In an exclusive interview with WION's Anas Mallick, Pakistan's caretaker information & broadcasting minister Murtaza Solangi spoke about the elections in Pakistan, Pakistan's and Afghanistan's relations, and a lot more. Listen in.

WION speaks to Pakistan's Information Minister Murtaza Solangi

<p>A sub-inspector of Tamil Nadu Police has been shunted out and a probe was initiated against him after he allegedly did not let spectators enter the Chennai cricket stadium with the Indian flag.</p>

<p>The move comes after a video went viral showing the police officer barring the entry of a few cricket fans to the MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the Pakistan-Afghanistan World Cup match on Monday (Oct 23).</p>

<h2><strong>Clip goes viral</strong></h2>

<p>The clip purportedly showed a police officer retrieving two tri-colour flags from a dustbin, while the bystanders questioned who discarded them in the first place.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tamil Nadu Police put the Indian national flag into a dumpster when a cricket fan tried to bring it inside the Chepauk Cricket Stadium in Chennai for the Pakistan vs. Afghanistan match.<br />
This is unpardonable!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvsAFG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvsAFG</a> National Flag <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chepauk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chepauk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bishensinghbedi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bishensinghbedi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli%F0%93%83%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli𓃵</a> <a href="https://t.co/OvNx0XJRxE">pic.twitter.com/OvNx0XJRxE</a></p>
— Raj (@TheLicit_) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLicit_/status/1716477641090638212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Sometime later, some people were heard alleging that the police officer was the one who dumped the flags and started questioning him. Facing heat, he then takes the flag to his police vehicle.</p>

<p>“Enquiry has been initiated against the SI concerned deployed for bandobust duty at MAC Stadium. He was recalled to Control Room. Appropriate action as per law will be taken based on the findings,” the city police said in a statement on X.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The incident mentioned has been brought to notice. Enquiry has been initiated against the SI concerned deployed for bandobust duty at MAC Stadium . He was recalled to Control Room. Appropriate action as per law will be taken based on the findings.<br />
Apart from this solitary…</p>
— GREATER CHENNAI POLICE -GCP (@chennaipolice_) <a href="https://twitter.com/chennaipolice_/status/1716432636913283233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>BJP slams DMK</strong></h2>

<p>The incident drew wide condemnation, with the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit president K Annamalai accusing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of “stooping to an all-new low by banning” the Indian national flag inside the stadium.</p>

<p>“Mourning our country’s independence, burning parts of our Constitution, seeking a separate statehood, and issuing threats that the call for independent statehood is still alive has been DMK or its ideological party’s way of not wanting TN integrated with our country.”</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indians-dominate-the-list-of-immigrants-acquiring-citizenship-in-rich-nations-650722">Indians dominate the list of immigrants acquiring citizenship in rich nations</a></p>

<p>“Though they've failed miserably in this misadventure, the DMK Govt today stooped to an all-new low by banning entry to our Country’s Tricolour inside the Chepauk stadium. They hate everything about this great nation, from Sanatana Dharma to our sovereignty and wish to remain a parrot of our coloniser,” he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/father-arranges-celebratory-procession-for-daughter-wanting-to-end-marriage-650744">Father arranges celebratory procession for daughter who ended her marriage</a></p>

<p>But the police vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that it was an isolated incident.</p>

<p>“Apart from this solitary incident, no others reported. It is observed that many spectators are freely carrying and displaying the Indian tricolour inside the stadium,” the police statement said</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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A sub-inspector of Tamil Nadu Police has been shunted out and a probe was initiated against him after he allegedly did not let spectators enter the Chennai cricket stadium with the Indian flag.

A sub-inspector of Tamil Nadu Police has been shunted out and a probe was initiated against him after he allegedly did not let spectators enter the Chennai cricket stadium with the Indian flag. The move comes after a video went viral showing the police officer barring the entry of a few cricket fans to the MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the Pakistan-Afghanistan World Cup match on Monday (Oct 23). Clip goes viral The clip purportedly showed a police officer retrieving two tri-colour flags from a dustbin, while the bystanders questioned who discarded them in the first place. Tamil Nadu Police put the Indian national flag into a dumpster when a cricket fan tried to bring it inside the Chepauk Cricket Stadium in Chennai for the Pakistan vs. Afghanistan match. This is unpardonable!#PAKvsAFG National Flag #Chepauk #Chennai #bishensinghbedi #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/OvNx0XJRxE — Raj (@TheLicit_) October 23, 2023 × Sometime later, some people were heard alleging that the police officer was the one who dumped the flags and started questioning him. Facing heat, he then takes the flag to his police vehicle. “Enquiry has been initiated against the SI concerned deployed for bandobust duty at MAC Stadium. He was recalled to Control Room. Appropriate action as per law will be taken based on the findings,” the city police said in a statement on X. The incident mentioned has been brought to notice. Enquiry has been initiated against the SI concerned deployed for bandobust duty at MAC Stadium . He was recalled to Control Room. Appropriate action as per law will be taken based on the findings. Apart from this solitary… — GREATER CHENNAI POLICE -GCP (@chennaipolice_) October 23, 2023 × BJP slams DMK The incident drew wide condemnation, with the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit president K Annamalai accusing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of “stooping to an all-new low by banning” the Indian national flag inside the stadium. “Mourning our country’s independence, burning parts of our Constitution, seeking a separate statehood, and issuing threats that the call for independent statehood is still alive has been DMK or its ideological party’s way of not wanting TN integrated with our country.” Also read | Indians dominate the list of immigrants acquiring citizenship in rich nations “Though they've failed miserably in this misadventure, the DMK Govt today stooped to an all-new low by banning entry to our Country’s Tricolour inside the Chepauk stadium. They hate everything about this great nation, from Sanatana Dharma to our sovereignty and wish to remain a parrot of our coloniser,” he said. Also read | Father arranges celebratory procession for daughter who ended her marriage But the police vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that it was an isolated incident. “Apart from this solitary incident, no others reported. It is observed that many spectators are freely carrying and displaying the Indian tricolour inside the stadium,” the police statement said

India: Police officer suspended over tricolour row during PAK vs AFG World Cup match

The US has appealed Pakistan and Afghanistan to reduce the ongoing tension following recent cross-border firing gunfire over the contentious fencing issue at north-western Torkham border crossing which resulted in casualties on both sides.<br />
<br />
&quot;I could tell you we are all watching the tensions very closely, that we are in touch with officials on both sides,&quot; State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday.<br />
<br />
He was responding to questions on tensions between the two South Asian neighbours in aftermath of the cross firing across the border.<br />
In the firing, an Afghan border guard was killed while three Pakistani soldiers, including a senior army official and and nine civilians were injured.<br />
<br />
&quot;We continue to urge a calm resolution to the tension. We obviously don&#39;t want to see clashes; we don&#39;t want to see violence; we don&#39;t want to see it get worse,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
The Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, was in the two countries over the weekend.<br />
<br />
In Islamabad, Olson met with government officials, including Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues.<br />
<br />
In Kabul, he met with Afghan government officials to include President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar.<br />
<br />
He also met with Resolute Support Commander, General John Nicholson, Kirby said.<br />
(PTI)

Cross-border firing on June 13 at the north-western Torkham border have escalated tensions between the two neighbouring countries

The US has appealed Pakistan and Afghanistan to reduce the ongoing tension following recent cross-border firing gunfire over the contentious fencing issue at north-western Torkham border crossing which resulted in casualties on both sides. "I could tell you we are all watching the tensions very closely, that we are in touch with officials on both sides," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. He was responding to questions on tensions between the two South Asian neighbours in aftermath of the cross firing across the border. In the firing, an Afghan border guard was killed while three Pakistani soldiers, including a senior army official and and nine civilians were injured. "We continue to urge a calm resolution to the tension. We obviously don't want to see clashes; we don't want to see violence; we don't want to see it get worse," he said. The Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, was in the two countries over the weekend. In Islamabad, Olson met with government officials, including Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues. In Kabul, he met with Afghan government officials to include President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar. He also met with Resolute Support Commander, General John Nicholson, Kirby said. (PTI)

US appeals to Afghanistan and Pakistan to calm tensions