<p>Hafiz Saeed walks free; he vows to fight &#39;Kashmir cause&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India had her fair share of revolutionaries too who gave up their lives, fighting the oppressive colonial rule.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Hafiz Saeed is no revolutionary. Even if you empathise with the cause of the Kashmiri people, one cannot condone the brutality of Hafiz&#39;s actions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While nationalist revolutionaries, through the first half of the twentieth century, targetted notorious police officers and oppressive District Magistrates who served as the pillars of British rule in India, the types of Hafiz Saeed had been indiscriminate in their killings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had been declared a &#39;global terrorist&#39; by the US following his role in the 2008 Mumbai attack. Sayeed has so far, however, denied his involvement. &nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The Kashmir crisis needs a constructive solution, and it will be wrong and foolhardy to give the control of the movement to someone who is not even part of the everyday struggle of a common Kashmiri.</h5>
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<p>Yesterday, the Pakistan government has released Saeed from house arrest after he announced a month of solidarity for Kashmiris in January. Saeed&#39;s release has provoked a strong reaction from India, who had been demanding his extradition for years now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I am not here to pass judgement as to whether supporting the Kashmiri cause is right or not. What I am trying to point out here is that people like Hafeez Sayeed if they want to fight for the &#39;Kashmir cause&#39;, they can&#39;t inhabit the safe haven of Pakistan and instigate the Kashmiri youths to violence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kashmir crisis needs a constructive solution, and it will be wrong and foolhardy to give the control of the movement to someone who is not even part of the everyday struggle of a common Kashmiri. Hafeez coopting the movement would only increase senseless violence which is not going to give us a solution at the end of the day.</p>

<p>The Global Terrorism index states that over the past 15 years, South Asia experienced the most terrorist activity. Globally, attacks against civilians increased by 17 per cent from 2015 to 2016. India has not escaped this deadly trend. The primary targets of terrorists are private citizens and property.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>With 25, 673 deaths in 2016, the number of people dying from terrorism have now fallen by 22 per cent since the peak in 2014.</h5>
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<p>Before it is too late, we have to take steps whereby we can control the damaging effects of terrorism engulfing major parts of the world. Though deaths from terrorism have risen in tandem with battle-related deaths, deaths caused by terrorism decreased by 13 per cent from 2015 to 2016.&nbsp; With 25, 673 deaths in 2016, the number of people dying from terrorism have now fallen by 22 per cent since the peak in 2014. These figures hold some optimism for the future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, while the intensity of terrorism in many countries has decreased, terrorism continues to spread to more countries. The average country score for the GTI, which measures the impact of terrorism, deteriorated by four per cent and reflects this spread of terrorism. There were 77 countries that experienced deaths from terrorism, which is an increase from 65 the previous year. Two-thirds of all countries experienced a terrorist attack in 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hafiz Saeed and those similar to who does not seek a political solution to political crisis needs to be contained. Pakistan will do better understand this. In its bid to score a point against India, Pakistan will make a terrible mistake to let miscreants such as Hafiz Saeed go scot free.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Global Terrorism index states that over the past 15 years, South Asia experienced the most terrorist activity.

Hafiz Saeed walks free; he vows to fight 'Kashmir cause'. India had her fair share of revolutionaries too who gave up their lives, fighting the oppressive colonial rule. But Hafiz Saeed is no revolutionary. Even if you empathise with the cause of the Kashmiri people, one cannot condone the brutality of Hafiz's actions. While nationalist revolutionaries, through the first half of the twentieth century, targetted notorious police officers and oppressive District Magistrates who served as the pillars of British rule in India, the types of Hafiz Saeed had been indiscriminate in their killings. He had been declared a 'global terrorist' by the US following his role in the 2008 Mumbai attack. Sayeed has so far, however, denied his involvement. The Kashmir crisis needs a constructive solution, and it will be wrong and foolhardy to give the control of the movement to someone who is not even part of the everyday struggle of a common Kashmiri. × Yesterday, the Pakistan government has released Saeed from house arrest after he announced a month of solidarity for Kashmiris in January. Saeed's release has provoked a strong reaction from India, who had been demanding his extradition for years now. I am not here to pass judgement as to whether supporting the Kashmiri cause is right or not. What I am trying to point out here is that people like Hafeez Sayeed if they want to fight for the 'Kashmir cause', they can't inhabit the safe haven of Pakistan and instigate the Kashmiri youths to violence. The Kashmir crisis needs a constructive solution, and it will be wrong and foolhardy to give the control of the movement to someone who is not even part of the everyday struggle of a common Kashmiri. Hafeez coopting the movement would only increase senseless violence which is not going to give us a solution at the end of the day. The Global Terrorism index states that over the past 15 years, South Asia experienced the most terrorist activity. Globally, attacks against civilians increased by 17 per cent from 2015 to 2016. India has not escaped this deadly trend. The primary targets of terrorists are private citizens and property. With 25, 673 deaths in 2016, the number of people dying from terrorism have now fallen by 22 per cent since the peak in 2014. × Before it is too late, we have to take steps whereby we can control the damaging effects of terrorism engulfing major parts of the world. Though deaths from terrorism have risen in tandem with battle-related deaths, deaths caused by terrorism decreased by 13 per cent from 2015 to 2016. With 25, 673 deaths in 2016, the number of people dying from terrorism have now fallen by 22 per cent since the peak in 2014. These figures hold some optimism for the future. However, while the intensity of terrorism in many countries has decreased, terrorism continues to spread to more countries. The average country score for the GTI, which measures the impact of terrorism, deteriorated by four per cent and reflects this spread of terrorism. There were 77 countries that experienced deaths from terrorism, which is an increase from 65 the previous year. Two-thirds of all countries experienced a terrorist attack in 2016. Hafiz Saeed and those similar to who does not seek a political solution to political crisis needs to be contained. Pakistan will do better understand this. In its bid to score a point against India, Pakistan will make a terrible mistake to let miscreants such as Hafiz Saeed go scot free.

Opinion: Pakistan fuels global terrorism in releasing Hafiz Saeed

<p>A top Pakistan police official was killed in a suspected suicide blast in Peshawar&#39;s Hayatabad area on Friday.</p>

<p>According to Dawn, the attacker, who was on a motorbike, rammed into the police vehicle carrying the Additional Inspector General (AIG) Headquarters, Ashraf Noor, and other officials.</p>

<p>The blast, which left the police vehicle in flames, appeared to be a suicide attack, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Tahir Khan said.</p>

<p>The blast occurred near the Zarghooni Mosque when the police officials were on their way to work this morning, the CCPO added.</p>

<p>Tahir Khan, confirming the death of the AIG, said at least six policemen were injured and shifted to the Hayatabad Medical Complex.</p>

<p>The police have cordoned off the blast site and further investigation is underway.</p>

<p>Earlier in October, the deputy governor of Afghanistan&#39;s Kunar province, Muhammad Nabi Ahmadi, was abducted by unidentified gunmen in the Dabgari area of Peshawar 15th century mosque.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A top Pakistan police official was killed in a suspected suicide blast in Peshawar's Hayatabad area on Friday

A top Pakistan police official was killed in a suspected suicide blast in Peshawar's Hayatabad area on Friday. According to Dawn, the attacker, who was on a motorbike, rammed into the police vehicle carrying the Additional Inspector General (AIG) Headquarters, Ashraf Noor, and other officials. The blast, which left the police vehicle in flames, appeared to be a suicide attack, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Tahir Khan said. The blast occurred near the Zarghooni Mosque when the police officials were on their way to work this morning, the CCPO added. Tahir Khan, confirming the death of the AIG, said at least six policemen were injured and shifted to the Hayatabad Medical Complex. The police have cordoned off the blast site and further investigation is underway. Earlier in October, the deputy governor of Afghanistan's Kunar province, Muhammad Nabi Ahmadi, was abducted by unidentified gunmen in the Dabgari area of Peshawar 15th century mosque.

Top Pakistan police official killed in suicide blast in Peshawar

<p>Pakistan&#39;s embattled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been relieved of his duties after the ailing politician, declared a proclaimed absconder by a court in the Panama Papers case, requested leave for three months.</p>

<p>Dar, 67, had arrived in London nearly a month ago and has been seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication at a Harley Street hospital.</p>

<p>He can avail a maximum of three-month leave and should resume duty by&nbsp;February 21&nbsp;otherwise he could be permanently relieved of charge, according to rules.</p>

<p>However, sources said that the development may eventually bring to an end Dar&#39;s almost four-and-a-half-year stint as the finance minister.</p>

<p>Dar sent a three-page letter to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;seeking leave of absence. In it, he narrated his health condition, saying that his surgeon had asked him to avoid international air travel.</p>

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<h5>Sources said the development may eventually bring to an end Dar&#39;s almost four-and-a-half-year stint as finance minister</h5>
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<p>He said his medical tests in UK showed &quot;diffuse coronary heart disease and possible ischemic heart disease&quot;.</p>

<p>In his letter to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Dar said that he wishes to seek &quot;relief for now from looking after the three divisions&quot; that he has been heading for nearly four years.</p>

<p>The government issued two notifications yesterday after Prime Minister Abbasi approved Dar&#39;s leave application.</p>

<p>&quot;The prime minister has been pleased to allow leave of absence to Ishaq Dar... With immediate effect,&quot; said one of the notifications issued by the Cabinet Secretariat.</p>

<p>The second communique announced the decision to withdraw the portfolios of Finance and Economic Affairs Division from Dar.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Abbasi will look after the finance minister&#39;s duties until a replacement is found.</p>

<p>In his letter, Dar said that he had been running the affairs of the ministry via email, WhatsApp etc since October 27, and asked for leave without pay.</p>

<p>Dar was indicted on&nbsp;September 27&nbsp;in a corruption case linked to the Panama Papers case, but he continued to serve as finance minister amid strong criticism from Opposition parties.</p>

<p>An accountability court had on November 14 issued non- bailable arrest warrants for the finance minister because of his repeated failure to appear before it. On November 21, the accountability court declared him a &#39;proclaimed absconder&#39;.</p>

<p>Dar is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs 831.7 million ? disproportionate to his known sources of income.</p>

<p>Dar had assumed the responsibilities of Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation in the Cabinet of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in June 2013.</p>

<p>He continued as the Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs in the Cabinet of Abbasi but the new premier separated Statistics and Privatisation from the Finance Ministry.</p>

<p>Dar&#39;s son is married to a daughter of Sharif.</p>

<p>The National Accountability Bureau had registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members, and Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court, weeks after the Supreme Court order ousted Sharif.</p>

<p>Dar had advised Abbasi to constitute an advisory committee to look into economic issues in his absence.</p>

<p>The likely members of the economic advisory committee suggested by Dar include Shaukat Tarin, who served as finance minister under the PPP government, and Dr Ishrat Husain, who was governor of the State Bank during the regime of Pervez Musharraf regime.</p>

<p>Two other names being floated include Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan.</p>

<p>Talking to a private TV channel, Minister for Inter- Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada yesterday demanded resignation of Dar.</p>

<p>Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had also made a similar demand.&nbsp;</p>


Dar, 67, has been in London for nearly a month seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication

Pakistan's embattled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been relieved of his duties after the ailing politician, declared a proclaimed absconder by a court in the Panama Papers case, requested leave for three months. Dar, 67, had arrived in London nearly a month ago and has been seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication at a Harley Street hospital. He can avail a maximum of three-month leave and should resume duty by February 21 otherwise he could be permanently relieved of charge, according to rules. However, sources said that the development may eventually bring to an end Dar's almost four-and-a-half-year stint as the finance minister. Dar sent a three-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday seeking leave of absence. In it, he narrated his health condition, saying that his surgeon had asked him to avoid international air travel. Sources said the development may eventually bring to an end Dar's almost four-and-a-half-year stint as finance minister × He said his medical tests in UK showed "diffuse coronary heart disease and possible ischemic heart disease". In his letter to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Dar said that he wishes to seek "relief for now from looking after the three divisions" that he has been heading for nearly four years. The government issued two notifications yesterday after Prime Minister Abbasi approved Dar's leave application. "The prime minister has been pleased to allow leave of absence to Ishaq Dar... With immediate effect," said one of the notifications issued by the Cabinet Secretariat. The second communique announced the decision to withdraw the portfolios of Finance and Economic Affairs Division from Dar. Prime Minister Abbasi will look after the finance minister's duties until a replacement is found. In his letter, Dar said that he had been running the affairs of the ministry via email, WhatsApp etc since October 27, and asked for leave without pay. Dar was indicted on September 27 in a corruption case linked to the Panama Papers case, but he continued to serve as finance minister amid strong criticism from Opposition parties. An accountability court had on November 14 issued non- bailable arrest warrants for the finance minister because of his repeated failure to appear before it. On November 21, the accountability court declared him a 'proclaimed absconder'. Dar is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs 831.7 million ? disproportionate to his known sources of income. Dar had assumed the responsibilities of Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation in the Cabinet of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in June 2013. He continued as the Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs in the Cabinet of Abbasi but the new premier separated Statistics and Privatisation from the Finance Ministry. Dar's son is married to a daughter of Sharif. The National Accountability Bureau had registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members, and Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court, weeks after the Supreme Court order ousted Sharif. Dar had advised Abbasi to constitute an advisory committee to look into economic issues in his absence. The likely members of the economic advisory committee suggested by Dar include Shaukat Tarin, who served as finance minister under the PPP government, and Dr Ishrat Husain, who was governor of the State Bank during the regime of Pervez Musharraf regime. Two other names being floated include Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan. Talking to a private TV channel, Minister for Inter- Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada yesterday demanded resignation of Dar. Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had also made a similar demand.

Embattled Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar given 3 months leave

<p>Papua New Guinea police sealed off an officially shuttered Australia-run detention camp on Thursday and ordered&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers occupying it to leave as they confiscated food and water the men had stockpiled,&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers told Reuters.</p>

<p>About 380&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks, defying attempts by Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to close it in a standoff the United Nations described as a &quot;looming humanitarian crisis&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;They destroyed our food and damaged our accommodation too, they destroyed our water tank,&quot; one&nbsp;asylum-seeker said in a mobile telephone message from the camp.</p>

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<h5>The asylum&nbsp;seekers said police confiscated the food and water they had stockpiled</h5>
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<p>Many of the men climbed onto rooftops and hid in toilets, he said. Three other&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers gave similar accounts of the police action.</p>

<p>A video shot by Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz and posted on Facebook showed police using a megaphone to tell the&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers to leave because their stay at the camp, located on land used by the PNG navy, was illegal.</p>

<p>The footage he later posted on Twitter showed men boarding minibusses and buses. Tim Costello, chief advocate at the World Vision Australia aid group, told Reuters by phone from outside the camp that he had seen buses leaving.</p>

<p>Calls to PNG immigration and police were not returned.</p>

<p>The Manus island camp in PNG, and another on the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, have been the cornerstones of Australia&rsquo;s controversial immigration policy, which has been strongly criticized by the United Nations and rights groups.</p>

<p>Australia opened the camps in a bid to stem a flow of&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers making dangerous voyages by boat to its shores.</p>

<p>Under its &quot;sovereign borders&quot; immigration policy, Australia refuses to land&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers arriving by sea, instead of sending them to the offshore camps.</p>

<p><strong>&#39;We won&#39;t be pressurised&#39;</strong></p>

<p>Witnesses in the camp said officials in army fatigues led away Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has been at the camp for four years and regularly posts social media messages on conditions.</p>

<p>Boochani earlier told Reuters by text message that police and immigration officials removed water supplies and the men&#39;s belongings.</p>

<p>Pictures sent via a messaging service showed upturned boxes of food and torn parcels of rice and instant noodles and smashed furniture including broken beds.</p>

<p>PNG&rsquo;s Supreme Court ruled last year that the center, first opened in 2001, breached its laws and fundamental human rights, leading to the decision to close it.</p>

<p>But the&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers say they fear for their safety if moved to a transit center also on the island, and risk being resettled in PNG or another developing nation permanently.</p>

<p>&quot;We don&#39;t want another prison. We want to leave this place, but they need to give a good solution for us,&quot; the first&nbsp;asylum-seeker said.</p>

<p>&quot;We don&#39;t want another prison. We want a third country.&quot;</p>

<p>Most of those in the camp are from Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Syria.</p>

<p>Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that the transit center facilities had food, water, security and medical services.</p>

<p>&quot;They think this is some way they can pressure the Australian government to let them come to Australia. Well, we will not be pressured,&quot; Turnbull said.</p>

<p>The United Nations has urged Australia to accept an offer by New Zealand to take some of the men.</p>


About 380?asylum?seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks

Papua New Guinea police sealed off an officially shuttered Australia-run detention camp on Thursday and ordered asylum seekers occupying it to leave as they confiscated food and water the men had stockpiled, asylum seekers told Reuters. About 380 asylum seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks, defying attempts by Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to close it in a standoff the United Nations described as a "looming humanitarian crisis". "They destroyed our food and damaged our accommodation too, they destroyed our water tank," one asylum-seeker said in a mobile telephone message from the camp. The asylum seekers said police confiscated the food and water they had stockpiled × Many of the men climbed onto rooftops and hid in toilets, he said. Three other asylum seekers gave similar accounts of the police action. A video shot by Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz and posted on Facebook showed police using a megaphone to tell the asylum seekers to leave because their stay at the camp, located on land used by the PNG navy, was illegal. The footage he later posted on Twitter showed men boarding minibusses and buses. Tim Costello, chief advocate at the World Vision Australia aid group, told Reuters by phone from outside the camp that he had seen buses leaving. Calls to PNG immigration and police were not returned. The Manus island camp in PNG, and another on the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, have been the cornerstones of Australia’s controversial immigration policy, which has been strongly criticized by the United Nations and rights groups. Australia opened the camps in a bid to stem a flow of asylum seekers making dangerous voyages by boat to its shores. Under its "sovereign borders" immigration policy, Australia refuses to land asylum seekers arriving by sea, instead of sending them to the offshore camps. 'We won't be pressurised' Witnesses in the camp said officials in army fatigues led away Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has been at the camp for four years and regularly posts social media messages on conditions. Boochani earlier told Reuters by text message that police and immigration officials removed water supplies and the men's belongings. Pictures sent via a messaging service showed upturned boxes of food and torn parcels of rice and instant noodles and smashed furniture including broken beds. PNG’s Supreme Court ruled last year that the center, first opened in 2001, breached its laws and fundamental human rights, leading to the decision to close it. But the asylum seekers say they fear for their safety if moved to a transit center also on the island, and risk being resettled in PNG or another developing nation permanently. "We don't want another prison. We want to leave this place, but they need to give a good solution for us," the first asylum-seeker said. "We don't want another prison. We want a third country." Most of those in the camp are from Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Syria. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that the transit center facilities had food, water, security and medical services. "They think this is some way they can pressure the Australian government to let them come to Australia. Well, we will not be pressured," Turnbull said. The United Nations has urged Australia to accept an offer by New Zealand to take some of the men.

Papua New Guinea police enter shut Australia-run detention camp, order protesting asylum seekers out

<p>&ldquo;Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan&rsquo;s status as a major non-NATO ally,&rdquo; Bruce Riedel, a top US&nbsp;expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI.</p>

<p>A top American counter-terrorism expert has urged the Trump administration to &ldquo;rescind&rdquo; the major non-NATO ally status given to Pakistan after a court in Lahore ordered to free Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned JuD chief Hafiz Saeed from detention.</p>

<p>The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, carrying a bounty of $10 million announced by the US&nbsp;for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year.</p>

<p>The Trump administration on Wednesday said that Saeed is a terrorist leader designated by both the United Nations and the United States, hours after a Pakistani court ordered his release from detention.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan&rsquo;s status as a major non-NATO ally,&rdquo; Bruce Riedel, a top US&nbsp;expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI.</p>

<p>&ldquo;In a word, the release is an outrage. Before long we will read news reports of Hafiz Saeed leading more rallies with thousands of people,&rdquo; Alyssa Ayres, former State Department official who is currently with the Council on Foreign Relations, said after the Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistani government to free Saeed.</p>

<p>Saeed is a UN-sanctioned individual terrorist who leads a UN-sanctioned terrorist organisation, Ms. Ayres said, alleging that Pakistan does not see fit to follow through on its obligations to uphold UN Security Council (UNSC) terrorist designations.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Pakistan cannot credibly claim to be fighting terrorism while failing its most basic security obligation to UNSC designations,&rdquo; Ms. Ayres said.</p>

<p>According to Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center, one should not be surprised by this announcement.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Pakistani legal authorities have frequently hinted they have insufficient evidence to justify his continued detention, so it was just a matter of time before this militant, who happens to be a critical Pakistani state asset, walks free.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This news will certainly rankle US&nbsp;officials, who often point out that the dozens of casualties in the Mumbai terror attack included several Americans,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman said.</p>

<p>Saeed&rsquo;s release will reinforce Washington&rsquo;s longstanding belief that Pakistan embraces a selective policy toward terrorism that entails coddling militants that help serve Pakistani interests, he said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;All this said, we should not overstate the impact this move will have on U.S.-Pakistan relations,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman said.</p>

<p>For the Trump administration, whose policy towards Pakistan revolves above all around protecting American lives, the terror group of greatest concern in Pakistan is the Haqqani Network, which the U.S. blames for various attacks on American and Western targets in Afghanistan.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The LeT is certainly important for Washington, but compared to the Haqqani network it is presently a relative sideshow in U.S. policy considerations,&rdquo; Mr. Kugelman added.</p>

<p>The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack.</p>

<p>Husain Haqqani, Pakistan&rsquo;s former Ambassador to the US, attributed this to the mixed messaging coming from the Trump administration in the last few weeks.</p>

<p>US officials were trying to signal to Pakistan that if it takes action against the Haqqani terror network, that could be seen as a positive move and &ldquo;may thwart&rdquo; tougher actions against Islamabad, as promised by President Donald Trump in his new South Asia policy, he said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;In the process they [the US] may have inadvertently made the Pakistani think that the US only wants action against the Haqqani network and not against groups like the LeT that are acting against India.</p>

<p>&ldquo;My fear is that mixed signals will lead to a situation in which Pakistan fails to take decisive action against Afghan-oriented and India-oriented terrorist groups,&rdquo; he said.</p>

<p>The United States, a State Department official said, is aware of media reports regarding Pakistan&rsquo;s ordered release of Saeed from the house arrest. In May 2008, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.</p>

<p>Saeed was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 (UN Security Council Resolution) in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.</p>

<p>The LeT and several of its front organisations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions, the State Department has said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The United States reiterates its stance that LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens,&rdquo; a State Department Spokesperson said.</p>


'Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan?s status as a major non-NATO ally,' Bruce Riedel said

“Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally,” Bruce Riedel, a top US expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI. A top American counter-terrorism expert has urged the Trump administration to “rescind” the major non-NATO ally status given to Pakistan after a court in Lahore ordered to free Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned JuD chief Hafiz Saeed from detention. The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, carrying a bounty of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year. The Trump administration on Wednesday said that Saeed is a terrorist leader designated by both the United Nations and the United States, hours after a Pakistani court ordered his release from detention. “Nine years after 26/11, its mastermind still eludes justice. It is time to rescind Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally,” Bruce Riedel, a top US expert on security, South Asia and counter-terrorism told PTI. “In a word, the release is an outrage. Before long we will read news reports of Hafiz Saeed leading more rallies with thousands of people,” Alyssa Ayres, former State Department official who is currently with the Council on Foreign Relations, said after the Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistani government to free Saeed. Saeed is a UN-sanctioned individual terrorist who leads a UN-sanctioned terrorist organisation, Ms. Ayres said, alleging that Pakistan does not see fit to follow through on its obligations to uphold UN Security Council (UNSC) terrorist designations. “Pakistan cannot credibly claim to be fighting terrorism while failing its most basic security obligation to UNSC designations,” Ms. Ayres said. According to Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center, one should not be surprised by this announcement. “Pakistani legal authorities have frequently hinted they have insufficient evidence to justify his continued detention, so it was just a matter of time before this militant, who happens to be a critical Pakistani state asset, walks free. “This news will certainly rankle US officials, who often point out that the dozens of casualties in the Mumbai terror attack included several Americans,” Mr. Kugelman said. Saeed’s release will reinforce Washington’s longstanding belief that Pakistan embraces a selective policy toward terrorism that entails coddling militants that help serve Pakistani interests, he said. “All this said, we should not overstate the impact this move will have on U.S.-Pakistan relations,” Mr. Kugelman said. For the Trump administration, whose policy towards Pakistan revolves above all around protecting American lives, the terror group of greatest concern in Pakistan is the Haqqani Network, which the U.S. blames for various attacks on American and Western targets in Afghanistan. “The LeT is certainly important for Washington, but compared to the Haqqani network it is presently a relative sideshow in U.S. policy considerations,” Mr. Kugelman added. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the US, attributed this to the mixed messaging coming from the Trump administration in the last few weeks. US officials were trying to signal to Pakistan that if it takes action against the Haqqani terror network, that could be seen as a positive move and “may thwart” tougher actions against Islamabad, as promised by President Donald Trump in his new South Asia policy, he said. “In the process they [the US] may have inadvertently made the Pakistani think that the US only wants action against the Haqqani network and not against groups like the LeT that are acting against India. “My fear is that mixed signals will lead to a situation in which Pakistan fails to take decisive action against Afghan-oriented and India-oriented terrorist groups,” he said. The United States, a State Department official said, is aware of media reports regarding Pakistan’s ordered release of Saeed from the house arrest. In May 2008, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Saeed was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 (UN Security Council Resolution) in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. The LeT and several of its front organisations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions, the State Department has said. “The United States reiterates its stance that LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens,” a State Department Spokesperson said.

Time to 'rescind' Pakistan's major non-NATO ally status: US expert

<p>Mumbai attack mastermind and banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed will walk free tonight if the Pakistan government does not detain him in any other case, his lawyer said today.</p>

<p>The JuD head, who carries a bounty of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year.</p>

<p>The Judicial Review Board of Punjab province comprising judges of the Lahore High Court yesterday unanimously ordered Saeed&#39;s release on the completion of his 30-day house arrest which will expire midnight.</p>

<p>&quot;Saeed will walk free after midnight if the government does not detain him in any other case. We fear that the Punjab government may detain Saeed in any other case,&quot; Saeed&#39;s counsel Advocate AK Dogar told PTI.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-if-pakistan-army-wants-nothing-can-stop-hafiz-saeed-from-being-a-free-man-24881" target="_blank">Opinion: If Pakistan Army wants, Hafiz Saeed will be a free man</a></p>

<p>He said a large number of JuD workers have gathered outside Saeed&#39;s residence in Jauhar Town Lahore to welcome him on his release tonight.</p>

<p>The fire-brand cleric&#39;s release may also coincide with the 9th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed.</p>

<p>On the other hand, sources in the home department of the Punjab government are insisting that Saeed will not be released as he is being booked in another case.</p>

<p>&quot;The JuD chief was illegally detained for 297 days. Hafiz Saeed always worked for Pakistan and the government could not prove any allegation against him,&quot; Dogar had said yesterday.</p>

<p>He had warned that they will move the court without any delay if the government does not comply with the order of the judicial board and set him free.</p>

<p>On January 31, Saeed and his four aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fourth Schedule of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. However, the last two extensions were made on the &#39;public safety law&#39;.</p>

<p>The board refused to give further extension to the detention of Saeed&#39;s aides. They were set free last month.</p>

<p>Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to three months under different charges but for extension to that detention it needs approval from a judicial review board.</p>

<p>The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack.</p>

<p>Saeed was put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.</p>

<p>India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to re-investigate the Mumbai terror attack case and also demanded trial of Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in the light of evidence it had provided to Islamabad.</p>

<p>The Ministry of External Affairs today said Saeed&#39;s release confirms the &quot;lack of seriousness&quot; on Pakistan&#39;s part in bringing terrorists to justice and its nefarious designs to shield and support non-state actors.</p>

<p>&quot;India, as indeed, the entire international community is outraged that a selk-confessed and UN-proscribed terrorist is being allowed to walk free and continue with his evil agenda,&quot; MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi.</p>

<p>Ten LeT militants killed 166 people and wounded dozens in Mumbai in November, 2008. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught.</p>

<p>Kasab was executed after a court found him guilty and handed down death sentence.&nbsp;</p>


'Saeed will walk free after midnight if the government does not detain him in any other case,' Saeed's lawyer AK Dogar said

Mumbai attack mastermind and banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed will walk free tonight if the Pakistan government does not detain him in any other case, his lawyer said today. The JuD head, who carries a bounty of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, has been under detention since January this year. The Judicial Review Board of Punjab province comprising judges of the Lahore High Court yesterday unanimously ordered Saeed's release on the completion of his 30-day house arrest which will expire midnight. "Saeed will walk free after midnight if the government does not detain him in any other case. We fear that the Punjab government may detain Saeed in any other case," Saeed's counsel Advocate AK Dogar told PTI. Opinion: If Pakistan Army wants, Hafiz Saeed will be a free man He said a large number of JuD workers have gathered outside Saeed's residence in Jauhar Town Lahore to welcome him on his release tonight. The fire-brand cleric's release may also coincide with the 9th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed. On the other hand, sources in the home department of the Punjab government are insisting that Saeed will not be released as he is being booked in another case. "The JuD chief was illegally detained for 297 days. Hafiz Saeed always worked for Pakistan and the government could not prove any allegation against him," Dogar had said yesterday. He had warned that they will move the court without any delay if the government does not comply with the order of the judicial board and set him free. On January 31, Saeed and his four aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the Fourth Schedule of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. However, the last two extensions were made on the 'public safety law'. The board refused to give further extension to the detention of Saeed's aides. They were set free last month. Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to three months under different charges but for extension to that detention it needs approval from a judicial review board. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. Saeed was put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009. India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to re-investigate the Mumbai terror attack case and also demanded trial of Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in the light of evidence it had provided to Islamabad. The Ministry of External Affairs today said Saeed's release confirms the "lack of seriousness" on Pakistan's part in bringing terrorists to justice and its nefarious designs to shield and support non-state actors. "India, as indeed, the entire international community is outraged that a selk-confessed and UN-proscribed terrorist is being allowed to walk free and continue with his evil agenda," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi. Ten LeT militants killed 166 people and wounded dozens in Mumbai in November, 2008. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught. Kasab was executed after a court found him guilty and handed down death sentence.

Hafiz Saeed will walk free tonight: Lawyer

<p>China, an economic giant, has started the move to revitalise the ancient Silk Road. Its ambitious Belt and Road (B&amp;R) initiative, which includes plans for a Silk Road economic belt and the 21st-century maritime Silk Road, aims to connect continental Asia, Europe and Africa. The project has an estimated investment requirement of $5 trillion in infrastructure across 65 countries.</p>

<p>A major B&amp;R investment in South Asia is the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which connects the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of China to Pakistan&rsquo;s Gwadar Port. An important part of the CPEC is the reconstruction and upgrading of the Karakorum Highway, a 1,300 km paved roadway across the Karakoram Mountains connecting Kashgar to Abbottabad. The highway, which first opened to traffic in 1986, serves as an important trade and transit corridor between China and Pakistan. It has shortened the distance between China and the Middle East from 15,900 km via the Malacca Strait to a 3,700 km land route through the Khunjarab pass.</p>

<p>Between China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan, inside the Pamir Knot, lies the Wakhan corridor. This strip of land sandwiched between the four countries was created as a buffer between the territories of British India and Tsarist Russia in the 19th century, which was then formally demarcated between the Kingdom of Afghanistan and the Chinese People&rsquo;s Republic in November 1963.</p>

<p>The Wakhan corridor has historically been an important transit path of the ancient Silk Road route. According to Alexander Farhad, in the fourth and fifth centuries, the passes across the Pamir led Chinese pilgrims to the Buddhist centres in today&rsquo;s Afghanistan and India and were used by Persian merchants to sell their goods in the Chinese market.</p>

<p>Nazif Shahrani, in his The Kirghiz and Wakhi of Afghanistan: Adaptation to Closed Frontiers and War, maintains that until the collapse of Mughal Empire in India, Wakhan was one of the main routes for traders and merchants between India, China and major cities like Bactria and Bukhara in modern-day Afghanistan and Central Asia. It was due to the rapidly developing use of sea routes by Westerners to reach India and China in the late 15th century that the importance of the ancient Silk Road from Rome to China went into decline.</p>

<p><strong>Geographic complexity</strong></p>

<p>Given the geography of the Pamir Mountains, building infrastructure in the Wakhan could be difficult and costly. However, there are many instances of projects that have been successfully completed in the similar and even more geographically complex terrains of the region. The Karakorum Mountains, into which the Karakorum Highway was built (using 1960s and 1970s technology, taking 20 years to complete), and the Pamir Mountains where the Wakhan corridor lies are in the same area with similar topography.</p>

<p>A nutshell comparison of these areas indicates that the feasibility of infrastructure in Wakhan is increasingly viable given the road and tunnel-building technologies available in China today. The cost of the 400 km Wakhan project would be trivial compared to the $794-million upgrade of the Karakorum Highway or the $4.2 billion for the 1,600 km China-Tibet railway that opened in 2006. If such mega projects could be built on the roof of the world way back in the late 1970s and early 2000s, there is no reason to perceive geographic complexity as a barrier to building connectivity via Wakhan.</p>

<p>According to a report, the trilateral agreement was signed in Dushanbe to connect Tajikistan and Pakistan via the Durah Pass during the tenure of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghanistan&rsquo;s president from 1992 to 1996, after a feasibility survey to assess the best possible route that could connect Tajikistan and Pakistan. Although the decision has not yet found a practical implementation, all the countries have independently built infrastructures approaching the corridor in their respective territories over the past decade.</p>

<p>These recent developments &mdash; which include the Lowari Tunnel Project, the first phase of the Chitral-Tajikistan highway completed in 2017; the five bridges over the Panj River constructed since 2002; a road built west of Wakhan by the Chinese military in 2009; and roads connecting Ishkashim-Baharak to Faizabad and onward to Afghanistan&rsquo;s ring road and the port of Hairatan &mdash; imply that all the countries are implicitly keen to develop this route. These recent improvements have made the possibility and prospect of building infrastructure through Wakhan itself much more feasible.</p>

<p>What is currently missing is an initiative to open borders and collaborate. While geographical complexity has not been a barrier to the development of the infrastructure in Wakhan, security concerns and regional political play seem to be the major roadblocks on the way to the development of Wakhan.</p>

<p><strong>Local concerns</strong></p>

<p>China&rsquo;s main security concern has been from the separatist movement in its Xinjiang autonomous region. The movement of terrorist groups and the possibility of them building links with Xinjiang separatists was enough of an impetus for Beijing to keep the border closed for decades. However, these concerns seem to be fading away due to China&rsquo;s massive investments in the Xinjiang region, where employment opportunities and improving living standards have brought more stability and peace.</p>

<p>Moreover, India, Afghanistan&rsquo;s close regional ally, may not be happy with Kabul joining the CPEC. India opposes the Belt and Road initiative because of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, through which the CPEC passes, is a disputed territory between Delhi and Islamabad and it has blocked India&rsquo;s direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.</p>

<p>Instead, India has invested in the trilateral Chabahar project with Iran and Afghanistan to compete with the CPEC. More importantly, India&rsquo;s concern might be that the opening of Wakhjir pass, along with the already-opened Khunjarab pass, will give China the upper hand by enhancing its geopolitical and geo-economic dominance in the region.</p>

<p>However, countries around the Wakhan corridor have good economic ties and mutual interest for further cooperation with each other. The geo-strategically important Wakhan route, if built, would be the most efficient and the shortest possible bridge in the region. This would further strengthen trade and personal contacts. Chinese investment in Afghanistan to date stands as the largest foreign investment in the country.</p>

<p>Three Chinese state-owned companies have invested in Afghanistan&rsquo;s lucrative mining sector after it was opened to foreign investors in 2007. Afghanistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Mining and Petroleum signed the contract with a consortium of Chinese state-owned companies &mdash; the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) and Jiangxi Copper Company Limited (JCCL) &mdash; for the exploitation of the Mes Aynak, the world&rsquo;s second-largest copper deposits, in Logar province in 2008.</p>

<p>The other major Chinese investment in Afghanistan is in hydrocarbons. Based on a contract signed in 2011, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its Afghan partner, Watan Oil and Gas, secured the exploration, development and production of the three blocks of hydrocarbon deposits of Amu Darya basin in Sar-e-Pol and Faryab provinces of Afghanistan.</p>

<p>According to data by the Afghan Central Statistic Organisation, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan has surged from $432 million in 2008-09 to $1.09 billion in 2016-17, an increase of 153 per cent. Given this upsurge, the future of economic cooperation seems promising. This is further encouraged by connectivity that was recently established between the two countries with the opening of a railway in 2016. Similarly, Tajikistan and Pakistan have close economic and trade relations between themselves and also with Afghanistan (discussed here, here and here), which will benefit further from better and shorter trade routes among them.</p>

<p><strong>Neighbours with benefits</strong></p>

<p>There are three main advantages of building infrastructure through Wakhan corridor.</p>

<p>First, the inhabitants of the Pamir Knot &mdash; encompassing Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan, Wakhan District in Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, Kashgar in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan &mdash; share a common history, culture, religion and geography.</p>

<p>People in this enclave have been isolated from wider civilisations for centuries. Moreover, the border areas among these four countries are widely underdeveloped and economically insecure. Their primary sources of livelihood have been livestock husbandry and, to some extent, agriculture. According to a 2008 report, the literacy rate in Wakhan district hardly reaches 5 per cent.</p>

<p>The foremost advantage of building infrastructure in this region would be to bring change in the life and livelihood of the local population. Their access to markets and cities would help them sell their products, get access to education and find alternative sources of income. Regional investment in infrastructure and trade would provide locals with reliable sources of employment, rejuvenating these people&rsquo;s historical ties to the ancient Silk Road.</p>

<p>Second, connecting the bordering countries and facilitating economic integration through better infrastructure would lead to more stability and security in the region. Better customs controls and the deployment of border guards, as well as control of the illegal cross-border trafficking, would encourage legal exchange and cooperation.</p>

<p>Indirectly, the integration of the border areas would strengthen local development and lead to an increase in the economic well-being of the local population, which would lead to more secure and stabilised border regions.</p>

<p>Finally, linking the Wakhan corridor to the Karakorum Highway would provide the shortest route for China to reach its mega projects in Afghanistan, and for the Afghans to access the vast Chinese market. The north-south expansion of the corridor would help landlocked Tajikistan to get access to Pakistan&rsquo;s ports, allowing the Pakistanis to reach the resource-rich Central Asian republics by traversing Afghanistan through the shortest possible route.</p>

<p>If built, the Wakhan corridor would be the least costly trade route between China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan compared to the current alternatives. This should compel the four countries to transform this land buffer into a bridge between them.</p>

<p>Currently, CPEC benefits Pakistan and China, but it can be easily extended to include Afghanistan and Tajikistan. If the Wakhan route is connected to the CPEC, it would undoubtedly boost trade and transform the economic outlook for the entire region.</p>

<p>Political bottlenecks and security fears should not hold back economic progress and regional prosperity. It would be in the best interest of the region as a whole to develop more projects like CPEC and Chabahar, with regional integration and economic cooperation in mind. These megaprojects, linked together in good faith, could reinforce and facilitate trade and transit in the region with the lowest possible costs and numerous benefits.</p>

<p>This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/central_south_asia/wakhan-corridor-china-pakistan-afghanistan-tajikistan-world-trade-news-81661/" rel="nofollow">article</a> has been originally published in <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/" rel="nofollow">Fair Observer</a>.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>

<p>Image Credit: Iryna Hromotska</p>


The connection of Wakhan route to the CPEC would undoubtedly boost trade and transform the economic outlook for the entire region

China, an economic giant, has started the move to revitalise the ancient Silk Road. Its ambitious Belt and Road (B&R) initiative, which includes plans for a Silk Road economic belt and the 21st-century maritime Silk Road, aims to connect continental Asia, Europe and Africa. The project has an estimated investment requirement of $5 trillion in infrastructure across 65 countries. A major B&R investment in South Asia is the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which connects the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of China to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. An important part of the CPEC is the reconstruction and upgrading of the Karakorum Highway, a 1,300 km paved roadway across the Karakoram Mountains connecting Kashgar to Abbottabad. The highway, which first opened to traffic in 1986, serves as an important trade and transit corridor between China and Pakistan. It has shortened the distance between China and the Middle East from 15,900 km via the Malacca Strait to a 3,700 km land route through the Khunjarab pass. Between China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan, inside the Pamir Knot, lies the Wakhan corridor. This strip of land sandwiched between the four countries was created as a buffer between the territories of British India and Tsarist Russia in the 19th century, which was then formally demarcated between the Kingdom of Afghanistan and the Chinese People’s Republic in November 1963. The Wakhan corridor has historically been an important transit path of the ancient Silk Road route. According to Alexander Farhad, in the fourth and fifth centuries, the passes across the Pamir led Chinese pilgrims to the Buddhist centres in today’s Afghanistan and India and were used by Persian merchants to sell their goods in the Chinese market. Nazif Shahrani, in his The Kirghiz and Wakhi of Afghanistan: Adaptation to Closed Frontiers and War, maintains that until the collapse of Mughal Empire in India, Wakhan was one of the main routes for traders and merchants between India, China and major cities like Bactria and Bukhara in modern-day Afghanistan and Central Asia. It was due to the rapidly developing use of sea routes by Westerners to reach India and China in the late 15th century that the importance of the ancient Silk Road from Rome to China went into decline. Geographic complexity Given the geography of the Pamir Mountains, building infrastructure in the Wakhan could be difficult and costly. However, there are many instances of projects that have been successfully completed in the similar and even more geographically complex terrains of the region. The Karakorum Mountains, into which the Karakorum Highway was built (using 1960s and 1970s technology, taking 20 years to complete), and the Pamir Mountains where the Wakhan corridor lies are in the same area with similar topography. A nutshell comparison of these areas indicates that the feasibility of infrastructure in Wakhan is increasingly viable given the road and tunnel-building technologies available in China today. The cost of the 400 km Wakhan project would be trivial compared to the $794-million upgrade of the Karakorum Highway or the $4.2 billion for the 1,600 km China-Tibet railway that opened in 2006. If such mega projects could be built on the roof of the world way back in the late 1970s and early 2000s, there is no reason to perceive geographic complexity as a barrier to building connectivity via Wakhan. According to a report, the trilateral agreement was signed in Dushanbe to connect Tajikistan and Pakistan via the Durah Pass during the tenure of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghanistan’s president from 1992 to 1996, after a feasibility survey to assess the best possible route that could connect Tajikistan and Pakistan. Although the decision has not yet found a practical implementation, all the countries have independently built infrastructures approaching the corridor in their respective territories over the past decade. These recent developments — which include the Lowari Tunnel Project, the first phase of the Chitral-Tajikistan highway completed in 2017; the five bridges over the Panj River constructed since 2002; a road built west of Wakhan by the Chinese military in 2009; and roads connecting Ishkashim-Baharak to Faizabad and onward to Afghanistan’s ring road and the port of Hairatan — imply that all the countries are implicitly keen to develop this route. These recent improvements have made the possibility and prospect of building infrastructure through Wakhan itself much more feasible. What is currently missing is an initiative to open borders and collaborate. While geographical complexity has not been a barrier to the development of the infrastructure in Wakhan, security concerns and regional political play seem to be the major roadblocks on the way to the development of Wakhan. Local concerns China’s main security concern has been from the separatist movement in its Xinjiang autonomous region. The movement of terrorist groups and the possibility of them building links with Xinjiang separatists was enough of an impetus for Beijing to keep the border closed for decades. However, these concerns seem to be fading away due to China’s massive investments in the Xinjiang region, where employment opportunities and improving living standards have brought more stability and peace. Moreover, India, Afghanistan’s close regional ally, may not be happy with Kabul joining the CPEC. India opposes the Belt and Road initiative because of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, through which the CPEC passes, is a disputed territory between Delhi and Islamabad and it has blocked India’s direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Instead, India has invested in the trilateral Chabahar project with Iran and Afghanistan to compete with the CPEC. More importantly, India’s concern might be that the opening of Wakhjir pass, along with the already-opened Khunjarab pass, will give China the upper hand by enhancing its geopolitical and geo-economic dominance in the region. However, countries around the Wakhan corridor have good economic ties and mutual interest for further cooperation with each other. The geo-strategically important Wakhan route, if built, would be the most efficient and the shortest possible bridge in the region. This would further strengthen trade and personal contacts. Chinese investment in Afghanistan to date stands as the largest foreign investment in the country. Three Chinese state-owned companies have invested in Afghanistan’s lucrative mining sector after it was opened to foreign investors in 2007. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mining and Petroleum signed the contract with a consortium of Chinese state-owned companies — the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) and Jiangxi Copper Company Limited (JCCL) — for the exploitation of the Mes Aynak, the world’s second-largest copper deposits, in Logar province in 2008. The other major Chinese investment in Afghanistan is in hydrocarbons. Based on a contract signed in 2011, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its Afghan partner, Watan Oil and Gas, secured the exploration, development and production of the three blocks of hydrocarbon deposits of Amu Darya basin in Sar-e-Pol and Faryab provinces of Afghanistan. According to data by the Afghan Central Statistic Organisation, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan has surged from $432 million in 2008-09 to $1.09 billion in 2016-17, an increase of 153 per cent. Given this upsurge, the future of economic cooperation seems promising. This is further encouraged by connectivity that was recently established between the two countries with the opening of a railway in 2016. Similarly, Tajikistan and Pakistan have close economic and trade relations between themselves and also with Afghanistan (discussed here, here and here), which will benefit further from better and shorter trade routes among them. Neighbours with benefits There are three main advantages of building infrastructure through Wakhan corridor. First, the inhabitants of the Pamir Knot — encompassing Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan, Wakhan District in Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, Kashgar in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan — share a common history, culture, religion and geography. People in this enclave have been isolated from wider civilisations for centuries. Moreover, the border areas among these four countries are widely underdeveloped and economically insecure. Their primary sources of livelihood have been livestock husbandry and, to some extent, agriculture. According to a 2008 report, the literacy rate in Wakhan district hardly reaches 5 per cent. The foremost advantage of building infrastructure in this region would be to bring change in the life and livelihood of the local population. Their access to markets and cities would help them sell their products, get access to education and find alternative sources of income. Regional investment in infrastructure and trade would provide locals with reliable sources of employment, rejuvenating these people’s historical ties to the ancient Silk Road. Second, connecting the bordering countries and facilitating economic integration through better infrastructure would lead to more stability and security in the region. Better customs controls and the deployment of border guards, as well as control of the illegal cross-border trafficking, would encourage legal exchange and cooperation. Indirectly, the integration of the border areas would strengthen local development and lead to an increase in the economic well-being of the local population, which would lead to more secure and stabilised border regions. Finally, linking the Wakhan corridor to the Karakorum Highway would provide the shortest route for China to reach its mega projects in Afghanistan, and for the Afghans to access the vast Chinese market. The north-south expansion of the corridor would help landlocked Tajikistan to get access to Pakistan’s ports, allowing the Pakistanis to reach the resource-rich Central Asian republics by traversing Afghanistan through the shortest possible route. If built, the Wakhan corridor would be the least costly trade route between China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan compared to the current alternatives. This should compel the four countries to transform this land buffer into a bridge between them. Currently, CPEC benefits Pakistan and China, but it can be easily extended to include Afghanistan and Tajikistan. If the Wakhan route is connected to the CPEC, it would undoubtedly boost trade and transform the economic outlook for the entire region. Political bottlenecks and security fears should not hold back economic progress and regional prosperity. It would be in the best interest of the region as a whole to develop more projects like CPEC and Chabahar, with regional integration and economic cooperation in mind. These megaprojects, linked together in good faith, could reinforce and facilitate trade and transit in the region with the lowest possible costs and numerous benefits. This article has been originally published in Fair Observer. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: Iryna Hromotska

Opinion: Wakhan corridor brings China, Pakistan & Afghanistan closer

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/hafiz-saeed-released-no-longer-under-house-arrest-in-pakistan-24840">Hafiz Saeed to be released from house arrest in Pakistan</a></p>

<p>Hafiz Saeed is to be released from house arrest in Pakistan after a &nbsp;Judicial Review Board of Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province refused Wednesday to extend his detention for another three months.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmavati-row-after-madhya-pradesh-gujarat-bans-the-film-24851">Padmavati row: After Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat bans the film</a></p>

<p>Padmavati will not be screened in Gujarat. The chief minister of the state, Vijay Rupani, on Wednesday, stated that the home department of the state had decided to ban the film to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state which is headed for an election.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-successfully-test-fires-brahmos-missile-from-sukhoi-30-fighter-jet-24828">Watch: India successfully test-fires BrahMos missile from Sukhoi-30 fighter jet</a></p>

<p>India successfully test-fired the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from the Indian Air Force&#39;s Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet for the first time today. The test-flight will significantly increase the IAF&#39;s air combat operations capability, the defence ministry said.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mladic-sentenced-to-life-for-bosnia-genocide-war-crimes-24845">Ratklo</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mladic-sentenced-to-life-for-bosnia-genocide-war-crimes-24845"> Mladic, &#39;Butcher of Bosnia&#39;, sentenced to life for genocide</a></p>

<p>UN judges Wednesday sentenced former Bosnian Serbian commander Ratko Mladic to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of genocide and war crimes in the brutal Balkans conflicts over two decades ago.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-slams-wrong-us-sanctions-on-north-korea-tied-chinese-firms-24838">China slams &#39;wrong&#39; US sanctions on North Korea-tied Chinese firms</a></p>

<p>China on Wednesday rejected new United States sanctions targeting Chinese traders doing business with North Korea as &quot;wrong&quot;, stressing that it has enforced UN sanctions over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear provocations.</p>


Hafiz Saeed to be released from house arrest in Pakistan Hafiz Saeed is to be released from house arrest in Pakistan after a Judicial Review Board of Pakistan's Punjab province refused Wednesday to extend his detention for another three months. Padmavati row: After Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat bans the film Padmavati will not be screened in Gujarat. The chief minister of the state, Vijay Rupani, on Wednesday, stated that the home department of the state had decided to ban the film to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state which is headed for an election. Watch: India successfully test-fires BrahMos missile from Sukhoi-30 fighter jet India successfully test-fired the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet for the first time today. The test-flight will significantly increase the IAF's air combat operations capability, the defence ministry said. Ratklo Mladic, 'Butcher of Bosnia', sentenced to life for genocide UN judges Wednesday sentenced former Bosnian Serbian commander Ratko Mladic to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of genocide and war crimes in the brutal Balkans conflicts over two decades ago. China slams 'wrong' US sanctions on North Korea-tied Chinese firms China on Wednesday rejected new United States sanctions targeting Chinese traders doing business with North Korea as "wrong", stressing that it has enforced UN sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear provocations.

WION evening news brief, November 22, 2017

<p>As political unrest in Pakistan worsens, it has reached out to China for help to&nbsp;build up the Pakistani army.</p>

<p>According to a report published in The Nation newspaper, China has expressed willingness to establish a common community of destiny for Pakistan.</p>

<p>The development comes against the backdrop of a meeting between top generals of the two countries&nbsp;on Saturday.</p>

<p>The meeting, which was held at the Bayi Military Building in Beijing, was presided over by General Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department under the Central Military Commission (CMC), from the Chinese side, and Lt Gen Bilal Akbar, Army`s Chief of General Staff, from the Pakistani side.</p>

<p>According to the report, General Li conveyed to Pakistani General &quot;the consensus reached between President Xi and Pakistani leaders, the Chinese Army will continue close communication with Pakistan, deepen exchange and cooperation in various fields such as training and equipment, jointly combating terrorism, safeguard common interests and safeguard regional security and stability.&quot;</p>

<p>On the other hand, Lt Gen Akbar said the 19th session of the Chinese Communist Party chalked out a clear roadmap for China&#39;s future development and prosperity, adding that Islamabad would be willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Beijing, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and jointly cope with regional security challenges.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the two-day meeting of 7th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) began in Islamabad&nbsp;on Monday.</p>

<p>The agenda of the meeting is to deliberate on various projects being carried out under CPEC.</p>

<p>The multi-billion dollar project has been hailed as one that would &quot;brighten the future of Pakistan,&quot; and pave a way for it to enter the phase of industrial cooperation.</p>

<p>On a related note, the official meeting of 7th JCC is slated to be held today, as per Ministry of Planning and Development spokesman Asim Khan.</p>


The development comes against the backdrop of a meeting between top generals of the two countries?on Saturday

As political unrest in Pakistan worsens, it has reached out to China for help to build up the Pakistani army. According to a report published in The Nation newspaper, China has expressed willingness to establish a common community of destiny for Pakistan. The development comes against the backdrop of a meeting between top generals of the two countries on Saturday. The meeting, which was held at the Bayi Military Building in Beijing, was presided over by General Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department under the Central Military Commission (CMC), from the Chinese side, and Lt Gen Bilal Akbar, Army`s Chief of General Staff, from the Pakistani side. According to the report, General Li conveyed to Pakistani General "the consensus reached between President Xi and Pakistani leaders, the Chinese Army will continue close communication with Pakistan, deepen exchange and cooperation in various fields such as training and equipment, jointly combating terrorism, safeguard common interests and safeguard regional security and stability." On the other hand, Lt Gen Akbar said the 19th session of the Chinese Communist Party chalked out a clear roadmap for China's future development and prosperity, adding that Islamabad would be willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Beijing, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and jointly cope with regional security challenges. Meanwhile, the two-day meeting of 7th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) began in Islamabad on Monday. The agenda of the meeting is to deliberate on various projects being carried out under CPEC. The multi-billion dollar project has been hailed as one that would "brighten the future of Pakistan," and pave a way for it to enter the phase of industrial cooperation. On a related note, the official meeting of 7th JCC is slated to be held today, as per Ministry of Planning and Development spokesman Asim Khan.

Pakistan reaches out to China for help to build up army

<p>A leading rights group warned Tuesday of shrinking press freedom in Pakistan&#39;s troubled southwest a month after a series of media outlets restricted activities following threats from militants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Journalists in Balochistan province said they were approached earlier this year by intelligence agencies who asked them to stop publishing statements by Baloch separatist groups.</p>

<p>After they did so the insurgents warned newspapers and private television channels of dire consequences for halting coverage of their activities.</p>

<p>The situation remains tense in the province where newspaper distribution is confined to 18 out of 34 districts, large areas where the militants have little to no presence.</p>

<p>&quot;In an already coercive environment where there are numerous restraints and threats to freedom of expression, the current suspension of newspapers only further exacerbates the situation,&quot; Mehdi Hassan, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;In the prevailing circumstances, HRCP calls on all sides to immediately desist from any activities that directly threaten journalists, newspaper employees and hawkers and their livelihoods.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan is routinely ranked among the world&#39;s most unsafe countries for reporters, and Amnesty International has singled out Balochistan for the deadly pressure journalists face there.</p>

<p>Rights groups say activists and journalists often find themselves caught between the security establishment and militant groups.</p>

<p>Reporting critical of security policies controlled by the powerful military is also considered a major red flag, with reporters at times detained, beaten and even killed.</p>

<p>As a result, while the Pakistani media is nominally free and noisy, many practices an unofficial form of self-censorship.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is Pakistan&#39;s most restive province and afflicted by Islamist militancy and sectarian violence as well as the separatist insurgency.</p>

<p>According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), around 40 journalists have been murdered in the province since the start of the current conflict in 2006.</p>


Journalists in Balochistan province said they were approached earlier this year by intelligence agencies who asked them to stop publishing statements by Baloch separatist groups

A leading rights group warned Tuesday of shrinking press freedom in Pakistan's troubled southwest a month after a series of media outlets restricted activities following threats from militants. Journalists in Balochistan province said they were approached earlier this year by intelligence agencies who asked them to stop publishing statements by Baloch separatist groups. After they did so the insurgents warned newspapers and private television channels of dire consequences for halting coverage of their activities. The situation remains tense in the province where newspaper distribution is confined to 18 out of 34 districts, large areas where the militants have little to no presence. "In an already coercive environment where there are numerous restraints and threats to freedom of expression, the current suspension of newspapers only further exacerbates the situation," Mehdi Hassan, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said in a statement. "In the prevailing circumstances, HRCP calls on all sides to immediately desist from any activities that directly threaten journalists, newspaper employees and hawkers and their livelihoods." Pakistan is routinely ranked among the world's most unsafe countries for reporters, and Amnesty International has singled out Balochistan for the deadly pressure journalists face there. Rights groups say activists and journalists often find themselves caught between the security establishment and militant groups. Reporting critical of security policies controlled by the powerful military is also considered a major red flag, with reporters at times detained, beaten and even killed. As a result, while the Pakistani media is nominally free and noisy, many practices an unofficial form of self-censorship. Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is Pakistan's most restive province and afflicted by Islamist militancy and sectarian violence as well as the separatist insurgency. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), around 40 journalists have been murdered in the province since the start of the current conflict in 2006.

Pakistan rights group warns of media curbs in Balcohistan

<p>At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said.</p>

<p>Five people were injured in the accident in Khairpur district in Sindh province.</p>

<p>A senior district police official said the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle.</p>

<p>&quot;The van (was) buried under the coal and at least 17 people including children and women died on the spot,&quot; Azfar Mahesar told AFP.</p>

<p>Eight injured people were rushed to hospital but three subsequently died, said hospital doctor Ghulam Jafar.</p>

<p>Several of the bodies were badly crushed by the coal and so far just 10 have been identified, he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan has one of the world&#39;s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.</p>


At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said

At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said. Five people were injured in the accident in Khairpur district in Sindh province. A senior district police official said the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle. "The van (was) buried under the coal and at least 17 people including children and women died on the spot," Azfar Mahesar told AFP. Eight injured people were rushed to hospital but three subsequently died, said hospital doctor Ghulam Jafar. Several of the bodies were badly crushed by the coal and so far just 10 have been identified, he added. Pakistan has one of the world's worst records for fatal traffic accidents, due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

20 killed as truck topples onto van in Pakistan

<p>The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah was trying to push the country into communalism.</p>

<p>Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Gopal Krishna Agarwal said that Farooq should make statements under the parliamentary law as he is a member of the same.</p>

<p>&quot;I am not able to understand what language is Farooq Abdullah speaking and with what thoughts. He should talk under the parliamentary law as he is a member of the same. He is trying to push the country into communalism,&quot; Agarwal said.</p>

<p>In a blistering attack at the BJP, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah accused the saffron party of dividing India on the basis of religion.</p>

<p>&quot;BJP leaders in UP give speeches and threaten Muslims that if you don&#39;t vote for us (BJP), we&#39;ll show you... India belongs to everyone, be they Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian. And it is their right to freely vote for whoever they want to. You can&#39;t force anyone,&quot; Abdullah said at a gathering in Jammu.</p>

<p>Abdullah further said, &quot;You have made one Pakistan, how many more Pakistans will you make? How many more pieces will you cut India into?&quot;</p>

<p>He further reiterated his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pok-is-part-of-pakistan-farooq-abdullah-23989">Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)</a> remark and said the disputed territory does not belong to India.</p>

<p>&quot;Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Earlier also, Farooq drew flak for saying that PoK belongs to Pakistan and the fact would not change no matter how many wars are fought over the issue.</p>


BJP leader Gopal Krishna Agarwal said that Farooq should make statements under the parliamentary law as he is a member of the same

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah was trying to push the country into communalism. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Gopal Krishna Agarwal said that Farooq should make statements under the parliamentary law as he is a member of the same. "I am not able to understand what language is Farooq Abdullah speaking and with what thoughts. He should talk under the parliamentary law as he is a member of the same. He is trying to push the country into communalism," Agarwal said. In a blistering attack at the BJP, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah accused the saffron party of dividing India on the basis of religion. "BJP leaders in UP give speeches and threaten Muslims that if you don't vote for us (BJP), we'll show you... India belongs to everyone, be they Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian. And it is their right to freely vote for whoever they want to. You can't force anyone," Abdullah said at a gathering in Jammu. Abdullah further said, "You have made one Pakistan, how many more Pakistans will you make? How many more pieces will you cut India into?" He further reiterated his Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) remark and said the disputed territory does not belong to India. "Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily," he added. Earlier also, Farooq drew flak for saying that PoK belongs to Pakistan and the fact would not change no matter how many wars are fought over the issue.

Farooq trying to push country into communalism: BJP

<p>Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s daughter Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that the people who are conspiring against the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) will be defeated.</p>

<p>According to the Dawn news, Maryam, while talking to journalists during her visit to NA-120 constituency in Lahore, said that those &quot;conspiring against the PML-N will gain nothing except defeat&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;The party believes in politics of serving the people,&quot; she said. &quot;By the grace of Allah, we will win the 2018 general election.&quot;</p>

<p>Sharif&#39;s wife Kulsoom Nawaz had won the crucial NA-120 by-poll in September.</p>

<p>The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nawaz-sharifs-disqualification-murder-of-justice-daughter-23398">disqualified then prime minister Sharif</a> in Panamagate and instructed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file references in the regard.</p>

<p>The NAB presented two witnesses against Sharif, Maryam and son-in-law retired captain Muhammad Safdar in corruption references as the trial formally began on Wednesday.</p>

<p>The court began proceedings despite the Islamabad High Court (IHC) admitted Sharif&#39;s petition challenging the accountability court&#39;s refusal to club three separate references against him and fixed November 20 as the date for the next hearing.</p>


Sharif was indicted by an anti-graft court in three cases of corruption related to his investments abroad and in other offshore companies.

Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that the people who are conspiring against the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) will be defeated. According to the Dawn news, Maryam, while talking to journalists during her visit to NA-120 constituency in Lahore, said that those "conspiring against the PML-N will gain nothing except defeat". "The party believes in politics of serving the people," she said. "By the grace of Allah, we will win the 2018 general election." Sharif's wife Kulsoom Nawaz had won the crucial NA-120 by-poll in September. The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court disqualified then prime minister Sharif in Panamagate and instructed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file references in the regard. The NAB presented two witnesses against Sharif, Maryam and son-in-law retired captain Muhammad Safdar in corruption references as the trial formally began on Wednesday. The court began proceedings despite the Islamabad High Court (IHC) admitted Sharif's petition challenging the accountability court's refusal to club three separate references against him and fixed November 20 as the date for the next hearing.

Conspirators will gain nothing but defeat: Maryam Nawaz

<p>Unfazed by the legal cases and sharp criticism, former chief minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reiterated that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of Pakistan.</p>

<p>While addressing a gathering in Jammu today, Farooq Abdullah said &#39;that You have made one Pakistan, how many Pakistans will you make, how many pieces will you cut India into?&#39;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Jammu: Farooq Abdullah says, &#39;You have made one Pakistan, how many Pakistans will you make, how many pieces will you cut India into?&#39; <a href="https://t.co/LN3RV1Z5Up">pic.twitter.com/LN3RV1Z5Up</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931798888872263680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily.&quot; he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily: Farooq Abdullah in Jammu <a href="https://t.co/C2WkpowNji">pic.twitter.com/C2WkpowNji</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931801673739091969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He further stated that he is ready to face all legal cases against him.</p>

<p>The National Conference chief has given similar statements in the past, saying that PoK&nbsp;belongs to Pakistan and &quot;this won&#39;t change&quot; no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other.</p>

<p>A complaint has&nbsp;been filed in Delhi high court against Farooq Abdullah by a Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria on November 17.</p>

<p>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/complaint-filed-against-farooq-abdullah-and-rishi-kapoor-over-pok-comments-24477">Complaints filed against Farooq Abdullah and Rishi Kapoor over PoK comments</a></p>

<p>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pok-is-part-of-pakistan-farooq-abdullah-23989">&#39;PoK is part of Pakistan&#39;: Farooq Abdullah</a></p>


Unfazed by the legal cases and sharp criticism, former chief minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reiterated that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of Pakistan

Unfazed by the legal cases and sharp criticism, former chief minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reiterated that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of Pakistan. While addressing a gathering in Jammu today, Farooq Abdullah said 'that You have made one Pakistan, how many Pakistans will you make, how many pieces will you cut India into?' #WATCH Jammu: Farooq Abdullah says, 'You have made one Pakistan, how many Pakistans will you make, how many pieces will you cut India into?' pic.twitter.com/LN3RV1Z5Up — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × "Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily." he added. Yes, I say it (PoK) belongs to them (Pakistan). Are they (Pakistan) wearing bangles? They also have atom bombs! Do you want us to be killed by them? You are sitting in palaces, think about the poor people living in border areas, who are bombed daily: Farooq Abdullah in Jammu pic.twitter.com/C2WkpowNji — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × He further stated that he is ready to face all legal cases against him. The National Conference chief has given similar statements in the past, saying that PoK belongs to Pakistan and "this won't change" no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other. A complaint has been filed in Delhi high court against Farooq Abdullah by a Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria on November 17. Read more: Complaints filed against Farooq Abdullah and Rishi Kapoor over PoK comments Read more: 'PoK is part of Pakistan': Farooq Abdullah

'How many Pakistans will you make', reiterates Farooq Abdullah

<p>A Baloch delegation under the leadership of Professor Naela Quadri Baloch has urged the Canadian Government to help stop <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-forces-shot-dead-baloch-separatist-commander-involved-in-killing-of-15-men-in-province-24478">the genocide in Balochistan</a>.</p>

<p>The delegation met Canadian Member of Parliament Ron McKinnon on Friday.</p>

<p>They reportedly discussed the role of the Canadian government in attempting to stop the ongoing Baloch genocide and infiltration of state-sponsored religious terrorist groups in the pluralistic peaceful Baloch society.</p>

<p>The Baloch are facing religious and ethnic terrorism at the frontline, and the Baloch delegation felt it is the responsibility of the international community to support the Baloch in the name and spirit of global safety and security.</p>

<p>For decades, in Balochistan, economic exploitation through the plundering of natural resources, and the systematic economic, social and political exclusion of indigenous Baloch people, has become the norm.</p>

<p>In addition to this, enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression are used as covert tools to brutally repress the Baloch peaceful struggle for justice, rights, and equality.</p>

<p>Since the construction of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-turns-down-chinas-bid-to-include-diamer-bhasha-dam-in-cpec-24335"> the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)</a>has begun, the Baloch have been forcefully cleared, enforcedly disappeared and effectively excluded from the project at all levels - despite plentiful promises made by the Pakistani authorities of development and employment.</p>


The Baloch are facing religious and ethnic terrorism at the frontline, and the Baloch delegation felt it is the responsibility of the international community to support the Baloch in the name and spirit of global safety and security

A Baloch delegation under the leadership of Professor Naela Quadri Baloch has urged the Canadian Government to help stop the genocide in Balochistan. The delegation met Canadian Member of Parliament Ron McKinnon on Friday. They reportedly discussed the role of the Canadian government in attempting to stop the ongoing Baloch genocide and infiltration of state-sponsored religious terrorist groups in the pluralistic peaceful Baloch society. The Baloch are facing religious and ethnic terrorism at the frontline, and the Baloch delegation felt it is the responsibility of the international community to support the Baloch in the name and spirit of global safety and security. For decades, in Balochistan, economic exploitation through the plundering of natural resources, and the systematic economic, social and political exclusion of indigenous Baloch people, has become the norm. In addition to this, enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression are used as covert tools to brutally repress the Baloch peaceful struggle for justice, rights, and equality. Since the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)has begun, the Baloch have been forcefully cleared, enforcedly disappeared and effectively excluded from the project at all levels - despite plentiful promises made by the Pakistani authorities of development and employment.

Baloch delegates urge Canadian government to help stop genocide in Balochistan

<p>Massive anti-Pakistan protests broke out across Skardu in Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Economic activities in Gilgit Baltistan have come to a standstill after the entire region observed a &#39;&#39;shutter down&#39;&#39; protest against illegal taxation.</p>

<p>All small and big businesses on Saturday shut down indefinitely against unfair and unjust taxes imposed on them by Pakistan.</p>

<p>Several people in Skardu took to streets, shouted slogans against Pakistan, carried posters and banners.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Massive anti-Pakistan protests across Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Skardu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Skardu</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zwei7MZaKO">pic.twitter.com/Zwei7MZaKO</a></p>
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<p>According to sources, businessmen in Gilgit Baltistan have claimed that the protests will continue with the same vigor and zeal until Pakistan takes back the notification of taxes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Skardu: Businessmen in Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation say, we will carry on with the protests with same force and zeal until Pakistan withdraws notification of taxes. <a href="https://t.co/eX1zCLJjAz">pic.twitter.com/eX1zCLJjAz</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931728126496849921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The business community in Gilgit Baltistan believes Pakistan is imposing unfair and undue taxes on the impoverished people and poor traders of the occupied territory.</p>

<p>While addressing the crowd in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan, a protestor said that people of Gilgit Baltistan living in Karachi, Quetta, Lahore and other parts of Pakistan must &#39;be prepared,&#39; and warned that they will take on Islamabad next.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I urge people of Gilgit Baltistan living in Karachi , Quetta , Lahore and other parts of Pakistan, be prepared , we are going to take on Islamabad head on: Protester addressing a gathering in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan <a href="https://t.co/TTTl3S9q0a">pic.twitter.com/TTTl3S9q0a</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931728991387492352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Addressing a gathering in Skardu city, an angry protester asked, &quot;Will you pay taxes to Pakistan on chickens kept in your households? Will you pay taxes on cow kept at your house for milk?&quot;</p>

<p>On the taxation system, he said, &quot;Taxes are imposed on additional family members, if you have more than five family members, an additional tax needs to be paid.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;We will not pay taxes,&quot; the agitating traders declared.</p>

<p>Heavy taxes are being imposed on traders here time and again without providing basic fundamental rights, subsidy or constitutional status to the region. Taxes collected by the authorities were never spent on the development and welfare of Gilgit Baltistan, they alleged.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan government through an ordinance is imposing new taxes illegally,&quot; said a local businessman, adding, &quot;Until Pakistan withdraws notification of taxes we will carry on protests with same force and zeal.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;There is a principle in Islam, no rights no taxes, we have no representation so why pay taxes,&quot; said another.</p>

<p>The business community had alleged that when Pakistan&#39;s Supreme Court has declared the region as disputed territory, then Islamabad has no right to impose taxes and any kind of imposition of taxes is termed illegal and unacceptable.</p>

<p>Massive non-cooperation movement has been launched across the length and breadth of Gilgit Baltistan.</p>

<p>Scores of people are on the streets venting out anger against illegal tax regime imposed by Islamabad</p>

<p>Local traders sitting on indefinite strike pledged not to give any taxes to Pakistan saying they won&#39;t pay &#39;over the roof taxes&#39; to be spend on maintaining lavish lifestyles and luxuries of Pakistani politicians.</p>

<p>Islamabad is baffled by the scale of protests and shutter down protest.</p>

<p>Pakistani media is largely blacking out the massive protests and a section of media claims that protests will be called off after November 23.</p>


Protestors plan to take on Islamabad head on next.

Massive anti-Pakistan protests broke out across Skardu in Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation on Saturday. Economic activities in Gilgit Baltistan have come to a standstill after the entire region observed a ''shutter down'' protest against illegal taxation. All small and big businesses on Saturday shut down indefinitely against unfair and unjust taxes imposed on them by Pakistan. Several people in Skardu took to streets, shouted slogans against Pakistan, carried posters and banners. #WATCH: Massive anti-Pakistan protests across Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation #Skardu pic.twitter.com/Zwei7MZaKO — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × According to sources, businessmen in Gilgit Baltistan have claimed that the protests will continue with the same vigor and zeal until Pakistan takes back the notification of taxes. Skardu: Businessmen in Gilgit Baltistan against illegal taxation say, we will carry on with the protests with same force and zeal until Pakistan withdraws notification of taxes. pic.twitter.com/eX1zCLJjAz — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × The business community in Gilgit Baltistan believes Pakistan is imposing unfair and undue taxes on the impoverished people and poor traders of the occupied territory. While addressing the crowd in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan, a protestor said that people of Gilgit Baltistan living in Karachi, Quetta, Lahore and other parts of Pakistan must 'be prepared,' and warned that they will take on Islamabad next. I urge people of Gilgit Baltistan living in Karachi , Quetta , Lahore and other parts of Pakistan, be prepared , we are going to take on Islamabad head on: Protester addressing a gathering in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan pic.twitter.com/TTTl3S9q0a — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × Addressing a gathering in Skardu city, an angry protester asked, "Will you pay taxes to Pakistan on chickens kept in your households? Will you pay taxes on cow kept at your house for milk?" On the taxation system, he said, "Taxes are imposed on additional family members, if you have more than five family members, an additional tax needs to be paid." "We will not pay taxes," the agitating traders declared. Heavy taxes are being imposed on traders here time and again without providing basic fundamental rights, subsidy or constitutional status to the region. Taxes collected by the authorities were never spent on the development and welfare of Gilgit Baltistan, they alleged. "Pakistan government through an ordinance is imposing new taxes illegally," said a local businessman, adding, "Until Pakistan withdraws notification of taxes we will carry on protests with same force and zeal." "There is a principle in Islam, no rights no taxes, we have no representation so why pay taxes," said another. The business community had alleged that when Pakistan's Supreme Court has declared the region as disputed territory, then Islamabad has no right to impose taxes and any kind of imposition of taxes is termed illegal and unacceptable. Massive non-cooperation movement has been launched across the length and breadth of Gilgit Baltistan. Scores of people are on the streets venting out anger against illegal tax regime imposed by Islamabad Local traders sitting on indefinite strike pledged not to give any taxes to Pakistan saying they won't pay 'over the roof taxes' to be spend on maintaining lavish lifestyles and luxuries of Pakistani politicians. Islamabad is baffled by the scale of protests and shutter down protest. Pakistani media is largely blacking out the massive protests and a section of media claims that protests will be called off after November 23.

Massive anti-Pakistan protest across Gilgit Baltistan area against illegal taxation

<p>Pakistan on Saturday confirmed that India&#39;s response to Pakistan&#39;s &#39;Humanitarian offer&#39; for former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was received and is being considered.</p>

<p>&quot;Indian Reply to Pakistan&#39;s Humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received and is being considered,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indian Reply to Pakistan&#39;s Humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received &amp; is being considered</p>
&mdash; Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/931822905448640514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier, the Pakistan Government had decided to arrange a meeting of Jadhav with his wife, purely on humanitarian grounds.</p>

<p>A Note Verbale, a diplomatic note that is drafted in the third person and is unsigned, in this regard had been sent to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.</p>

<p>Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan, Pakistan, over charges of alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities for India&#39;s intelligence agency - the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).</p>

<p>India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.</p>

<p>On April 10, 2017, Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) in Pakistan.</p>

<p>On May 18, 2017, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the hanging, after India approached it against the death sentence.</p>

<p>India has appealed to the court to impose emergency measures for Jadhav&#39;s execution to be suspended until the legal battle in Hague concludes, while also accusing Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access and for being in breach of international human rights law.</p>

<p>To this end, India&#39;s written response was submitted to registrar Philippe Couvreur of the ICJ. Pakistan will submit counter-memorial on or before December 13, 2017.&nbsp;</p>


Earlier, the Pakistan Government had decided to arrange a meeting of Jadhav with his wife, purely on humanitarian grounds

Pakistan on Saturday confirmed that India's response to Pakistan's 'Humanitarian offer' for former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was received and is being considered. "Indian Reply to Pakistan's Humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received and is being considered," Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted. Indian Reply to Pakistan's Humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received & is being considered — Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) November 18, 2017 × Earlier, the Pakistan Government had decided to arrange a meeting of Jadhav with his wife, purely on humanitarian grounds. A Note Verbale, a diplomatic note that is drafted in the third person and is unsigned, in this regard had been sent to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan, Pakistan, over charges of alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities for India's intelligence agency - the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. On April 10, 2017, Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) in Pakistan. On May 18, 2017, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the hanging, after India approached it against the death sentence. India has appealed to the court to impose emergency measures for Jadhav's execution to be suspended until the legal battle in Hague concludes, while also accusing Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access and for being in breach of international human rights law. To this end, India's written response was submitted to registrar Philippe Couvreur of the ICJ. Pakistan will submit counter-memorial on or before December 13, 2017.

Pakistan says considering India's response on 'humanitarian offer' for Kulbhushan Jadhav

<p>Pakistani security forces have shot dead a Baloch militant involved in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/15-bullet-ridden-bodies-of-kidnap-victims-found-in-pakistan-24302" target="_blank">killing of 15 men in Balochistan province</a> this week.</p>

<p>Younis Taukali was killed by paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) near Turbat where 15 bullet-riddled bodies were found on Wednesday, the military&#39;s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.</p>

<p>The dead hailed from Punjab and were trying to illegally travel to Europe via Iran.</p>

<p>Taukali was one of the top commanders of the separatist Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) which has been declared a terrorist group by Pakistan.</p>

<p>He was also involved in attacking FC convoys with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and was wanted for multiple killings, the ISPR said.</p>

<p>Baloch nationalists blame the Pakistani government for exploiting the natural resources of the country&#39;s largest province and often target government installations and security forces.</p>


Younis Taukali was killed by paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) near Turbat where 15 bullet-riddled bodies were found on Wednesday, the military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said

Pakistani security forces have shot dead a Baloch militant involved in the killing of 15 men in Balochistan province this week. Younis Taukali was killed by paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) near Turbat where 15 bullet-riddled bodies were found on Wednesday, the military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The dead hailed from Punjab and were trying to illegally travel to Europe via Iran. Taukali was one of the top commanders of the separatist Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) which has been declared a terrorist group by Pakistan. He was also involved in attacking FC convoys with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and was wanted for multiple killings, the ISPR said. Baloch nationalists blame the Pakistani government for exploiting the natural resources of the country's largest province and often target government installations and security forces.

15 bullet-ridden bodies found: Pakistan forces shoot dead Baloch separatist commander suspected of killings

<p>Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today said that the military was always ready to deal with any kind of &quot;perpetual threat&quot; on its eastern border including the LoC with India.</p>

<p>The Chief of Army Staff visited the Rawalpindi Corps headquarters where he was briefed on the prevailing situation along the Line of Control (LoC)/the Line of Actual Contact (LAC) and operational preparedness, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), army&#39;s media wing, said in a statement.</p>

<p>&quot;Expressing satisfaction on the response to India&#39;s ceasefire violations, Bajwa said that there cannot be any let up for our preparedness for the response against perpetual threat on our eastern border including LOC/LAC,&quot; the ISPR said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, China&#39;s Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs Deng Xijun called on Bajwa at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.</p>

<p>Matters of mutual interest including regional security with particular emphasis on Pak-Afghan border management and counter-terrorism efforts were discussed, the ISPR added.&nbsp;</p>


The Chief of Army Staff visited the Rawalpindi Corps headquarters where he was briefed on the prevailing situation along the Line of Control (LoC)/the Line of Actual Contact (LAC) and operational preparedness, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), army's media wing, said in a statement

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today said that the military was always ready to deal with any kind of "perpetual threat" on its eastern border including the LoC with India. The Chief of Army Staff visited the Rawalpindi Corps headquarters where he was briefed on the prevailing situation along the Line of Control (LoC)/the Line of Actual Contact (LAC) and operational preparedness, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), army's media wing, said in a statement. "Expressing satisfaction on the response to India's ceasefire violations, Bajwa said that there cannot be any let up for our preparedness for the response against perpetual threat on our eastern border including LOC/LAC," the ISPR said. Meanwhile, China's Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs Deng Xijun called on Bajwa at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Matters of mutual interest including regional security with particular emphasis on Pak-Afghan border management and counter-terrorism efforts were discussed, the ISPR added.

Pakistan ready to deal with threat on eastern border: Army chief

<p>National Conference leader and former <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-court-orders-to-file-fir-against-farooq-abdullah-on-charges-of-treason-24146" target="_blank">chief minister Farooq Abdullah</a>&#39;s remarks&nbsp;over Pok is drawing a lot of ire.</p>

<p>Days after a lawyer in Bihar approached a court over his remarks, a Jammu based social activist has also filed a complaint with a district magistrate.</p>

<p>The Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria has not only filed a complaint against him but also against Rishi Kapoor.</p>

<p>The National Conference president Farooq Abdullah&nbsp;had&nbsp;said earlier that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pok-is-part-of-pakistan-farooq-abdullah-23989" target="_blank">Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to Pakistan</a> and &quot;this won&#39;t change&quot; no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other. On the demand for autonomy, he said that while the state decided to join India out of love, the country &quot;betrayed&quot; the people of Kashmir and &quot;did not treat them well&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;We should understand that there has been a decision (of accession), but India didn&#39;t treat us well. India betrayed us. They did not recognise the love with which we chose to join them. That is the reason behind the current situation in Kashmir,&quot; Abdullah told a news agency.</p>

<p>&quot;Internal autonomy is our right. They (Centre) should restore it. Only then the peace will return (to the Valley),&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Responding to him actor Rishi Kapoor tweeted &quot;Totally agree with you, sir. J&amp;K is ours, and PoK is theirs.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Farooq Abdhulla ji, Salaam! Totally agree with you,sir. J&amp;K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem. Accept it, I am 65 years old and I want to see Pakistan before I die. I want my children to see their roots. Bas karva Dijiye. Jai Mata Di !</p>
&mdash; Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) <a href="https://twitter.com/chintskap/status/929429458188091392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The petition by the Jammu based social activist seeks action under section 196 of CrPc which deals with prosecution for offences against the State and for criminal conspiracy to commit such offence.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria filed a complaint with District Magistrate against Dr.Farooq Abdullah and Actor Rishi Kapoor for their remarks on PoK. Seeks action under section 196 of CrPC <a href="https://t.co/yb01tsFgyc">pic.twitter.com/yb01tsFgyc</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931476630903562241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>A petition against Abdullah was also filed in Delhi High Court.</p>

<p>The plea is likely to be heard on November 20.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A petition has also been filed in Delhi High Court against Dr. Farooq Abdullah for his PoK comment. High Court is likely to hear the matter on November 20 <a href="https://t.co/3MKvUs0ius">pic.twitter.com/3MKvUs0ius</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931488862244704258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Complaints were filed against Abdullah in Bihar, Jammu and Delhi

National Conference leader and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah's remarks over Pok is drawing a lot of ire. Days after a lawyer in Bihar approached a court over his remarks, a Jammu based social activist has also filed a complaint with a district magistrate. The Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria has not only filed a complaint against him but also against Rishi Kapoor. The National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had said earlier that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to Pakistan and "this won't change" no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other. On the demand for autonomy, he said that while the state decided to join India out of love, the country "betrayed" the people of Kashmir and "did not treat them well". "We should understand that there has been a decision (of accession), but India didn't treat us well. India betrayed us. They did not recognise the love with which we chose to join them. That is the reason behind the current situation in Kashmir," Abdullah told a news agency. "Internal autonomy is our right. They (Centre) should restore it. Only then the peace will return (to the Valley)," he added. Responding to him actor Rishi Kapoor tweeted "Totally agree with you, sir. J&K is ours, and PoK is theirs." Farooq Abdhulla ji, Salaam! Totally agree with you,sir. J&K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem. Accept it, I am 65 years old and I want to see Pakistan before I die. I want my children to see their roots. Bas karva Dijiye. Jai Mata Di ! — Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) November 11, 2017 × The petition by the Jammu based social activist seeks action under section 196 of CrPc which deals with prosecution for offences against the State and for criminal conspiracy to commit such offence. Jammu based social activist Sukesh Khajuria filed a complaint with District Magistrate against Dr.Farooq Abdullah and Actor Rishi Kapoor for their remarks on PoK. Seeks action under section 196 of CrPC pic.twitter.com/yb01tsFgyc — ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2017 × A petition against Abdullah was also filed in Delhi High Court. The plea is likely to be heard on November 20. A petition has also been filed in Delhi High Court against Dr. Farooq Abdullah for his PoK comment. High Court is likely to hear the matter on November 20 pic.twitter.com/3MKvUs0ius — ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2017 ×

Complaints filed against Farooq Abdullah and Rishi Kapoor over PoK comments

<p>Mehran Marri, a key leader of the Balochistan&nbsp;has been detained by the Swiss authorities at the Zurich airport.</p>

<p>Mehran Marri, the president of the Baluchistan House tweeted from the airport saying, &quot;Friends, I have been detained at Zurich Airport for the last few hours and feel I am under arrest by Swiss authorities on request of the Pakistan Govt. My wife and children are also with me in detention. Don&#39;t worry, being detained is nothing new for the Baloch...&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Friends, I have been detained at Zurich Airport for the last few hours and feel I am under arrest by Swiss authorities on request of the Pakistan Govt.<br />
<br />
My wife and children are also with me in detention.<br />
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Don&#39;t worry, being detained is nothing new for the Baloch... (1/2)</p>
&mdash; Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehranMarri/status/931177642761605121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Adding, &quot;My father spent many years in far worse conditions, but never have up. The peaceful &amp; legal struggle for an independent #Balochistan free of Pakstani occupation shall continue no matter what the Punjabi generals &amp; babus of that excuse of a country plan. We&#39;ll persevere&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">(2/2)... My father spent many years in far worse conditions, but never have up.<br />
<br />
The peaceful &amp; legal struggle for an independent <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Balochistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Balochistan</a> free of Pakstani occupation shall continue no matter what the Punjabi generals &amp; babus of that excuse of a country plan. We&#39;ll persevere</p>
&mdash; Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehranMarri/status/931178588958871553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He further said, &quot;I have now been informed that I have been placed under a lifetime ban on entering Switzerland at the request of Islamabad. So much for the Geneva UNHRC being the world capital of human rights. I am still in detention at Zurich Airport with my wife and children. Stay tuned 4 more.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I hv now been informed that I have been placed under a lifetime ban on entering Switzerland at the request of Islamabad. So much for the Geneva UNHRC being the world capital of human rights.<br />
<br />
I am still in detention at Zurich Airport with my wife and children. Stay tuned 4 more</p>
&mdash; Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehranMarri/status/931179383888506880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another tweet of Mehran Marri read, &quot;If it had been Pakstan or China, I wd have shrugged it off, but i never imagined Swiss Authorities would take mug shots of my 4-yr-old and seven-year-old children as detainees. The long arm of the Pakistan&#39;s billionaire Army Generals sure reach far beyond their bank accounts.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If it had been Pakstan or China, I wd have shrugged it off, but i never imagined Swiss Authorities would take mug shots of my 4-yr-old and seven-year-old children as detainees.<br />
<br />
The long arm of the Pakistan&#39;s billionaire Army Generals sure reach far beyond their bank accounts.</p>
&mdash; Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehranMarri/status/931191422308495360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Youngest son of the late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Mehran Marri was traveling to Geneva to attend the Baloch unity moot called by his brother-in-law, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP).</p>

<p>Brahamdagh, who organised the meeting in Geneva, speaking to ANI on the detention, stated, &quot;It is sad and shocking for me that he was stopped and detained with his family and children.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;I am really shocked how a neutral country like Switzerland can do that. Mehran&#39;s visiting the country is not new,&quot; Brahamdagh said, adding that the former used to often visit Switzerland &quot;for last 15 years&quot;.</p>

<p>Baloch activist Bhawal Mengal also condemned the Pakistani military&#39;s &quot;malicious and desperate attempt&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;This is a malicious and desperate attempt by the Pakistani military establishment to malign and curtail the freedom of Baloch representatives, who are working to raise awareness on the worsening situation in Balochistan and Pakistan&#39;s crimes against humanity. Developed countries should not be intimidated by Pakistan, which has been an international sponsor of terrorism,&quot; Mengal said.</p>

<p>Other than Mehran Marri, his estranged elder brother Hyrbyair Marri, who heads the Free Balochistan Movement, was expected to attend the Baloch unity meeting, that begins this Saturday.</p>

<p>On a related note, Mehran and Hyrbyair Marri are active participants in the struggle for free Balochistan, while their eldest brothers Jangyz Marri, a provincial government minister and Gazain Marri, who ended his exile and returned to Pakistan in September, owe allegiance to the country.</p>


Youngest son of the late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Mehran Marri was travelling to Geneva to attend the Baloch unity moot called by his brother-in-law, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP).

Mehran Marri, a key leader of the Balochistan has been detained by the Swiss authorities at the Zurich airport. Mehran Marri, the president of the Baluchistan House tweeted from the airport saying, "Friends, I have been detained at Zurich Airport for the last few hours and feel I am under arrest by Swiss authorities on request of the Pakistan Govt. My wife and children are also with me in detention. Don't worry, being detained is nothing new for the Baloch..." Friends, I have been detained at Zurich Airport for the last few hours and feel I am under arrest by Swiss authorities on request of the Pakistan Govt. My wife and children are also with me in detention. Don't worry, being detained is nothing new for the Baloch... (1/2) — Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) November 16, 2017 × Adding, "My father spent many years in far worse conditions, but never have up. The peaceful & legal struggle for an independent #Balochistan free of Pakstani occupation shall continue no matter what the Punjabi generals & babus of that excuse of a country plan. We'll persevere" (2/2)... My father spent many years in far worse conditions, but never have up. The peaceful & legal struggle for an independent #Balochistan free of Pakstani occupation shall continue no matter what the Punjabi generals & babus of that excuse of a country plan. We'll persevere — Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) November 16, 2017 × He further said, "I have now been informed that I have been placed under a lifetime ban on entering Switzerland at the request of Islamabad. So much for the Geneva UNHRC being the world capital of human rights. I am still in detention at Zurich Airport with my wife and children. Stay tuned 4 more." I hv now been informed that I have been placed under a lifetime ban on entering Switzerland at the request of Islamabad. So much for the Geneva UNHRC being the world capital of human rights. I am still in detention at Zurich Airport with my wife and children. Stay tuned 4 more — Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) November 16, 2017 × Another tweet of Mehran Marri read, "If it had been Pakstan or China, I wd have shrugged it off, but i never imagined Swiss Authorities would take mug shots of my 4-yr-old and seven-year-old children as detainees. The long arm of the Pakistan's billionaire Army Generals sure reach far beyond their bank accounts." If it had been Pakstan or China, I wd have shrugged it off, but i never imagined Swiss Authorities would take mug shots of my 4-yr-old and seven-year-old children as detainees. The long arm of the Pakistan's billionaire Army Generals sure reach far beyond their bank accounts. — Mehran Marri (@MehranMarri) November 16, 2017 × Youngest son of the late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Mehran Marri was traveling to Geneva to attend the Baloch unity moot called by his brother-in-law, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP). Brahamdagh, who organised the meeting in Geneva, speaking to ANI on the detention, stated, "It is sad and shocking for me that he was stopped and detained with his family and children." "I am really shocked how a neutral country like Switzerland can do that. Mehran's visiting the country is not new," Brahamdagh said, adding that the former used to often visit Switzerland "for last 15 years". Baloch activist Bhawal Mengal also condemned the Pakistani military's "malicious and desperate attempt". "This is a malicious and desperate attempt by the Pakistani military establishment to malign and curtail the freedom of Baloch representatives, who are working to raise awareness on the worsening situation in Balochistan and Pakistan's crimes against humanity. Developed countries should not be intimidated by Pakistan, which has been an international sponsor of terrorism," Mengal said. Other than Mehran Marri, his estranged elder brother Hyrbyair Marri, who heads the Free Balochistan Movement, was expected to attend the Baloch unity meeting, that begins this Saturday. On a related note, Mehran and Hyrbyair Marri are active participants in the struggle for free Balochistan, while their eldest brothers Jangyz Marri, a provincial government minister and Gazain Marri, who ended his exile and returned to Pakistan in September, owe allegiance to the country.

Baloch leader Mehran Marri detained at Zurich airport with family

<p>A 1700-year-old Buddha has been discovered by archaeologists near Bhamala Stupa in Haripur district in Pakistan on Wednesday, as an initiative to&nbsp;uplift tourism and project religious harmony in the region.</p>

<p>The 48-foot high Kanjur stone Budhha was first found in Bhamala province in 1929. Eighty-eight years later, the statue was unearthed and unveiled in&nbsp;presence of the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf&nbsp;Imran Khan, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, along with the members of the media, looks on during the unveiling ceremony of the Buddhist-period archeological site. (Reuters)</p>
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<p>&ldquo;This is from the 3rd century AD, making it the world&rsquo;s oldest sleeping Buddha remains,&rdquo; Abdul Samad, director of Bhamla&rsquo;s archaeology and museums department, told Reuters.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We have discovered over 500 Buddha objects and this 48-foot-long sleeping Buddha remains,&rdquo; he added.</p>

<p>Opposition leader Imran Khan also said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a question of preserving these heritage sites which are an asset for our country.&rdquo;</p>

<p>These discoveries by archaeologists have given more insight into the history of the ancient Taxila Valley civilisation, reports stated.</p>

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<p>A general view of the main stupa is seen after it was discovered and unveiled to the public, during a ceremony at the Buddhist-period archeological site. (Reuters)</p>
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<p>The region was once the center of Buddhist civilization that took root under the Mauryan king Ashoka 2,300 years ago.&nbsp;</p>


The region was once the center of Buddhist civilization that took root under the Mauryan king Ashoka 2,300 years ago.

A 1700-year-old Buddha has been discovered by archaeologists near Bhamala Stupa in Haripur district in Pakistan on Wednesday, as an initiative to uplift tourism and project religious harmony in the region. The 48-foot high Kanjur stone Budhha was first found in Bhamala province in 1929. Eighty-eight years later, the statue was unearthed and unveiled in presence of the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan, reports said. Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, along with the members of the media, looks on during the unveiling ceremony of the Buddhist-period archeological site. (Reuters) × “This is from the 3rd century AD, making it the world’s oldest sleeping Buddha remains,” Abdul Samad, director of Bhamla’s archaeology and museums department, told Reuters. “We have discovered over 500 Buddha objects and this 48-foot-long sleeping Buddha remains,” he added. Opposition leader Imran Khan also said: “It’s a question of preserving these heritage sites which are an asset for our country.” These discoveries by archaeologists have given more insight into the history of the ancient Taxila Valley civilisation, reports stated. A general view of the main stupa is seen after it was discovered and unveiled to the public, during a ceremony at the Buddhist-period archeological site. (Reuters) × The region was once the center of Buddhist civilization that took root under the Mauryan king Ashoka 2,300 years ago.

Pakistan unveils oldest sleeping Buddha remains

<p>A Pakistani judicial board will decide on November 22 whether to extend JuD chief and the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed&#39;s house arrest or not, a court was told today.</p>

<p>A law officer of the Punjab provincial government during the hearing in Saeed&#39;s house arrest case told Lahore High Court Judge Qazi Amin Ahmed that the Punjab Judicial Review Board would decide this matter on November 21.</p>

<p>The LHC held the hearing on a petition filed by Saeed challenging the October 24 order of the Punjab&#39;s Home Department to extend his detention for another one month under a public safety law.</p>

<p>The court in the last hearing had issued a notice to the provincial government seeking reply on Saeed&#39;s detention. Accepting the law officer&#39;s request the LHC adjourned the hearing for November 22.</p>

<p>Last month, the Punjab Judicial Review Board had extended by 30-days Saeed&#39;s detention which will expire by the last week of this month.</p>

<p>On January 31, Saeed and his four aides Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. However, the last two extensions to his detention were made on the &#39;public safety law&#39;.</p>

<p>The board refused to extend the detention of Saeed&#39;s four aides. They were later set free in the last week of October.</p>

<p>Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to three months under different charges but to extend the detention, it needs approval from a judicial review board.</p>

<p>The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar- e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack.</p>

<p>The US has offered $10 million bounty for Saeed for his alleged role in the Mumbai attack.</p>


A law officer of the Punjab provincial government during the hearing in Saeed's house arrest case told Lahore High Court Judge Qazi Amin Ahmed that the Punjab Judicial Review Board would decide this matter on November 21

A Pakistani judicial board will decide on November 22 whether to extend JuD chief and the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's house arrest or not, a court was told today. A law officer of the Punjab provincial government during the hearing in Saeed's house arrest case told Lahore High Court Judge Qazi Amin Ahmed that the Punjab Judicial Review Board would decide this matter on November 21. The LHC held the hearing on a petition filed by Saeed challenging the October 24 order of the Punjab's Home Department to extend his detention for another one month under a public safety law. The court in the last hearing had issued a notice to the provincial government seeking reply on Saeed's detention. Accepting the law officer's request the LHC adjourned the hearing for November 22. Last month, the Punjab Judicial Review Board had extended by 30-days Saeed's detention which will expire by the last week of this month. On January 31, Saeed and his four aides Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. However, the last two extensions to his detention were made on the 'public safety law'. The board refused to extend the detention of Saeed's four aides. They were later set free in the last week of October. Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to three months under different charges but to extend the detention, it needs approval from a judicial review board. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar- e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack. The US has offered $10 million bounty for Saeed for his alleged role in the Mumbai attack.

Pakistan judicial board to decide next week on Saeed's detention case

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-claims-seven-soldiers-killed-in-ceasefire-violations-indian-army-denies-allegation-8778" target="_blank">Pakistan</a> troops again indulged in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-pakistan-troops-open-fire-in-poonch-no-casualties-reported-20974">ceasefire</a> violation in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning.</p>

<p>The country&#39;s army opened fire at the Indian army along the LOC in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-13-year-old-injured-in-ceasefire-violation-in-poonch-23220" target="_blank">Poonch</a> district.</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-poonch-indian-army-retaliates-19027" target="_blank">violation </a>has attracted heavy counter firing from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-indian-army-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-shelling-across-loc-18059" target="_blank">Indian army</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, and mortars from 0815 hours in Poonch sector along the Line of Control (LoC)&quot;, the spokesman said as reported by PTI.</p>

<p>The firing between the two armies is still underway.&nbsp;</p>


The violation has attracted heavy counter firing from the Indian army

The Pakistan troops again indulged in ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning. The country's army opened fire at the Indian army along the LOC in Poonch district. The violation has attracted heavy counter firing from the Indian army. "Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, and mortars from 0815 hours in Poonch sector along the Line of Control (LoC)", the spokesman said as reported by PTI. The firing between the two armies is still underway.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch

<p>The use of nuclear capability as insurance for its defence was cited as the main reason by every country, which added nuclear weapons to its armoury, ever since it was invented. It spiralled into a competition, which came under some control after the realisation of its devastation in Japan, and potentials of mutually assured destruction (MAD).</p>

<p>When Israel went nuclear, it developed a survival capability to dissuade all hostile neighbouring Arab countries. The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) required checking proliferation of nuclear weapon technology was selectively leaked by some irresponsible countries, leading to a situation where humanity suffers from a threat of nuclear blackmailing by states, as well as militants if tactical nukes accidentally fall into their hand. Interestingly, both countries accused of nuclear blackmailing happen to be Frontline states of China.</p>

<p><strong>North Korea</strong></p>

<p>When President Trump started his visit to Asia, after a series of provocative statements by the US and North Korea, it was being speculated that some concrete action plan will emerge in his handling of North Korea. During this marathon visit, as President Trump came closer to reality, it is quite clear now that it will end with no worthwhile option on the table, except the efforts to outsource the problem to China again, (which is also part of the problem) despite being disappointed earlier, with reasonable suspicion that it will not work.</p>

<p>North Korea has its own point of view for all its missiles/nuclear tests/ misadventures so far, which revolves around its own security concerns and survival of regime of Kim. It justifies it as a defensive measure against the backdrop of US threat of past regime changes efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other countries not following its dictate, as they happened to be Non-nuclear/incapable of threatening some part/colony of US.</p>

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<h5>North Korea has been able to create a capability which dissuades the strongest military power US (having all instruments of military deterrence) to take any military action.</h5>
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<p>The threat from US regional allies has also been given as an excuse. The Korean War is also an unforgettable historical event when the US might be used against them. The blackmailing part is that their leadership is ready to endanger lives of its own people, by continuing with nuclear tests, despite mountain collapsing, to save the current autocratic regime, using &lsquo;Hate America&rsquo; theme as the rallying point.</p>

<p>By doing so they expect that the world should behave on their terms to save lives of people of other countries, despite the risk of suicidal destruction of their own country, like in case of fidayeen attacks. Sanctions had little effect to the extent that North Korea is now signalling to be ready to talk to the US, but without preconditions.</p>

<p>The reality, therefore, is that by getting the missile and nuclear technology from some country/countries who would have obviously violated NPT, North Korea has been able to create a capability which dissuades the strongest military power US (having all instruments of military deterrence) to take any military action.&nbsp;It is also using its nuclear capability claims, to threaten Japan and South Korea and blackmail the US to talk without preconditions.</p>

<p><strong>Pakistan</strong></p>

<p>Pakistan has also been using this Nuclear Blackmailing/Dissuasion Theory against India for quite some time. It acquired nuclear and missile capability from some country/countries, which must have violated NPT at that time, and the world community ignored it. Today, Pakistan is hosting and training a maximum number of terrorist organisations in the world. It blatantly launches the proxy war against India through militants and has been able to dissuade India to use its conventional capability to prevent it, by nuclear blackmail/ threat to use nukes.</p>

<p>It has thus been able to prevent full use of hard power by India, against the inhuman use of proxy war by militants on innocent people; hence this theory seems to be working.</p>

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<h5>The danger of this technology passing into the hand of terrorists to share the technology and steal some fissile material, sufficient for mini nuke/ dirty bomb is not impossible in future.</h5>
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<p>It is surprising that the whole world rightly criticises North Korea, but not many are talking of Pakistani tactical nukes, despite the fact that the risk of tactical nuclear/dirty bomb sneaking to militants is much more from Pakistan. The stage is slowly setting in Pakistan, for the next level of terrorism with tactical nukes/dirty bombs.</p>

<p>The danger of this technology passing into the hand of terrorists by coercion of scientists/security personals/handlers, to share the technology and steal some fissile material, sufficient for mini nuke/ dirty bomb is not impossible in future.</p>

<p>The Nuclear Security Summit held in the US on 02 Apr 2016, exhibited grave concern of global powers, about the danger of mini-nukes falling in hands of terrorist organisations. A possibility of Pakistan covertly passing the tactical nuclear technology/ dirty bomb to terrorists to explode it in India, as part of a proxy war, and later deny it, is an option which cannot be ruled out, as its overt use by their Army may be difficult to be justified to the world community.</p>

<p><strong>Implications</strong></p>

<p>Despite best efforts a worthwhile solution to control unilateral missile and nuclear tests by North Korea has been found by World community, as the sanctions alone are unlikely to yield results, may be due to selective leakages.</p>

<p>A status quo in this regard will render world helpless, and it will become a new normal. Surprisingly, when newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister is talking of use of tactical nuclear weapons against India, not much criticism appeared on world media (perhaps many countries still feel that it is a local affair). Let me enumerate some of the implications of silent acceptance by the global community of this &lsquo;Nuclear Blackmailing Theory&rsquo;.</p>

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<h5>There is a need to collectively have some global mechanism in place to prevent miniaturisation of nukes/tactical nukes/dirty bombs over and above the existing UN conventions.</h5>
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<p>Iran may be encouraged to go nuclear looking at the fate of Iraq, and over arming of Saudi Arabia.</p>

<p>Japan may go in for creating its own military capabilities and later go nuclear.</p>

<p>South Korea may ask for tactical nukes from the US to protect itself from North Korea if China and Russia are not able to push North Korea to negations table.</p>

<p>Vietnam may also get an idea to request for nuclear technology.</p>

<p>India may have to speed up enlarging stockpile of existing nukes, not to suffer disadvantage on the deterrence capability, despite being well placed to respond to any tactical nukes threat of Pakistan. There is a need to collectively have some global mechanism in place to prevent miniaturisation of nukes/tactical nukes/dirty bombs over and above the existing UN conventions.</p>

<p>There is a need to implement some mechanism towards safety and security of nukes and accountability of fissile material. While a large number of analysts may be convinced that North Korea is the biggest challenge in terms of nuclear blackmailing, but in my opinion, the bigger global challenge is yet to come in the form of tactical nukes/dirty bombs/biological and chemical weapons being acquired by terrorists.</p>

<p>No country should assume that it&rsquo;s safe forever from blackmailing by terrorists having acquired such capability, even if it appears fiction today.</p>


No doubt North Korea is the challenge in terms of nuclear blackmailing but the bigger global challenge is yet to come in the form of nuclear weapons possessed by terrorists.

The use of nuclear capability as insurance for its defence was cited as the main reason by every country, which added nuclear weapons to its armoury, ever since it was invented. It spiralled into a competition, which came under some control after the realisation of its devastation in Japan, and potentials of mutually assured destruction (MAD). When Israel went nuclear, it developed a survival capability to dissuade all hostile neighbouring Arab countries. The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) required checking proliferation of nuclear weapon technology was selectively leaked by some irresponsible countries, leading to a situation where humanity suffers from a threat of nuclear blackmailing by states, as well as militants if tactical nukes accidentally fall into their hand. Interestingly, both countries accused of nuclear blackmailing happen to be Frontline states of China. North Korea When President Trump started his visit to Asia, after a series of provocative statements by the US and North Korea, it was being speculated that some concrete action plan will emerge in his handling of North Korea. During this marathon visit, as President Trump came closer to reality, it is quite clear now that it will end with no worthwhile option on the table, except the efforts to outsource the problem to China again, (which is also part of the problem) despite being disappointed earlier, with reasonable suspicion that it will not work. North Korea has its own point of view for all its missiles/nuclear tests/ misadventures so far, which revolves around its own security concerns and survival of regime of Kim. It justifies it as a defensive measure against the backdrop of US threat of past regime changes efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other countries not following its dictate, as they happened to be Non-nuclear/incapable of threatening some part/colony of US. North Korea has been able to create a capability which dissuades the strongest military power US (having all instruments of military deterrence) to take any military action. × The threat from US regional allies has also been given as an excuse. The Korean War is also an unforgettable historical event when the US might be used against them. The blackmailing part is that their leadership is ready to endanger lives of its own people, by continuing with nuclear tests, despite mountain collapsing, to save the current autocratic regime, using ‘Hate America’ theme as the rallying point. By doing so they expect that the world should behave on their terms to save lives of people of other countries, despite the risk of suicidal destruction of their own country, like in case of fidayeen attacks. Sanctions had little effect to the extent that North Korea is now signalling to be ready to talk to the US, but without preconditions. The reality, therefore, is that by getting the missile and nuclear technology from some country/countries who would have obviously violated NPT, North Korea has been able to create a capability which dissuades the strongest military power US (having all instruments of military deterrence) to take any military action. It is also using its nuclear capability claims, to threaten Japan and South Korea and blackmail the US to talk without preconditions. Pakistan Pakistan has also been using this Nuclear Blackmailing/Dissuasion Theory against India for quite some time. It acquired nuclear and missile capability from some country/countries, which must have violated NPT at that time, and the world community ignored it. Today, Pakistan is hosting and training a maximum number of terrorist organisations in the world. It blatantly launches the proxy war against India through militants and has been able to dissuade India to use its conventional capability to prevent it, by nuclear blackmail/ threat to use nukes. It has thus been able to prevent full use of hard power by India, against the inhuman use of proxy war by militants on innocent people; hence this theory seems to be working. The danger of this technology passing into the hand of terrorists to share the technology and steal some fissile material, sufficient for mini nuke/ dirty bomb is not impossible in future. × It is surprising that the whole world rightly criticises North Korea, but not many are talking of Pakistani tactical nukes, despite the fact that the risk of tactical nuclear/dirty bomb sneaking to militants is much more from Pakistan. The stage is slowly setting in Pakistan, for the next level of terrorism with tactical nukes/dirty bombs. The danger of this technology passing into the hand of terrorists by coercion of scientists/security personals/handlers, to share the technology and steal some fissile material, sufficient for mini nuke/ dirty bomb is not impossible in future. The Nuclear Security Summit held in the US on 02 Apr 2016, exhibited grave concern of global powers, about the danger of mini-nukes falling in hands of terrorist organisations. A possibility of Pakistan covertly passing the tactical nuclear technology/ dirty bomb to terrorists to explode it in India, as part of a proxy war, and later deny it, is an option which cannot be ruled out, as its overt use by their Army may be difficult to be justified to the world community. Implications Despite best efforts a worthwhile solution to control unilateral missile and nuclear tests by North Korea has been found by World community, as the sanctions alone are unlikely to yield results, may be due to selective leakages. A status quo in this regard will render world helpless, and it will become a new normal. Surprisingly, when newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister is talking of use of tactical nuclear weapons against India, not much criticism appeared on world media (perhaps many countries still feel that it is a local affair). Let me enumerate some of the implications of silent acceptance by the global community of this ‘Nuclear Blackmailing Theory’. There is a need to collectively have some global mechanism in place to prevent miniaturisation of nukes/tactical nukes/dirty bombs over and above the existing UN conventions. × Iran may be encouraged to go nuclear looking at the fate of Iraq, and over arming of Saudi Arabia. Japan may go in for creating its own military capabilities and later go nuclear. South Korea may ask for tactical nukes from the US to protect itself from North Korea if China and Russia are not able to push North Korea to negations table. Vietnam may also get an idea to request for nuclear technology. India may have to speed up enlarging stockpile of existing nukes, not to suffer disadvantage on the deterrence capability, despite being well placed to respond to any tactical nukes threat of Pakistan. There is a need to collectively have some global mechanism in place to prevent miniaturisation of nukes/tactical nukes/dirty bombs over and above the existing UN conventions. There is a need to implement some mechanism towards safety and security of nukes and accountability of fissile material. While a large number of analysts may be convinced that North Korea is the biggest challenge in terms of nuclear blackmailing, but in my opinion, the bigger global challenge is yet to come in the form of tactical nukes/dirty bombs/biological and chemical weapons being acquired by terrorists. No country should assume that it’s safe forever from blackmailing by terrorists having acquired such capability, even if it appears fiction today.

Is nuclear blackmailing going to be a new normal?

<p style="text-align: justify;">A teenager has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a chicken and killing it, in Hafizabad, Punjab of Pakistan.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The 14-year-old assaulted a hen in his village near Jalalpur Bhattian on November 11, the Express Tribune quoted the local police, as saying.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The action was taken after the owner of the chicken filed a complaint with the police.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">In the complaint, the owner has mentioned that the suspect took the hen to his home and committed the crime.</p>


The arrest was made after the owner of the chicken filed a complaint with police

A teenager has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a chicken and killing it, in Hafizabad, Punjab of Pakistan. The 14-year-old assaulted a hen in his village near Jalalpur Bhattian on November 11, the Express Tribune quoted the local police, as saying. The action was taken after the owner of the chicken filed a complaint with the police. In the complaint, the owner has mentioned that the suspect took the hen to his home and committed the crime.

Pakistan: Teenager arrested for sexually assaulting chicken

<p style="text-align: justify;">Protesters from a hardline religious group blocked the main highway into Islamabad for the sixth day running Monday, virtually locking down the Pakistani capital and causing commuter fury as authorities hesitated to act.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath election candidates must swear, a change the demonstrators have linked to blasphemy.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The protesters have camped for nearly a week on a flyover connecting Islamabad with the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi, along which thousands of people commute every day to work in the capital.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Young men armed with clubs are searching anyone approaching the protest site and refusing to let vehicles pass, pelting those who come near with stones.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&quot;I have been stuck up on the road for (the) last one and a half hours because of this mess,&quot; said Adnan Iqbal, an employee of a pharmaceutical firm who spoke to AFP from the traffic jam where he was late for work.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The protesters, members of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan religious group, acted after the government introduced an amendment which altered some wording in the oath where candidates avow that the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The change was made inadvertently, said the government, which quickly reversed it through another amendment.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But the rightwing group insisted it softened that part of the oath and so would allow Ahmadis, a long persecuted Islamic minority sect, to take it.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Ahmadis were legally declared non-Muslims in Pakistan decades ago for their belief in a prophet after Mohammed. They are denounced as heretics by hardliners who describe their beliefs as blasphemy.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&quot;The protesters have baseless demands. Authorities should deal (with) them with force and move them away from the road,&quot; said Fayyaz Hussain, another commuter who had been struggling to reach his office for two hours Monday.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Authorities were shying away from employing force despite the palpable anger of commuters and days of traffic delays.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&quot;Use of force is no option at the moment,&quot; senior Islamabad official Shoaib Ali told AFP, adding that the priority was negotiations.<br />
Protesters, meanwhile, vowed to stay put.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&quot;Either the minister resigns or we are killed or arrested: we will not leave this place,&quot; Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri, one of the group`s leaders, told AFP at the protest site.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Blasphemy is a highly contentious issue in deeply Muslim Pakistan, where it carries the death penalty, and even unproven allegations have prompted mob lynchings and other murders.</p>


The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister

Protesters from a hardline religious group blocked the main highway into Islamabad for the sixth day running Monday, virtually locking down the Pakistani capital and causing commuter fury as authorities hesitated to act. The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath election candidates must swear, a change the demonstrators have linked to blasphemy. The protesters have camped for nearly a week on a flyover connecting Islamabad with the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi, along which thousands of people commute every day to work in the capital. Young men armed with clubs are searching anyone approaching the protest site and refusing to let vehicles pass, pelting those who come near with stones. "I have been stuck up on the road for (the) last one and a half hours because of this mess," said Adnan Iqbal, an employee of a pharmaceutical firm who spoke to AFP from the traffic jam where he was late for work. The protesters, members of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan religious group, acted after the government introduced an amendment which altered some wording in the oath where candidates avow that the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet. The change was made inadvertently, said the government, which quickly reversed it through another amendment. But the rightwing group insisted it softened that part of the oath and so would allow Ahmadis, a long persecuted Islamic minority sect, to take it. Ahmadis were legally declared non-Muslims in Pakistan decades ago for their belief in a prophet after Mohammed. They are denounced as heretics by hardliners who describe their beliefs as blasphemy. "The protesters have baseless demands. Authorities should deal (with) them with force and move them away from the road," said Fayyaz Hussain, another commuter who had been struggling to reach his office for two hours Monday. Authorities were shying away from employing force despite the palpable anger of commuters and days of traffic delays. "Use of force is no option at the moment," senior Islamabad official Shoaib Ali told AFP, adding that the priority was negotiations. Protesters, meanwhile, vowed to stay put. "Either the minister resigns or we are killed or arrested: we will not leave this place," Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri, one of the group`s leaders, told AFP at the protest site. Blasphemy is a highly contentious issue in deeply Muslim Pakistan, where it carries the death penalty, and even unproven allegations have prompted mob lynchings and other murders.

Pakistan: Religious group blocks main Islamabad highway for 6th day, locks down capital

<p>&nbsp;An anti-corruption court in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/domestic-and-international-flights-affected-due-to-smog-in-paks-punjab-province-24138">Pakistan</a> on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-finance-minister-ishaq-dar-faces-arrest-6438">Finance Minister Ishaq Dar</a>, media reported, after the veteran politician failed to turn up for several court hearings.</p>

<p>The warrant comes at an awkward time for Pakistan, which wants to raise in excess of $1 billion on international debt markets through a Sukuk and a Eurobond in coming months and wants to woo international investors.</p>

<p>Dar, who has been charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income, has for three weeks missed court hearings conducted by the anti-graft agency the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), prompting a judge to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant, the English-language Dawn newspaper and other media reported.</p>

<p>Dar, who is receiving medical treatment in London and now faces arrest upon his return to Pakistan, has pleaded not guilty.</p>

<p>A spokesman for the NAB was not immediately available for comment.</p>

<p>The charges against Dar followed an investigation into the finances of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a small salary from his son&#39;s off-shore company.</p>

<p>The finance minister is one of Sharif&#39;s closest political allies and Dar&#39;s son has married Sharif&#39;s daughter. Both men deny any wrongdoing.</p>

<p>Dar has rejected growing calls to resign amid a worsening economic outlook for Pakistan, which is battling to stave off a balance of payments crisis amid dwindling foreign currency reserve and a widening current account deficit.</p>


An anti-corruption court issued the warrant after Ishaq Dar failed to turn up for a number of hearings

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, media reported, after the veteran politician failed to turn up for several court hearings. The warrant comes at an awkward time for Pakistan, which wants to raise in excess of $1 billion on international debt markets through a Sukuk and a Eurobond in coming months and wants to woo international investors. Dar, who has been charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income, has for three weeks missed court hearings conducted by the anti-graft agency the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), prompting a judge to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant, the English-language Dawn newspaper and other media reported. Dar, who is receiving medical treatment in London and now faces arrest upon his return to Pakistan, has pleaded not guilty. A spokesman for the NAB was not immediately available for comment. The charges against Dar followed an investigation into the finances of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a small salary from his son's off-shore company. The finance minister is one of Sharif's closest political allies and Dar's son has married Sharif's daughter. Both men deny any wrongdoing. Dar has rejected growing calls to resign amid a worsening economic outlook for Pakistan, which is battling to stave off a balance of payments crisis amid dwindling foreign currency reserve and a widening current account deficit.

Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for finance minister: Media

<p>Almost 60 international as well as domestic flights are being affected every day for the past one week in Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province to smog, causing low visibility levels to touch zero, officials confirmed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;At least 60 international and domestic flights have been affected in Lahore and some other cities of Punjab since the last week. Despite rescheduling of the flights the dense smog or fog is hampering the flight operation of both Pakistan International Airlines and foreign airlines,&quot; PIA Lahore spokesman Athar Awan told PTI today.</p>

<p>The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has stated that there exist an alarming level of dangerous pollutants in the the air in Lahore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>People have expressed their thoughts on Lahore being the dirtiest in the world, PTI reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover, on Sunday, several road accidents took place - leaving two dead and injuring dozens in Kasur, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This has lead to the imposition of Section 144, which states banning the burning of crops, tyres, and garbage - by The Punjab government, until further notice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Pakistan Metrological Department has predicted rain in Karachi, parts of Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa, FATA, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Meanwhile, the Pakistan Metrological Department has predicted rain in Karachi, parts of Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa, FATA, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, reports said.?

Almost 60 international as well as domestic flights are being affected every day for the past one week in Pakistan's Punjab province to smog, causing low visibility levels to touch zero, officials confirmed. "At least 60 international and domestic flights have been affected in Lahore and some other cities of Punjab since the last week. Despite rescheduling of the flights the dense smog or fog is hampering the flight operation of both Pakistan International Airlines and foreign airlines," PIA Lahore spokesman Athar Awan told PTI today. The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has stated that there exist an alarming level of dangerous pollutants in the the air in Lahore. People have expressed their thoughts on Lahore being the dirtiest in the world, PTI reports said. Moreover, on Sunday, several road accidents took place - leaving two dead and injuring dozens in Kasur, reports said. This has lead to the imposition of Section 144, which states banning the burning of crops, tyres, and garbage - by The Punjab government, until further notice. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Metrological Department has predicted rain in Karachi, parts of Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa, FATA, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, reports said.

Flights affected due to smog in Pak's Punjab province

<p>Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor on Sunday said that he &#39;&#39;wishes to see Pakistan before he dies&#39;&#39;&nbsp;and hopes that his children are able to see their roots.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday made a statement that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/23989">PoK) belongs to Pakistan and &quot;this won&#39;t change&quot;</a> no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The veteran actor, who is originally&nbsp;from Peshawar, Pakistan, took to Twitter and expressed his opinion -- saying &#39;that he totally agrees with Farooq Abdhulla ji&#39; and that &#39;J&amp;K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Farooq Abdhulla ji, Salaam! Totally agree with you,sir. J&amp;K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem. Accept it, I am 65 years old and I want to see Pakistan before I die. I want my children to see their roots. Bas karva Dijiye. Jai Mata Di !</p>
&mdash; Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) <a href="https://twitter.com/chintskap/status/929429458188091392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The actor&#39;s tweet went viral and resulted in the heated exchange among many people, who also expressed their voice in the matter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Sir, Dheere boliye. Sunny Deol ne sun liya to aapke ghar ke pump ukhaad dega.</p>
&mdash; Roflindian (@Roflindian) <a href="https://twitter.com/Roflindian/status/929433363890372608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Arre Sirji 65 Ki Age Me Neat Nhi Maarte. Soda Khatm Ho Gya To Paani Hi Mila Liya Karo. ??????????<br />
<br />
??POK Is Ours<br />
??J&amp;K Is Ours<br />
??We&#39;ll Liberate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Balochistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Balochistan</a> As Well??<a href="https://t.co/ZJ32rLmSAv">https://t.co/ZJ32rLmSAv</a></p>
&mdash; Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/929444691984113664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">i think apki Favorite hobby hai.........Controversy</p>
&mdash; Urmila Roy (@ummii_roy) <a href="https://twitter.com/ummii_roy/status/929430989935218688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So just because you want to see Pakistan, India should compromise with its sovereignty ?! ??<br />
You can get permanent Visa of Pakistan after this tweet. So get it and Go To Hell.</p>
&mdash; Jatan Acharya (@jatanacharya) <a href="https://twitter.com/jatanacharya/status/929598301296402432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/lynQWAKHLY">pic.twitter.com/lynQWAKHLY</a></p>
&mdash; Hamza Javaid (@Dude7375) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dude7375/status/929548022148665344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Kyun udta teer le rahe ho sir, 2 peg aur maro aur so jao</p>
&mdash; Jon Yadav (@AndColorPockeT) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndColorPockeT/status/929429956869758978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rishi Kapoor&nbsp;family&#39;s lineal haveli is located in the Kissa Khwani Bazaar locality in Pakistan. But, after the Partition in 1947&nbsp;the family moved to India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The actor&#39;s statement comes days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had rejected the idea of an &quot;independent Kashmir&quot;, saying it was not based on &quot;reality&quot;.</p>


The veteran actor, who is originally?from Peshawar, Pakistan, took to Twitter to express his opinion on the matter.

Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor on Sunday said that he ''wishes to see Pakistan before he dies'' and hopes that his children are able to see their roots. Opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday made a statement that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to Pakistan and "this won't change" no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight against each other. The veteran actor, who is originally from Peshawar, Pakistan, took to Twitter and expressed his opinion -- saying 'that he totally agrees with Farooq Abdhulla ji' and that 'J&K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem'. Farooq Abdhulla ji, Salaam! Totally agree with you,sir. J&K is ours, and PoK is theirs. This is the only way we can solve our problem. Accept it, I am 65 years old and I want to see Pakistan before I die. I want my children to see their roots. Bas karva Dijiye. Jai Mata Di ! — Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) November 11, 2017 × The actor's tweet went viral and resulted in the heated exchange among many people, who also expressed their voice in the matter. Sir, Dheere boliye. Sunny Deol ne sun liya to aapke ghar ke pump ukhaad dega. — Roflindian (@Roflindian) November 11, 2017 × Arre Sirji 65 Ki Age Me Neat Nhi Maarte. Soda Khatm Ho Gya To Paani Hi Mila Liya Karo. ?????????? ??POK Is Ours ??J&K Is Ours ??We'll Liberate #Balochistan As Well??https://t.co/ZJ32rLmSAv — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 11, 2017 × i think apki Favorite hobby hai.........Controversy — Urmila Roy (@ummii_roy) November 11, 2017 × So just because you want to see Pakistan, India should compromise with its sovereignty ?! ?? You can get permanent Visa of Pakistan after this tweet. So get it and Go To Hell. — Jatan Acharya (@jatanacharya) November 12, 2017 × pic.twitter.com/lynQWAKHLY — Hamza Javaid (@Dude7375) November 12, 2017 × Kyun udta teer le rahe ho sir, 2 peg aur maro aur so jao — Jon Yadav (@AndColorPockeT) November 11, 2017 × Rishi Kapoor family's lineal haveli is located in the Kissa Khwani Bazaar locality in Pakistan. But, after the Partition in 1947 the family moved to India. The actor's statement comes days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had rejected the idea of an "independent Kashmir", saying it was not based on "reality".

Totally agree with Farooq Abdhulla ji, J&K is ours and PoK is theirs: Rishi Kapoor

<p>Baloch and Sindhi activists have pledged unity for a common struggle against Pakistan in London.</p>

<p>The Sindhi Baloch Forum (SBF), in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan.</p>

<p>The Baloch and the Sindhi activists will organise a rally in London to highlight the enforced disappearances and the &#39;kill and dump&#39; policy of the Pakistani security agencies in Balochistan and Sindh.</p>

<p>The decision was taken during a meeting of the SBF, held in London on October 29.</p>

<p>The meeting deplored irrelevant statements from certain quarters regarding geographical boundaries of Sindh and Balochistan.</p>

<p>&quot;The Sindhi Baloch Forum resolves to thwart all designs to create disunity among the Baloch and Sindhi nations London, UK. The destiny of the Sindhi and the Baloch nations are intertwined, and the alliance of their national struggles for sovereignty cannot be separated,&quot; a statement by the SBF read.</p>

<p>The meeting was attended by the Baloch and Sindhis, belonging to all walks of life and organisations including the Baloch National Movement (BNM), the World Baloch Organisation (WBO), the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) and the Baloch Human Rights Council UK (BHRC-UK).</p>

<p>World Sindhi Congress Chairman Hidayat Bhutto will be attending and speaking at the event.</p>

<p>&quot;The meeting called upon intellectuals, social-political activists, writers and all conscientious elements among the Baloch and Sindhis to take cognisance of the nefarious designs of individual personalities and groups on the pay role of enemy forces who have been given the duty of creating chasm of all kinds among the brotherly nations in order to weaken their national resistance against subjugation,&quot; the statement further read.</p>

<p>The SBF will also approach members of the British Parliament, the Members of European Parliament and other relevant quarters in the civilised world to highlight the plight of Sindhi and the Baloch masses and to present the case of human rights violation perpetrated by the state of Pakistan in Sindh and Balochistan.</p>

<p>&quot;The meeting also took notice of the propaganda by hostile elements of the Baloch national struggle by exploiting the murders of innocent labourers belonging to Sindh in recent years,&quot; the statement added.</p>

<p>&quot;It was declared that in the prevailing murky situation in Balochistan where it is quite impossible to ascertain who is targetting who and on whose behalf, exploiting the issue is not in the interest of the national struggles for national sovereignty and the historical alliance of both nations,&quot; it concluded.</p>

<p>The Sindhi Baloch Forum will also initiate a campaign of awareness among the Sindhi masses in order to convince them to avoid getting employment in conflict areas and especially in projects affiliated with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).</p>


The Sindhi Baloch Forum, in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan

Baloch and Sindhi activists have pledged unity for a common struggle against Pakistan in London. The Sindhi Baloch Forum (SBF), in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan. The Baloch and the Sindhi activists will organise a rally in London to highlight the enforced disappearances and the 'kill and dump' policy of the Pakistani security agencies in Balochistan and Sindh. The decision was taken during a meeting of the SBF, held in London on October 29. The meeting deplored irrelevant statements from certain quarters regarding geographical boundaries of Sindh and Balochistan. "The Sindhi Baloch Forum resolves to thwart all designs to create disunity among the Baloch and Sindhi nations London, UK. The destiny of the Sindhi and the Baloch nations are intertwined, and the alliance of their national struggles for sovereignty cannot be separated," a statement by the SBF read. The meeting was attended by the Baloch and Sindhis, belonging to all walks of life and organisations including the Baloch National Movement (BNM), the World Baloch Organisation (WBO), the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) and the Baloch Human Rights Council UK (BHRC-UK). World Sindhi Congress Chairman Hidayat Bhutto will be attending and speaking at the event. "The meeting called upon intellectuals, social-political activists, writers and all conscientious elements among the Baloch and Sindhis to take cognisance of the nefarious designs of individual personalities and groups on the pay role of enemy forces who have been given the duty of creating chasm of all kinds among the brotherly nations in order to weaken their national resistance against subjugation," the statement further read. The SBF will also approach members of the British Parliament, the Members of European Parliament and other relevant quarters in the civilised world to highlight the plight of Sindhi and the Baloch masses and to present the case of human rights violation perpetrated by the state of Pakistan in Sindh and Balochistan. "The meeting also took notice of the propaganda by hostile elements of the Baloch national struggle by exploiting the murders of innocent labourers belonging to Sindh in recent years," the statement added. "It was declared that in the prevailing murky situation in Balochistan where it is quite impossible to ascertain who is targetting who and on whose behalf, exploiting the issue is not in the interest of the national struggles for national sovereignty and the historical alliance of both nations," it concluded. The Sindhi Baloch Forum will also initiate a campaign of awareness among the Sindhi masses in order to convince them to avoid getting employment in conflict areas and especially in projects affiliated with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Baloch, Sindhis pledge unity for common struggle against Pakistan in London

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