posted anti-India content. But since the beginning of April, and especially during the last three weeks, there has been a flurry of the content of these ‘handles’. This shows that these ‘influencers’ have been hired and someone is sending them the content that they are posting on their handles to spread it across the globe.

Another important characteristic of this ongoing anti-India campaign on social media is that the handles posting anti-India content are using only a handful of pictures and the same pictures are used across the board by all these handles.

According to the report put together by the Indian agencies, it is a well-coordinated campaign which has&nbsp;been orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

Indian agencies have identified six key elements of this &nbsp;‘ecosystem’ being run by India baiters currently. These elements are: bots, content creators, agenda setters, influencers, fact-checkers and orchestrators. &nbsp;People in every category have been assigned specific jobs.

The ‘Agenda Setters’ are giving the overall direction and providing financial resources.

The ‘Orchestrators’ are defined narratives, create bots, knockdown opponent bots, report opponents to get their social media accounts blocked and work with "like factories" to promote content. They build up a network of meme and content creators and influencers and run the legitimate paid digital advertisement.

The ‘Meme creators/content creators’ are making anti-India content- text, graphics, videos, podcasts, posters etc. For doing this they are pulling out old content from various &nbsp;India based social media handles and digital platforms and faking them as the latest one.

The ‘Influencers’ are promoting the content as directed by the ‘Orchestrator’. The focus is on organic growth of the new handles which have been created by them and a much wider spread of the anti-India content. That is why initially, the content was mostly in Arabic, but now it is being posted in multiple foreign languages.

The ‘fact-checkers’ are doing "fact-checking" as per the need of the Orchestrator by using various online and offline tools. The ‘Like Factories’ &nbsp;have been set up where a large number of mobile phones are put together and automated arms actually go and press the 'like' button or 'retweet' button.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Even as India continues to fight the onslaught of coronavirus on the ground, it is facing another different kind of battle in cyberspace where a wider than ever before an anti-India campaign is being run from multiple locations across the world.

Even as India continues to fight the onslaught of coronavirus on the ground, it is facing another different kind of battle in cyberspace where a wider than ever before an anti-India campaign is being run from multiple locations across the world. According to Indian security agencies, not only the modus-operandi of India baiters has changed this time but in addition to some of the old locations like Pakistan and Bangladesh, some new locations in the Gulf have emerged as major hubs from where these campaigns have been launched. The focus of this campaign which began around three weeks ago is to project India’s efforts to fight COVID-19 as discriminatory against Muslims. According to information gathered by the Indian Intelligence Agencies, based on monitoring and tracking of this campaign, since April 10, there is a significant change in the strategy of anti-Indian social media handles and many new handles have emerged which are posting content from Gulf region. One of the key handles that has been disseminating this anti-India propaganda is information is @Alghurair98 which tweeted recently, “What if discrimination has become the DNA of a nation? its leaders, its administration, its forces, its media, its hospitals, its people at large? How do you deal with that?”. Another tweet done from the same handle on April 24 in both Arabic and English said, “This Ramadan night I pray for my sisters and brothers in Kashmir. Allah this Ramadan help end their turmoil.” Similarly from another handle @KahlownYasin, a number of fake videos and pics have been posted and retweeted. One of the captions for a pic reads, “Media is sneaking into the mosque in hope of getting some content to spread hatred without himself taking any prevention measures. They can be seen without mask and gloves as well as violating the Social Distancing.” Another Twitter account tracked by Indian security establishment was of @alnassar_kw. It has around 3 lakh followers. It was suspended recently for posting fake content. A prolific Twitter account with address @AHMAD_ALWAHIDAH is run by an individual who claims to be a TV News Anchor in Kuwait. One of his recent tweets said, “Many who support terrorism in #India and #Kashmir will regret, where strict measures will be taken against them by the international community and international organizations, and they will be ostracized.” A number of fake pictures and videos with provocative captions has been posted from this handle also. The most common hashtags used by all such handles while posting content is #IslamophobiaInIndia. “Earlier we used to deal with a lot of bots which used to put messages automatically but now we are dealing with some real-life social media influencers who have followings in large numbers,” said a senior official in the Indian security establishment monitoring these developments. “These social media handles are posting 20-25 tweets every day in addition to five to six posts on Facebook, Instagram etc. They are posting fake videos also. They were writing mostly in Arabic but of late many of them have started posting in several other foreign languages such as Japanese, Mandarin etc.,” he added. Many such handles identified by Indian agencies had never posted anti-India content. But since the beginning of April, and especially during the last three weeks, there has been a flurry of the content of these ‘handles’. This shows that these ‘influencers’ have been hired and someone is sending them the content that they are posting on their handles to spread it across the globe. Another important characteristic of this ongoing anti-India campaign on social media is that the handles posting anti-India content are using only a handful of pictures and the same pictures are used across the board by all these handles. According to the report put together by the Indian agencies, it is a well-coordinated campaign which has been orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Indian agencies have identified six key elements of this ‘ecosystem’ being run by India baiters currently. These elements are: bots, content creators, agenda setters, influencers, fact-checkers and orchestrators. People in every category have been assigned specific jobs. The ‘Agenda Setters’ are giving the overall direction and providing financial resources. The ‘Orchestrators’ are defined narratives, create bots, knockdown opponent bots, report opponents to get their social media accounts blocked and work with "like factories" to promote content. They build up a network of meme and content creators and influencers and run the legitimate paid digital advertisement. The ‘Meme creators/content creators’ are making anti-India content- text, graphics, videos, podcasts, posters etc. For doing this they are pulling out old content from various India based social media handles and digital platforms and faking them as the latest one. The ‘Influencers’ are promoting the content as directed by the ‘Orchestrator’. The focus is on organic growth of the new handles which have been created by them and a much wider spread of the anti-India content. That is why initially, the content was mostly in Arabic, but now it is being posted in multiple foreign languages. The ‘fact-checkers’ are doing "fact-checking" as per the need of the Orchestrator by using various online and offline tools. The ‘Like Factories’ have been set up where a large number of mobile phones are put together and automated arms actually go and press the 'like' button or 'retweet' button. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Anti-India campaign prowling in the cyberspace

It's almost been a month since the national capital of India witnessed its worst riots in decades. The madness not only claimed 53 lives but also left a series of troubling questions.

And the role of invisible warriors who stoked this fire on social media cannot be ruled out - especially the ones from across the border - Pakistan.&nbsp;

In December 2019, WION carried reports on Pakistan's hashtag merchants.

Dawn, Pakistan's biggest media network, had exposed such online influence campaigns in the garb of activism. Now it turns out that the same online armies sprung into action at the onset of the Delhi riots.

These are the findings of a new dossier compiled by the Indian security agencies. Islamabad used thousands of Twitter handles to spark discontent against the Indian government and the Delhi Police. Hashtags were fired like missiles - #Delhipolicetruth and #Delhipolicemurders.

The posts were pumped by vested groups in Pakistan in tandem with some in India - this was an orchestrated exercise.&nbsp;From border skirmishes to elections and now riots, Pakistan is spending millions to systematically amplify falsehoods about India on the internet.

The idea behind it was to show that the Delhi police was unfairly targetting Muslim homes and shops, and not the rioters. The dossier lists about 70 handles from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, which pushed this false narrative.

These handles peddled images from Syria and Bangladesh as pictures from ground zero in New Delhi. To extend the propaganda, fake information was linked to anti-India hashtags.

According to one report, #RSSKillingMuslims was one of many that trended the day riots broke out. Now, most of the handles who pushed it have been withheld in India for security reasons. The hashtag is still out there and it is being used even by the Pakistani leadership.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Qasim Khan Suri, used the hashtag, tweeting a story which was a biased News report on the coronavirus situation in India.

Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan himself has been caught peddling fake news on his official Twitter handle. He tried to pass off a video from Bangladesh as that of an alleged pogrom in Uttar Pradesh.

 
&nbsp;

It's almost been a month since the national capital of India witnessed its worst riots in decades. The madness not only claimed 53 lives but also left a series of troubling questions.

It's almost been a month since the national capital of India witnessed its worst riots in decades. The madness not only claimed 53 lives but also left a series of troubling questions. And the role of invisible warriors who stoked this fire on social media cannot be ruled out - especially the ones from across the border - Pakistan. In December 2019, WION carried reports on Pakistan's hashtag merchants. Dawn, Pakistan's biggest media network, had exposed such online influence campaigns in the garb of activism. Now it turns out that the same online armies sprung into action at the onset of the Delhi riots. These are the findings of a new dossier compiled by the Indian security agencies. Islamabad used thousands of Twitter handles to spark discontent against the Indian government and the Delhi Police. Hashtags were fired like missiles - #Delhipolicetruth and #Delhipolicemurders. The posts were pumped by vested groups in Pakistan in tandem with some in India - this was an orchestrated exercise. From border skirmishes to elections and now riots, Pakistan is spending millions to systematically amplify falsehoods about India on the internet. The idea behind it was to show that the Delhi police was unfairly targetting Muslim homes and shops, and not the rioters. The dossier lists about 70 handles from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, which pushed this false narrative. These handles peddled images from Syria and Bangladesh as pictures from ground zero in New Delhi. To extend the propaganda, fake information was linked to anti-India hashtags. According to one report, #RSSKillingMuslims was one of many that trended the day riots broke out. Now, most of the handles who pushed it have been withheld in India for security reasons. The hashtag is still out there and it is being used even by the Pakistani leadership. The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Qasim Khan Suri, used the hashtag, tweeting a story which was a biased News report on the coronavirus situation in India. Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan himself has been caught peddling fake news on his official Twitter handle. He tried to pass off a video from Bangladesh as that of an alleged pogrom in Uttar Pradesh.

Pakistan pushed fake posts to spark discontent during Delhi riots: Report

Pakistan Air Force F-16 crashes in capital city of Islamabad | WION Breaking | Pakistan News A Pakistan Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in the capital city of Islamabad on Wednesday morning, a spokesman for the air force said.

Pakistan Air Force F-16 crashes in capital city of Islamabad

To mark International Women’s Day on Sunday, thousands of women took to the streets of Pakistan and marched through the capital of Islamabad. Stone, shoes pelted on them.

WION Fineprint: Stones,shoes greet to Pakistani women

Pakistan has still not been able to get back its civilians from China's Wuhan. Even, Islamabad High court chief justice refused to do anything and adjourned the court till March 13.

Pak still not been able to get back it's civilians from China's Wuhan

Pakistan has suspended all flights to Iran and closed land borders with its neighbour, officials confirmed on Friday, after Islamabad detected its first two coronavirus cases, both people who had recently travelled to the Islamic Republic.

Flights to and from China, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak, and Afghanistan, which also detected its first case this week, were still operating, however, and their land borders with Pakistan were also open.

"Aviation Divison has decided to cease all direct flights between Pakistan and Iran," civil aviation authority spokesman Abdul Sattar Khokhar said.

No Pakistani airlines were operating between the two countries, meaning the move hits three Iranian carriers Iran Air, Mahan Air and Taban Air.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-struggles-to-screen-hundreds-of-people-arriving-from-iran-for-virus-283133"> Pakistan struggles to screen hundreds of people arriving from Iran for virus</a>

The virus has now killed 2,856 people and infected more than 83,000 worldwide, with an increasing number of new cases being reported each day.

New infections have slowed in China, which has nearly 2,800 deaths out of nearly 79,000 cases.

However, Iran has emerged as a new hotspot for the virus, with at least 26 deaths and more than 245 infections so far.

There are growing fears in Pakistan sandwiched between China and Iran over how the country would deal with the outbreak.

Also see:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fear-and-panic-as-virus-threatens-afghanistan-pakistan-282928"> 'Fear and panic' as virus threatens Afghanistan, Pakistan</a>

Its porous borders, creaking hospitals, culture of handshaking and hugging, and large illiterate populations in crowded urban centres mean containing the crisis could be a huge challenge.

Pakistan's two cases were detected in the capital Islamabad, and in the teeming port megacity of Karachi, in southern Sindh province.

In Islamabad doctors at the city's largest public hospital told AFP they had not been provided with masks or other protective gear to treat suspected patients.

While in Karachi, officials said they were scrambling to screen at least 1,500 people who had recently returned from Iran.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-confirms-two-coronavirus-cases-no-need-to-panic-says-pak-pm-advisor-282950">Pakistan confirms two coronavirus cases; no need to panic, says Pak PM advisor</a>

The cost of surgical masks was shooting up in the city's markets, and with schools closed and some people staying inside its notorious traffic had eased.

Authorities this week also moved quickly to quarantine at least 270 people in southwestern Balochistan province, near the Iranian border, after a group of pilgrims returned and briefly mixed with other residents.

"We have set-up an 80-tent quarantine facility at Taftan border, we will bring back Pakistanis in Iran in batches," said Najeebullah Qambrani, a local official in the town which is one of the main crossings to Iran.

On Friday schools also remained closed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.&nbsp;

Pakistan has suspended all flights to Iran and closed land borders with its neighbour, officials confirmed on Friday, after Islamabad detected its first two coronavirus cases, both people who had recently travelled to the Islamic Republic.

Pakistan has suspended all flights to Iran and closed land borders with its neighbour, officials confirmed on Friday, after Islamabad detected its first two coronavirus cases, both people who had recently travelled to the Islamic Republic. Flights to and from China, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak, and Afghanistan, which also detected its first case this week, were still operating, however, and their land borders with Pakistan were also open. "Aviation Divison has decided to cease all direct flights between Pakistan and Iran," civil aviation authority spokesman Abdul Sattar Khokhar said. No Pakistani airlines were operating between the two countries, meaning the move hits three Iranian carriers Iran Air, Mahan Air and Taban Air. Also read: Pakistan struggles to screen hundreds of people arriving from Iran for virus The virus has now killed 2,856 people and infected more than 83,000 worldwide, with an increasing number of new cases being reported each day. New infections have slowed in China, which has nearly 2,800 deaths out of nearly 79,000 cases. However, Iran has emerged as a new hotspot for the virus, with at least 26 deaths and more than 245 infections so far. There are growing fears in Pakistan sandwiched between China and Iran over how the country would deal with the outbreak. Also see: 'Fear and panic' as virus threatens Afghanistan, Pakistan Its porous borders, creaking hospitals, culture of handshaking and hugging, and large illiterate populations in crowded urban centres mean containing the crisis could be a huge challenge. Pakistan's two cases were detected in the capital Islamabad, and in the teeming port megacity of Karachi, in southern Sindh province. In Islamabad doctors at the city's largest public hospital told AFP they had not been provided with masks or other protective gear to treat suspected patients. While in Karachi, officials said they were scrambling to screen at least 1,500 people who had recently returned from Iran. Also read: Pakistan confirms two coronavirus cases; no need to panic, says Pak PM advisor The cost of surgical masks was shooting up in the city's markets, and with schools closed and some people staying inside its notorious traffic had eased. Authorities this week also moved quickly to quarantine at least 270 people in southwestern Balochistan province, near the Iranian border, after a group of pilgrims returned and briefly mixed with other residents. "We have set-up an 80-tent quarantine facility at Taftan border, we will bring back Pakistanis in Iran in batches," said Najeebullah Qambrani, a local official in the town which is one of the main crossings to Iran. On Friday schools also remained closed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

Pakistan halts Iran flights over coronavirus fear

Ahead of the US President Donald Trump's visit to India on Monday, Washington has said that Pakistan needs to act on terror groups for having a successful dialogue with India.

A senior US administration official said, "We continue to believe a core foundation of any successful dialogue between the two is based on continued momentum in Pakistan's efforts to crack down on terrorists and extremists on its territory. So we continue to look for that."

The comments come even as Pakistan remains on anti-terrorist financing body FATF's 'grey list' due to its failure to implement its action plan which calls acting on terror groups based on its territory and territories under control. The FATF in a statement released on Friday said, "all deadlines in the action plan have expired" and it now has time till June of this year or "FATF will take action".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/washington-looks-for-indian-support-ahead-of-taliban-us-deal-282155">Washington looks for Indian support ahead of Taliban-US deal</a>

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Asked, if US President will raise the mediation on Kashmir during his 2-day India tour, the official said, "I think what you'll hear from the President is very much encouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouraging the two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other to resolve their differences."

Adding, "President will urge both countries to seek to maintain peace and stability along the line of control and refrain from actions or statements that could increase tensions in the region".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/global-watchdog-fatf-keeps-pakistan-on-terrorism-financing-grey-list-282068">Global watchdog FATF keeps Pakistan on terrorism financing 'grey list'</a>

US President last year, during Pak Prime minister Imran Khan's Washington visit, had said that Washington can mediate between India and Pakistan, something he repeated many times later.

New Delhi had categorially dismissed the idea, with PM Modi during his meet with US President in France on the sidelines of G7 said, India and Pakistan can "bilaterally" resolve all issues and "we don't want to trouble any third country".

India's official stance when it comes to India and Pakistan ties is no third party mediation which has been stated under the Shimla and Lahore agreements.

Ahead of the US President Donald Trump's visit to India on Monday, Washington has said that Pakistan needs to act on terror groups for having a successful dialogue with India.

Ahead of the US President Donald Trump's visit to India on Monday, Washington has said that Pakistan needs to act on terror groups for having a successful dialogue with India. A senior US administration official said, "We continue to believe a core foundation of any successful dialogue between the two is based on continued momentum in Pakistan's efforts to crack down on terrorists and extremists on its territory. So we continue to look for that." The comments come even as Pakistan remains on anti-terrorist financing body FATF's 'grey list' due to its failure to implement its action plan which calls acting on terror groups based on its territory and territories under control. The FATF in a statement released on Friday said, "all deadlines in the action plan have expired" and it now has time till June of this year or "FATF will take action". Also read: Washington looks for Indian support ahead of Taliban-US deal × Asked, if US President will raise the mediation on Kashmir during his 2-day India tour, the official said, "I think what you'll hear from the President is very much encouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouraging the two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other to resolve their differences." Adding, "President will urge both countries to seek to maintain peace and stability along the line of control and refrain from actions or statements that could increase tensions in the region". Also read: Global watchdog FATF keeps Pakistan on terrorism financing 'grey list' US President last year, during Pak Prime minister Imran Khan's Washington visit, had said that Washington can mediate between India and Pakistan, something he repeated many times later. New Delhi had categorially dismissed the idea, with PM Modi during his meet with US President in France on the sidelines of G7 said, India and Pakistan can "bilaterally" resolve all issues and "we don't want to trouble any third country". India's official stance when it comes to India and Pakistan ties is no third party mediation which has been stated under the Shimla and Lahore agreements.

Islamabad has to act on terror for successful India-Pak dialogue: US

A Chinese ship carrying cargo used to launch missiles has been intercepted by India. Is Beijing helping Islamabad boost its nuclear power?

Gravitas: India intercepts Pakistan bound Chinese ship

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order.

The regulations, adopted without public debate, position US social media companies like Facebook and Twitter at the forefront of the struggle and raise the spectre of China’s walled-off Internet with its own state-controlled social media platforms becoming the model for a host of illiberal, authoritarians and autocrats.&nbsp;

The regulations, that take effect immediately, embrace aspects of a civilizational state that defines its legal reach, if not its borders, in terms of a civilization rather than a nation-state with clearly outlined, internationally recognised borders that determine the reach of its law and that is defined by its population and language.

The regulations could force social media companies to globally suppress criticism of the more onerous aspects of Pakistani law, including constitutionally enshrined discrimination of some minorities like Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and the imposition of a mandatory death sentence for blasphemy.

The new rules force social media companies to “Remove, suspend or disable access” to content posted in Pakistan or by Pakistani nationals abroad that the government deems as failing to “Take due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan.” The government can also demand the removal of encryption.

Social media companies are required to establish offices in Pakistan in the next three months and install data servers by February 2021.

The government justified the rules with the need to combat hate speech, blasphemy, alleged fake news and online harassment of women.

The Asia Internet Coalition, a technology and internet industry association that includes, Facebook and Twitter, warned that the regulations “jeopardise the personal safety and privacy of citizens and undermine free expression” and would be “detrimental to Pakistan's ambitions for a digital economy."

The introduction of the regulations reflects frustration in government, as well as, Pakistan’s powerful military with social media companies’ frequent refusal to honour requests to take down content. Pakistan ranked among the top countries requesting Facebook and Twitter to remove postings.

On the assumption that Facebook, Twitter and others, which are already banned in China, will risk being debarred in Pakistan by refusing to comply with the new regulations, Pakistan could become a prime country that adopts not only aspects of China’s 21st century, Orwellian surveillance state but also its tightly controlled media.

The basis for potential Pakistani adoption of the Chinese system was created in 2017 in plans for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion-plus crown jewel of the Belt and Road initiative, an infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative to tie Eurasia to China.

The 2017 plan identifies as risks to CPEC “Pakistani politics, such as competing parties, religion, tribes, terrorists, and Western intervention”, as well as, security. The plan appears to question the vibrancy of a system in which competition between parties and interest groups is the name of the game.

It envisions a full system of monitoring and surveillance to ensure law and order in Pakistani cities. The system would involve the deployment of explosive detectors and scanners to “Cover major roads, case-prone areas and crowded places in urban areas to conduct real-time monitoring and 24-hour video recording.”

A national fibre optic backbone would be built for Internet traffic, as well as, the terrestrial distribution of broadcast media that would cooperate with their Chinese counterparts in the 'dissemination of Chinese culture.' The plan described the backbone as a 'cultural transmission carrier' that would serve to 'further enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and the traditional friendship between the two countries.'

Critics in China and elsewhere assert that repression of freedom of expression contributed to China’s delayed response to the Coronavirus. China rejects the criticism with President Xi Jinping calling for even greater control.

Pakistan’s newly promulgated regulations echo Xi’s assertion during the Communist party’s January 7 Politburo Standing Committee meeting that “We must strengthen public opinion tracking and judgment, take the initiative to voice, provide positive guidance, strengthen integration, communication and interaction so that positive energy will always fill the Internet space. We must control the overall public opinion and strive to create a good public opinion environment. It is necessary to strengthen the management and control of online media.”

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order.

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order. The regulations, adopted without public debate, position US social media companies like Facebook and Twitter at the forefront of the struggle and raise the spectre of China’s walled-off Internet with its own state-controlled social media platforms becoming the model for a host of illiberal, authoritarians and autocrats. The regulations, that take effect immediately, embrace aspects of a civilizational state that defines its legal reach, if not its borders, in terms of a civilization rather than a nation-state with clearly outlined, internationally recognised borders that determine the reach of its law and that is defined by its population and language. The regulations could force social media companies to globally suppress criticism of the more onerous aspects of Pakistani law, including constitutionally enshrined discrimination of some minorities like Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and the imposition of a mandatory death sentence for blasphemy. The new rules force social media companies to “Remove, suspend or disable access” to content posted in Pakistan or by Pakistani nationals abroad that the government deems as failing to “Take due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan.” The government can also demand the removal of encryption. Social media companies are required to establish offices in Pakistan in the next three months and install data servers by February 2021. The government justified the rules with the need to combat hate speech, blasphemy, alleged fake news and online harassment of women. The Asia Internet Coalition, a technology and internet industry association that includes, Facebook and Twitter, warned that the regulations “jeopardise the personal safety and privacy of citizens and undermine free expression” and would be “detrimental to Pakistan's ambitions for a digital economy." The introduction of the regulations reflects frustration in government, as well as, Pakistan’s powerful military with social media companies’ frequent refusal to honour requests to take down content. Pakistan ranked among the top countries requesting Facebook and Twitter to remove postings. On the assumption that Facebook, Twitter and others, which are already banned in China, will risk being debarred in Pakistan by refusing to comply with the new regulations, Pakistan could become a prime country that adopts not only aspects of China’s 21st century, Orwellian surveillance state but also its tightly controlled media. The basis for potential Pakistani adoption of the Chinese system was created in 2017 in plans for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion-plus crown jewel of the Belt and Road initiative, an infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative to tie Eurasia to China. The 2017 plan identifies as risks to CPEC “Pakistani politics, such as competing parties, religion, tribes, terrorists, and Western intervention”, as well as, security. The plan appears to question the vibrancy of a system in which competition between parties and interest groups is the name of the game. It envisions a full system of monitoring and surveillance to ensure law and order in Pakistani cities. The system would involve the deployment of explosive detectors and scanners to “Cover major roads, case-prone areas and crowded places in urban areas to conduct real-time monitoring and 24-hour video recording.” A national fibre optic backbone would be built for Internet traffic, as well as, the terrestrial distribution of broadcast media that would cooperate with their Chinese counterparts in the 'dissemination of Chinese culture.' The plan described the backbone as a 'cultural transmission carrier' that would serve to 'further enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and the traditional friendship between the two countries.' Critics in China and elsewhere assert that repression of freedom of expression contributed to China’s delayed response to the Coronavirus. China rejects the criticism with President Xi Jinping calling for even greater control. Pakistan’s newly promulgated regulations echo Xi’s assertion during the Communist party’s January 7 Politburo Standing Committee meeting that “We must strengthen public opinion tracking and judgment, take the initiative to voice, provide positive guidance, strengthen integration, communication and interaction so that positive energy will always fill the Internet space. We must control the overall public opinion and strive to create a good public opinion environment. It is necessary to strengthen the management and control of online media.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By regulating social media, Pakistan puts freedom of expression at the core of struggle

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced Hafiz Saeed to 11 years in jail in two separate cases. The sentence runs concurrently, so he effectively has to spend a little more than 5 years in jail.

Hafiz Saeed was found guilty of 'being a member of a banned terrorist outfit', and for 'having the illegal property'. However,&nbsp;there is no mention of the terrorist acts he has committed.

Hafiz Saeed is the man who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but he hasn't been punished for that.&nbsp;

This a superficial trial by Pakistan to appear as if it's acting against a global terrorist.&nbsp;

Pakistan has a sword hanging on its neck - the terror funding watchdog - FATF. In just days from now, the Financial Action Task Force will have a crucial meeting. And, FATF has been breathing down Pakistan's neck, they want Pakistan to act against terror financing. 
 
WATCH: Hafiz Saeed's conviction is a sham:&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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At the moment, Pakistan is on the FATF grey list. It should be on the blacklist, but some countries have kept it out. Now, FATF is meeting to decide if Pakistan should be moved to the blacklist. And this sentencing is to avoid it.&nbsp;

In the last FATF assessment, the Imran Khan government had received a harsh rebuke for failing to crack down on terror financing. So it had to show some action and Islamabad came up with this farce.

Pakistan had no choice, the FATF scrutiny has worsened its financial troubles. The economy is in a shambles and after Pakistan was placed on the grey list, it became harder to get foreign loans.

And Pakistan needs loans, it is negotiating the release of the third instalment of funds from the IMF. There is also the talk of the resumption of the military training programme with the United States.

But the FATF designation handicaps Islamabad that brings us to the United States. In the early days of his presidency, Trump talked tough on Pakistan.

But, as the American President winds down his first term, his hard-line seems just bluster and Islamabad still remains in the picture because of the Afghan peace deal.

As Trump gears up to travel to India, his visit will be closely watched by Islamabad. It's an opportunity for the American President to call out Pakistan's action against Hafiz Saeed for what it is - a sham crackdown to escape the scrutiny of a global watchdog.

 
(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced Hafiz Saeed to 11 years in jail in two separate cases. The sentence runs concurrently, so he effectively has to spend a little more than 5 years in jail.

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced Hafiz Saeed to 11 years in jail in two separate cases. The sentence runs concurrently, so he effectively has to spend a little more than 5 years in jail. Hafiz Saeed was found guilty of 'being a member of a banned terrorist outfit', and for 'having the illegal property'. However, there is no mention of the terrorist acts he has committed. Hafiz Saeed is the man who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but he hasn't been punished for that. This a superficial trial by Pakistan to appear as if it's acting against a global terrorist. Pakistan has a sword hanging on its neck - the terror funding watchdog - FATF. In just days from now, the Financial Action Task Force will have a crucial meeting. And, FATF has been breathing down Pakistan's neck, they want Pakistan to act against terror financing. WATCH: Hafiz Saeed's conviction is a sham: × At the moment, Pakistan is on the FATF grey list. It should be on the blacklist, but some countries have kept it out. Now, FATF is meeting to decide if Pakistan should be moved to the blacklist. And this sentencing is to avoid it. In the last FATF assessment, the Imran Khan government had received a harsh rebuke for failing to crack down on terror financing. So it had to show some action and Islamabad came up with this farce. Pakistan had no choice, the FATF scrutiny has worsened its financial troubles. The economy is in a shambles and after Pakistan was placed on the grey list, it became harder to get foreign loans. And Pakistan needs loans, it is negotiating the release of the third instalment of funds from the IMF. There is also the talk of the resumption of the military training programme with the United States. But the FATF designation handicaps Islamabad that brings us to the United States. In the early days of his presidency, Trump talked tough on Pakistan. But, as the American President winds down his first term, his hard-line seems just bluster and Islamabad still remains in the picture because of the Afghan peace deal. As Trump gears up to travel to India, his visit will be closely watched by Islamabad. It's an opportunity for the American President to call out Pakistan's action against Hafiz Saeed for what it is - a sham crackdown to escape the scrutiny of a global watchdog. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Why Hafiz Saeed's conviction is an eyewash

Pakistan has seen two very disturbing developments this week, its Parliament passed a resolution demanding public hanging of child abusers

This is a violation of the United Nations rule, but the majority of Pakistan's Parliamentarians backed it.

A court in Pakistan said that men can marry underage girls as long as they have reached their menstrual age. The court was hearing a case of forced conversion.

A 14-year-old catholic girl was abducted, forcefully converted and married to a Muslim man. The court said, "The marriage was valid because the girl already had her first period."

According to these developments in Islamabad, it's not a crime when a child is forced to marry her abductor, but child abusers should be hanged in public.

This raises some serious concerns - does Pakistan have a different definition of child abuse for minorities? Or is the system confused?

Child abuse is a haunting reality of Pakistan. In 2018, the case of a 6-year-old girl shocked the world - her rape and murder led to massive protests.

The data is chilling. In 2018, Pakistan reported over 3,800 cases of crimes against children. There were over 900 cases of abduction, 452 cases of missing children, over 500 cases of rape, almost 600 cases of sodomy,&nbsp;over 300 cases of attempted rape and 130 cases of child marriages.

In short, every day there are at least 12 cases of crime against children, and these are only the ones that are reported and registered.

56 per cent of the victims are girls and 44 per cent boys. It seems the country is not even thinking of preventive measures.

It only wants a gory spectacle, the public hanging of convicts. The Parliamentary resolution referred to the Zainab Ansari case.

But the parliamentarians forgot something. Zainab's rapist too was executed and it did not stop the rape of young girls and boys. 
&nbsp;

Pakistan has seen two very disturbing developments this week, its Parliament passed a resolution demanding public hanging of child abusers This is a violation of the United Nations rule, but the majority of Pakistan's Parliamentarians backed it.

Pakistan has seen two very disturbing developments this week, its Parliament passed a resolution demanding public hanging of child abusers This is a violation of the United Nations rule, but the majority of Pakistan's Parliamentarians backed it. A court in Pakistan said that men can marry underage girls as long as they have reached their menstrual age. The court was hearing a case of forced conversion. A 14-year-old catholic girl was abducted, forcefully converted and married to a Muslim man. The court said, "The marriage was valid because the girl already had her first period." According to these developments in Islamabad, it's not a crime when a child is forced to marry her abductor, but child abusers should be hanged in public. This raises some serious concerns - does Pakistan have a different definition of child abuse for minorities? Or is the system confused? Child abuse is a haunting reality of Pakistan. In 2018, the case of a 6-year-old girl shocked the world - her rape and murder led to massive protests. The data is chilling. In 2018, Pakistan reported over 3,800 cases of crimes against children. There were over 900 cases of abduction, 452 cases of missing children, over 500 cases of rape, almost 600 cases of sodomy, over 300 cases of attempted rape and 130 cases of child marriages. In short, every day there are at least 12 cases of crime against children, and these are only the ones that are reported and registered. 56 per cent of the victims are girls and 44 per cent boys. It seems the country is not even thinking of preventive measures. It only wants a gory spectacle, the public hanging of convicts. The Parliamentary resolution referred to the Zainab Ansari case. But the parliamentarians forgot something. Zainab's rapist too was executed and it did not stop the rape of young girls and boys.

What's Pakistan's definition of child abuse?

It is not unusual to see farms growing red chillies in Sindh, Pakistan - it is the region's biggest crop.

Of tons of chillies that Pakistan produces, Sindh accounts for 85 per cent. The Kunri region in Sindh is the famed red chilli capital of Asia.

Last year, the production of chillies fell by 40 per cent in Pakistan due to climate change.&nbsp;

Heatwaves and warmer climatic conditions had an adverse impact on red chilli crops in the country.&nbsp;

Chillies are a mainstay of Pakistan's economy and less production translates into big losses for the region and the country.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-annual-inflation-rate-rises-to-1456-in-january-278074">Pakistan annual inflation rate rises to 14.56% in January</a>

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Pakistan produces over 120,000 tonnes of chillies which roughly accounts for 5 per cent of global production.&nbsp;

The country ranks third in the Asian belt after India and China and stands as the world's fourth-largest producer.

Chillies contribute 1.5 per cent to Pakistan's GDP. Faced with a grim situation, chilli farmers in Pakistan are staring at a bleak future.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-spurs-greening-in-barren-frozen-arctic-278178">Climate change spurs greening in barren, frozen Arctic&nbsp;</a>

According to reports, Pakistan could produce over 120,000 tons of red chilli crops in 2018 which dropped to around 70-80,000 tons in the following year.&nbsp;

If the heat spell and drier conditions continue, it will only spell bad news for the chilli market in Pakistan. Lesser output translates into higher prices for the crop and nobody is willing to import expensive chillies. Unsold stock will only add to farmers' woes and burden the economy which is already in the doldrums.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, it is found that climate change is spurring growth of green cover in the Arctic as warmer temperatures create a conducive environment for foliage to thrive.&nbsp;

The phenomenon, 'Arctic greening' is being studied by a host of experts to analyse how climate change spurs shift in temperatures, prompting vegetation in parts of the Arctic.&nbsp;

It is not unusual to see farms growing red chillies in Sindh, Pakistan - it is the region's biggest crop. Of tons of chillies that Pakistan produces, Sindh accounts for 85 per cent.

It is not unusual to see farms growing red chillies in Sindh, Pakistan - it is the region's biggest crop. Of tons of chillies that Pakistan produces, Sindh accounts for 85 per cent. The Kunri region in Sindh is the famed red chilli capital of Asia. Last year, the production of chillies fell by 40 per cent in Pakistan due to climate change. Heatwaves and warmer climatic conditions had an adverse impact on red chilli crops in the country. Chillies are a mainstay of Pakistan's economy and less production translates into big losses for the region and the country. Also read: Pakistan annual inflation rate rises to 14.56% in January × Pakistan produces over 120,000 tonnes of chillies which roughly accounts for 5 per cent of global production. The country ranks third in the Asian belt after India and China and stands as the world's fourth-largest producer. Chillies contribute 1.5 per cent to Pakistan's GDP. Faced with a grim situation, chilli farmers in Pakistan are staring at a bleak future. Also read: Climate change spurs greening in barren, frozen Arctic According to reports, Pakistan could produce over 120,000 tons of red chilli crops in 2018 which dropped to around 70-80,000 tons in the following year. If the heat spell and drier conditions continue, it will only spell bad news for the chilli market in Pakistan. Lesser output translates into higher prices for the crop and nobody is willing to import expensive chillies. Unsold stock will only add to farmers' woes and burden the economy which is already in the doldrums. Meanwhile, it is found that climate change is spurring growth of green cover in the Arctic as warmer temperatures create a conducive environment for foliage to thrive. The phenomenon, 'Arctic greening' is being studied by a host of experts to analyse how climate change spurs shift in temperatures, prompting vegetation in parts of the Arctic.

Pakistan: Chilli cultivation in Sindh takes a hit due to climate change 

In the past, Indian diplomats have lodged complaints about the harassment they faced&nbsp;in Pakistan. Now, diplomats hailing from other countries&nbsp;have&nbsp;raised the matter of harassment.

On January 21, the Belarusian diplomatic mission received a threatening email against one of its diplomats. The email from a certain Muhammad Ahmed Rashid labelled a certain diplomat from the mission as&nbsp;''anti-Pakistan'' and asked for him to be thrown out.&nbsp;

The Belarus mission raised the matter with Pakistani authorities seeking protection of the premises of the mission and demanding improved&nbsp;security.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">&nbsp;Pakistan PM Imran Khan declares national emergency to fight locusts</a>

The mission,&nbsp;in a strong message, asked the Pakistani foreign office to take action against the person who dropped the mail&nbsp;as a&nbsp;preventive measure.

2019 and 2018 saw several cased of harassment of Indian diplomats. From increased surveillance to cutting off electricity in cold winters of Islamabad to aggressively questioning anyone who visited the houses of Indian diplomats was increasingly becoming a norm.

In 2019, a major case of harassment of Indian diplomats&nbsp;by Pakistani security was witnessed. Within this, they physically stopped anyone attending an Iftar party hosted by the Indian mission.

In the past, Indian diplomats have lodged complaints about the harassment they faced in Pakistan. Now, diplomats hailing from other countries have raised the matter of harassment.

In the past, Indian diplomats have lodged complaints about the harassment they faced in Pakistan. Now, diplomats hailing from other countries have raised the matter of harassment. On January 21, the Belarusian diplomatic mission received a threatening email against one of its diplomats. The email from a certain Muhammad Ahmed Rashid labelled a certain diplomat from the mission as ''anti-Pakistan'' and asked for him to be thrown out. The Belarus mission raised the matter with Pakistani authorities seeking protection of the premises of the mission and demanding improved security. Also read: Pakistan PM Imran Khan declares national emergency to fight locusts The mission, in a strong message, asked the Pakistani foreign office to take action against the person who dropped the mail as a preventive measure. 2019 and 2018 saw several cased of harassment of Indian diplomats. From increased surveillance to cutting off electricity in cold winters of Islamabad to aggressively questioning anyone who visited the houses of Indian diplomats was increasingly becoming a norm. In 2019, a major case of harassment of Indian diplomats by Pakistani security was witnessed. Within this, they physically stopped anyone attending an Iftar party hosted by the Indian mission.

After Indian diplomats, Belarusian diplomats face harassment in Islamabad

An official circular from the Pakistani government asks officers to uninstall the WION app from their phones. Palki S Upadhyay tells you why Islamabad is targeting WION. Install the WION app. Google Play store: https://bit.ly/2Oc1cA9 Apple App Store: https://apple.co/2RHfuuI

Gravitas: Pakistan government targets WION's app

The minorities in Pakistan are facing tremendous issues and it has only become worse under present PM Imran Khan. Forced conversions have become prevalent, discrimination against minorities is being encouraged and Islamabad is unable to push back against hard liners. Watch report:

Forced conversions grow in Pakistan, Minorities face discrimination

In his quest for global attention, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan often lectures India on the rights of minorities.

He has tried to berate India on global forums, indulged in fearmongering at public events and even tweeted a fake video, claiming it showed police violence in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

The Pakistani prime minister would be better served if he looks in his backyard first because the numbers tell the story of how religious persecution is now rampant in Pakistan.

A 2015 report says that at least one thousand girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. Another report says that 95 per cent of all Hindu temples in Pakistan have been either destroyed or converted.

A survey found that only 20 Hindu temples out of 428 places of worship are operational now. The situation is particularly worse for the Hindus. In 2013, journalist Andrew Buncombe wrote in the UNHCR refugees daily - "Pakistan is worse than hell for Muslims." 
 
WATCH:&nbsp;Have international watchdogs failed to call out Pakistan?

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As the story from Sindh made front-page news, it started trending - hashtags like minorities in danger in Pakistan and wake up UNHCR started doing the rounds.&nbsp;

Many drew parallels with India. India has more Muslims than Pakistan, and yet they are technically a minority. Comparing India and Pakistan is a case of apples and oranges.

It's unfair and unnecessary. And it doesn't really cover India in glory. The situation in India is and should be better than Pakistan. India is a secular country. Measuring itself against Pakistan on any parameter, and coming out the winner, does little to burnish India's image.

But if a comparison must be made, this is what it looks like: The population of minorities in India has been steadily growing.

According to pew, the population of Muslims will grow from around 14 per cent to 18 per cent by 2050. Minorities in India enjoy the Rights to Practice their Religion.

Muslim lawmakers have representation in the Indian Parliament. When they don't agree with something, they protest, like people of any religion do.

Case in point - the anti-CAA protests. The Muslims of India are at the forefront of the protest, so are people from other religions.

Compare this with what happened in Pakistan when a Sikh tried to save his daughter from forced conversion. In response, angry Islamists shouted anti-Sikh slogans, pelted stones at a Gurudwara and threatened to destroy it.

It doesn't take much for the global community to realise that minorities are under threat in Pakistan.

Islamabad state intolerance towards minorities can be traced back to the Zia ul Haq era - the dictator legitimised the oppression of minorities by tweaking laws.

Consequently, the standing of minorities was reduced before the courts. Electoral laws were diluted, separate electorates for minorities were introduced - a system that was not abolished until 2002.

While the minorities were welcomed back into a joint electoral system, they still do not enjoy equal rights. Pakistani society still does not accept them as their own. Hardliners still dictate the rules and the silence of the state only enables their persecution.

So why have international watchdogs failed to call Pakistan out? Unfortunately, condemnations have been limited to diplomatic texts here.

The classic double standards and the West cutting Pakistan some slack each time in the hope that it won't be branded Islamophobic.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

In his quest for global attention, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan often lectures India on the rights of minorities. He has tried to berate India on global forums, indulged in fearmongering at public events and even tweeted a fake video, claiming it showed police violence in Uttar Pradesh.

In his quest for global attention, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan often lectures India on the rights of minorities. He has tried to berate India on global forums, indulged in fearmongering at public events and even tweeted a fake video, claiming it showed police violence in Uttar Pradesh. The Pakistani prime minister would be better served if he looks in his backyard first because the numbers tell the story of how religious persecution is now rampant in Pakistan. A 2015 report says that at least one thousand girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. Another report says that 95 per cent of all Hindu temples in Pakistan have been either destroyed or converted. A survey found that only 20 Hindu temples out of 428 places of worship are operational now. The situation is particularly worse for the Hindus. In 2013, journalist Andrew Buncombe wrote in the UNHCR refugees daily - "Pakistan is worse than hell for Muslims." WATCH: Have international watchdogs failed to call out Pakistan? × As the story from Sindh made front-page news, it started trending - hashtags like minorities in danger in Pakistan and wake up UNHCR started doing the rounds. Many drew parallels with India. India has more Muslims than Pakistan, and yet they are technically a minority. Comparing India and Pakistan is a case of apples and oranges. It's unfair and unnecessary. And it doesn't really cover India in glory. The situation in India is and should be better than Pakistan. India is a secular country. Measuring itself against Pakistan on any parameter, and coming out the winner, does little to burnish India's image. But if a comparison must be made, this is what it looks like: The population of minorities in India has been steadily growing. According to pew, the population of Muslims will grow from around 14 per cent to 18 per cent by 2050. Minorities in India enjoy the Rights to Practice their Religion. Muslim lawmakers have representation in the Indian Parliament. When they don't agree with something, they protest, like people of any religion do. Case in point - the anti-CAA protests. The Muslims of India are at the forefront of the protest, so are people from other religions. Compare this with what happened in Pakistan when a Sikh tried to save his daughter from forced conversion. In response, angry Islamists shouted anti-Sikh slogans, pelted stones at a Gurudwara and threatened to destroy it. It doesn't take much for the global community to realise that minorities are under threat in Pakistan. Islamabad state intolerance towards minorities can be traced back to the Zia ul Haq era - the dictator legitimised the oppression of minorities by tweaking laws. Consequently, the standing of minorities was reduced before the courts. Electoral laws were diluted, separate electorates for minorities were introduced - a system that was not abolished until 2002. While the minorities were welcomed back into a joint electoral system, they still do not enjoy equal rights. Pakistani society still does not accept them as their own. Hardliners still dictate the rules and the silence of the state only enables their persecution. So why have international watchdogs failed to call Pakistan out? Unfortunately, condemnations have been limited to diplomatic texts here. The classic double standards and the West cutting Pakistan some slack each time in the hope that it won't be branded Islamophobic. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Pakistan's minority report

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-acting-assistant-secretary-welcomes-kartarpur-agreement-between-india-pakistan-258095">Alice Wells</a>&nbsp;will arrive in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/islamabad-may-host-oic-foreign-ministers-meet-on-kashmir-caa-report-270827">Islamabad</a> today on a four-day visit to discuss several bilateral issues. 
 
According to sources, during her visit, Wells will meet several political and military representatives of the country to discuss the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/strains-in-us-pak-relations-what-does-it-mean-for-india-191158">US-Pakistan </a>diplomatic affairs, mending ties with Afghanistan and current problems in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/strains-in-us-pak-relations-what-does-it-mean-for-india-191158">Also read:&nbsp;Ups and downs in US-Pakistan relations: What does it mean for India?</a>

According to the US department of state, she will also ''address a think tank'' and discuss ''bilateral and regional problems with the members of civil society''.

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Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells will travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, from January 13-22. <a href="https://t.co/aIIv0cr3qI">https://t.co/aIIv0cr3qI</a>
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1215374276846653441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Previously, the chief US diplomat had visited <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-lankan-president-ajit-doval-discuss-cooperation-on-intelligence-sharing-maritime-security-275297">Colombo</a>, Sri Lanka on January 13 and 14 and met several senior government officials. 
 
She was also supposed to attend the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fifth-edition-of-raisina-dialogue-focusing-on-geopolitics-geo-economics-begins-today-274129">Raisina dialogue</a> in India from January 15-18 to ''strengthen the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-officials-to-travel-to-india-next-week-to-further-us-india-trade-talks-262217">US-India</a> partnership after the success of US-India 2+2 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-commence-22-ministerial-dialogue-in-washington-dc-269125">Ministerial Dialogue</a> 2019,'' an official release of said.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Alice Wells will arrive in Islamabad today on a four-day visit to discuss several bilateral issues.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Alice Wells will arrive in Islamabad today on a four-day visit to discuss several bilateral issues. According to sources, during her visit, Wells will meet several political and military representatives of the country to discuss the US-Pakistan diplomatic affairs, mending ties with Afghanistan and current problems in the country. Also read: Ups and downs in US-Pakistan relations: What does it mean for India? According to the US department of state, she will also ''address a think tank'' and discuss ''bilateral and regional problems with the members of civil society''. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells will travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, from January 13-22. https://t.co/aIIv0cr3qI — State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 9, 2020 × Previously, the chief US diplomat had visited Colombo, Sri Lanka on January 13 and 14 and met several senior government officials. She was also supposed to attend the Raisina dialogue in India from January 15-18 to ''strengthen the US-India partnership after the success of US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue 2019,'' an official release of said.

US envoy Alice Wells to arrive in Islamabad on 4-day trip

The United Kingdom on Thursday slammed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-issue-attempt-made-by-pakistan-through-china-to-misuse-unsc-platform-says-india-274661">Pakistan</a> and said that the Imran Khan-led government must do more to act against terrorism if it wants to prevent the FATF blacklisting.

The UK asked for "non-reversible" action against terrorism from Pakistan.

"All the evidence against Pakistan has been put on the table. Pakistan has taken some action...there has been some progress. Pakistan has to do a lot more and take non-reversible action," Gareth Bayley, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Director for South Asia, said during an interactive session at Raisina Dialogue 2020.

Bayley added that it is clear that terror groups are operating from Pakistan's territory and pose "a serious challenge to the Pakistan government and the South Asian region as well".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-calls-for-stricter-actions-from-pakistan-on-crackdown-of-terror-groups-269771">FATF calls for stricter actions from Pakistan on crackdown of terror groups</a>

Pakistan, at present, is on FATF's greylist since 2018. The watchdog has granted an extension to Islamabad till February 2020. Pakistan faces the possibility of getting blacklisted by the FATF if it fails to comply with the remaining 22 out of 27 points related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.

Bayley also reacted over the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-trying-daily-to-prevent-military-confrontation-rouhani-274650">tensions between the United States&nbsp;and Iran</a> after US strikes at Iraq's Baghdad International Airport killed Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani on January 3. He called for a de-escalation of tension between the two nations.

Bayley added that the UK has a "really deep" counter-terrorism dialogue with India and can share the experience with India "just as India has a lot of experience to share".&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

The United Kingdom on Thursday slammed Pakistan and said that the Imran Khan-led government must do more to act against terrorism if it wants to prevent the FATF blacklisting.

The United Kingdom on Thursday slammed Pakistan and said that the Imran Khan-led government must do more to act against terrorism if it wants to prevent the FATF blacklisting. The UK asked for "non-reversible" action against terrorism from Pakistan. "All the evidence against Pakistan has been put on the table. Pakistan has taken some action...there has been some progress. Pakistan has to do a lot more and take non-reversible action," Gareth Bayley, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Director for South Asia, said during an interactive session at Raisina Dialogue 2020. Bayley added that it is clear that terror groups are operating from Pakistan's territory and pose "a serious challenge to the Pakistan government and the South Asian region as well". Also read: FATF calls for stricter actions from Pakistan on crackdown of terror groups Pakistan, at present, is on FATF's greylist since 2018. The watchdog has granted an extension to Islamabad till February 2020. Pakistan faces the possibility of getting blacklisted by the FATF if it fails to comply with the remaining 22 out of 27 points related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. Bayley also reacted over the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran after US strikes at Iraq's Baghdad International Airport killed Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani on January 3. He called for a de-escalation of tension between the two nations. Bayley added that the UK has a "really deep" counter-terrorism dialogue with India and can share the experience with India "just as India has a lot of experience to share". (With inputs from ANI)

Pakistan should do more to take non-reversible action against terror: United Kingdom

Indian Army Chief Manoj Mukund Narwane said on Saturday that the Indian Army would take steps to remove Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from Islamabad's control if Parliament wishes and if the Government of India gave such an order. #IndianArmy #India #WION

'Pok will belong to India as soon as we get orders,' says Indian Army Chief

General Naravane: Ready to take appropriate actions on PoK, waiting for orders

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter Scale struck near Gilgit-Baltistan area in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at 5:19 pm (UTC) on Monday.

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake had a depth of 38 km and struck at the North-Western part of Idgah of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-should-vacate-pok-as-its-part-of-sovereign-india-british-mp-bob-blackman-249903">PoK</a>.

The tremors of the earthquake were reported from Hunza, Gilgit, Ghazar and Skardu districts of Gilgit-Baltistan which caused panic among people who rushed out of their homes and other buildings.

Tremors were also felt in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/islamabad-may-host-oic-foreign-ministers-meet-on-kashmir-caa-report-270827">Islamabad</a>, Rawalpindi and other surrounding areas.

However, there has been no immediate report of any loss of life or property due to the quake.

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter Scale struck near Gilgit-Baltistan area in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at 5:19 pm (UTC) on Monday. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake had a depth of 38 km and struck at the North-Western part of Idgah of PoK.

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter Scale struck near Gilgit-Baltistan area in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at 5:19 pm (UTC) on Monday. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake had a depth of 38 km and struck at the North-Western part of Idgah of PoK. The tremors of the earthquake were reported from Hunza, Gilgit, Ghazar and Skardu districts of Gilgit-Baltistan which caused panic among people who rushed out of their homes and other buildings. Tremors were also felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other surrounding areas. However, there has been no immediate report of any loss of life or property due to the quake.

5.3 magnitude quake hits Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan area

At least 13 people were wounded following a gas cylinder blast that occurred at a local restaurant in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/islamabad-may-host-oic-foreign-ministers-meet-on-kashmir-caa-report-270827">Islamabad</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.

The incident took place when the gas leakage at the eatery joint in the Jinnah Supermarket area caused an explosion, injuring 13 people and damaging two restaurants, ARY News reported.

The explosion occurred after the gas cylinders were placed at the backyard of the restaurant in a dangerous manner, according to sources.

The injured, most of them sustained burn injuries, were rushed to the burns ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital for treatment.

Following the explosion, police reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

At least 13 people were wounded following a gas cylinder blast that occurred at a local restaurant in Islamabad on Saturday. The incident took place when the gas leakage at the eatery joint in the Jinnah Supermarket area caused an explosion, injuring 13 people and damaging two restaurants, ARY News reported.

At least 13 people were wounded following a gas cylinder blast that occurred at a local restaurant in Islamabad on Saturday. The incident took place when the gas leakage at the eatery joint in the Jinnah Supermarket area caused an explosion, injuring 13 people and damaging two restaurants, ARY News reported. The explosion occurred after the gas cylinders were placed at the backyard of the restaurant in a dangerous manner, according to sources. The injured, most of them sustained burn injuries, were rushed to the burns ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital for treatment. Following the explosion, police reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

Pakistan: 13 injured in gas cylinder explosion in Islamabad

Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf on Friday filed a review petition with the Lahore High Court challenging the verdict by a special court in Islamabad that had pronounced death penalty in the high treason case against him.

On December 19, a special court in Islamabad found Musharraf guilty of high treason and handed him a death sentence under Article 6 of the Constitution.

The verdict marked the first time in Pakistan's history that a military chief was declared guilty of high treason and handed a death sentence.

The former army chief filed the 86 page-long petition through his counsel Advocate Azhar Siddique and named the federal government and others as respondents, Dawn reported.

A full bench, chaired by Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, will hear the petition on January 9, 2020.

The petition highlighted that the "judgement contained a mix of anomalies and contradictory statements".

It added that the special court "rapidly and hurriedly wrapped up the trial which was far from conclusion."

"The special court [...] announced an award of capital punishment to the applicant without examining the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (power to examine the accused). The importance of examining the accused in a criminal trial is enormous and any lapse, failure or omission to fulfil this requirement adversely affects the prosecution case," the petition read.

"A criminal trial cannot simply [be] complete without adhering to this mandatory legal requirement," it said.

Earlier this month Musharraf had filed an application in the LHC, urging it to halt the special court from sentencing him in absentia.

In the petition, the former dictator had challenged the formation of the special court holding his trial under charges of high treason and legal flaws committed in the procedure.

Three days after he had filed the petition (on December 14), Musharraf, who is currently abroad, was handed the death penalty by the special court in Islamabad after the three-member bench convicted him in a treason case.

Musharraf was booked in the treason case in 2013 for imposing a state of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007, and suspending the Constitution till the mid of December 2007.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf on Friday filed a review petition with the Lahore High Court challenging the verdict by a special court in Islamabad that had pronounced death penalty in the high treason case against him.

Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf on Friday filed a review petition with the Lahore High Court challenging the verdict by a special court in Islamabad that had pronounced death penalty in the high treason case against him. On December 19, a special court in Islamabad found Musharraf guilty of high treason and handed him a death sentence under Article 6 of the Constitution. The verdict marked the first time in Pakistan's history that a military chief was declared guilty of high treason and handed a death sentence. The former army chief filed the 86 page-long petition through his counsel Advocate Azhar Siddique and named the federal government and others as respondents, Dawn reported. A full bench, chaired by Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, will hear the petition on January 9, 2020. The petition highlighted that the "judgement contained a mix of anomalies and contradictory statements". It added that the special court "rapidly and hurriedly wrapped up the trial which was far from conclusion." "The special court [...] announced an award of capital punishment to the applicant without examining the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (power to examine the accused). The importance of examining the accused in a criminal trial is enormous and any lapse, failure or omission to fulfil this requirement adversely affects the prosecution case," the petition read. "A criminal trial cannot simply [be] complete without adhering to this mandatory legal requirement," it said. Earlier this month Musharraf had filed an application in the LHC, urging it to halt the special court from sentencing him in absentia. In the petition, the former dictator had challenged the formation of the special court holding his trial under charges of high treason and legal flaws committed in the procedure. Three days after he had filed the petition (on December 14), Musharraf, who is currently abroad, was handed the death penalty by the special court in Islamabad after the three-member bench convicted him in a treason case. Musharraf was booked in the treason case in 2013 for imposing a state of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007, and suspending the Constitution till the mid of December 2007.

Musharraf challenges special court's verdict in high treason case

Global terror watchdog FATF requested more information and data from Pakistan on actions taken against madrassas belonging to proscribed groups after Islamabad submitted a report outlining the government's actions to curb terrorism and money laundering. #FATF #Pakistan #FAFTQuestionPakistan

WION Dispatch: FATF poses 150 questions to Pakistan, inquires on actions against madrassas

In its detailed verdict, Pakistan's Special Court has said that in case former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-former-dictator-musharraf-calls-death-sentence-a-personal-vendetta-269111">Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf</a> passes away before the execution of his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pervez-musharraf-handed-death-sentence-in-high-treason-case-268641">death sentence</a> then his body should be dragged to Islamabad's D-Chowk and hanged there, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

The Court stated the same in its 167-page-long detailed verdict.&nbsp;

The Special Court pronounced a death sentence to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pervez-musharraf-an-army-general-dictator-and-convict-268670">Musharraf</a> on Tuesday in a high treason case.&nbsp;

"We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse is dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days," the verdict as cited by Pakistan Today stated.&nbsp;

A three-member bench headed by Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth had found Musharraf guilty under Article 6 of the Constitution. Musharraf had suspended the Constitution and imposed an emergency rule in Pakistan in the year 2007.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Musharraf has called the High Court’s decision to sentence him to death a “personal vendetta”.&nbsp;

In a video released late night on Wednesday, Musharraf was seen speaking from his hospital bed in Dubai. He stated that the allegations against him were politically motivated.

The former Pakistan President, who was tried and sentenced in absentia, called the ruling "an unprecedented case wherein neither the defendant nor his lawyer was allowed to defend the case".&nbsp;

In its detailed verdict, Pakistan's Special Court has said that in case former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf passes away before the execution of his death sentence then his body should be dragged to Islamabad's D-Chowk and hanged there, news agency ANI reported.

In its detailed verdict, Pakistan's Special Court has said that in case former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf passes away before the execution of his death sentence then his body should be dragged to Islamabad's D-Chowk and hanged there, news agency ANI reported. The Court stated the same in its 167-page-long detailed verdict. The Special Court pronounced a death sentence to Musharraf on Tuesday in a high treason case. "We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse is dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days," the verdict as cited by Pakistan Today stated. A three-member bench headed by Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth had found Musharraf guilty under Article 6 of the Constitution. Musharraf had suspended the Constitution and imposed an emergency rule in Pakistan in the year 2007. Meanwhile, Musharraf has called the High Court’s decision to sentence him to death a “personal vendetta”. In a video released late night on Wednesday, Musharraf was seen speaking from his hospital bed in Dubai. He stated that the allegations against him were politically motivated. The former Pakistan President, who was tried and sentenced in absentia, called the ruling "an unprecedented case wherein neither the defendant nor his lawyer was allowed to defend the case".

Musharraf's body to be hanged at Islamabad's D-Chowk if he dies before execution: Pak court's verdict

Islamabad wants Pakistan representative to defend Kulbhushan Jadhav at International court of justice.

Islamabad wants Pakistan representative to defend Kulbhushan Jadhav

Journalists from across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/consumer-inflation-hits-9-year-high-in-pakistan-266392">Pakistan</a> held protests on Thursday against the siege of offices of Dawn newspaper by a mob earlier this week.

Unknown people on Monday had staged demonstrations outside Islamabad office of Dawn for reporting that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/lessons-on-terrorism-and-rehabilitation-from-the-london-bridge-attack-265719">London Bridge attacker</a> was of Pakistani origin. Dawn had reported that Usman Khan who stabbed two people to death and injured three others in late November was of Pakistan origin.

The angry mob had staged a protest outside the office of Dawn and chanted slogans against the newspaper. They besieged the newspaper premises for several hours and did not allow the employees to enter or leave the building, reported Dawn.

On Tuesday, people also protested outside the Karachi Press Club against Dawn. They threatened to besiege the offices of the media group if "prompt action was not taken against the management and outlets of the organisation for publishing false news."

Condemning these acts, Thursday's protests by journalists occurred in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. Addressing the Karachi protest, Dawn's Editor Zaffar Abbas said that "one by one, all of the media organisations are being suppressed" and called on all media houses to come together and remain united at such a time.

"When Geo is attacked, we remain quiet. When Dawn is attacked, most of us, again, remain quiet. When the distribution of Jang newspaper and The News is prevented, others seek to take advantage of the situation," he added.

Abbas said that the circulation of Dawn was also being stopped in certain cities once more.

"We must understand, the editors as well as the owners, that when someone views it as an opportunity to cash in on greater sales in such times, then what has happened with us can happen with them too. That's why we all need to stand together," he said.

Journalists from across Pakistan held protests on Thursday against the siege of offices of Dawn newspaper by a mob earlier this week. Unknown people on Monday had staged demonstrations outside Islamabad office of Dawn for reporting that London Bridge attacker was of Pakistani origin.

Journalists from across Pakistan held protests on Thursday against the siege of offices of Dawn newspaper by a mob earlier this week. Unknown people on Monday had staged demonstrations outside Islamabad office of Dawn for reporting that London Bridge attacker was of Pakistani origin. Dawn had reported that Usman Khan who stabbed two people to death and injured three others in late November was of Pakistan origin. The angry mob had staged a protest outside the office of Dawn and chanted slogans against the newspaper. They besieged the newspaper premises for several hours and did not allow the employees to enter or leave the building, reported Dawn. On Tuesday, people also protested outside the Karachi Press Club against Dawn. They threatened to besiege the offices of the media group if "prompt action was not taken against the management and outlets of the organisation for publishing false news." Condemning these acts, Thursday's protests by journalists occurred in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. Addressing the Karachi protest, Dawn's Editor Zaffar Abbas said that "one by one, all of the media organisations are being suppressed" and called on all media houses to come together and remain united at such a time. "When Geo is attacked, we remain quiet. When Dawn is attacked, most of us, again, remain quiet. When the distribution of Jang newspaper and The News is prevented, others seek to take advantage of the situation," he added. Abbas said that the circulation of Dawn was also being stopped in certain cities once more. "We must understand, the editors as well as the owners, that when someone views it as an opportunity to cash in on greater sales in such times, then what has happened with us can happen with them too. That's why we all need to stand together," he said.

Pakistan: Journalists hold protests, condemn act of laying siege to newspaper's office

India has demanded that Islamabad should hand over Indians wanted for terror activities living in Pakistan to be handed over back to New Delhi. In 2011, India had handed over a list of 48 most wanted people living in Pakistan and included names such as underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

In an interview to French newspaper Le Monde, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "We need actions" from Pakistan "that demonstrate a real willingness to cooperate. For example, there are Indians wanted for terrorist activities living in Pakistan. We are telling Pakistan: hand them over to us."

Highlighting Pakistan's use of terrorism against India, Jaishankar said, "Pakistan has developed an important terrorist industry and sends terrorists to India to carry out attacks. Pakistan itself does not deny this situation."

Explaining, "Now, tell me: which country would be willing to talk and negotiate with a neighbour who openly practices terrorism against it? If one of your neighbours did, would you, France, pretend that everything is fine?"

India has been calling Pakistan to take "credible, irreversible and verifiable" against terror camps on its territory. Meanwhile, the EAM also spoke on Kashmir, saying restrictions have been "gradually reduced" and the situation is normalising with telephone and mobile lines being restored and shops being opened.

Asked if foreign journalists will be allowed to visit Kashmir, Jaishankar said, while he "can't commit to a deadline" but "as soon as it is safe, they can go", adding, "We don't want their presence to provoke problems - from people who would take advantage of it to show that there is unrest."

India has demanded that Islamabad should hand over Indians wanted for terror activities living in Pakistan to be handed over back to New Delhi. In 2011, India had handed over a list of 48 most wanted people living in Pakistan and included names such as underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

India has demanded that Islamabad should hand over Indians wanted for terror activities living in Pakistan to be handed over back to New Delhi. In 2011, India had handed over a list of 48 most wanted people living in Pakistan and included names such as underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. In an interview to French newspaper Le Monde, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "We need actions" from Pakistan "that demonstrate a real willingness to cooperate. For example, there are Indians wanted for terrorist activities living in Pakistan. We are telling Pakistan: hand them over to us." Highlighting Pakistan's use of terrorism against India, Jaishankar said, "Pakistan has developed an important terrorist industry and sends terrorists to India to carry out attacks. Pakistan itself does not deny this situation." Explaining, "Now, tell me: which country would be willing to talk and negotiate with a neighbour who openly practices terrorism against it? If one of your neighbours did, would you, France, pretend that everything is fine?" India has been calling Pakistan to take "credible, irreversible and verifiable" against terror camps on its territory. Meanwhile, the EAM also spoke on Kashmir, saying restrictions have been "gradually reduced" and the situation is normalising with telephone and mobile lines being restored and shops being opened. Asked if foreign journalists will be allowed to visit Kashmir, Jaishankar said, while he "can't commit to a deadline" but "as soon as it is safe, they can go", adding, "We don't want their presence to provoke problems - from people who would take advantage of it to show that there is unrest."

Hand over Indians wanted for terror activities, India tells Pakistan

Pakistan's Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday asked the government to allow former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment without any conditions, as well as provide all facilities to him concerning his health.

In his remarks at the Upper House, Sanjrani urged not to politicise the matter pertaining to Sharif's health, Dawn reported.

The matter was raised at the Upper House by Senator Javed Abbasi, who, in his statement, deemed the government's condition of submitting a surety bond of over PKR 7 billion for Sharif's name to be struck off the Exit Control List (ECL) as 'unconstitutional'.

He noted that Sharif was the only person who held the office of the Prime Minister thrice and that the Punjab Government's medical board had recommended that he be sent abroad for medical treatment in view of the serious threat to his life.

Pakistan government has said that Sharif will be given <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pml-n-rejects-pak-govts-one-time-permission-to-nawaz-sharif-to-travel-abroad-for-treatment-261938">"one-time" permission</a> to travel aboard for his medical treatment for a period of four weeks. This permission will be subject to the Sharif family submitting an indemnity bond "to the tune of PKR 7-7.5 billion".

Sharif is required to travel to London for treatment after his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/danger-to-nawaz-sharifs-health-increasing-everyday-pml-n-261229">health deteriorated</a> in the Kot Lakhpat jail where he was serving a seven-year jail term in a corruption case.

He was rushed to hospital from the prison last month after his personal physician Adnan raised an alarm over his deteriorating health. Doctors have been struggling to bring his platelet count, that had dropped to dangerous levels,&nbsp;back to normal.

Sharif was expected to leave Pakistan on Sunday. However, his ticket was cancelled as the authorities did not remove his name from the Exit Control List.

Pakistan's Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday asked the government to allow former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment without any conditions, as well as provide all facilities to him concerning his health.

Pakistan's Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday asked the government to allow former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment without any conditions, as well as provide all facilities to him concerning his health. In his remarks at the Upper House, Sanjrani urged not to politicise the matter pertaining to Sharif's health, Dawn reported. The matter was raised at the Upper House by Senator Javed Abbasi, who, in his statement, deemed the government's condition of submitting a surety bond of over PKR 7 billion for Sharif's name to be struck off the Exit Control List (ECL) as 'unconstitutional'. He noted that Sharif was the only person who held the office of the Prime Minister thrice and that the Punjab Government's medical board had recommended that he be sent abroad for medical treatment in view of the serious threat to his life. Pakistan government has said that Sharif will be given "one-time" permission to travel aboard for his medical treatment for a period of four weeks. This permission will be subject to the Sharif family submitting an indemnity bond "to the tune of PKR 7-7.5 billion". Sharif is required to travel to London for treatment after his health deteriorated in the Kot Lakhpat jail where he was serving a seven-year jail term in a corruption case. He was rushed to hospital from the prison last month after his personal physician Adnan raised an alarm over his deteriorating health. Doctors have been struggling to bring his platelet count, that had dropped to dangerous levels, back to normal. Sharif was expected to leave Pakistan on Sunday. However, his ticket was cancelled as the authorities did not remove his name from the Exit Control List.

Government should allow Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for treatment: Pakistan Senate Chairman

The Pakistan Cabinet will decide on removing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-to-be-removed-from-exit-control-list-today-261382"> Exit Control List (ECL)</a> based on the recommendations from a sub-committee which is slated to take up the matter on Tuesday.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nawaz-sharif-needs-urgent-treatment-says-pmln-not-allowed-to-go-abroad-261443">ailing PML-N leader</a> was expected to leave Pakistan on Sunday but his departure was delayed after his name could not be taken off the ECL.

The sub-committee of the Cabinet will discuss an application filed by the leader of opposition in the National Assembly and Nawaz`s brother Shahbaz Sharif, who wants his elder brother to fly to London for better medical care, Dawn reported.

The sub-committee comprises of country`s Law Minister Farogh Naseem as its chairman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar and the interior secretary.

They will discuss the issue and apprise Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan about its recommendation after which Khan would take the final decision on the matter.

Sharif is suffering from multiple health complications, including erratic platelet count. He has been granted bail by the Islamabad High Court and Lahore High Court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Chaudhry Sugar Mills cases respectively on humanitarian grounds.

The Pakistan Cabinet will decide on removing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL) based on the recommendations from a sub-committee which is slated to take up the matter on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Cabinet will decide on removing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL) based on the recommendations from a sub-committee which is slated to take up the matter on Tuesday. The ailing PML-N leader was expected to leave Pakistan on Sunday but his departure was delayed after his name could not be taken off the ECL. The sub-committee of the Cabinet will discuss an application filed by the leader of opposition in the National Assembly and Nawaz`s brother Shahbaz Sharif, who wants his elder brother to fly to London for better medical care, Dawn reported. The sub-committee comprises of country`s Law Minister Farogh Naseem as its chairman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar and the interior secretary. They will discuss the issue and apprise Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan about its recommendation after which Khan would take the final decision on the matter. Sharif is suffering from multiple health complications, including erratic platelet count. He has been granted bail by the Islamabad High Court and Lahore High Court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Chaudhry Sugar Mills cases respectively on humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan Cabinet to decide on removing Nawaz Sharif from ECL today

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