<p>Pakistanis began casting votes on Sunday for the parliamentary seat vacated by ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in a by-election seen as a test of support for the Sharif dynasty ahead of the 2018 general election.</p>

<p>Sharif&#39;s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party hopes a resounding victory in the eastern city of Lahore would show that support for the family was undiminished despite the Supreme Court&#39;s removal of Sharif in July.</p>

<p>Sharif&#39;s daughter Maryam has spearheaded the PML-N campaign for her mother Kulsoom - who is the PML-N candidate despite receiving cancer treatment in London with Nawaz at her side.</p>

<p>Maryam, who some PML-N leaders see as a future leader, has framed the poll as a chance for voters to give a bloody nose to the judiciary by handing the party a thumping victory.</p>

<p>&quot;Will you take revenge for your disrespected vote?&quot; Maryam asked supporters at a recent rally.</p>

<p>Opposition leader Imran Khan, whose threats of street protests pushed the Supreme Court to launch a probe into Nawaz&#39;s wealth, is seeking to build on the success of his anti-graft crusade by making inroads into Sharifs&#39; power base in Punjab.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court in July disqualified Sharif because he did not declare a monthly salary, equivalent to $2,722, from a company owned by his son when the veteran leader, who had held power twice in the 1990s, became prime minister for the third time. Sharif denies receiving the salary.</p>

<p>Khan has turned the by-election into a plebiscite about corruption and has accused the provincial Punjab government, which is run by Nawaz&#39;s brother Shahbaz, of abusing state resources to help the PML-N campaign.</p>

<p>&quot;Your prime minister owns some of the most expensive real estate in the world, all in his daughter&#39;s name. Meanwhile half the children of this country are malnourished,&quot; Khan told a rally on Saturday.</p>

<p>Analysts predict PML-N will win again but they say Khan&#39;s party would build momentum ahead of the 2018 poll if PTI candidate Yasmin Rashid, a gynecologist from the area, substantially reduces the PML-N&#39;s 40,000 vote-winning margin from 2013.</p>

<p>&quot;PTI would be very happy if the margin ended up being small. That would be a victory for them,&quot; said Hasan Askri a political analyst.</p>

<p>Many of the 321,633 registered voters in the central Lahore NA-120 constituency are conflicted.</p>

<p>&quot;My head goes towards PTI while my heart goes towards PML-N,&quot; said Ali Raza, 25, a bank employee.</p>

<p>Kulsoom and Rashid will be competing against about 40 other candidates, including religious parties. One candidate is backed by a new party that is led by an Islamist firebrand who is subject to a $10 million bounty offered by the United States.</p>

<p>Hafiz Saeed heads the Jammat-ud-Dawa (JuD) charity, having founded and formerly led the Lashkhar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group that carried out the 2008 attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai that killed 166 people. The United States has placed Saeed, the charity and LeT on a terrorist list.</p>

<p>Voting began at 9 am (0400 GMT) and the polls are due to close at 5pm, with results likely to be announced after midnight.</p>


Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party hopes a resounding victory in the eastern city of Lahore would show that support for the family was undiminished despite the Supreme Court's removal of Sharif in July

Pakistanis began casting votes on Sunday for the parliamentary seat vacated by ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in a by-election seen as a test of support for the Sharif dynasty ahead of the 2018 general election. Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party hopes a resounding victory in the eastern city of Lahore would show that support for the family was undiminished despite the Supreme Court's removal of Sharif in July. Sharif's daughter Maryam has spearheaded the PML-N campaign for her mother Kulsoom - who is the PML-N candidate despite receiving cancer treatment in London with Nawaz at her side. Maryam, who some PML-N leaders see as a future leader, has framed the poll as a chance for voters to give a bloody nose to the judiciary by handing the party a thumping victory. "Will you take revenge for your disrespected vote?" Maryam asked supporters at a recent rally. Opposition leader Imran Khan, whose threats of street protests pushed the Supreme Court to launch a probe into Nawaz's wealth, is seeking to build on the success of his anti-graft crusade by making inroads into Sharifs' power base in Punjab. The Supreme Court in July disqualified Sharif because he did not declare a monthly salary, equivalent to $2,722, from a company owned by his son when the veteran leader, who had held power twice in the 1990s, became prime minister for the third time. Sharif denies receiving the salary. Khan has turned the by-election into a plebiscite about corruption and has accused the provincial Punjab government, which is run by Nawaz's brother Shahbaz, of abusing state resources to help the PML-N campaign. "Your prime minister owns some of the most expensive real estate in the world, all in his daughter's name. Meanwhile half the children of this country are malnourished," Khan told a rally on Saturday. Analysts predict PML-N will win again but they say Khan's party would build momentum ahead of the 2018 poll if PTI candidate Yasmin Rashid, a gynecologist from the area, substantially reduces the PML-N's 40,000 vote-winning margin from 2013. "PTI would be very happy if the margin ended up being small. That would be a victory for them," said Hasan Askri a political analyst. Many of the 321,633 registered voters in the central Lahore NA-120 constituency are conflicted. "My head goes towards PTI while my heart goes towards PML-N," said Ali Raza, 25, a bank employee. Kulsoom and Rashid will be competing against about 40 other candidates, including religious parties. One candidate is backed by a new party that is led by an Islamist firebrand who is subject to a $10 million bounty offered by the United States. Hafiz Saeed heads the Jammat-ud-Dawa (JuD) charity, having founded and formerly led the Lashkhar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group that carried out the 2008 attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai that killed 166 people. The United States has placed Saeed, the charity and LeT on a terrorist list. Voting began at 9 am (0400 GMT) and the polls are due to close at 5pm, with results likely to be announced after midnight.

Pakistanis vote in by-election seen as test of support for ousted PM Sharif

<p>Pakistan has requested the World Bank to fulfil its obligation to establish a court of arbitration to settle its water dispute with India in the light of the Indus Waters Treaty.</p>

<p>The request came after delegations of India and Pakistan met at the World Bank headquarters in Washington on September 14 and 15 for the second round of talks on Ratle and Kishanganga hydroelectric projects, over which Islamabad has raised objections.</p>

<p>A media report said citing sources that despite the passage of more than a year, the World Bank is not establishing the court of arbitration.</p>

<p>Pakistan has now requested the World Bank to fulfil its duties under the Treaty by empanelling the Court of Arbitration, the paper reported.</p>

<p>Earlier, the secretary-level talks between the two countries ended without any agreement.</p>

<p>&ldquo;While an agreement has not been reached at the conclusion of the meetings, the World Bank will continue to work with both countries to resolve the issues in an amicable manner and in line with the Treaty provisions,&rdquo; the World Bank said in a statement after the talks.</p>

<p>&quot;Both countries and the World Bank appreciated the discussions and reconfirmed their commitment to the preservation of the Treaty,&quot;&nbsp;it said.<br />
<br />
The World Bank remains committed to act in good faith and with &quot;complete impartiality and transparency&rdquo; in fulfilling its responsibilities under the Treaty, while continuing to assist the countries, it said in its statement.</p>

<p>The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.</p>

<p>Pakistan had raised objections to India&rsquo;s plans at the Permanent Indus Commission more than a decade ago. When the objections were not addressed, Islamabad approached the World Bank on August 19, 2016 for the court of arbitration as provided in the Indus Waters Treaty, the paper said.</p>

<p>Subsequently, on October 4, 2016, India made a request for appointment of neutral expert to adjudicate in the dispute. The World Bank initially agreed to set up both the fora but later &ldquo;paused&rdquo; the two processes, fearing their separate rulings might conflict with each other.</p>

<p>In an effort to end the impasse, the World Bank invited the water resources secretaries of the two countries for consultations. In the first round in Washington on July 31 and August 1 this year, Pakistan proposed amendments to the designs to make the Indian project treaty compliant.</p>

<p>But in the latest round of the talks in September, India not only refused to accept any of the design amendments proposed by Pakistan but also refused to agree to any of the dispute settlement options suggested by the World Bank, the paper reported.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The request came after delegations of India and Pakistan met at the World Bank headquarters in Washington on September 14 and 15 for the second round of talks on Ratle and Kishanganga hydroelectric projects, over which Islamabad has raised objections

Pakistan has requested the World Bank to fulfil its obligation to establish a court of arbitration to settle its water dispute with India in the light of the Indus Waters Treaty. The request came after delegations of India and Pakistan met at the World Bank headquarters in Washington on September 14 and 15 for the second round of talks on Ratle and Kishanganga hydroelectric projects, over which Islamabad has raised objections. A media report said citing sources that despite the passage of more than a year, the World Bank is not establishing the court of arbitration. Pakistan has now requested the World Bank to fulfil its duties under the Treaty by empanelling the Court of Arbitration, the paper reported. Earlier, the secretary-level talks between the two countries ended without any agreement. “While an agreement has not been reached at the conclusion of the meetings, the World Bank will continue to work with both countries to resolve the issues in an amicable manner and in line with the Treaty provisions,” the World Bank said in a statement after the talks. "Both countries and the World Bank appreciated the discussions and reconfirmed their commitment to the preservation of the Treaty," it said. The World Bank remains committed to act in good faith and with "complete impartiality and transparency” in fulfilling its responsibilities under the Treaty, while continuing to assist the countries, it said in its statement. The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. Pakistan had raised objections to India’s plans at the Permanent Indus Commission more than a decade ago. When the objections were not addressed, Islamabad approached the World Bank on August 19, 2016 for the court of arbitration as provided in the Indus Waters Treaty, the paper said. Subsequently, on October 4, 2016, India made a request for appointment of neutral expert to adjudicate in the dispute. The World Bank initially agreed to set up both the fora but later “paused” the two processes, fearing their separate rulings might conflict with each other. In an effort to end the impasse, the World Bank invited the water resources secretaries of the two countries for consultations. In the first round in Washington on July 31 and August 1 this year, Pakistan proposed amendments to the designs to make the Indian project treaty compliant. But in the latest round of the talks in September, India not only refused to accept any of the design amendments proposed by Pakistan but also refused to agree to any of the dispute settlement options suggested by the World Bank, the paper reported.

Indus Water dispute: Pakistan once again requests World Bank to establish court of arbitration

<p>In a blow to Pakistan&#39;s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Supreme Court has rejected the petitions filed by Sharif and his children challenging its July Panamagate verdict that disqualified him as the prime minister.</p>

<p>The petitions, which were filed by Nawaz Sharif, his three children - Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Captain Safdar and Ishaq Dar, sought a review of the earlier Supreme Court verdict which came in July and led to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister of Pakistan.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court had ruled that Nawaz Sharif had been dishonest in not revealing his employment in the Dubai-based FZE company.</p>

<p>The top court had also asked the National Accountability&nbsp;Bureau (NAB) to file corruption cases against the Nawaz Sharif family.</p>

<p>The accountability court, on Wednesday, summoned Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain and Hassan on September 19. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Supreme Court of Pakistan had, in July, ordered the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan's prime minister

In a blow to Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Supreme Court has rejected the petitions filed by Sharif and his children challenging its July Panamagate verdict that disqualified him as the prime minister. The petitions, which were filed by Nawaz Sharif, his three children - Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Captain Safdar and Ishaq Dar, sought a review of the earlier Supreme Court verdict which came in July and led to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister of Pakistan. The Supreme Court had ruled that Nawaz Sharif had been dishonest in not revealing his employment in the Dubai-based FZE company. The top court had also asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file corruption cases against the Nawaz Sharif family. The accountability court, on Wednesday, summoned Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain and Hassan on September 19.

Pakistan: Supreme Court rejects Nawaz Sharif's plea seeking review of Panamagate verdict

<p>A Border Security Force (BSF) constable was killed in unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Arnia and the R S Pura sector.</p>

<p>The BSF constable, who was injured in the ceasefire violation and later succumbed to his injuries,&nbsp;has been identified as&nbsp;Brijendra Bahadur Singh from Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visual?src=hash">#Visual</a> of BSF Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s RS Pura <a href="https://t.co/fhVCJNvJBV">pic.twitter.com/fhVCJNvJBV</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/908512690649292800">September 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>One civilian has also been injured as Pakistani Rangers fired mortar shells which landed close to residential areas.</p>

<p>The ceasefire violation comes days after union home minister Rajnath Singh visited border areas in the Jammu region and addressed a gathering of those who left their homes along the Line of Control (LoC) owing to repeated incidents of cross-border firing.</p>

<p>He issued a stern warning to Pakistan on repeated incidents of ceasefire violation.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The BSF constable, who was injured in the ceasefire violation and later succumbed to his injuries,?has been identified as?Brijendra Bahadur Singh

A Border Security Force (BSF) constable was killed in unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Arnia and the R S Pura sector. The BSF constable, who was injured in the ceasefire violation and later succumbed to his injuries, has been identified as Brijendra Bahadur Singh from Uttar Pradesh. #Visual of BSF Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of Jammu and Kashmir's RS Pura pic.twitter.com/fhVCJNvJBV — ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 × One civilian has also been injured as Pakistani Rangers fired mortar shells which landed close to residential areas. The ceasefire violation comes days after union home minister Rajnath Singh visited border areas in the Jammu region and addressed a gathering of those who left their homes along the Line of Control (LoC) owing to repeated incidents of cross-border firing. He issued a stern warning to Pakistan on repeated incidents of ceasefire violation.

J&K: BSF constable killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Arnia

<p>Pakistan&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;told medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres&#39; (MSF) to stop work and leave its impoverished tribal areas that border Afghanistan, the health organisation said, ending its 14-year stay in the volatile region.</p>

<p>MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan&#39;s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region, which has been plagued by militancy over the past decade and was the location of many US drone strikes targeting commanders from al Qaeda and other militant groups.</p>

<p>Though security has improved in FATA in recent years, sectarian militant attacks, primarily targeting Shi&#39;ite Muslims, still occur. Twin blasts in the Kurram&#39;s most populous town, Parachinar killed more than 75 people in June.</p>

<p>Local officials say MSF provides essential healthcare facilities in FATA, an area with some of Pakistan&#39;s poorest health care and lowest literacy rates.</p>

<p>&quot;We have been asked to close our medical activities in Kurram Agency,&quot; MSF said in a statement to the media, adding that Pakistan had refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the charity to work in the tribal areas.</p>

<p>&quot;MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency. The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency,&quot; country representative Catherine Moody said in the statement.</p>

<p>Foreign nationals and organizations working in Pakistan require NOCs to operate in certain areas. Pakistani NGOs and journalists also face restrictions when working in the tribal areas.</p>

<p>&quot;MSF provides diagnosis and treatment facilities to the community for Leishmaniasis, immunisation for children, as well ... responding to emergencies, disease outbreaks, and mass casualties,&quot; the organisation said.</p>

<p>The region&#39;s health directorate did not respond to requests for comment but Dr. Mohammad Ishaq, who works there, said MSF was asked to leave because they did not have a valid NOC.</p>

<p>&quot;I personally think MSF was doing a great job for the patients in FATA,&quot; he said, adding that he did not know why its licence to work there was revoked.</p>

<p>&quot;We have been working in FATA since 2004. We were never denied an NOC in&lrm; the past. This will affect many patients in the area,&quot; one MSF employee said, asking not to be identified.</p>

<p>He added that the organization had 70 staff members working at the two health facilities.</p>

<p>The official who notified MSF that their operations would need to be shut down added: &quot;I did what I was directed to by my bosses in Peshawar but really don&#39;t know the reason behind MSF being stopped.&quot;</p>


MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region

Pakistan on Wednesday told medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres' (MSF) to stop work and leave its impoverished tribal areas that border Afghanistan, the health organisation said, ending its 14-year stay in the volatile region. MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region, which has been plagued by militancy over the past decade and was the location of many US drone strikes targeting commanders from al Qaeda and other militant groups. Though security has improved in FATA in recent years, sectarian militant attacks, primarily targeting Shi'ite Muslims, still occur. Twin blasts in the Kurram's most populous town, Parachinar killed more than 75 people in June. Local officials say MSF provides essential healthcare facilities in FATA, an area with some of Pakistan's poorest health care and lowest literacy rates. "We have been asked to close our medical activities in Kurram Agency," MSF said in a statement to the media, adding that Pakistan had refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the charity to work in the tribal areas. "MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency. The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency," country representative Catherine Moody said in the statement. Foreign nationals and organizations working in Pakistan require NOCs to operate in certain areas. Pakistani NGOs and journalists also face restrictions when working in the tribal areas. "MSF provides diagnosis and treatment facilities to the community for Leishmaniasis, immunisation for children, as well ... responding to emergencies, disease outbreaks, and mass casualties," the organisation said. The region's health directorate did not respond to requests for comment but Dr. Mohammad Ishaq, who works there, said MSF was asked to leave because they did not have a valid NOC. "I personally think MSF was doing a great job for the patients in FATA," he said, adding that he did not know why its licence to work there was revoked. "We have been working in FATA since 2004. We were never denied an NOC in‎ the past. This will affect many patients in the area," one MSF employee said, asking not to be identified. He added that the organization had 70 staff members working at the two health facilities. The official who notified MSF that their operations would need to be shut down added: "I did what I was directed to by my bosses in Peshawar but really don't know the reason behind MSF being stopped."

Medical charity MSF asked to leave Pakistan's tribal region

<p>Pakistan&#39;s sugar industry is urging the government to reinstate export subsidies after a steep fall in global sugar prices has slowed shipments, adding to a domestic surplus just as the country prepares to harvest a record crop.</p>

<p>Without revenues from exports, local mills will struggle to pay farmers for new supplies, while large stockpiles will stop domestic prices from rallying in the world&#39;s eighth-largest sugar producer, industry officials said.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met with the politically influential industry last week and directed the Commerce Ministry and Sugar Advisory Board to work on ways to resolve &quot;the issues and problems&quot; affecting sugar, his office said in a statement.</p>

<p>Pakistan last had an export subsidy in 2015/16, set at 13,000 rupees ($124) per tonne for exports of 650,000 tonnes of the sweetener, and a similar subsidy level is needed again, the industry said.</p>

<p>&quot;Mills are not able to export sugar at the current international prices,&quot; Iskandar Khan, senior vice chairman of the politically influential Pakistan Sugar Mills Association told Reuters.</p>

<p>Global prices have fallen over a quarter so far in 2017 to around $378 a tonne as output is expected to climb in key producers like India, China and Thailand.</p>

<p>&quot;In the world market, prices need to rise by $60 per tonne to make exports viable,&quot; said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.</p>

<p>Sugar cane is a popular crop in Pakistan as the government sets procurement prices, while the industry is protected by a 40 percent import tariff which has led to high domestic prices.</p>

<p>The association says the area given over to sugar cane has risen about 30 percent over the past seven years, while output has more than doubled with the help of government subsidies for fertilizers and other aids.</p>

<p>Pakistan produced 7 million tonnes of sugar in the 2016/17 marketing year ending September 30, exceeding local demand of around 5 million tonnes, and the association pegs this year&#39;s crop at a record 8 million tonnes.</p>

<p>Pakistan controls sugar exports via quotas in an effort to ensure sufficient local supplies. So far this year it has authorised 725,000 tonnes of shipments, which would make it the world&#39;s ninth largest exporter, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.</p>

<p>However, the country has actually exported only about 350,000 tonnes, traders estimate, with current stockpiles sitting at about 1 million tonnes.</p>

<p>Mills in Pakistan usually start crushing in October, but this year plan to delay crushing by a few months as they lack the funds to settle bills for cane purchases before the new season, said a sugar miller based in Karachi.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan has no choice but to export surplus sugar,&quot; said the Mumbai-based dealer.</p>


Without revenues from exports, local mills will struggle to pay farmers for new supplies, while large stockpiles will stop domestic prices from rallying in the world's eighth-largest sugar producer, industry officials said.

Pakistan's sugar industry is urging the government to reinstate export subsidies after a steep fall in global sugar prices has slowed shipments, adding to a domestic surplus just as the country prepares to harvest a record crop. Without revenues from exports, local mills will struggle to pay farmers for new supplies, while large stockpiles will stop domestic prices from rallying in the world's eighth-largest sugar producer, industry officials said. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met with the politically influential industry last week and directed the Commerce Ministry and Sugar Advisory Board to work on ways to resolve "the issues and problems" affecting sugar, his office said in a statement. Pakistan last had an export subsidy in 2015/16, set at 13,000 rupees ($124) per tonne for exports of 650,000 tonnes of the sweetener, and a similar subsidy level is needed again, the industry said. "Mills are not able to export sugar at the current international prices," Iskandar Khan, senior vice chairman of the politically influential Pakistan Sugar Mills Association told Reuters. Global prices have fallen over a quarter so far in 2017 to around $378 a tonne as output is expected to climb in key producers like India, China and Thailand. "In the world market, prices need to rise by $60 per tonne to make exports viable," said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm. Sugar cane is a popular crop in Pakistan as the government sets procurement prices, while the industry is protected by a 40 percent import tariff which has led to high domestic prices. The association says the area given over to sugar cane has risen about 30 percent over the past seven years, while output has more than doubled with the help of government subsidies for fertilizers and other aids. Pakistan produced 7 million tonnes of sugar in the 2016/17 marketing year ending September 30, exceeding local demand of around 5 million tonnes, and the association pegs this year's crop at a record 8 million tonnes. Pakistan controls sugar exports via quotas in an effort to ensure sufficient local supplies. So far this year it has authorised 725,000 tonnes of shipments, which would make it the world's ninth largest exporter, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. However, the country has actually exported only about 350,000 tonnes, traders estimate, with current stockpiles sitting at about 1 million tonnes. Mills in Pakistan usually start crushing in October, but this year plan to delay crushing by a few months as they lack the funds to settle bills for cane purchases before the new season, said a sugar miller based in Karachi. "Pakistan has no choice but to export surplus sugar," said the Mumbai-based dealer.

Pakistan struggles to export sugar surplus as global prices plunge

<p>Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Monday (September 11) it would be counter-productive for the United States to sanction Pakistani officials or further cut military assistance, warning it would hurt both countries&#39; fight against militancy.</p>

<p>US-Pakistan relations have frayed since President Donald Trump last month set out a new Afghanistan policy and lashed out at nuclear-armed Pakistan as a fickle ally that gives safe haven to &quot;agents of chaos&quot; by harbouring the Afghan Taliban and other militants.</p>

<p>The United States has already begun conditioning future aid to Pakistan on progress Islamabad makes in tackling the Haqqani network militants who it alleges are Pakistan-based and have helped the Taliban carry out deadly attacks inside Afghanistan.</p>

<p>Pakistan denies hosting militant sanctuaries, and Islamabad bristles at claims it has not done enough to tackle militancy, noting it has borne the brunt of violence in the so-called war on terror, suffering more than 60,000 casualties since 2001.</p>

<p>Former petroleum minister Abbasi, 58, who was installed as prime minister last month after the Supreme Court ousted veteran premier Nawaz Sharif over undeclared income, told Reuters that any targeted sanctions by Washington against Pakistani military and intelligence officials would not help US. counter-terrorism efforts.</p>

<p>The Trump administration&#39;s tougher stance is seen as pushing Islamabad closer to Beijing, which has pledged about $60 billion in roads, rail and power infrastructure in Pakistan as part of its ambitious Belt and Road initiative to build vast land and sea trade routes linking Asia with Europe and Africa.</p>


U.S.-Pakistan relations have frayed since President Donald Trump last month set out a new Afghanistan policy and lashed out at nuclear-armed Pakistan as a fickle ally that gives safe haven to "agents of chaos" by harbouring the Afghan Taliban and other militants.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Monday (September 11) it would be counter-productive for the United States to sanction Pakistani officials or further cut military assistance, warning it would hurt both countries' fight against militancy. US-Pakistan relations have frayed since President Donald Trump last month set out a new Afghanistan policy and lashed out at nuclear-armed Pakistan as a fickle ally that gives safe haven to "agents of chaos" by harbouring the Afghan Taliban and other militants. The United States has already begun conditioning future aid to Pakistan on progress Islamabad makes in tackling the Haqqani network militants who it alleges are Pakistan-based and have helped the Taliban carry out deadly attacks inside Afghanistan. Pakistan denies hosting militant sanctuaries, and Islamabad bristles at claims it has not done enough to tackle militancy, noting it has borne the brunt of violence in the so-called war on terror, suffering more than 60,000 casualties since 2001. Former petroleum minister Abbasi, 58, who was installed as prime minister last month after the Supreme Court ousted veteran premier Nawaz Sharif over undeclared income, told Reuters that any targeted sanctions by Washington against Pakistani military and intelligence officials would not help US. counter-terrorism efforts. The Trump administration's tougher stance is seen as pushing Islamabad closer to Beijing, which has pledged about $60 billion in roads, rail and power infrastructure in Pakistan as part of its ambitious Belt and Road initiative to build vast land and sea trade routes linking Asia with Europe and Africa.

Pakistan PM warns US sanctions would be counter-productive

<p>Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation opening fire on the Indian army in the Poonch sector along the Line of Control(LoC), news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The firing along the LoC occurred on Monday afternoon.</p>

<p>The Indian army has been retaliating, reports said.</p>


Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Poonch

Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation opening fire on the Indian army in the Poonch sector along the Line of Control(LoC), news agency ANI reported. The firing along the LoC occurred on Monday afternoon. The Indian army has been retaliating, reports said.

J&K: Pak army opens fire along LoC, Indian army retaliates

<p>In a joint address with Pakistan&#39;s foreign minister Khwaja Asif, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has reiterated Beijing&#39;s continuing support for Pakistan&#39;s fight against terrorism.</p>

<p>Yi asserted that China recognises Pakistan&#39;s efforts in countering terrorism.</p>

<p>He said that China will continue to support the development process in Pakistan.</p>

<p>Khwaja Asif thanked China for its support and affirmed Pakistan&#39;s support for China&#39;s ambitious &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sino-india-relations-heads-for-freezer-over-cpec-dispute-11472" target="_blank">China-Pakistan Economic Corridor</a>&quot; project.</p>

<p>The statement by the Chinese foreign minister comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China&#39;s President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen.</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/brics-leaders-declaration-signed-at-the-summit-in-xiamen-china-19854" target="_blank">Xiamen declaration expressed concern</a> over violence in the region caused by groups like Taliban, ISIS and also terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.</p>

<p>The mention of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in the joint declaration signed off by China was considered a diplomatic triumph for India.</p>


Chinese and Pakistani foreign minister addressed a joint press conference

In a joint address with Pakistan's foreign minister Khwaja Asif, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has reiterated Beijing's continuing support for Pakistan's fight against terrorism. Yi asserted that China recognises Pakistan's efforts in countering terrorism. He said that China will continue to support the development process in Pakistan. Khwaja Asif thanked China for its support and affirmed Pakistan's support for China's ambitious "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" project. The statement by the Chinese foreign minister comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen. The Xiamen declaration expressed concern over violence in the region caused by groups like Taliban, ISIS and also terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The mention of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in the joint declaration signed off by China was considered a diplomatic triumph for India.

China vows support for Pakistan's efforts in war against terrorism

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indonesian-minister-to-meet-suu-kyi-amid-protests-over-rohingya-19834">Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi</a> has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.</p>

<p>&quot;The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term,&quot; Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital.</p>

<p>The latest violence in Myanmar&#39;s northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.</p>

<p>The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution.</p>

<p>Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against &quot;terrorists&quot; responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October.</p>

<p>Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings.</p>

<p>&quot;Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in,&quot; H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told <em>Reuters</em>, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members.</p>

<p>&quot;If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good.&quot;</p>

<p>CONSCIENCE AWAKENED?</p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi.</p>

<p>&quot;PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar,&quot; said H.T. Imam.</p>

<p>The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600.</p>

<p>That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh.</p>

<p>The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar.</p>

<p>Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed &quot;deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims&quot; and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take &quot;immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population&quot;.</p>

<p>Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community.</p>

<p>Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the &quot;shameful&quot; treatment of the Rohingya, saying &quot;the world is waiting&quot; for her to speak out.</p>


Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh. Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday. "The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term," Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital. The latest violence in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh. The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar's roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution. Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "terrorists" responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October. Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings. "Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in," H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members. "If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good." CONSCIENCE AWAKENED? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi. "PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar," said H.T. Imam. The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600. That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh. The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed "deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims" and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take "immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population". Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community. Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the "shameful" treatment of the Rohingya, saying "the world is waiting" for her to speak out.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi under pressure as almost 125,000 Rohingya flee violence

<p>Invoking history in the everyday politics of a post-colonial state is an insane thing to do. On almost every occasion it is done, the objective is to create or expand fissures among communities for mean gains. Manipulators interpret history partially or irrationally.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s an absurd thing to live in the past, ignoring the realities and the established universal values of today. Unfortunately, all these negatives are being manifested in present day&rsquo;s Myanmar and especially in its western Rakhine State, which is also known as Arakan, in the form of an utterly irrational citizenship rule created by 1960s military dictator.</p>

<p>The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. And this citizenship rule makes an unprecedented cut off line that needs to date back to the 19th century as the criterion for citizenship, turning most Rohingya ethnic people of Rakhine State illegal immigrant.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Now, Rohingyas are fleeing Arakan again like the seventies. Already about half of their close to 3 million population are refugees in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Indonesia from the past exodus. The poor civilians of this highly persecuted and discriminated community are again on the run following the crack down on them by the Myanmar army. Accused of indulging in acts of political militancy by some elements of this desperate community, the usual Myanmar over reaction is brutal and cruel.</p>

<p>However, to understand the context of the crisis, it is imperative to revisit a bit of history and geography. Arakan rather has more geographical contiguity with Chittagong of Bangladesh in the north than the Bamar (the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar who constitute about 66 per cent&nbsp;of the country&rsquo;s population)&nbsp;hinterland in southern and central Myanmar. Rakhine State is a coastal province, elongated like a tail from north to south. The state is separated from rest of Myanmar by Arakan Mountains located on the east of the state. The mountains also run parallel from north to south to the coastal plains of the state.</p>

<p>There are two major ethnic groups living in Arakan. One is the Rakhine, after whom the state is named, and the other is the Rohingya. The Rakhine are culturally and linguistically close to the Bamar and Rohingya to the Bengali. Racially also, these two ethnicities are different. Rakhines are Mongoloid, Rohingyas are Caucasoid &ndash; Austro Asiatic mixed like most people of the eastern part of Indian sub- continent.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Historically, both the people lived and&nbsp;moved freely around this Chittagong-Arakan coastal plains and adjacent hills. There are about 200000 Rakhines too in the Chittagong Hill District of Bandarban and some in the southern Bangladeshi district of Patuakhali. Rakhines are also known as Mogh or Marma in Bangladesh. For the most part of the history, there were independent Mogh/ Rakhine kingdoms in Arakan which sometimes expanded up to Chittagong. There were early Bengali/ Rohingya courtiers and royal poets in Arakan courts. In the 18th century, forces of Bamar kingdoms crossed Arakan mountains, invaded and annexed Arakan. But it didn&rsquo;t last long as within a few decades the British gained Arakan and later the entire Burma and kept Arakan annexed to its Burmese dominion.</p>

<p>During British period there was a wave of Bengalis moving into Arakan for work, and under British patronage, they merged with old Rohingyas.&nbsp;In the World War II, the Rohingyas sided with the British whereas the Rakhines generally sided with the Japanese. Around the time of independence of Burma, there were communal tensions and riots between Rohingyas and Rakhines. Rohingyas wanted the Muslim majority of northern Arakan which had the border with Chittagong to merge with East Pakistan. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. The same happened in the 1970s which met the same fate. The armed movement found resurgence since the 1990s and some elements are still continuing that.</p>

<p>Interestingly, there were separatist movements&nbsp;from the Rakhine side also against the Burmese. At least two groups operated in the 1960s and 1970s and some remnants still exist although at the marginal level. Burma or the present Myanmar is ethnically quite diverse a country. There are several dozens of ethnic groups other than the dominant Bamars. Some of these ethnicities are sizable and they form a majority in their own areas e.g. Kachin, Karen Shan etc. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the&nbsp;number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar many of which still persists. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the&nbsp;number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the?number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>For the most part of its post-colonial history, Myanmar leadership has been self-secluded, secretive and regressive. Like the Pakistani army, Myanmar army captured the polity of the country right after its independence and continued to be at the helm till date. They haven&rsquo;t allowed much modern liberals thoughts of rights, democracy or institutions to enter their domain of imposed nominal socialism. Inside, they kept the Burmese society orthodox,&nbsp;stagnant and economically under developed.</p>

<p>The Buddhist monks of Myanmar, like their Sri Lankan counter parts, espouse a kind of religious nationalism. They are quite aggressive and violence-inciting and receives patronage from Myanmar army and political forces. It&rsquo;s a huge irony in light of fundamental non-violent tenets of Buddhism. The difference between Myanmar and other nations of south Asia is quite stark. Myanmar expelled its sizable Indian population right after its independence. It also had anti-Muslim turned anti-South Asian riots in the central part of it in recent past.</p>

<p>Aung San Suu Kyi, after decades of struggle, has only attained a limited political power. And despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi&#39;s hands are actually tied. The Myanmar army has clearly taken the side of the Rakhine, who are ethnically and communally close to the Bamars, and they won&rsquo;t allow Suu Kyi much leeway in this. However, Suu Khi should at least have taken a middle stand and put some indirect pressure on the military. Then the international community could have done more.</p>

<p>The Rohingyas are politically quite disorganised and the high degree of persecution has suppressed their natural political expressions. Due to this oppression, some Islamist militants have found their way into this community. And that, in turn, has become more of a reason for the Myanmar army to conduct heavy handed crack down at the cost of high civilian causality.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi&#39;s hands are actually tied.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi's hands are actually tied. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Geopolitically, it seems no country is interested to do much for the Rohingyas as yet. Bangladesh doesn&#39;t have enough strength to do much on its own- be it diplomatic or military.&nbsp;Bangladesh has close relations with China, but China has even closer relations with Myanmar. Despite the overt bonhomie with Hasina government, the BJP government&nbsp;in India has hardly any empathy towards Muslim sufferings anywhere in the world. Nehruvian principle based foreign policy is a thing of past for India.</p>

<p>The foreign policy is now narrow nationalistic interest based and the current Indian government&nbsp;will easily sacrifice Rohingyas for a little strategic leverage with Myanmar. The Indian government has already declared that it will deport the 40 thousand Rohingyas from neighbouring Myanmar, about 0.33 or one-thirtieths of the entire Rohingya refugee and that too against its own home ministry policy of giving shelter to persecuted communities and defying UNHCR measures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have taken in sizable numbers of Rohingya refugees and Turkey is quite vocal against Myanmar atrocities against Rohingyas. But the Islamic world itself is in chaos and Islamic solidarity is in decline.&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s US is no more reliable for anything good and many will probably count only on the EU and UK in the west on this matter. UN has been the lone consistent international voice for these distressed people. ASEAN countries certainly have some influence on Myanmar although not as much as China.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government&nbsp;as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success.&nbsp;</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government?as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success.?" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Bangladesh is in a difficult dilemma at this point. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government&nbsp;as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success.&nbsp;It seems now that only a Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia led diplomatic drive including measures like sanctions on Myanmar, if necessary, and with help from ASEAN countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and perhaps the EU and UN is the only way forward. Bangladesh has to be careful while taking the help of the Islamic world in not giving in to any demand of Islamic radicals to operate in Arakan from its soil. That can have serious ramifications for Bangladesh, Arakan and even the entire sub-region.</p>

<p>But the big question is to what extent these countries will be ready to coordinate with each other and invest in this crisis? Can China be pressurised substantially to put pressure on Myanmar in turn? As of now, it appears that there isn&rsquo;t&nbsp;much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN. Humanity continues to be humiliated in that wretched land.</p>


There isn?t?much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN.

Invoking history in the everyday politics of a post-colonial state is an insane thing to do. On almost every occasion it is done, the objective is to create or expand fissures among communities for mean gains. Manipulators interpret history partially or irrationally. It’s an absurd thing to live in the past, ignoring the realities and the established universal values of today. Unfortunately, all these negatives are being manifested in present day’s Myanmar and especially in its western Rakhine State, which is also known as Arakan, in the form of an utterly irrational citizenship rule created by 1960s military dictator. The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. And this citizenship rule makes an unprecedented cut off line that needs to date back to the 19th century as the criterion for citizenship, turning most Rohingya ethnic people of Rakhine State illegal immigrant. The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. × Now, Rohingyas are fleeing Arakan again like the seventies. Already about half of their close to 3 million population are refugees in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Indonesia from the past exodus. The poor civilians of this highly persecuted and discriminated community are again on the run following the crack down on them by the Myanmar army. Accused of indulging in acts of political militancy by some elements of this desperate community, the usual Myanmar over reaction is brutal and cruel. However, to understand the context of the crisis, it is imperative to revisit a bit of history and geography. Arakan rather has more geographical contiguity with Chittagong of Bangladesh in the north than the Bamar (the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar who constitute about 66 per cent of the country’s population) hinterland in southern and central Myanmar. Rakhine State is a coastal province, elongated like a tail from north to south. The state is separated from rest of Myanmar by Arakan Mountains located on the east of the state. The mountains also run parallel from north to south to the coastal plains of the state. There are two major ethnic groups living in Arakan. One is the Rakhine, after whom the state is named, and the other is the Rohingya. The Rakhine are culturally and linguistically close to the Bamar and Rohingya to the Bengali. Racially also, these two ethnicities are different. Rakhines are Mongoloid, Rohingyas are Caucasoid – Austro Asiatic mixed like most people of the eastern part of Indian sub- continent. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. × Historically, both the people lived and moved freely around this Chittagong-Arakan coastal plains and adjacent hills. There are about 200000 Rakhines too in the Chittagong Hill District of Bandarban and some in the southern Bangladeshi district of Patuakhali. Rakhines are also known as Mogh or Marma in Bangladesh. For the most part of the history, there were independent Mogh/ Rakhine kingdoms in Arakan which sometimes expanded up to Chittagong. There were early Bengali/ Rohingya courtiers and royal poets in Arakan courts. In the 18th century, forces of Bamar kingdoms crossed Arakan mountains, invaded and annexed Arakan. But it didn’t last long as within a few decades the British gained Arakan and later the entire Burma and kept Arakan annexed to its Burmese dominion. During British period there was a wave of Bengalis moving into Arakan for work, and under British patronage, they merged with old Rohingyas. In the World War II, the Rohingyas sided with the British whereas the Rakhines generally sided with the Japanese. Around the time of independence of Burma, there were communal tensions and riots between Rohingyas and Rakhines. Rohingyas wanted the Muslim majority of northern Arakan which had the border with Chittagong to merge with East Pakistan. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. The same happened in the 1970s which met the same fate. The armed movement found resurgence since the 1990s and some elements are still continuing that. Interestingly, there were separatist movements from the Rakhine side also against the Burmese. At least two groups operated in the 1960s and 1970s and some remnants still exist although at the marginal level. Burma or the present Myanmar is ethnically quite diverse a country. There are several dozens of ethnic groups other than the dominant Bamars. Some of these ethnicities are sizable and they form a majority in their own areas e.g. Kachin, Karen Shan etc. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar many of which still persists. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar. × For the most part of its post-colonial history, Myanmar leadership has been self-secluded, secretive and regressive. Like the Pakistani army, Myanmar army captured the polity of the country right after its independence and continued to be at the helm till date. They haven’t allowed much modern liberals thoughts of rights, democracy or institutions to enter their domain of imposed nominal socialism. Inside, they kept the Burmese society orthodox, stagnant and economically under developed. The Buddhist monks of Myanmar, like their Sri Lankan counter parts, espouse a kind of religious nationalism. They are quite aggressive and violence-inciting and receives patronage from Myanmar army and political forces. It’s a huge irony in light of fundamental non-violent tenets of Buddhism. The difference between Myanmar and other nations of south Asia is quite stark. Myanmar expelled its sizable Indian population right after its independence. It also had anti-Muslim turned anti-South Asian riots in the central part of it in recent past. Aung San Suu Kyi, after decades of struggle, has only attained a limited political power. And despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi's hands are actually tied. The Myanmar army has clearly taken the side of the Rakhine, who are ethnically and communally close to the Bamars, and they won’t allow Suu Kyi much leeway in this. However, Suu Khi should at least have taken a middle stand and put some indirect pressure on the military. Then the international community could have done more. The Rohingyas are politically quite disorganised and the high degree of persecution has suppressed their natural political expressions. Due to this oppression, some Islamist militants have found their way into this community. And that, in turn, has become more of a reason for the Myanmar army to conduct heavy handed crack down at the cost of high civilian causality. Despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi's hands are actually tied. × Geopolitically, it seems no country is interested to do much for the Rohingyas as yet. Bangladesh doesn't have enough strength to do much on its own- be it diplomatic or military. Bangladesh has close relations with China, but China has even closer relations with Myanmar. Despite the overt bonhomie with Hasina government, the BJP government in India has hardly any empathy towards Muslim sufferings anywhere in the world. Nehruvian principle based foreign policy is a thing of past for India. The foreign policy is now narrow nationalistic interest based and the current Indian government will easily sacrifice Rohingyas for a little strategic leverage with Myanmar. The Indian government has already declared that it will deport the 40 thousand Rohingyas from neighbouring Myanmar, about 0.33 or one-thirtieths of the entire Rohingya refugee and that too against its own home ministry policy of giving shelter to persecuted communities and defying UNHCR measures. Apart from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have taken in sizable numbers of Rohingya refugees and Turkey is quite vocal against Myanmar atrocities against Rohingyas. But the Islamic world itself is in chaos and Islamic solidarity is in decline. Trump’s US is no more reliable for anything good and many will probably count only on the EU and UK in the west on this matter. UN has been the lone consistent international voice for these distressed people. ASEAN countries certainly have some influence on Myanmar although not as much as China. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success. × Bangladesh is in a difficult dilemma at this point. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success. It seems now that only a Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia led diplomatic drive including measures like sanctions on Myanmar, if necessary, and with help from ASEAN countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and perhaps the EU and UN is the only way forward. Bangladesh has to be careful while taking the help of the Islamic world in not giving in to any demand of Islamic radicals to operate in Arakan from its soil. That can have serious ramifications for Bangladesh, Arakan and even the entire sub-region. But the big question is to what extent these countries will be ready to coordinate with each other and invest in this crisis? Can China be pressurised substantially to put pressure on Myanmar in turn? As of now, it appears that there isn’t much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN. Humanity continues to be humiliated in that wretched land.

No country for a Rohingya

<p>Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the BRICS declaration saying that there was no &quot;safe haven&quot;&nbsp;for terrorists on its soil.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s Defence Minister&nbsp;Khurram Dastgir&nbsp;dismissed the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-first-pak-based-terror-groups-named-in-brics-declaration-19862">BRICS declaration&nbsp;naming terrorist groups in the region by leaders of member countries at the BRICS Summit in&nbsp;China</a>&nbsp;on Monday.</p>

<p>&quot;We reject the declaration released by member countries at the&nbsp;BRICS Summit,&quot;&nbsp;Geo News quoted Dastagir as saying during a meeting of the National Assembly&#39;s Standing Committee on Defence.</p>

<p>Highlighting that 40 percent of Afghanistan is a safe haven for terrorists, the minister said Pakistan has taken action against all groups on its soil and only the remnants of some are left.</p>

<p>He further said that the Pakistan will consult regional partners and then proceed to the US for talks on the recent &#39;anti-Pakistan&#39; comments by US President&nbsp;Donald Trump.</p>

<p>Dastagir said this will result in better engagement as Pakistan is in favour of resolving all matters peacefully since any American action in&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;will cause instability in the region.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/brics-leaders-declaration-signed-at-the-summit-in-xiamen-china-19854">BRICS leaders on Monday unveiled the Xiamen Declaration</a> in which member countries unequivocally condemned terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations and called upon all states to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating the menace, including countering radicalisation, recruitment, and movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters.</p>

<p>The Xiamen BRICS Declaration signed by the BRICS members specifically stated, &quot;BRICS express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;BRICS deplore all terrorist attacks worldwide, including attacks in BRICS countries, and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed and by whomsoever and stress that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. We reaffirm that those responsible for committing, organising, or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable,&quot; it added.</p>


'We reject the declaration released by member countries at the?BRICS Summit,'?Geo News quoted Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastagir as saying

Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the BRICS declaration saying that there was no "safe haven" for terrorists on its soil. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir dismissed the BRICS declaration naming terrorist groups in the region by leaders of member countries at the BRICS Summit in China on Monday. "We reject the declaration released by member countries at the BRICS Summit," Geo News quoted Dastagir as saying during a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence. Highlighting that 40 percent of Afghanistan is a safe haven for terrorists, the minister said Pakistan has taken action against all groups on its soil and only the remnants of some are left. He further said that the Pakistan will consult regional partners and then proceed to the US for talks on the recent 'anti-Pakistan' comments by US President Donald Trump. Dastagir said this will result in better engagement as Pakistan is in favour of resolving all matters peacefully since any American action in Pakistan will cause instability in the region. BRICS leaders on Monday unveiled the Xiamen Declaration in which member countries unequivocally condemned terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations and called upon all states to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating the menace, including countering radicalisation, recruitment, and movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters. The Xiamen BRICS Declaration signed by the BRICS members specifically stated, "BRICS express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir." "BRICS deplore all terrorist attacks worldwide, including attacks in BRICS countries, and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed and by whomsoever and stress that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. We reaffirm that those responsible for committing, organising, or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable," it added.

Pakistan rejects BRICS declaration, says no 'safe haven' for terrorists on its soil

<p>Pakistan&#39;s cattle markets have been crammed for weeks as the Muslim country prepares for the sacrificial festival of Eid al-Adha this weekend, but in Islamabad and Karachi crowd-weary residents are ordering animals by app instead.</p>

<p>Muslims slaughter an animal, a goat, sheep, cow, bull or camel, on the annual festival in a ritual that stems from the story of the prophet Abraham, commanded by God to slaughter his beloved son Ismail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The meat is then distributed in equal parts to the poor, to relatives, and consumed by the family themselves.</p>

<p>The centuries-old festival is steeped in tradition, but this year some middle-class Pakistanis are turning to technology to skip the packed markets and ordering their animals via the ride-sharing app Careem.</p>

<p>The app, which is growing in popularity in Pakistan, introduced a &quot;Bakra (goat) on wheels&quot;&nbsp;initiative in the run-up to Eid, with specially-painted trucks ferrying the animals to customers.</p>

<p>The response was &quot;substantial&quot;, Careem marketing executive Abuzar Khan told <em>AFP</em>, adding they have sold nearly 30 goats so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But there was little chance of it threatening demand for animals at the country&#39;s&nbsp;bustling cattle markets.</p>

<p>At one market set up temporarily in Islamabad, this week farmers from across the country soaped and shampooed goats and camels, some shaving patterns into their coats to make them look more appealing in the eyes of judicious customers.</p>

<p>Social media was flooded with videos showing camels being transported by rickshaw and sheep clinging to the back of motorcycles as Pakistanis shepherded their purchases home.</p>

<p>Experts say that the livestock market in Pakistan is growing by up to four per cent annually as more young entrepreneurs are taking interest, and volume is high during Eid, explained trader Syed Hayat Raza Naqvi.</p>

<p>&quot;The minimum price of a bull, which takes two and a half years to groom, is 65,000 rupees ($650) and it goes higher than five or 600,000 rupees ($6,000),&quot; he said.</p>

<p><img src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></p>


The app, which is growing in popularity in Pakistan, introduced a 'Bakra (goat) on wheels' initiative in the run-up to Eid, with specially-painted trucks ferrying the animals to customers

Pakistan's cattle markets have been crammed for weeks as the Muslim country prepares for the sacrificial festival of Eid al-Adha this weekend, but in Islamabad and Karachi crowd-weary residents are ordering animals by app instead. Muslims slaughter an animal, a goat, sheep, cow, bull or camel, on the annual festival in a ritual that stems from the story of the prophet Abraham, commanded by God to slaughter his beloved son Ismail. The meat is then distributed in equal parts to the poor, to relatives, and consumed by the family themselves. The centuries-old festival is steeped in tradition, but this year some middle-class Pakistanis are turning to technology to skip the packed markets and ordering their animals via the ride-sharing app Careem. The app, which is growing in popularity in Pakistan, introduced a "Bakra (goat) on wheels" initiative in the run-up to Eid, with specially-painted trucks ferrying the animals to customers. The response was "substantial", Careem marketing executive Abuzar Khan told AFP, adding they have sold nearly 30 goats so far. But there was little chance of it threatening demand for animals at the country's bustling cattle markets. At one market set up temporarily in Islamabad, this week farmers from across the country soaped and shampooed goats and camels, some shaving patterns into their coats to make them look more appealing in the eyes of judicious customers. Social media was flooded with videos showing camels being transported by rickshaw and sheep clinging to the back of motorcycles as Pakistanis shepherded their purchases home. Experts say that the livestock market in Pakistan is growing by up to four per cent annually as more young entrepreneurs are taking interest, and volume is high during Eid, explained trader Syed Hayat Raza Naqvi. "The minimum price of a bull, which takes two and a half years to groom, is 65,000 rupees ($650) and it goes higher than five or 600,000 rupees ($6,000)," he said.

Pakistan's 'goat on wheels' app is a big hit this Eid

<p>The Trump-led US administration has notified the US Congress that it was giving $255 million to Pakistan in military assistance on the condition that it can access the money only if it takes <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tough-talk-unlikely-to-move-pakistan-us-experts-19341" target="_blank">action against terror groups</a>, The New York Times said in a report.</p>

<p>The money will be put into the equivalent of an escrow account, the report added.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s access to the money has been made conditional based on its action&nbsp;against terror outfits.</p>

<p>The development comes a week after Trump put Pakistan on notice saying that &quot;we can no longer be silent about Pakistan&#39;s safe havens for terrorist organisations&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan has been a traditional US ally in its war against terrorism.</p>

<p>Pakistan has taken serious note of the statements emanating from Washington. In a rare move, Islamabad suspended bilateral talks with Washington and its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-national-assembly-passes-resolution-rejecting-trumps-hostile-statements-19694" target="_blank">National Assembly condemned President Trump</a> for his &quot;hostile and threatening&quot; statements.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The development comes after US President Trump castigated Pakistan for its alleged support to terror outfits

The Trump-led US administration has notified the US Congress that it was giving $255 million to Pakistan in military assistance on the condition that it can access the money only if it takes action against terror groups, The New York Times said in a report. The money will be put into the equivalent of an escrow account, the report added. Pakistan's access to the money has been made conditional based on its action against terror outfits. The development comes a week after Trump put Pakistan on notice saying that "we can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations". Pakistan has been a traditional US ally in its war against terrorism. Pakistan has taken serious note of the statements emanating from Washington. In a rare move, Islamabad suspended bilateral talks with Washington and its National Assembly condemned President Trump for his "hostile and threatening" statements.

Trump's condition for $255 million aid to Pak: Crack down on terror outfits

<p>Pakistan has resorted to ceasefire violation in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Rajouri district.</p>

<p>The unprovoked firing by the Pakistani side started at 10.30 am, ANi reported.</p>

<p>The Indian Army is retaliating to the provocation&nbsp;from the Pakistani side.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Pakistani side started targeting the Indian posts on the LoC at 10.30 am

Pakistan has resorted to ceasefire violation in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The unprovoked firing by the Pakistani side started at 10.30 am, ANi reported. The Indian Army is retaliating to the provocation from the Pakistani side.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir

<p>Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif announced on Tuesday&nbsp;that Islamabad has suspended talks and bilateral visits with Washington.with Washington.</p>

<p>The talks were suspended to express disapproval of US President Trump&#39;s comments criticising&nbsp;the nation, media reports said.</p>

<p>Asif informed the Senate on Monday that the South Asian nation has taken President Trump&#39;s remarks in serious light.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump has announced a new South Asia policy&nbsp;which has condemned Pakistan.</p>

<p>Last week, during his very first speech as the commander-in-chief, Trump called for more troop deployment in Afghanistan&nbsp;and spoke about India&#39;s role in the country.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, he attacked Pakistan and accused the country of offering a safe haven to &quot;agents of chaos&quot;.</p>

<p>This led to a series of protests and as a consequence, Pakistan postponed the visit by a US acting assistant secretary of State.<br />
<br />
According to the previous schedule, US Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells was supposed to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday, while Asif was to travel to the US last week.</p>

<p>In context to Trump&#39;s South Asia policy, Asif does not foresee a&nbsp;military role for India in Afghanistan. The minister said that it was rather a role of economic development.</p>

<p>The minister said that India would not be allowed to use Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan.&nbsp;This particular remark took most committee members by surprise as they were under the impression that India was already using Afghanistan to plan subversive activities in Pakistan. The members sought information on the terror events in Pakistan that were sponsored in India, with emphasis on Indian intelligence agent Kulbhushan Jadhav case.</p>

<p>Members wanted to understand that what mechanism would be put in place to check if Indian presence was not being abused to instigate terrorism in Pakistan.</p>

<p>They were also keen on understanding why there were an unusually high number of Indian consulates in Afghanistan--more than those it had in the US.</p>

<p>Additionally, the members demanded the government to share a fact-sheet on US assistance received after 9/11, the reimbursed amount of coalition support fund (CSF) and the financial loss incurred by the country as a frontline state against the war on terror.</p>

<p>According to media reports, Foreign Secretary Teh&shy;mina Janjua told the Senate that a meeting of Pakistan`s representatives had been convened from September 5 to September 7 to draw a strategy over the new US policy on South Asia.</p>

<p>It was decided that the Senate will have another meeting on Tuesday to standardise the policy guidelines, keeping in mind the emerging realities and the role of the US, curated by a six-member committee of the house.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The policy guidelines are likely to be passed on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Pakistan&#39;s newly-appointed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is to make a trip to the US in the second half of September.</p>

<p>The visit will be his first visit to the US as Prime Minister and he is expected to meet American officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.</p>


Trump accused the country of offering a safe haven to 'agents of chaos'

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif announced on Tuesday that Islamabad has suspended talks and bilateral visits with Washington.with Washington. The talks were suspended to express disapproval of US President Trump's comments criticising the nation, media reports said. Asif informed the Senate on Monday that the South Asian nation has taken President Trump's remarks in serious light. Trump has announced a new South Asia policy which has condemned Pakistan. Last week, during his very first speech as the commander-in-chief, Trump called for more troop deployment in Afghanistan and spoke about India's role in the country. On the other hand, he attacked Pakistan and accused the country of offering a safe haven to "agents of chaos". This led to a series of protests and as a consequence, Pakistan postponed the visit by a US acting assistant secretary of State. According to the previous schedule, US Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells was supposed to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday, while Asif was to travel to the US last week. In context to Trump's South Asia policy, Asif does not foresee a military role for India in Afghanistan. The minister said that it was rather a role of economic development. The minister said that India would not be allowed to use Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan. This particular remark took most committee members by surprise as they were under the impression that India was already using Afghanistan to plan subversive activities in Pakistan. The members sought information on the terror events in Pakistan that were sponsored in India, with emphasis on Indian intelligence agent Kulbhushan Jadhav case. Members wanted to understand that what mechanism would be put in place to check if Indian presence was not being abused to instigate terrorism in Pakistan. They were also keen on understanding why there were an unusually high number of Indian consulates in Afghanistan--more than those it had in the US. Additionally, the members demanded the government to share a fact-sheet on US assistance received after 9/11, the reimbursed amount of coalition support fund (CSF) and the financial loss incurred by the country as a frontline state against the war on terror. According to media reports, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua told the Senate that a meeting of Pakistan`s representatives had been convened from September 5 to September 7 to draw a strategy over the new US policy on South Asia. It was decided that the Senate will have another meeting on Tuesday to standardise the policy guidelines, keeping in mind the emerging realities and the role of the US, curated by a six-member committee of the house. The policy guidelines are likely to be passed on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Pakistan's newly-appointed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is to make a trip to the US in the second half of September. The visit will be his first visit to the US as Prime Minister and he is expected to meet American officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Pakistan suspends talks with US in protest against Trump's fiery comment

<p>Eight security forces personnel lost their lives in an encounter in Kashmir&#39;s Pulwama.</p>

<p>Three militants have also been killed in the encounter which started on early Saturday morning.</p>

<p>The militants had attacked the police lines early on Saturday morning.</p>

<p>Militants entered the family quarters of the District Police Lines in Pulwama.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Security forces said families had been evacuated from the quarters and that there was no hostage situation.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We brought families out of blocks. Troops are continuing with ops. It is a fidayeen attack.We don&#39;t have hostage situation: Lt Gen JS Sandhu <a href="https://t.co/OWTyAVIBad">pic.twitter.com/OWTyAVIBad</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/901340384571269120">August 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>ANI had earlier reported Lt Gen JS Sandhu, GoC 15 Corps, as saying, &quot;Two terrorists entered family quarters at District Police LInes, Pulwama.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;We brought families out of blocks. Troops are continuing with ops. It is a fidayeen attack. We don&#39;t have hostage situation,&quot; ANI added Lt Gen Sandhu as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash">#UPDATE</a>: Another CRPF jawan lost his life during encounter in Pulwama&#39;s District Police Lines; security personnel&#39;s death toll reaches 3.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/901319045491728384">August 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash">#Visuals</a>: Encounter underway at District Police Lines building in Pulwama; one Policeman has lost his life (visuals deferred) <a href="https://t.co/EpqHau4q6E">pic.twitter.com/EpqHau4q6E</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/901278015287459840">August 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>ANI reported that two to three militants were hiding inside the Police Lines and that the encounter was ongoing.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash">#UPDATE</a> J&amp;K: 2-3 terrorists are hiding inside DPL, Pulwama; encounter underway (visuals deferred) <a href="https://t.co/w04e5NvPuD">pic.twitter.com/w04e5NvPuD</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/901263335512973312">August 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>ANI reported earlier that two policemen and 2 CRPF jawans had been injured in the encounter.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash">#FLASH</a> J&amp;K: Terrorists attack District Police Lines in Pulwama. 2 policemen and 2 CRPF jawans injured. <a href="https://t.co/lGwNWSFdNi">pic.twitter.com/lGwNWSFdNi</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/901248683051597824">August 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A Jammu and Kashmir police constable and two CRPF jawans have been killed

Eight security forces personnel lost their lives in an encounter in Kashmir's Pulwama. Three militants have also been killed in the encounter which started on early Saturday morning. The militants had attacked the police lines early on Saturday morning. Militants entered the family quarters of the District Police Lines in Pulwama. Security forces said families had been evacuated from the quarters and that there was no hostage situation. We brought families out of blocks. Troops are continuing with ops. It is a fidayeen attack.We don't have hostage situation: Lt Gen JS Sandhu pic.twitter.com/OWTyAVIBad — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2017 × ANI had earlier reported Lt Gen JS Sandhu, GoC 15 Corps, as saying, "Two terrorists entered family quarters at District Police LInes, Pulwama." "We brought families out of blocks. Troops are continuing with ops. It is a fidayeen attack. We don't have hostage situation," ANI added Lt Gen Sandhu as saying. #UPDATE: Another CRPF jawan lost his life during encounter in Pulwama's District Police Lines; security personnel's death toll reaches 3. — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2017 × #Visuals: Encounter underway at District Police Lines building in Pulwama; one Policeman has lost his life (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/EpqHau4q6E — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2017 × ANI reported that two to three militants were hiding inside the Police Lines and that the encounter was ongoing. #UPDATE J&K: 2-3 terrorists are hiding inside DPL, Pulwama; encounter underway (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/w04e5NvPuD — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2017 × ANI reported earlier that two policemen and 2 CRPF jawans had been injured in the encounter. #FLASH J&K: Terrorists attack District Police Lines in Pulwama. 2 policemen and 2 CRPF jawans injured. pic.twitter.com/lGwNWSFdNi — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2017 ×

Kashmir: 8 security forces personnel, 3 militants killed in Pulwama encounter

<p>The United States must value Pakistan&#39;s role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China&#39;s top diplomat Yang Jiechi told US secretary of state Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media.</p>

<p>China&#39;s Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil.</p>

<p>On Monday, Trump committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signalling he would send more troops to America&#39;s longest war and vowing &quot;a fight to win&quot;.</p>

<p>He insisted that others - the Afghan government, Pakistan, India and NATO allies - step up their own commitment to resolving the 16-year conflict, but he saved his sharpest words for Pakistan.</p>

<p>Yang, who outranks China&#39;s foreign minister, told Tillerson on Wednesday that China was willing to coordinate with the United States on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region, according to a Chinese statement issued late that night.</p>

<p>&quot;We must value Pakistan&#39;s important role on the Afghanistan issue, and respect Pakistan&#39;s sovereignty and reasonable security concerns,&quot; Yang told Tillerson.</p>

<p>Pakistan has been battling home-grown Islamists for years. It sees Afghanistan as a vital strategic interest and a bulwark against old rival, India. Islamabad denies harbouring militants, who move across the porous border with Afghanistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>China and Pakistan consider each other &quot;all-weather friends&quot; and have close diplomatic, economic and security ties.</p>

<p>Beijing has its own security concerns in the region, in particular any links between militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Islamist groups China blames for violence in its far western region of Xinjiang.</p>

<p>Foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistani foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a statement on Thursday.</p>

<p>He praised Pakistan&#39;s efforts to combat extremism and to secure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a development initiative central to President Xi Jinping&#39;s global Belt and Road development plan.</p>

<p>&quot;Given the current complicated and changing international and regional situation, the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations is even more prominent,&quot; Wang said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


China's top diplomat told US?secretary of state Rex Tillerson that the country is willing to coordinate with the US on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region

The United States must value Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi told US secretary of state Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media. China's Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil. On Monday, Trump committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signalling he would send more troops to America's longest war and vowing "a fight to win". He insisted that others - the Afghan government, Pakistan, India and NATO allies - step up their own commitment to resolving the 16-year conflict, but he saved his sharpest words for Pakistan. Yang, who outranks China's foreign minister, told Tillerson on Wednesday that China was willing to coordinate with the United States on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region, according to a Chinese statement issued late that night. "We must value Pakistan's important role on the Afghanistan issue, and respect Pakistan's sovereignty and reasonable security concerns," Yang told Tillerson. Pakistan has been battling home-grown Islamists for years. It sees Afghanistan as a vital strategic interest and a bulwark against old rival, India. Islamabad denies harbouring militants, who move across the porous border with Afghanistan. China and Pakistan consider each other "all-weather friends" and have close diplomatic, economic and security ties. Beijing has its own security concerns in the region, in particular any links between militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Islamist groups China blames for violence in its far western region of Xinjiang. Foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistani foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a statement on Thursday. He praised Pakistan's efforts to combat extremism and to secure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a development initiative central to President Xi Jinping's global Belt and Road development plan. "Given the current complicated and changing international and regional situation, the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations is even more prominent," Wang said.

China asks US to respect Pakistan's security concerns

<p>US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has refused to rule out the use of military action, involving air strikes, on terror groups in Pakistan and cutting off its status as a privileged military ally if Islamabad doesn&#39;t crack down on the Taliban and other extremist groups.</p>

<p>&quot;We are going to attack terrorists wherever they live, and we have put people on notice that if you are harboring or providing safe haven to terrorists, be warned, be forewarned,&quot; Washington Examiner quoted Tillerson as saying.</p>

<p>&quot;All those things... are on the table for discussion, if, in fact, they are unwilling to change their posture or change their approach to how they&#39;re dealing with the numerous terrorist organisations that find safe haven in Pakistan,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan must adopt a different approach, and we are ready to work with them to help them protect themselves against these terrorist organisations. We are going to be conditioning our support for Pakistan and our relationship with them on them delivering results in this area.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;We have some leverage in terms of aid, their status as a non-NATO alliance partner -- all of that can be put on the table,&quot; he further said.</p>

<p>Reinforcing US President Donald Trump&#39;s warning issued to Pakistan over its alleged support to extremist groups in the region, the US Secretary of State said, &quot;There&#39;s been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan.&quot;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, US&nbsp;National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Michael Anton has warned that President Donald Trump is planning to impose sanctions on terrorists including the Haqqani network having links to the&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Governemnt and has outrightly dismissed its allegations against India&#39;s encirclement through Afghanistan.</p>

<p>While announcing US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, President Trump has vowed to win the war in Afghanistan by committing more US troops as he called on Nato allies such as Britain to increase troop numbers &quot;in line with our own&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;We will ask our Nato allies and global partners to support our new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line without own - we are confident they will,&quot; Trump said.</p>


'There's been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan', Rex Tillerson said

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has refused to rule out the use of military action, involving air strikes, on terror groups in Pakistan and cutting off its status as a privileged military ally if Islamabad doesn't crack down on the Taliban and other extremist groups. "We are going to attack terrorists wherever they live, and we have put people on notice that if you are harboring or providing safe haven to terrorists, be warned, be forewarned," Washington Examiner quoted Tillerson as saying. "All those things... are on the table for discussion, if, in fact, they are unwilling to change their posture or change their approach to how they're dealing with the numerous terrorist organisations that find safe haven in Pakistan," he added. "Pakistan must adopt a different approach, and we are ready to work with them to help them protect themselves against these terrorist organisations. We are going to be conditioning our support for Pakistan and our relationship with them on them delivering results in this area." "We have some leverage in terms of aid, their status as a non-NATO alliance partner -- all of that can be put on the table," he further said. Reinforcing US President Donald Trump's warning issued to Pakistan over its alleged support to extremist groups in the region, the US Secretary of State said, "There's been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan." Meanwhile, US National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Michael Anton has warned that President Donald Trump is planning to impose sanctions on terrorists including the Haqqani network having links to the Pakistan Governemnt and has outrightly dismissed its allegations against India's encirclement through Afghanistan. While announcing US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, President Trump has vowed to win the war in Afghanistan by committing more US troops as he called on Nato allies such as Britain to increase troop numbers "in line with our own". "We will ask our Nato allies and global partners to support our new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line without own - we are confident they will," Trump said.

Air strikes on terror groups in Pakistan on table: US secretary of state

<p>President Donald Trump warned Pakistan on Monday that Washington will no longer tolerate Pakistan offering &quot;safe havens&quot; to extremists.</p>

<p>&quot;We can no longer be silent about Pakistan&#39;s safe havens for terrorist organisations,&quot; Trump declared, outlining a new US security strategy in South Asia.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists.&quot;</p>

<p>Going further, Trump suggested that military and other aid to Washington&#39;s nuclear-armed ally is at stake if it does not clamp down on extremism.</p>

<p>&quot;We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;That will have to change and that will change immediately,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;It is time for Pakistan to dedicate to civilisation and order and peace.&quot;</p>


'We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations,' Trump declared

President Donald Trump warned Pakistan on Monday that Washington will no longer tolerate Pakistan offering "safe havens" to extremists. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations," Trump declared, outlining a new US security strategy in South Asia. "Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists." Going further, Trump suggested that military and other aid to Washington's nuclear-armed ally is at stake if it does not clamp down on extremism. "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting," he said. "That will have to change and that will change immediately," he said. "It is time for Pakistan to dedicate to civilisation and order and peace."

Trump warns Pakistan will pay for harbouring terrorists

<p>Pakistan has taken action against all Islamist militants including the Haqqani network, the army spokesman said on Monday hours ahead of a US&nbsp;announcement on Afghan policy that could herald a tougher stance towards Islamabad.</p>

<p>&quot;There are no terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. We have operated against all terrorists, including (the) Haqqani network,&quot; spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a media briefing in Islamabad.</p>

<p>He said evidence to that effect was shared with General Joseph Votel, chief of the US Central Command, who visited Pakistan over the weekend.</p>

<p>US officials say Afghan&#39;s Islamist Taliban insurgents and the allied Haqqani network, deemed the most lethal Afghan militant group, are supported by elements of Pakistan&#39;s military and top intelligence agency, a charge Islamabad denies.</p>

<p>US President Donald Trump was expected in an address to the nation due at 0100 GMT to address the future of relations with Islamabad, part of a review of policy on the protracted war in neighbouring Afghanistan.</p>

<p>With Taliban insurgent forces no nearer to defeat after more than 15 years of conflict, Trump was likely to announce a modest increase in US&nbsp;troop numbers in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said.</p>

<p>&quot;As regard to US policy, and even if it comes with certain coercive, you know, announcements, Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest,&quot; Ghafoor said.</p>

<p>Votel met Pakistan&#39;s army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and on Saturday toured the Waziristan area that was long the base of local and foreign militants along the Afghan border, where Pakistan&#39;s military waged a campaign to drive them out.</p>

<p>Washington and Islamabad have at times had a rocky relationship, including over the secret US raid inside Pakistan in 2011 that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.</p>

<p>Relations have been under scrutiny in Trump&#39;s lengthy review of a new strategy and troop levels in the fight against the Taliban and other Islamist militants in Afghanistan.</p>


The statement from the Pakistani Army spokesperson comes before US President Trump is expected to unveil a new strategy in Afghanistan

Pakistan has taken action against all Islamist militants including the Haqqani network, the army spokesman said on Monday hours ahead of a US announcement on Afghan policy that could herald a tougher stance towards Islamabad. "There are no terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. We have operated against all terrorists, including (the) Haqqani network," spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a media briefing in Islamabad. He said evidence to that effect was shared with General Joseph Votel, chief of the US Central Command, who visited Pakistan over the weekend. US officials say Afghan's Islamist Taliban insurgents and the allied Haqqani network, deemed the most lethal Afghan militant group, are supported by elements of Pakistan's military and top intelligence agency, a charge Islamabad denies. US President Donald Trump was expected in an address to the nation due at 0100 GMT to address the future of relations with Islamabad, part of a review of policy on the protracted war in neighbouring Afghanistan. With Taliban insurgent forces no nearer to defeat after more than 15 years of conflict, Trump was likely to announce a modest increase in US troop numbers in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said. "As regard to US policy, and even if it comes with certain coercive, you know, announcements, Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest," Ghafoor said. Votel met Pakistan's army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and on Saturday toured the Waziristan area that was long the base of local and foreign militants along the Afghan border, where Pakistan's military waged a campaign to drive them out. Washington and Islamabad have at times had a rocky relationship, including over the secret US raid inside Pakistan in 2011 that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Relations have been under scrutiny in Trump's lengthy review of a new strategy and troop levels in the fight against the Taliban and other Islamist militants in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has cracked down on Islamist militants including Haqqani network: Army

<p>Case after case of minority Hindu girls being forcibly converted to Islam are being presented before courts in Pakistan&#39;s Sindh province, has left the community deeply unsettled and with a sense of alarm.</p>

<p>An article authored by freelance journalist <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/08/hindu-muslim-pakistan/536238/" target="_blank">Saba Imtiaz and published in <strong><em>The Atlantic</em></strong></a>, has said, &quot;The allegedly forcible nature of the conversions, the almost identical pattern of the cases, and the targeting of minor girls have deeply unsettled the Hindu population, which constitutes about two percent of Pakistan&#39;s approximately 200 million people.&quot;</p>

<p>Imtiaz further goes on to state that this sense of alarm has led some Hindus to even reassess their place in Pakistan 70 years after its creation and the partition of the Indian subcontinent.</p>

<p>Cases of forced conversion are mostly reported from Sindh. Although Pakistan became a Muslim-majority state post-partition, with Muslims dominating politics, the economy, and society, Hindus managed to retain a degree of social influence in Sindh province, where they were known as successful merchants.</p>

<p>The discrimination that this minority community faces in Pakistan is with those who are declared lower-caste and have low incomes.</p>

<p>According to Imtiaz, this section of Hindus in Sindh experiences a form of economic servitude.</p>

<p>&quot;They face social discrimination and are often cut off from the Hindu community at large. A 2015 report by the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan argued that social, cultural, economic, and religious factors have combined with feudal power structures in rural areas to enable forcible conversions,&quot; she says.</p>

<p>According to the most recent available census, over six percent of Sindh&#39;s population is Hindu.</p>

<p>&quot;Today, Pakistan&#39;s identity is that of an Islamic nationalist state, hard-line religious groups are a formidable force, and religious minorities have little voice in society. As influential Islamic shrines and religious groups work to convert people to Islam, some Hindus are leaving their villages and moving to cities in Pakistan, or leaving Pakistan altogether and moving to India, &quot;she says.</p>

<p>Hindu activists and families allege that young girls are abducted, coerced into converting to Islam, and married off to Muslim men in an organized manner.</p>

<p>Muslim religious activists and leaders are defensive about conversions, believing that converting someone to Islam is a way of earning blessings.</p>

<p>These conversions are often backed by powerful shrines, seminaries, and clerics, as well as local politicians. Seminaries and shrines protect the couple and say the girl willingly eloped, converted, and married.</p>

<p>This dichotomy poses a challenge for both lawyers and activists, who have to figure out if these marriages are born of free will or are marked by threats and violence.</p>

<p>And, according to Imtiaz, who is based in the Middle East, and has authored two books - &quot;Karachi, You&#39;re Killing Me!&quot; and &quot;No Team of Angels&quot;, almost invariably, the girl&#39;s testimony that she exercised her right as an adult to marry settles the case, while her parents continue to insist she is being pressured by influential followers of the shrine where she converted to Islam.</p>

<p>Forced conversions has been a national talking point since 2012, when three Hindu girls were reported to have been forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim men.</p>

<p>The cases went to Pakistan&#39;s Supreme Court. One of them was a girl called Rinkle Kumari, whose conversion took place at a shrine associated with a legislator who was then part of the Pakistan People&#39;s Party, which governed the country at the time.</p>

<p>In court, the women said they wanted to live with their husbands, though activist Mangla Sharma, a member of the Pakistan Hindu Council, told me Kumari wanted to go back to her parents. The court said the women were free to be with their Muslim husbands.</p>

<p>Young girls aren&#39;t the only ones being targeted for conversion, as according to Imtiaz, mass conversions of Hindu families are taking place in Sindh.</p>

<p>The Sindh legislature passed a bill in 2016 outlawing forcible conversions and conversions before the age of 18. The landmark legislation faced instant criticism from hard-line religious groups-including the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, widely believed to be the public face of the militant network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is accused of carrying out the 2008 attacks on landmarks in Mumbai. Right-wing groups banded together to form an opposition movement.</p>

<p>The outcry led to the Sindh governor declining to sign the bill into law.</p>

<p>In the absence of a law explicitly banning forced conversions, activists and lawyers are zeroing in on the cases of minor girls, using a different law that outlaws all marriage in Sindh below the age of 18.</p>

<p>Young girls aren&#39;t the only ones being targeted for conversion. Mass conversions of Hindu families are taking place in Sindh, and many are reported to be lower-caste Hindus. Seminaries and clerics offer money and housing to new Muslim converts; they issue press releases when they convert someone to Islam, believing this to be a considerable achievement.</p>

<p>It&#39;s unclear how and when forced conversions became such an organized movement. Most activists say this change has taken place over the past 15 years. The spate of conversions to Islam is changing the way Hindus live in a province that has been their home for generations.</p>

<p>Accurate counts of the Hindus leaving their villages are difficult to come by, as there is only anecdotal evidence. As for Hindus leaving Pakistan altogether and migrating to India, one estimate put the number at 5,000 per year, says Imtiaz.</p>

<p>Currently, a sense of antagonism prevails between Hindus and Muslims in Pakistan, and this has increased in the last 10 or 15 years.</p>


Cases of forced conversion are mostly reported from Sindh

Case after case of minority Hindu girls being forcibly converted to Islam are being presented before courts in Pakistan's Sindh province, has left the community deeply unsettled and with a sense of alarm. An article authored by freelance journalist Saba Imtiaz and published in The Atlantic, has said, "The allegedly forcible nature of the conversions, the almost identical pattern of the cases, and the targeting of minor girls have deeply unsettled the Hindu population, which constitutes about two percent of Pakistan's approximately 200 million people." Imtiaz further goes on to state that this sense of alarm has led some Hindus to even reassess their place in Pakistan 70 years after its creation and the partition of the Indian subcontinent. Cases of forced conversion are mostly reported from Sindh. Although Pakistan became a Muslim-majority state post-partition, with Muslims dominating politics, the economy, and society, Hindus managed to retain a degree of social influence in Sindh province, where they were known as successful merchants. The discrimination that this minority community faces in Pakistan is with those who are declared lower-caste and have low incomes. According to Imtiaz, this section of Hindus in Sindh experiences a form of economic servitude. "They face social discrimination and are often cut off from the Hindu community at large. A 2015 report by the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan argued that social, cultural, economic, and religious factors have combined with feudal power structures in rural areas to enable forcible conversions," she says. According to the most recent available census, over six percent of Sindh's population is Hindu. "Today, Pakistan's identity is that of an Islamic nationalist state, hard-line religious groups are a formidable force, and religious minorities have little voice in society. As influential Islamic shrines and religious groups work to convert people to Islam, some Hindus are leaving their villages and moving to cities in Pakistan, or leaving Pakistan altogether and moving to India, "she says. Hindu activists and families allege that young girls are abducted, coerced into converting to Islam, and married off to Muslim men in an organized manner. Muslim religious activists and leaders are defensive about conversions, believing that converting someone to Islam is a way of earning blessings. These conversions are often backed by powerful shrines, seminaries, and clerics, as well as local politicians. Seminaries and shrines protect the couple and say the girl willingly eloped, converted, and married. This dichotomy poses a challenge for both lawyers and activists, who have to figure out if these marriages are born of free will or are marked by threats and violence. And, according to Imtiaz, who is based in the Middle East, and has authored two books - "Karachi, You're Killing Me!" and "No Team of Angels", almost invariably, the girl's testimony that she exercised her right as an adult to marry settles the case, while her parents continue to insist she is being pressured by influential followers of the shrine where she converted to Islam. Forced conversions has been a national talking point since 2012, when three Hindu girls were reported to have been forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim men. The cases went to Pakistan's Supreme Court. One of them was a girl called Rinkle Kumari, whose conversion took place at a shrine associated with a legislator who was then part of the Pakistan People's Party, which governed the country at the time. In court, the women said they wanted to live with their husbands, though activist Mangla Sharma, a member of the Pakistan Hindu Council, told me Kumari wanted to go back to her parents. The court said the women were free to be with their Muslim husbands. Young girls aren't the only ones being targeted for conversion, as according to Imtiaz, mass conversions of Hindu families are taking place in Sindh. The Sindh legislature passed a bill in 2016 outlawing forcible conversions and conversions before the age of 18. The landmark legislation faced instant criticism from hard-line religious groups-including the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, widely believed to be the public face of the militant network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is accused of carrying out the 2008 attacks on landmarks in Mumbai. Right-wing groups banded together to form an opposition movement. The outcry led to the Sindh governor declining to sign the bill into law. In the absence of a law explicitly banning forced conversions, activists and lawyers are zeroing in on the cases of minor girls, using a different law that outlaws all marriage in Sindh below the age of 18. Young girls aren't the only ones being targeted for conversion. Mass conversions of Hindu families are taking place in Sindh, and many are reported to be lower-caste Hindus. Seminaries and clerics offer money and housing to new Muslim converts; they issue press releases when they convert someone to Islam, believing this to be a considerable achievement. It's unclear how and when forced conversions became such an organized movement. Most activists say this change has taken place over the past 15 years. The spate of conversions to Islam is changing the way Hindus live in a province that has been their home for generations. Accurate counts of the Hindus leaving their villages are difficult to come by, as there is only anecdotal evidence. As for Hindus leaving Pakistan altogether and migrating to India, one estimate put the number at 5,000 per year, says Imtiaz. Currently, a sense of antagonism prevails between Hindus and Muslims in Pakistan, and this has increased in the last 10 or 15 years.

Forced conversion of Hindu girls raises alarm in Pakistan's minority community

<p>Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai will study Philosophy,&nbsp;Politics, and Economics at the prestigious Oxford University.</p>

<p>The 20-year-old from Pakistan who was shot at by Taliban for her campaign to promote education among girls tweeted the confirmation received by her from the University.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead! <a href="https://t.co/miIwK6fNSf">pic.twitter.com/miIwK6fNSf</a></p>
&mdash; Malala (@Malala) <a href="https://twitter.com/Malala/status/898083175213260800">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>She got the admission after securing three As at the A-level. In March, Malala&nbsp;had said that she would enter a UK college to study politics, philosophy, and economics after getting three As at the A-level.</p>

<p>Malala&#39;s father expressed his happiness at the news of his daughter studying at the Oxford University.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My heart is full of gratitude. We are grateful to Allah &amp; thank u 2 al those who support <a href="https://twitter.com/Malala">@Malala</a> 4 the grand cause of education <a href="https://twitter.com/MalalaFund">@MalalaFund</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cgro6vpPXV">https://t.co/Cgro6vpPXV</a></p>
&mdash; Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZiauddinY/status/898088927915061248">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Malala will study the same course at the same college attended by former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and a host of other world leaders.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The 20-year-old from Pakistan was shot by the Taliban for her campaign to promote education among girls

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai will study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the prestigious Oxford University. The 20-year-old from Pakistan who was shot at by Taliban for her campaign to promote education among girls tweeted the confirmation received by her from the University. So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead! pic.twitter.com/miIwK6fNSf — Malala (@Malala) August 17, 2017 × She got the admission after securing three As at the A-level. In March, Malala had said that she would enter a UK college to study politics, philosophy, and economics after getting three As at the A-level. Malala's father expressed his happiness at the news of his daughter studying at the Oxford University. My heart is full of gratitude. We are grateful to Allah & thank u 2 al those who support @Malala 4 the grand cause of education @MalalaFund https://t.co/Cgro6vpPXV — Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) August 17, 2017 × Malala will study the same course at the same college attended by former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and a host of other world leaders.

Malala Yousafzai to go to Oxford, study same course as Benazir

<p>The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has begun fresh investigations to prepare four references against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s family in accordance with the July 28 Supreme Court verdict for his disqualification.</p>

<p>The National Accountability Bureau,the country&#39;s apex anti-corruption organisation has been given six- week deadline to finalise Nawaz Sharif, his children Hassan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz corruption cases.But it may take longer time to submit admissible evidence before the court along with the prosecution witnesses to prove the cases in addition to relying on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case.</p>

<p>A NAB official said that if the bureau did not rely on the JIT report and went for fresh investigations, it might not use some evidence brought by the team before the Supreme Court in its 60-day proceedings, the Dawn reported.</p>

<p>According to him, the JIT, because of a time constraint, had collected certain documents, about the &#39;money trail&#39; and foreign companies owned by the Sharif family, directly and through experts and they had been accorded weight by the Supreme Court.</p>

<p>The NAB Executive Board approved in its meeting on July 31 the filing of the references related to the apartments in London and steel mills in Saudi Arabia of the Sharif family, companies owned by the children of the former premier and possession by finance minister Ishaq Dar of assets beyond his known sources of income.</p>

<p>The sources said that NAB&#39;s Lahore directorate was working on a reference about flats 16, 16-A, 17 and 17-A at Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, that would be filed against Sharif, his daughter Maryam and sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Mohammad Safdar, the Dawn reported.</p>

<p>The court had observed that they had failed to prove themselves innocent before the JIT with regard to the ownership of offshore companies and assets which allegedly were disproportionate to their declared sources of income.</p>

<p>The bureau&#39;s Lahore directorate will also hold investigations against Hussain , Hassan and Maryam Nawaz with regard to the setting up of the companies mentioned in Paragraph 9 of the court&#39;s judgement - Flagship Investments, Hartstone Proper&shy;ties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane (formerly Quint Eaton Place Limited), Quaint Limited, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington (formerly Rivates Estates Limited), Flagship Developments, Alanna Services in British Virgin Islands, Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron Inc, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital Free Zone Establishment (Dubai).</p>

<p>The Rawalpindi directorate will file a reference regarding the setting up of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Establishment against Mr Sharif and his sons.</p>

<p>The same directorate may prepare the reference against Mr Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.</p>


The National Accountability Bureau has been given a six-week deadline to finalise Nawaz Sharif, his children Hassan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz corruption cases

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has begun fresh investigations to prepare four references against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family in accordance with the July 28 Supreme Court verdict for his disqualification. The National Accountability Bureau,the country's apex anti-corruption organisation has been given six- week deadline to finalise Nawaz Sharif, his children Hassan, Hussain and Maryam Nawaz corruption cases.But it may take longer time to submit admissible evidence before the court along with the prosecution witnesses to prove the cases in addition to relying on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case. A NAB official said that if the bureau did not rely on the JIT report and went for fresh investigations, it might not use some evidence brought by the team before the Supreme Court in its 60-day proceedings, the Dawn reported. According to him, the JIT, because of a time constraint, had collected certain documents, about the 'money trail' and foreign companies owned by the Sharif family, directly and through experts and they had been accorded weight by the Supreme Court. The NAB Executive Board approved in its meeting on July 31 the filing of the references related to the apartments in London and steel mills in Saudi Arabia of the Sharif family, companies owned by the children of the former premier and possession by finance minister Ishaq Dar of assets beyond his known sources of income. The sources said that NAB's Lahore directorate was working on a reference about flats 16, 16-A, 17 and 17-A at Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, that would be filed against Sharif, his daughter Maryam and sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz and son-in-law retired Capt Mohammad Safdar, the Dawn reported. The court had observed that they had failed to prove themselves innocent before the JIT with regard to the ownership of offshore companies and assets which allegedly were disproportionate to their declared sources of income. The bureau's Lahore directorate will also hold investigations against Hussain , Hassan and Maryam Nawaz with regard to the setting up of the companies mentioned in Paragraph 9 of the court's judgement - Flagship Investments, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane (formerly Quint Eaton Place Limited), Quaint Limited, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington (formerly Rivates Estates Limited), Flagship Developments, Alanna Services in British Virgin Islands, Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron Inc, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital Free Zone Establishment (Dubai). The Rawalpindi directorate will file a reference regarding the setting up of Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Establishment against Mr Sharif and his sons. The same directorate may prepare the reference against Mr Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

Pakistan: NAB directorates initiate fresh probes against Sharif family

<p>Shahbaz Sharif will continue as Punjab chief minister as leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are mulling over options, who would replace former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as the party chief, in regard to a notice from election commision, following Sharif&#39;s disqualification from office.</p>

<p>&quot;We did discuss all available options for a new party chief but could not arrive at a decision...we decided to hold huddles for a couple of more days keeping in view various legal and political sensitivities involved with the issue,&quot; the Dawn quoted Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana as saying.</p>

<p>The leaders, at a consultative meeting chaired by Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence, however, decided to continue with the party&#39;s &quot;mass-contact drive,&quot; in the wake of a &quot;positive&quot; response from supporters, along the former Prime Minister&#39;s rally on GT Road.</p>

<p>The meeting was attended by National assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Anushe Rehman, former law minister Zahid Hamid and ex-IG Rana Maqbool.</p>

<p>The Election Commission asked the PML-N on August 7 to elect a new chief as election laws do not permit a person to serve as an office-bearer of a political entity, who have been disqualified from holding office.</p>

<p>Earlier, party chairman Raja Zafarul Haq had said that Shahbaz Sharif had been finalised as the new PML-N president and a formal announcement to the effect would be made within two days.</p>

<p>The former prime minister of Pakistan had earlier wished that his younger brother Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif should succeed him as prime minister (after contesting from NA-120 to become a National Assembly member).</p>

<p>Former first lady Begum Kulsoom might be the next party president and that her nomination was pending clearance of her candidature for NA-120 by-polls with the Election Commission. She is to appear before the returning officer on Wednesday (today) as her rival candidates have raised objections to her nomination papers.</p>


The Election Commission asked the PML-N on August 7 to elect a new chief as election laws do not permit a person to serve as an office-bearer of a political entity, who have been disqualified from holding office

Shahbaz Sharif will continue as Punjab chief minister as leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are mulling over options, who would replace former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as the party chief, in regard to a notice from election commision, following Sharif's disqualification from office. "We did discuss all available options for a new party chief but could not arrive at a decision...we decided to hold huddles for a couple of more days keeping in view various legal and political sensitivities involved with the issue," the Dawn quoted Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana as saying. The leaders, at a consultative meeting chaired by Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence, however, decided to continue with the party's "mass-contact drive," in the wake of a "positive" response from supporters, along the former Prime Minister's rally on GT Road. The meeting was attended by National assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Anushe Rehman, former law minister Zahid Hamid and ex-IG Rana Maqbool. The Election Commission asked the PML-N on August 7 to elect a new chief as election laws do not permit a person to serve as an office-bearer of a political entity, who have been disqualified from holding office. Earlier, party chairman Raja Zafarul Haq had said that Shahbaz Sharif had been finalised as the new PML-N president and a formal announcement to the effect would be made within two days. The former prime minister of Pakistan had earlier wished that his younger brother Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif should succeed him as prime minister (after contesting from NA-120 to become a National Assembly member). Former first lady Begum Kulsoom might be the next party president and that her nomination was pending clearance of her candidature for NA-120 by-polls with the Election Commission. She is to appear before the returning officer on Wednesday (today) as her rival candidates have raised objections to her nomination papers.

Pakistan: PML-N mulls over new party chief

<p>Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch Sector of Jammu and Kashmir early on Wednesday, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Pakistan Army reportedly initiated unprovoked firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 05.34 am.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian Army is retaliating.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes a day after Pakistani troops&nbsp;violated ceasefire in Baaz and Nambla regions of Uri in Baramulla on Tuesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week, an Indian soldier and a woman were killed in separate cases of ceasefire violation in Poonch.&nbsp;</p>


The firing started at 5.34 am on Wednesday

Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch Sector of Jammu and Kashmir early on Wednesday, media reports said. The Pakistan Army reportedly initiated unprovoked firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 05.34 am. The Indian Army is retaliating. This comes a day after Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Baaz and Nambla regions of Uri in Baramulla on Tuesday. Last week, an Indian soldier and a woman were killed in separate cases of ceasefire violation in Poonch.

Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch, Indian Army retaliates

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on &nbsp;Monday urged the international community to play its due role in resolving the Kashmir issue with India.</p>

<p>&quot;It is incumbent upon the international community to play its role in the resolution of the regional conflicts, particularly the Kashmir dispute in conformity with the UN Resolutions on the subject with a view to ensuring durable peace in the region,&quot; Abbasi said in his address to the nation on the occasion of Pakistan&#39;s 70th Independence Day.</p>

<p>He said Pakistan desires to have positive and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially with its neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality.</p>

<p>&quot;The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last fifty years due to the festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably, the people of the region cannot achieve prosperity and progress,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Praising the freedom fighters of the country, Abbasi said, &quot;We are greatly indebted to our ancestors for their sacrifices and we can repay that debt only by making Pakistan a free and independent country.&quot;</p>

<p>He noted that the recent transition of power through a democratic process was quintessential of the accelerated strengthening of democratic values in the country.</p>

<p>Abbasi stressed on strengthening and reinforcing the state institutions so that they can play their prescribed role within the limits of law and the constitution.</p>

<p>Asserting that a strong economy can ensure a strong defence, Abbasi said a moderate society guarantees stability of the state, where people enjoy all their fundamental rights and national resources are equitably and judicious distributed.</p>

<p>Pakistan was created out of a partitioned Indian subcontinent on August 14, 1947.</p>

<p>It came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement which aimed for the creation of a separate Muslim state by partition of the north-western and north-eastern regions of undivided India.</p>

<p>The movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.</p>

<p>This was facilitated by the British parliament passing the Indian Independence Act 1947, thereby giving recognition to Pakistan.</p>


Abbasi said that Pakistan desires to have constructive relations with all countries especially neighbours

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday urged the international community to play its due role in resolving the Kashmir issue with India. "It is incumbent upon the international community to play its role in the resolution of the regional conflicts, particularly the Kashmir dispute in conformity with the UN Resolutions on the subject with a view to ensuring durable peace in the region," Abbasi said in his address to the nation on the occasion of Pakistan's 70th Independence Day. He said Pakistan desires to have positive and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially with its neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality. "The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last fifty years due to the festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably, the people of the region cannot achieve prosperity and progress," he added. Praising the freedom fighters of the country, Abbasi said, "We are greatly indebted to our ancestors for their sacrifices and we can repay that debt only by making Pakistan a free and independent country." He noted that the recent transition of power through a democratic process was quintessential of the accelerated strengthening of democratic values in the country. Abbasi stressed on strengthening and reinforcing the state institutions so that they can play their prescribed role within the limits of law and the constitution. Asserting that a strong economy can ensure a strong defence, Abbasi said a moderate society guarantees stability of the state, where people enjoy all their fundamental rights and national resources are equitably and judicious distributed. Pakistan was created out of a partitioned Indian subcontinent on August 14, 1947. It came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement which aimed for the creation of a separate Muslim state by partition of the north-western and north-eastern regions of undivided India. The movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This was facilitated by the British parliament passing the Indian Independence Act 1947, thereby giving recognition to Pakistan.

On Pak's Independence Day, PM Abbasi urges international community 'to resolve Kashmir issue'

<p>With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. The discussion is a hot topic of discussion in many Asian countries.&nbsp;Especially, people of China and India are already preparing to lead the world. In Bangladesh, the economic and military growth of China and India are popular topics even in the remote rural areas. America&rsquo;s reluctance to address global matters, such as climate change issues has made the Asian people more optimistic about a possible Asian Century. The other day, a tea stall owner was telling me that he thinks the global leadership will soon be shifted to China. He told me that he has got the idea after reading some reports on the newspapers.</p>

<p>The idea of an Asian Century is the first thought to come in the mid to late 1980s.<strong> </strong>It is believed that the phrase is attributed to a 1988 meeting between People&#39;s Republic of China (PRC) leader Deng Xiaoping and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In the meeting, Deng, reportedly, said &quot;In recent years people have been saying that the next century will be the century of Asia and the Pacific, as if that were sure to be the case. I disagree with this view. If we exclude the United States, the only countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are relatively developed are Japan, the &lsquo;four little dragons&rsquo;, Australia and New Zealand, with a total population of at most 200 million. &quot;&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>But Deng&#39;s reading of the economic might of Asian powers will prove to be wrong over the years. The economic growth of some of the Asian countries is indeed impressive. In May this year, the International Monetary Fund in the Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific estimated growth for the region to increase in 2017 to 5.5 per cent from 5.3 per cent in 2016. It also said that growth will remain strong at 5.4 per cent in 2018, as the region continues to be the leader of global growth.</p>

<p>Despite this high economic growth and other potentials, many fear that an Asian war might come first. The recent face off of China and India might be an indication that this notion is not baseless. It seems that things will get worse as both the countries took a hard line over the border disputes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The situation in the Kashmir front where India and Pakistan have long been engaged in a face-off has also been tense&nbsp;in the recent months. Often we read the news of exchanging fire between the border forces and there are casualties. Many fear that the two countries might go into a war over Kashmir issues in the coming years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are fears that the South China Sea can turn into a battleground among major regional players in the coming years. Last month, when a US warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea, Beijing protested of &ldquo;serious political and military provocation&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>And, we have an increasingly rogue state- North Korea. On Friday, July 28, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears to have the range to hit major US cities. It seems that North Korea will not stop testing missile without any military intervention by the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There many other small regional disputes in other Asian countries which can transform into a full-scale war. If there is a large scale war between China and India, this might affect the whole region. Small neighboring countries of these two nations like Bangladesh will be seriously affected. Most importantly, a large scale and prolonged war will certainly slow down the economic growth to a great extent. The worst sufferer will be the world&rsquo;s half of the poor people whose home is Asia. It will take many years to recover from the effects of any possible large-scale and prolonged war in Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. Asian leaders have a very important role to play. People want sensible and pragmatic leadership from the Asian leaders. &nbsp;</p>


While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia.

With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. The discussion is a hot topic of discussion in many Asian countries. Especially, people of China and India are already preparing to lead the world. In Bangladesh, the economic and military growth of China and India are popular topics even in the remote rural areas. America’s reluctance to address global matters, such as climate change issues has made the Asian people more optimistic about a possible Asian Century. The other day, a tea stall owner was telling me that he thinks the global leadership will soon be shifted to China. He told me that he has got the idea after reading some reports on the newspapers. The idea of an Asian Century is the first thought to come in the mid to late 1980s. It is believed that the phrase is attributed to a 1988 meeting between People's Republic of China (PRC) leader Deng Xiaoping and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In the meeting, Deng, reportedly, said "In recent years people have been saying that the next century will be the century of Asia and the Pacific, as if that were sure to be the case. I disagree with this view. If we exclude the United States, the only countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are relatively developed are Japan, the ‘four little dragons’, Australia and New Zealand, with a total population of at most 200 million. " With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. × But Deng's reading of the economic might of Asian powers will prove to be wrong over the years. The economic growth of some of the Asian countries is indeed impressive. In May this year, the International Monetary Fund in the Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific estimated growth for the region to increase in 2017 to 5.5 per cent from 5.3 per cent in 2016. It also said that growth will remain strong at 5.4 per cent in 2018, as the region continues to be the leader of global growth. Despite this high economic growth and other potentials, many fear that an Asian war might come first. The recent face off of China and India might be an indication that this notion is not baseless. It seems that things will get worse as both the countries took a hard line over the border disputes. The situation in the Kashmir front where India and Pakistan have long been engaged in a face-off has also been tense in the recent months. Often we read the news of exchanging fire between the border forces and there are casualties. Many fear that the two countries might go into a war over Kashmir issues in the coming years. There are fears that the South China Sea can turn into a battleground among major regional players in the coming years. Last month, when a US warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea, Beijing protested of “serious political and military provocation”. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. × And, we have an increasingly rogue state- North Korea. On Friday, July 28, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears to have the range to hit major US cities. It seems that North Korea will not stop testing missile without any military intervention by the US. There many other small regional disputes in other Asian countries which can transform into a full-scale war. If there is a large scale war between China and India, this might affect the whole region. Small neighboring countries of these two nations like Bangladesh will be seriously affected. Most importantly, a large scale and prolonged war will certainly slow down the economic growth to a great extent. The worst sufferer will be the world’s half of the poor people whose home is Asia. It will take many years to recover from the effects of any possible large-scale and prolonged war in Asia. While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. Asian leaders have a very important role to play. People want sensible and pragmatic leadership from the Asian leaders.

Are we heading towards an Asian Century or an Asian war?

<p>Karachi is the <a href="http://crss.pk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/CRSS-Security-Report-Q3-2016-Final.pdf">most violent city in Pakistan</a>. <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/1287126/karachi-still-violent-city-report">A total of 1,046 deaths</a> related to terror and militancy were reported there in 2016, and nearly <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/1186638/growing-uncertainty-48-7-youth-karachi-want-leave-country/">50 per cent of the city&rsquo;s young people</a> want to leave Pakistan completely.</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.researchcollective.org/Documents/Karachi_Violence_Duality_and_Negotiation.pdf">violence has various causes</a>, including divisions over <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/203433/political-violence-216-incidents-reported-in-three-months/">politics</a>, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/1223201/national-highway-blocked-shia-groups-continue-protest-arrests-leaders">religion</a>, and <a href="http://www.dawn.com/news/583741/anp-mqm-clash-leaves-boy-dead">ethnicity</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/world/asia/29karachi.html">organised crime</a>.</p>

<p><a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/721785/timeline-attacks-on-minorities">More than 70 Christians were killed</a> while celebrating Easter in a park in 2016. <a href="http://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-hindus-protest-forced-conversions-girls-islam/3460692.html">The forced conversion</a> of Hindu girls and the marginalisation of community members have been among other factors fuelling feelings of insecurity and isolation for minorities.</p>

<p>For many members of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/malik-siraj-akbar/how-pakistan-abandoned-it_b_9001584.html">threatened minority communities</a>, places of worship offer solace. They also represent an important lesson for Pakistan&#39;s fragmented society. This can most clearly be seen in <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/947318/the-power-of-faith-hindus-celebrate-the-lady-of-good-health-with-catholics">the religious crossover</a>, known as syncretism, between Hindus and Christians, who both venerate the Virgin Mary in Karachi.</p>

<p>It serves as a vital message of the need to coexist and create structures that minimise discrimination.</p>

<p><strong>A look back in history</strong></p>

<p>The <a href="https://habib.edu.pk/HU-news/memory-tradition-community-walk-history-4th-annual-karachi-conference/">history</a> of Tamil and Goan Christian devotees in Karachi can be traced back to <a href="http://www.casas.org.uk/papers/pdfpapers/christiansinpakistan.pdf">nearly 50 years ago</a> when A M Anthony, a Tamil Christian, established Saint Anthony&rsquo;s Club at his house on Somerset Street, in the town of Saddar, a neighbourhood of Karachi.</p>

<p>As described to me by his granddaughter, devotees would gather to recite <em>novena</em> or nine-day, prayers to ask the Virgin Mary for blessings and good health. The Virgin Mary is known as Our Lady of Valenkanni, <a href="http://www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/approved_apparitions/vailankanni/">based on apparitions</a> she is believed to have made in the Indian town of Velankanni, in Tamil Nadu state, 2,000km south of Karachi.</p>

<p>After his landlord objected to the loud singing and recitation, Anthony and his fellow Christians, many of them immigrants from Chennai and Goa, were allowed a hall space in the premises of St. Anthony&rsquo;s Church.</p>

<p>The Christian devotees then invited both Hindus and Zoroastrians to join them in asking for benediction. In this way, <em>novena</em> prayers to Our Lady of Valenkanni became a part of Catholic churches&rsquo; ceremonial activities across Karachi and opened up the veneration of the Virgin Mary to new faiths.</p>

<p>For some Hindu devotees, Our Lady of Velankanni symbolises prosperity, aspirations, well-being, while providing answers to their prayers.</p>

<p><strong>The origins of Our Lady of Velankanni</strong></p>

<p>Of course, the home of Our Lady of Velankanni is in the town of Velankanni itself, which also demonstrates the intersection of Hindu and Catholic practices in contemporary religion.</p>

<p>The basilica attracts millions of devotees each year. As in Karachi, these include both Catholic and Hindu residents. Some Catholic devotees from Karachi embark on a spiritual journey to the Basilica of Our Lady of Valenkanni to ask the Mother for favours and intercessory graces.</p>

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/153075/width754/image-20170117-21183-vi79i8.jpg" />
<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">Basilica Our Lady of Velankanni in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.</span><span class="caption"> </span></p>

<p>Three accounts of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Velankanni have <a href="http://www.velankannichurch.in/shrine-miracles.php" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">been documented</a> over the years, and subsequently narrated by her devotees.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>The first story dates back to the end of the 16th century and is a Hindu shepherd boy&rsquo;s sighting the Virgin Mary by a pond. She asked the boy for milk for her son, Jesus. The boy readily offered the milk. Locals remain intrigued until the Mother appeared at the site again. Thereafter, the pond was known as &ldquo;Matha Kulam&rdquo; or &ldquo;Our Lady&rsquo;s Pond&rdquo;.</p>

<p>The second event is said to have happened a few years later. A crippled boy in Nadu, Thittu was apparently cured by the Virgin Mother after he offered her buttermilk. The Catholic residents of a nearby town then built a shrine in recognition of the healing.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.velankannichurch.com/pages/historyofvailankanni/historyofvailankanni.html">In the late 17th century</a>, Portuguese sailors transformed this early construction into a chapel, based on vows made during rough seas between China and Colombo on a merchant&#39;s vessel.</p>

<p>Today, Our Lady of Valenkanni has special meaning for both Hindu and Christian devotees because of the miracles she is associated with, including the <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1227_041226_tsunami.html">2004 Boxing Day tsunami</a> which caused massive destruction in Tamil Nadu. Basilica officials were quick to report this as a miracle, as <a href="http://www.tfp.org/a-ray-of-hope-in-southern-asia/">2,000 pilgrims</a> were attending mass when the town of Valenkanni was hit. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4130129.stm">News sources</a> and <a href="http://www.who.int/hac/crises/international/asia_tsunami/sitrep/en">official disaster reports</a> showed that the basilica was the only building to escape this large-scale catastrophe.</p>

<p><strong>Acts of devotion</strong></p>

<p>Some devotees make offerings to the Virgin Mary through purchases of expensive fabric for a sari. This is associated with the historical and symbolic depiction of the <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/24764255?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">Virgin Mary draped in a saffron sari</a>, a common garb across the subcontinent. There are others who make sari offerings to the poor upon fulfillment of their vows.</p>

<figure class="align-right "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/153213/width237/image-20170118-3914-gvkyhg.jpg" />
<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">The Virgin Mary wearing a sari in the Karachi church dedicated to her devotion.</span></p>

<p>One woman, I spoke to as part of my research, a Goan Christian born in Karachi, was taught devotion by her grandmother. In 2004 when she was visiting Valenkanni, she prayed to Our Lady of Good Health to be blessed with the gift of a child.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>Nearly a year and a half after her return to Karachi, she gave birth to a boy. A few years later, she and her family completed rituals to fulfill their vow. She cut off four inches of hair while her husband and son shaved their heads. They bathed in the sea as part of the ritual. These practices are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0009640708002023">taken from the Hindu faith</a>, showing that interfaith exchanges go both ways.</p>

<p>Since then, the woman has worn a head-covering during prayer times as a lifelong promise to the mother for the graces received through her son.</p>

<p>I heard other tales of devotion from A M Anthony&rsquo;s granddaughter:</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>There was a lady who would not wear shoes. She would be spotted even at weddings without shoes &hellip; Imagine going everywhere barefoot in Karachi&rsquo;s heat. But that is how she fulfilled her vow and everyone knew about it.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Spirituality and togetherness</strong></p>

<p>Annually, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/947318/the-power-of-faith-hindus-celebrate-the-lady-of-good-health-with-catholics/">hundreds of devotees</a> come together in the premises of churches across Karachi and in Tamil Nadu to hoist a flag bearing an image of Our Lady of Valenkanni and partake in a short prayer followed by other rituals including the distribution of blessed medals by a priest.</p>

<p>The ceremony devoted to Our Lady of Valenkanni occurs on September 8, marking the <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=357">birthday of the Virgin Mary</a>.</p>

<p>Each year, Our Lady of Valenkanni&rsquo;s statue in Karachi is decorated with fresh flowers and streamers.</p>

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/153079/width754/image-20170117-21172-w5l898.jpg" />
<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">Nativity prepared by devotees in Karachi.</span></p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>This day sees some members from the Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Muslim communities all venerating the Virgin Mary.</p>

<p>As the parish priest told me, &ldquo;Mary brings everyone together and it makes sense why you would see Muslims here who can tell you a lot about Surah Maryam.&rdquo; Named after Virgin Mary, <a href="http://ahadees.com/english-surah-19.html">Surah Maryam</a> appears in the 19th chapter of the Qu&rsquo;ran.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Muslims do not partake in <em>novena</em> prayers, but on September 8, they come here to respect Mary as the Mother of Jesus&rdquo;, Rodrigues said.</p>

<p><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/71030/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />For believers, miracles are not just about the healing of ailments and turning water into wine. They can be a way of dealing with the dominant, narrow and bigoted narrative prevalent in Pakistan&rsquo;s society.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-virgin-mary-brings-together-different-faiths-in-pakistan-and-india-71030">original article</a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


?Mary brings everyone together and it makes sense why you would see Muslims here who can tell you a lot about Surah Maryam," says the parish priest in Karachi

Karachi is the most violent city in Pakistan. A total of 1,046 deaths related to terror and militancy were reported there in 2016, and nearly 50 per cent of the city’s young people want to leave Pakistan completely. The violence has various causes, including divisions over politics, religion, and ethnicity, as well as organised crime. More than 70 Christians were killed while celebrating Easter in a park in 2016. The forced conversion of Hindu girls and the marginalisation of community members have been among other factors fuelling feelings of insecurity and isolation for minorities. For many members of threatened minority communities, places of worship offer solace. They also represent an important lesson for Pakistan's fragmented society. This can most clearly be seen in the religious crossover, known as syncretism, between Hindus and Christians, who both venerate the Virgin Mary in Karachi. It serves as a vital message of the need to coexist and create structures that minimise discrimination. A look back in history The history of Tamil and Goan Christian devotees in Karachi can be traced back to nearly 50 years ago when A M Anthony, a Tamil Christian, established Saint Anthony’s Club at his house on Somerset Street, in the town of Saddar, a neighbourhood of Karachi. As described to me by his granddaughter, devotees would gather to recite novena or nine-day, prayers to ask the Virgin Mary for blessings and good health. The Virgin Mary is known as Our Lady of Valenkanni, based on apparitions she is believed to have made in the Indian town of Velankanni, in Tamil Nadu state, 2,000km south of Karachi. After his landlord objected to the loud singing and recitation, Anthony and his fellow Christians, many of them immigrants from Chennai and Goa, were allowed a hall space in the premises of St. Anthony’s Church. The Christian devotees then invited both Hindus and Zoroastrians to join them in asking for benediction. In this way, novena prayers to Our Lady of Valenkanni became a part of Catholic churches’ ceremonial activities across Karachi and opened up the veneration of the Virgin Mary to new faiths. For some Hindu devotees, Our Lady of Velankanni symbolises prosperity, aspirations, well-being, while providing answers to their prayers. The origins of Our Lady of Velankanni Of course, the home of Our Lady of Velankanni is in the town of Velankanni itself, which also demonstrates the intersection of Hindu and Catholic practices in contemporary religion. The basilica attracts millions of devotees each year. As in Karachi, these include both Catholic and Hindu residents. Some Catholic devotees from Karachi embark on a spiritual journey to the Basilica of Our Lady of Valenkanni to ask the Mother for favours and intercessory graces. Basilica Our Lady of Velankanni in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Three accounts of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Velankanni have been documented over the years, and subsequently narrated by her devotees. The first story dates back to the end of the 16th century and is a Hindu shepherd boy’s sighting the Virgin Mary by a pond. She asked the boy for milk for her son, Jesus. The boy readily offered the milk. Locals remain intrigued until the Mother appeared at the site again. Thereafter, the pond was known as “Matha Kulam” or “Our Lady’s Pond”. The second event is said to have happened a few years later. A crippled boy in Nadu, Thittu was apparently cured by the Virgin Mother after he offered her buttermilk. The Catholic residents of a nearby town then built a shrine in recognition of the healing. In the late 17th century, Portuguese sailors transformed this early construction into a chapel, based on vows made during rough seas between China and Colombo on a merchant's vessel. Today, Our Lady of Valenkanni has special meaning for both Hindu and Christian devotees because of the miracles she is associated with, including the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which caused massive destruction in Tamil Nadu. Basilica officials were quick to report this as a miracle, as 2,000 pilgrims were attending mass when the town of Valenkanni was hit. News sources and official disaster reports showed that the basilica was the only building to escape this large-scale catastrophe. Acts of devotion Some devotees make offerings to the Virgin Mary through purchases of expensive fabric for a sari. This is associated with the historical and symbolic depiction of the Virgin Mary draped in a saffron sari, a common garb across the subcontinent. There are others who make sari offerings to the poor upon fulfillment of their vows. The Virgin Mary wearing a sari in the Karachi church dedicated to her devotion. One woman, I spoke to as part of my research, a Goan Christian born in Karachi, was taught devotion by her grandmother. In 2004 when she was visiting Valenkanni, she prayed to Our Lady of Good Health to be blessed with the gift of a child. Nearly a year and a half after her return to Karachi, she gave birth to a boy. A few years later, she and her family completed rituals to fulfill their vow. She cut off four inches of hair while her husband and son shaved their heads. They bathed in the sea as part of the ritual. These practices are taken from the Hindu faith, showing that interfaith exchanges go both ways. Since then, the woman has worn a head-covering during prayer times as a lifelong promise to the mother for the graces received through her son. I heard other tales of devotion from A M Anthony’s granddaughter: There was a lady who would not wear shoes. She would be spotted even at weddings without shoes … Imagine going everywhere barefoot in Karachi’s heat. But that is how she fulfilled her vow and everyone knew about it. Spirituality and togetherness Annually, hundreds of devotees come together in the premises of churches across Karachi and in Tamil Nadu to hoist a flag bearing an image of Our Lady of Valenkanni and partake in a short prayer followed by other rituals including the distribution of blessed medals by a priest. The ceremony devoted to Our Lady of Valenkanni occurs on September 8, marking the birthday of the Virgin Mary. Each year, Our Lady of Valenkanni’s statue in Karachi is decorated with fresh flowers and streamers. Nativity prepared by devotees in Karachi. This day sees some members from the Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Muslim communities all venerating the Virgin Mary. As the parish priest told me, “Mary brings everyone together and it makes sense why you would see Muslims here who can tell you a lot about Surah Maryam.” Named after Virgin Mary, Surah Maryam appears in the 19th chapter of the Qu’ran. “Muslims do not partake in novena prayers, but on September 8, they come here to respect Mary as the Mother of Jesus”, Rodrigues said. For believers, miracles are not just about the healing of ailments and turning water into wine. They can be a way of dealing with the dominant, narrow and bigoted narrative prevalent in Pakistan’s society. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Hindus, Muslims and Christians overcome bigotry in Pakistan to worship Virgin Mary

<p>&ldquo;My life is very different from your life&rdquo;, says Aishwarya, a <em>hijra</em> who survives on money collected by intimidating people at traffic lights and in public parks. Aishwarya is easily distinguishable from the swarm of beggars who wait eagerly at the signals every day. Clad in shades of reds and pinks, with a large bindi on her forehead and kohl smeared eyes, she stands out (not always in a positive way though).</p>

<p>She explains, &ldquo;I know they (public) mock me, most of them shrug me off but it&rsquo;s okay. It&rsquo;s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Aishwarya lives in Palam in northwest Delhi, a cold locality that looks like a cobweb of <em>gullies</em>, uninhabitable to a stranger&rsquo;s eye but is home to many like her. She (as she likes to be identified as a woman) is one among many others from the <em>hijra </em>community that mostly feels at odd with the society. Living under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, they feel vulnerable in their own skin.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it&rsquo;s okay. It&rsquo;s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it?s okay. It?s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>The term &lsquo;<em>hijra</em>&rsquo; is widely used in South Asia and refers to the transsexual and transgender community. It is derived from Semitic Arabic hjr meaning &lsquo;leaving one&rsquo;s tribe&rsquo; (understood literally as deflecting from the society&rsquo;s conventions of the body, sex and sexuality). Most members of the community identify themselves as men born with souls of women and owing to their openness about their sexual orientation face marginalisation in every aspect of life.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Guided with an ambition to tell stories of the <em>hijra</em> community, Shahria Sharmin, a photographer from Bangladesh is capturing their emotions and vulnerabilities for the world to see. In an exclusive conversation with Shahria, where she opens up about developing a strong bond with the <em>hijra</em> community, breaking prejudices and the time-consuming process of taking artistically challenging photographs. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(2)-20170801073256.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>They feel vulnerable in their own skin but are proud of their own bodies, not ashamed like most of us think (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Shahria narrates her first encounter with the subjects of the photo series titled Call Me Heena: &ldquo;I have never really physically experienced how it feels to be a part of an actual minority group. I grew up in Bangladesh, as a woman. Sure there are limitations and restrictions which I had abided by but what real struggle can be, when the question of identity and emotions come into the picture, is something I had wondered about and working with the <em>hijra</em> community came from that general curiosity.</p>

<p>&quot;When I started working with the community, after hearing hundreds of stories, similar or otherwise, it became apparent, this is the community which I wanted to focus on and learn about. I also hoped to photograph in a way which represents them as an individual without the obvious superficial biases. That hope and curiosity helped me pursue my project.&rdquo;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Belonging from Bangladesh, Shahria, did not always want&nbsp;to be a photographer. She pursued an education in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka and while studying, in several instances she recognised the art of photography. She felt that the medium &ldquo;enables to tell stories and explore humanity&rdquo;.</p>

<p>She thus knew that she &ldquo;had found her path&rdquo;.</p>

<p>She then graduated in photography from Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, Bangladesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the early years of her life, she had seen her father taking family photographs. It became a thing in the family for her to take photographs keeping her &quot;two daughters in focal points&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shahria says, &ldquo;Years later I found myself fascinated with movies. The frames of the films that I studied intrigued me and I wanted to go deeper into the dynamics of frames. Slowly I found that as I move my lens towards a new face, I discover an astonishing new world and that is when I fell in love with photography more deeply and got into the journey of discovering new worlds.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Fascinated with the world of photographs and narrator&rsquo;s story behind each photo, she did a three years photography course at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. While studying she had to choose a photography project where she chose to work with Bangladesh&rsquo;s famed garments factory workers. This changed her life in a way.&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>The stigma of expressing one&#39;s sexuality</b></p>

<p>Shahria remembers that while approaching her project honestly, she stumbled upon the <em>hijra</em> community of Bangladesh.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>She says, &ldquo;It was the personality of an individual (named) &lsquo;Nayan&rsquo;, a transgender garment worker who I accidentally discovered while working. One day I was taking a walk with her and in the course of our conversation, she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me and I started to dig deep into the <em>hijra</em> community, forming deeper connections and solid friendships with them.&rdquo;</p>

<p>While embarking upon a task to document the lives of a misunderstood community, she witnessed how &ldquo;they are poorly labeled, with a lower status in the social structure of Bangladesh&rdquo;.</p>

<p>&ldquo;They are put in a box marked for invalids. I want to show the person behind that label, the lives and dreams behind those superficial assumptions. Maybe these stories will give them their real identity and some voice, as humans like you and me and not just as the still widely unaccepted third gender&rdquo;, she adds.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(3)-20170801073551.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Shumi (left) and Priya&rsquo;s new life is subject to the rules of a guru &ndash; in exchange for a new home (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Individual governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh identify them as the &lsquo;third gender&rsquo; or the &lsquo;other gender&rsquo; as they are neither fully male nor fully female. But this has happened just recently. Ostracised by the society for a long time, <em>hijras</em>, however, enjoyed a time of reckoning thousands of years ago when they were a part of the close-knit societal structure of Southeast Asian countries.</p>

<p>In ancient Hindu texts such as Mahabharata and Kama Sutra, they are celebrated as third sex. During the rule of Mughal empire, they served as protectors and guards of the women of the royals called &ldquo;<em>kwaja</em><em> sera</em>&rdquo;, meaning guards of the harem. But their status took a hit when during the British rule in India, <em>hijras</em> were deemed as criminals. Due to years of discrimination, most hijras face a low social standing in South Asia. They find claims of equal access to education, healthcare, and employment a sham.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The modern-day India opened its doors for <em>hijras</em> but with a sceptical eye considering their presence auspicious on several occasions like marriages and birth of children. However, with Indian society&#39;s evolution and an upscale movement towards urbanisation, <em>hijras</em> find themselves less invited than before.</p>

<p>Kajal and gang are a group of four <em>hijras</em> who stay together at all times. They come in groups asking for money at a popular hangout place in Hauz Khas. She says, &ldquo;My sisters and I come here every day. Young couples come to this fort to spend some time together and end up giving us money. I don&rsquo;t harass, no. It&rsquo;s easy to be preachy but difficult to step in my shoes. Don&rsquo;t say that I sell my body or use it to make money. What alternative do I have? My sisters have tried getting employment, nobody hires us but.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it&rsquo;s not just so in the Indian context.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shahria who took the time to live the life of an average <em>hijra</em>, reiterates, &ldquo;There is definitely a strong negative connotation to the word <em>hijra</em> in the Bangladeshi community but I wouldn&rsquo;t call it utter discrimination. They are now officially considered as the third gender. However, they are yet to be given due rights. They are still subjected to strong prejudice and stereotyping.</p>

<p>&quot;Bangladesh is generally considered a friendly and hospitable country where all religions are welcomed. I would say our problem with discrimination and negligence is as prominent as the next country. There isn&rsquo;t a specific formula that would make this discrimination go away but the first step towards it would be to facilitate their rights from the state, including, but not limited to voting rights, a social ID, medical facilities, education and public safety. This would be the first step towards treating them the same way as the next person.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(4)-20170801074130.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Heena (51): &ldquo;I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me I am a man and my soul tells me I am a woman&rdquo; (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p><br />
As a photographer, Shahria feels that &ldquo;meeting new people, approaching the unknown and their responses varying between rejections and acceptances&rdquo; is the most challenging aspect of her profession. Like every other work, she made a point to get familiar with her subjects before capturing them in her camera.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Shahria explains, &ldquo;Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Normally I spend a considerable time with a particular subject and most of the times I don&rsquo;t even shoot. I hang around with them for the whole day, have meals with them. Interestingly h<em>ijras</em> are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. Trust level evolved when we argued and justified different social issues. I tried to identify with their values. Slowly, I tried to figure out what expressions they wanted to share with others and in what form.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;Normally I would discuss with them about the photograph I wanted to take and the way I would like to represent (them) to others. In most of the cases, they gave me some ideas or guidelines as to how they would like to be represented. I never noticed much anxiety among them for the way of their representation, rather I found them quite confident on what they are looking for. I did not deviate from their intentions. I had proven (myself) as a trustworthy person among their community.&rdquo;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(1)-20170801073108.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Tina (21): &ldquo;I am giving an exam. I don&rsquo;t know what the result will be&hellip;&rdquo; (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Shahria says, &ldquo;Amidst all hate and rejection from the society, <em>hijras</em> have happened to make a fruitful life out of what little they have and to me, this is what makes them unique. Perhaps media perceives them through a different lens because of this very reason. It doesn&rsquo;t necessarily have to be a bad thing. They are unique in their own way and that what makes them so beautiful, inside and out. This is what I try to portray through my photos. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&ldquo;It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won&rsquo;t accept them? What exactly is &lsquo;normal&rsquo;? Perhaps they are just reaching out.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=?It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won?t accept them? What exactly is ?normal?? Perhaps they are just reaching out." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>On my question of why all photos of hijras are centred around the body and are always seeking empathy from the public eye, Shahria speaks with a hint of defence, &ldquo;It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy from the audience. They like to think they can live a self-sufficient life just like anyone else. Because they didn&rsquo;t exactly fit into the very specific gender expectation, they are most often subjected to strong stereotyping. Why are they expected to act normal when they don&rsquo;t receive the same rights? Medical facilities? Safety? Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won&rsquo;t accept them? What exactly is &lsquo;normal&rsquo;? When we are photographing them, perhaps their act of reaching out is often mistaken for them seeking empathy.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On another note, she mentions that she is the narrator of the story. She says, &ldquo;I never had them click themselves. Perhaps it would have been a completely different perspective. However, I never clicked the pictures without a reason or a story. I spent a day or two with them without my camera, getting to know them, feel them and once I thought I had done so, I presented them in a way that they I thought they would embody themselves through the pictures. It was a mutual understanding.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Breaking myths, Shahria says, &ldquo;It might appear they hide their body because society expected them to be and act a particular way. They don&rsquo;t exactly fit into the strict formula that society has created for each gender. I would say they wish not to hide but celebrate their body. They are forced to act like something they are not simply to be recognised worthy or capable by the society.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Hijras</em> typically dress like women, but no physical transition or change is required to be inducted into the community. In fact, many identify as neither men nor women, but rather as a &ldquo;third gender,&rdquo; a status that has received legal recognition in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Shahria does not expect things to change overnight but is hopeful that people would start responding to her photograph and the subsequently the community in due time. She adds, &ldquo;I believe we know what we have to know about them but we simply choose to ignore it, because of our convenience. We are too selfish to step outside our box and celebrate changes.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The Magnum Award winner photographer Shahria Sharmin explore the life of oppression and sources of strength that mark hijra communities in India and Bangladesh

“My life is very different from your life”, says Aishwarya, a hijra who survives on money collected by intimidating people at traffic lights and in public parks. Aishwarya is easily distinguishable from the swarm of beggars who wait eagerly at the signals every day. Clad in shades of reds and pinks, with a large bindi on her forehead and kohl smeared eyes, she stands out (not always in a positive way though). She explains, “I know they (public) mock me, most of them shrug me off but it’s okay. It’s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.” Aishwarya lives in Palam in northwest Delhi, a cold locality that looks like a cobweb of gullies, uninhabitable to a stranger’s eye but is home to many like her. She (as she likes to be identified as a woman) is one among many others from the hijra community that mostly feels at odd with the society. Living under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, they feel vulnerable in their own skin. I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it’s okay. It’s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night. × The term ‘hijra’ is widely used in South Asia and refers to the transsexual and transgender community. It is derived from Semitic Arabic hjr meaning ‘leaving one’s tribe’ (understood literally as deflecting from the society’s conventions of the body, sex and sexuality). Most members of the community identify themselves as men born with souls of women and owing to their openness about their sexual orientation face marginalisation in every aspect of life. Guided with an ambition to tell stories of the hijra community, Shahria Sharmin, a photographer from Bangladesh is capturing their emotions and vulnerabilities for the world to see. In an exclusive conversation with Shahria, where she opens up about developing a strong bond with the hijra community, breaking prejudices and the time-consuming process of taking artistically challenging photographs. They feel vulnerable in their own skin but are proud of their own bodies, not ashamed like most of us think (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Shahria narrates her first encounter with the subjects of the photo series titled Call Me Heena: “I have never really physically experienced how it feels to be a part of an actual minority group. I grew up in Bangladesh, as a woman. Sure there are limitations and restrictions which I had abided by but what real struggle can be, when the question of identity and emotions come into the picture, is something I had wondered about and working with the hijra community came from that general curiosity. "When I started working with the community, after hearing hundreds of stories, similar or otherwise, it became apparent, this is the community which I wanted to focus on and learn about. I also hoped to photograph in a way which represents them as an individual without the obvious superficial biases. That hope and curiosity helped me pursue my project.” Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. × Belonging from Bangladesh, Shahria, did not always want to be a photographer. She pursued an education in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka and while studying, in several instances she recognised the art of photography. She felt that the medium “enables to tell stories and explore humanity”. She thus knew that she “had found her path”. She then graduated in photography from Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, Bangladesh. During the early years of her life, she had seen her father taking family photographs. It became a thing in the family for her to take photographs keeping her "two daughters in focal points”. Shahria says, “Years later I found myself fascinated with movies. The frames of the films that I studied intrigued me and I wanted to go deeper into the dynamics of frames. Slowly I found that as I move my lens towards a new face, I discover an astonishing new world and that is when I fell in love with photography more deeply and got into the journey of discovering new worlds.” Fascinated with the world of photographs and narrator’s story behind each photo, she did a three years photography course at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. While studying she had to choose a photography project where she chose to work with Bangladesh’s famed garments factory workers. This changed her life in a way. The stigma of expressing one's sexuality Shahria remembers that while approaching her project honestly, she stumbled upon the hijra community of Bangladesh. One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me. × She says, “It was the personality of an individual (named) ‘Nayan’, a transgender garment worker who I accidentally discovered while working. One day I was taking a walk with her and in the course of our conversation, she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me and I started to dig deep into the hijra community, forming deeper connections and solid friendships with them.” While embarking upon a task to document the lives of a misunderstood community, she witnessed how “they are poorly labeled, with a lower status in the social structure of Bangladesh”. “They are put in a box marked for invalids. I want to show the person behind that label, the lives and dreams behind those superficial assumptions. Maybe these stories will give them their real identity and some voice, as humans like you and me and not just as the still widely unaccepted third gender”, she adds. Shumi (left) and Priya’s new life is subject to the rules of a guru – in exchange for a new home (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Individual governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh identify them as the ‘third gender’ or the ‘other gender’ as they are neither fully male nor fully female. But this has happened just recently. Ostracised by the society for a long time, hijras, however, enjoyed a time of reckoning thousands of years ago when they were a part of the close-knit societal structure of Southeast Asian countries. In ancient Hindu texts such as Mahabharata and Kama Sutra, they are celebrated as third sex. During the rule of Mughal empire, they served as protectors and guards of the women of the royals called “kwaja sera”, meaning guards of the harem. But their status took a hit when during the British rule in India, hijras were deemed as criminals. Due to years of discrimination, most hijras face a low social standing in South Asia. They find claims of equal access to education, healthcare, and employment a sham. The modern-day India opened its doors for hijras but with a sceptical eye considering their presence auspicious on several occasions like marriages and birth of children. However, with Indian society's evolution and an upscale movement towards urbanisation, hijras find themselves less invited than before. Kajal and gang are a group of four hijras who stay together at all times. They come in groups asking for money at a popular hangout place in Hauz Khas. She says, “My sisters and I come here every day. Young couples come to this fort to spend some time together and end up giving us money. I don’t harass, no. It’s easy to be preachy but difficult to step in my shoes. Don’t say that I sell my body or use it to make money. What alternative do I have? My sisters have tried getting employment, nobody hires us but.” But it’s not just so in the Indian context. Shahria who took the time to live the life of an average hijra, reiterates, “There is definitely a strong negative connotation to the word hijra in the Bangladeshi community but I wouldn’t call it utter discrimination. They are now officially considered as the third gender. However, they are yet to be given due rights. They are still subjected to strong prejudice and stereotyping. "Bangladesh is generally considered a friendly and hospitable country where all religions are welcomed. I would say our problem with discrimination and negligence is as prominent as the next country. There isn’t a specific formula that would make this discrimination go away but the first step towards it would be to facilitate their rights from the state, including, but not limited to voting rights, a social ID, medical facilities, education and public safety. This would be the first step towards treating them the same way as the next person.” Heena (51): “I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me I am a man and my soul tells me I am a woman” (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × As a photographer, Shahria feels that “meeting new people, approaching the unknown and their responses varying between rejections and acceptances” is the most challenging aspect of her profession. Like every other work, she made a point to get familiar with her subjects before capturing them in her camera. Shahria explains, “Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Normally I spend a considerable time with a particular subject and most of the times I don’t even shoot. I hang around with them for the whole day, have meals with them. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. Trust level evolved when we argued and justified different social issues. I tried to identify with their values. Slowly, I tried to figure out what expressions they wanted to share with others and in what form. “Normally I would discuss with them about the photograph I wanted to take and the way I would like to represent (them) to others. In most of the cases, they gave me some ideas or guidelines as to how they would like to be represented. I never noticed much anxiety among them for the way of their representation, rather I found them quite confident on what they are looking for. I did not deviate from their intentions. I had proven (myself) as a trustworthy person among their community.” Tina (21): “I am giving an exam. I don’t know what the result will be…” (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Shahria says, “Amidst all hate and rejection from the society, hijras have happened to make a fruitful life out of what little they have and to me, this is what makes them unique. Perhaps media perceives them through a different lens because of this very reason. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. They are unique in their own way and that what makes them so beautiful, inside and out. This is what I try to portray through my photos. “It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won’t accept them? What exactly is ‘normal’? Perhaps they are just reaching out. × On my question of why all photos of hijras are centred around the body and are always seeking empathy from the public eye, Shahria speaks with a hint of defence, “It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy from the audience. They like to think they can live a self-sufficient life just like anyone else. Because they didn’t exactly fit into the very specific gender expectation, they are most often subjected to strong stereotyping. Why are they expected to act normal when they don’t receive the same rights? Medical facilities? Safety? Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won’t accept them? What exactly is ‘normal’? When we are photographing them, perhaps their act of reaching out is often mistaken for them seeking empathy.” On another note, she mentions that she is the narrator of the story. She says, “I never had them click themselves. Perhaps it would have been a completely different perspective. However, I never clicked the pictures without a reason or a story. I spent a day or two with them without my camera, getting to know them, feel them and once I thought I had done so, I presented them in a way that they I thought they would embody themselves through the pictures. It was a mutual understanding.” Breaking myths, Shahria says, “It might appear they hide their body because society expected them to be and act a particular way. They don’t exactly fit into the strict formula that society has created for each gender. I would say they wish not to hide but celebrate their body. They are forced to act like something they are not simply to be recognised worthy or capable by the society. Hijras typically dress like women, but no physical transition or change is required to be inducted into the community. In fact, many identify as neither men nor women, but rather as a “third gender,” a status that has received legal recognition in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Shahria does not expect things to change overnight but is hopeful that people would start responding to her photograph and the subsequently the community in due time. She adds, “I believe we know what we have to know about them but we simply choose to ignore it, because of our convenience. We are too selfish to step outside our box and celebrate changes.” (WION)

What it means to be a hijra in Bangladesh

<p>On Friday last, Nawaz Sharif, the third term prime minister of Pakistan, was ejected from office, by a landmark judgment of the country&rsquo;s Supreme Court [SC]. With this development, Pakistan has burnished its notorious reputation of ousting all serving PMs in its 70 years of existence and reinforcing a palpable sense of d&eacute;j&agrave; vu. Earlier Pakistani PMs were ousted by Governors-General, military coups or no-confidence motions in 1958 and 1977. The military dictator Zia-ul Huq even hanged a PM &ndash; Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The last elected PM before Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gilani, of the Pakistan People&rsquo;s Party [PPP], was also ejected from office by the SC in 2012. Following the verdict, Sharif resigned as PM and the Cabinet also stood dissolved. It is not clear whether Sharif can appeal this decision.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>No Pakistani PM has served a full 5-year term in office and Nawaz Sharif is the latest addition to this list.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=No Pakistani PM has served a full 5-year term in office and Nawaz Sharif is the latest addition to this list." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Already marked out internationally as the global hub of terrorism, the judicial coup against Sharif, is another blow to Pakistan&rsquo;s tattered image as a faltering democracy. During half of its existence, Pakistan has been under the jackboots of its powerful and imperious Army. No Pakistani PM has served a full 5-year term in office and Nawaz Sharif is the latest addition to this list. He has been on this list before. His earlier two stints in office were also rudely cut short, the last one in 1999, by General Pervez Musharaf&rsquo;s military coup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After months of hearings and investigation in the so-called &ldquo;Panamagate&rdquo; affair, the five-member SC bench delivered a unanimous verdict indicting Sharif and his close family members for corruption, His two sons and daughter have also been implicated. The SC&rsquo;s verdict disqualified Sharif from holding the office of PM. The verdict is based on a technicality. The SC judged him to have violated Articles 62 and 63 of Pakistan&rsquo;s Constitution. These two provisions require all MPs to be truthful and righteous, conditions introduced by past military dictators ostensibly to keep legislators on a leash and manipulate and blackmail them when needed.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The fact that the political class in Pakistan has a reputation for being highly corrupt has strengthened the hands of the Army which has projected itself as the final bastion of the State &ndash; defender of its security and ideology.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The fact that the political class in Pakistan has a reputation for being highly corrupt has strengthened the hands of the Army which has projected itself as the final bastion of the State ? defender of its security and ideology." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>These two provisions have been a useful tool in hands of the powerful military establishment or the &ldquo;deep state&rdquo; to control politicians in Pakistan. The fact that the political class in Pakistan has a reputation for being highly corrupt has strengthened the hands of the Army which has projected itself as the final bastion of the State &ndash; defender of its security and ideology. The Army&rsquo;s corrupt Generals and officers go scot free. The Core Commanders of the Army in Pakistan are derisively called &ldquo;crore commanders&rdquo; by the people of Pakistan. The Judiciary in Pakistan has mostly toed the Army&rsquo;s line and has justified military coups on the dubious legal principle of &ldquo;doctrine of necessity&rdquo;.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The SC-appointed Joint Investigation Committee [JIT] in which 2 Brigadiers from the Military Intelligence and the ISI were inducted as members, produced a damning report, documenting corruption charges against Sharif, concealing facts, submitting forged documents, money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties abroad.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The SC-appointed Joint Investigation Committee [JIT] in which 2 Brigadiers from the Military Intelligence and the ISI were inducted as members, produced a damning report, documenting corruption charges against Sharif, concealing facts, submitting forged documents, money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties abroad." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>The SC has directed the National Accountability Court [NAC] to file criminal charges for money laundering and other related acts of criminality. If convicted by the NAC, the Sharifs will be banned for life from standing for election and holding political office. The SC has ordered cases to be filed against all of them within six weeks. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also been directed by the SC to de-notify the prime minister from his National Assembly seat to fulfil the technicalities of implementing the order. The SC directed the ECP to disqualify Sharif for not disclosing his role in the Dubai-based Capital FZE Company in his nomination papers, saying that this meant he was not &#39;honest&#39; and &#39;truthful&#39;. The SC-appointed Joint Investigation Committee [JIT] in which 2 Brigadiers from the Military Intelligence and the ISI were inducted as members, produced a damning report, documenting corruption charges against Sharif, concealing facts, submitting forged documents, money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties abroad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Panama papers had named many international leaders, businessmen and officials and Nawaz Sharif is the second victim, apart from the PM of Iceland. The latter resigned when the Panama papers were made public in 2015. Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s name did not figure in the Panama papers but names of both his sons and the daughter figured in the documents. His daughter Mariam is Sharif&rsquo;s political heir. This is the third time that Nawaz Sharif has been rudely shoved aside from office. The last time he had to go into exile following a Saudi-brokered deal with dictator Musharraf. Sharif spent 10 years in exile in Saudi Arabia before returning to Pakistan.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The Army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup. The old fashioned direct military coup is no longer on the menu.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The Army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup. The old fashioned direct military coup is no longer on the menu." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Though expected, the SC decision has caused a political upheaval in Pakistan, a fragile democracy by any reckoning. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N], Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s political party has a comfortable majority in Parliament. Hence, the PML-N will have to elect a new PM and have him/her confirmed by the Parliament. As long as the PML-N can decide on the new candidate the party&rsquo;s majority in Parliament will ensure the confirmation of the PM-nominee.</p>

<p>The other option would be to call fresh elections, a demand that will be pressed by Opposition parties. New elections are not due till August 2018. Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz&rsquo;s brother and CM of Punjab has been named to succeed PM. Shahbaz is far less charismatic than his brother but has been CM thrice of Pakistan&rsquo;s most populous and influential Punjab province. Meanwhile, a close confidante and businessman, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a senior leader of the PML-N and former Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, has been named as interim PM. Shehbaz has to be elected to the National Parliament before he can assume charge as PM. Abbasi is expected to keep the chair warm for him.</p>

<p>While the Army has denied any conspiracy, it does take a leap of imagination to absolve the military establishment and the &ldquo;deep state&rdquo; of culpability. Relations between Sharif and the Army nosedived after media leaks of a bruising meeting wherein civilian officials warned Army officials of Pakistan&rsquo;s increasing global isolation because of the Army&rsquo;s policies on using terrorism as an instrument of State policy. The tussle of control over foreign policy, particularly towards India and Afghanistan has continued for quite some time. Sharif&rsquo;s inclination to normalise relations with India, his apparent friendship with PM Modi and criticism of the Army&rsquo;s support for jihadi militants, must have upset the Army whose fundamental belief of eternal hostility towards India and use of jihadi proxies was being questioned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This led to a long drawn out tussle with the Army extracting its pound of flesh in the form of the&nbsp;sacking of officials involved in the media leak. Singed by the media leaks, the Army, in all probability, crossed the Rubicon and decided to bring down Sharif. The Army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup. The old fashioned direct military coup is no longer on the menu. The Sharif family has no doubt acquired massive wealth and is perhaps not innocent of some of the charges. The case against them, however, is far from proven. Hence, the lingering suspicion that Sharif&rsquo;s ouster was a well-organised conspiracy by the Army.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Instability in Pakistan and the Army&rsquo;s overpowering role in politics, policy making and support to jihadi terrorism have severely damaged relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India and caused a huge setback to regional cooperation efforts in SAARC.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Instability in Pakistan and the Army?s overpowering role in politics, policy making and support to jihadi terrorism have severely damaged relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India and caused a huge setback to regional cooperation efforts in SAARC." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>The Sharif episode is part of a long political saga and is a cause for concern for all. Instability in Pakistan and the Army&rsquo;s overpowering role in politics, policy making and support to jihadi terrorism have severely damaged relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India and caused a huge setback to regional cooperation efforts in SAARC. As history repeats itself in Pakistan, India can only wait and watch this domestic power struggle play out with the Army again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One fallout in India has been demands for transparency in investigation into the 500 odd Indian names, including those of many BJP-friendly famous personalities who were named in the Panama papers. Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has to defend the Indian government&rsquo;s stand on this issue in the media. In so far as terrorism is concerned, India can expect no change. Even as the Pakistan Opposition parties like the PPP and cricketer-turned-politician or Imran Khan&rsquo;s PTI celebrate Sharif&rsquo;s fall, Opposition leaders too have skeletons in their cupboard and could meet the same fate as Sharif. Pakistan is caught in a bind with no escape route from the binary Civilian-Military struggle for power.</p>


Instead of a military coup, Pakistani army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup.

On Friday last, Nawaz Sharif, the third term prime minister of Pakistan, was ejected from office, by a landmark judgment of the country’s Supreme Court [SC]. With this development, Pakistan has burnished its notorious reputation of ousting all serving PMs in its 70 years of existence and reinforcing a palpable sense of déjà vu. Earlier Pakistani PMs were ousted by Governors-General, military coups or no-confidence motions in 1958 and 1977. The military dictator Zia-ul Huq even hanged a PM – Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The last elected PM before Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gilani, of the Pakistan People’s Party [PPP], was also ejected from office by the SC in 2012. Following the verdict, Sharif resigned as PM and the Cabinet also stood dissolved. It is not clear whether Sharif can appeal this decision. No Pakistani PM has served a full 5-year term in office and Nawaz Sharif is the latest addition to this list. × Already marked out internationally as the global hub of terrorism, the judicial coup against Sharif, is another blow to Pakistan’s tattered image as a faltering democracy. During half of its existence, Pakistan has been under the jackboots of its powerful and imperious Army. No Pakistani PM has served a full 5-year term in office and Nawaz Sharif is the latest addition to this list. He has been on this list before. His earlier two stints in office were also rudely cut short, the last one in 1999, by General Pervez Musharaf’s military coup. After months of hearings and investigation in the so-called “Panamagate” affair, the five-member SC bench delivered a unanimous verdict indicting Sharif and his close family members for corruption, His two sons and daughter have also been implicated. The SC’s verdict disqualified Sharif from holding the office of PM. The verdict is based on a technicality. The SC judged him to have violated Articles 62 and 63 of Pakistan’s Constitution. These two provisions require all MPs to be truthful and righteous, conditions introduced by past military dictators ostensibly to keep legislators on a leash and manipulate and blackmail them when needed. The fact that the political class in Pakistan has a reputation for being highly corrupt has strengthened the hands of the Army which has projected itself as the final bastion of the State – defender of its security and ideology. × These two provisions have been a useful tool in hands of the powerful military establishment or the “deep state” to control politicians in Pakistan. The fact that the political class in Pakistan has a reputation for being highly corrupt has strengthened the hands of the Army which has projected itself as the final bastion of the State – defender of its security and ideology. The Army’s corrupt Generals and officers go scot free. The Core Commanders of the Army in Pakistan are derisively called “crore commanders” by the people of Pakistan. The Judiciary in Pakistan has mostly toed the Army’s line and has justified military coups on the dubious legal principle of “doctrine of necessity”. The SC-appointed Joint Investigation Committee [JIT] in which 2 Brigadiers from the Military Intelligence and the ISI were inducted as members, produced a damning report, documenting corruption charges against Sharif, concealing facts, submitting forged documents, money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties abroad. × The SC has directed the National Accountability Court [NAC] to file criminal charges for money laundering and other related acts of criminality. If convicted by the NAC, the Sharifs will be banned for life from standing for election and holding political office. The SC has ordered cases to be filed against all of them within six weeks. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also been directed by the SC to de-notify the prime minister from his National Assembly seat to fulfil the technicalities of implementing the order. The SC directed the ECP to disqualify Sharif for not disclosing his role in the Dubai-based Capital FZE Company in his nomination papers, saying that this meant he was not 'honest' and 'truthful'. The SC-appointed Joint Investigation Committee [JIT] in which 2 Brigadiers from the Military Intelligence and the ISI were inducted as members, produced a damning report, documenting corruption charges against Sharif, concealing facts, submitting forged documents, money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties abroad. The Panama papers had named many international leaders, businessmen and officials and Nawaz Sharif is the second victim, apart from the PM of Iceland. The latter resigned when the Panama papers were made public in 2015. Nawaz Sharif’s name did not figure in the Panama papers but names of both his sons and the daughter figured in the documents. His daughter Mariam is Sharif’s political heir. This is the third time that Nawaz Sharif has been rudely shoved aside from office. The last time he had to go into exile following a Saudi-brokered deal with dictator Musharraf. Sharif spent 10 years in exile in Saudi Arabia before returning to Pakistan. The Army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup. The old fashioned direct military coup is no longer on the menu. × Though expected, the SC decision has caused a political upheaval in Pakistan, a fragile democracy by any reckoning. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N], Nawaz Sharif’s political party has a comfortable majority in Parliament. Hence, the PML-N will have to elect a new PM and have him/her confirmed by the Parliament. As long as the PML-N can decide on the new candidate the party’s majority in Parliament will ensure the confirmation of the PM-nominee. The other option would be to call fresh elections, a demand that will be pressed by Opposition parties. New elections are not due till August 2018. Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz’s brother and CM of Punjab has been named to succeed PM. Shahbaz is far less charismatic than his brother but has been CM thrice of Pakistan’s most populous and influential Punjab province. Meanwhile, a close confidante and businessman, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a senior leader of the PML-N and former Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, has been named as interim PM. Shehbaz has to be elected to the National Parliament before he can assume charge as PM. Abbasi is expected to keep the chair warm for him. While the Army has denied any conspiracy, it does take a leap of imagination to absolve the military establishment and the “deep state” of culpability. Relations between Sharif and the Army nosedived after media leaks of a bruising meeting wherein civilian officials warned Army officials of Pakistan’s increasing global isolation because of the Army’s policies on using terrorism as an instrument of State policy. The tussle of control over foreign policy, particularly towards India and Afghanistan has continued for quite some time. Sharif’s inclination to normalise relations with India, his apparent friendship with PM Modi and criticism of the Army’s support for jihadi militants, must have upset the Army whose fundamental belief of eternal hostility towards India and use of jihadi proxies was being questioned. This led to a long drawn out tussle with the Army extracting its pound of flesh in the form of the sacking of officials involved in the media leak. Singed by the media leaks, the Army, in all probability, crossed the Rubicon and decided to bring down Sharif. The Army has used a more sophisticated method of toppling Sharif via a judicial coup. The old fashioned direct military coup is no longer on the menu. The Sharif family has no doubt acquired massive wealth and is perhaps not innocent of some of the charges. The case against them, however, is far from proven. Hence, the lingering suspicion that Sharif’s ouster was a well-organised conspiracy by the Army. Instability in Pakistan and the Army’s overpowering role in politics, policy making and support to jihadi terrorism have severely damaged relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India and caused a huge setback to regional cooperation efforts in SAARC. × The Sharif episode is part of a long political saga and is a cause for concern for all. Instability in Pakistan and the Army’s overpowering role in politics, policy making and support to jihadi terrorism have severely damaged relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India and caused a huge setback to regional cooperation efforts in SAARC. As history repeats itself in Pakistan, India can only wait and watch this domestic power struggle play out with the Army again. One fallout in India has been demands for transparency in investigation into the 500 odd Indian names, including those of many BJP-friendly famous personalities who were named in the Panama papers. Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has to defend the Indian government’s stand on this issue in the media. In so far as terrorism is concerned, India can expect no change. Even as the Pakistan Opposition parties like the PPP and cricketer-turned-politician or Imran Khan’s PTI celebrate Sharif’s fall, Opposition leaders too have skeletons in their cupboard and could meet the same fate as Sharif. Pakistan is caught in a bind with no escape route from the binary Civilian-Military struggle for power.

Nawaz Sharif unseated by Supreme Court: Army notches up another victory in Pakistan

pakistan-0

Pakistan, News on Pakistan, stories on Pakistan, articles on Pakistan, Pakistan stories at Wion, Pakistan news, Pakistan latest news

pakistan 0

Pakistanis vote in by-election seen as test of support for ousted PM Sharif

Indus Water dispute: Pakistan once again requests World Bank to establish court of arbitration

Pakistan: Supreme Court rejects Nawaz Sharif's plea seeking review of Panamagate verdict

J&K: BSF constable killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Arnia

Medical charity MSF asked to leave Pakistan's tribal region

Pakistan struggles to export sugar surplus as global prices plunge

Pakistan PM warns US sanctions would be counter-productive

J&K: Pak army opens fire along LoC, Indian army retaliates

China vows support for Pakistan's efforts in war against terrorism

Myanmar's Suu Kyi under pressure as almost 125,000 Rohingya flee violence

No country for a Rohingya

Pakistan rejects BRICS declaration, says no 'safe haven' for terrorists on its soil

Pakistan's 'goat on wheels' app is a big hit this Eid

Pakistan's 'goat on wheels' app is a big hit this Eid

Trump's condition for $255 million aid to Pak: Crack down on terror outfits

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir

Pakistan suspends talks with US in protest against Trump's fiery comment

Kashmir: 8 security forces personnel, 3 militants killed in Pulwama encounter

China asks US to respect Pakistan's security concerns

Air strikes on terror groups in Pakistan on table: US secretary of state

Trump warns Pakistan will pay for harbouring terrorists

Pakistan has cracked down on Islamist militants including Haqqani network: Army

Forced conversion of Hindu girls raises alarm in Pakistan's minority community

Malala Yousafzai to go to Oxford, study same course as Benazir