India is expected to continue with its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan on the issue of terrorism originating from there when it plays host to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and leaders of Brazil and South Africa at the Summit of five-nation BRICS grouping here on Sunday.

Even preceding the BRICS Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to raise these issues with Putin and Xi on Saturday when a series of bilateral meetings are slated at the seaside venue.

With the summit&nbsp;taking place within weeks of Uri terror strike by Pak-based terrorists, India will be forceful in its demand at BRICS Summit, which will also have a BIMSTEC outreach meet, for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them.

India has made strong references both at UNGA as well as G-20 regarding Pakistan&#39;s continued support to cross-border terrorism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming Pakistan at G-20, had said that &quot;one single nation in South Asia&quot; is spreading &quot;agents of terror&quot; in the region and it must be isolated while External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the UNGA had said confessions of captured terrorists involved in terror strikes in India including in Uri &quot;is a living proof of Pakistan&#39;s complicity in cross-border terror&quot;.

Apart from the heads of governments of BRICS to attend the Summit on October 16, Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) will be here to participate in the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet.

New Delhi will also make all out efforts to revive Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) when Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) attend the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet.

This also assumes significance given the collapse of recent SAARC Summit after four countries apart from India pulled out of the meet to be hosted by Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, maintaining that environment was not conducive to hold such an event.

Indian officials have made it clear that India&#39;s effort would be to have strong language in the BRICS outcome document on terrorism including how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries, safe havens and finances.&nbsp;

&quot;Terrorism is a global problem. It cannot be tackled individually and has to be tackled collectively. We cannot have a differential policy towards terrorism. There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist. So, these are the issues on which there will reiteration of national positions,&quot; Secretary (Economic Relations) in External Affairs Ministry Amar Sinha had said.

During the meeting of NSAs of BRICS grouping, India had strongly pitched that action should not only be taken against sources of finances but also sources from where terrorists get arms and ammunition.

Three MoUs including those on cooperation in the area of environment and customs have been agreed upon by the BRICS countries, Sinha had said, adding the pact pertaining to customs will help in breaking the trade barriers between these countries.

The other key issues to be taken up during these significant diplomatic outreach events include cooperation in areas of economy, tourism, connectivity, cultural, education and sports.

The main BRICS Summit on October 16 will begin with a photo opportunity followed by restricted talks between the leaders and later a meeting of business captains from the member-countries. In the second half, after the speech of the leaders, there will be BRICS and BIMSTEC retreat. 
&nbsp;

Security situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan is also expected to be discussed when the BRICS leaders take up important regional and international issues.&nbsp;

(PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to raise the issue with Russian President Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

India is expected to continue with its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan on the issue of terrorism originating from there when it plays host to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and leaders of Brazil and South Africa at the Summit of five-nation BRICS grouping here on Sunday. Even preceding the BRICS Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to raise these issues with Putin and Xi on Saturday when a series of bilateral meetings are slated at the seaside venue. With the summit taking place within weeks of Uri terror strike by Pak-based terrorists, India will be forceful in its demand at BRICS Summit, which will also have a BIMSTEC outreach meet, for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them. India has made strong references both at UNGA as well as G-20 regarding Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming Pakistan at G-20, had said that "one single nation in South Asia" is spreading "agents of terror" in the region and it must be isolated while External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the UNGA had said confessions of captured terrorists involved in terror strikes in India including in Uri "is a living proof of Pakistan's complicity in cross-border terror". Apart from the heads of governments of BRICS to attend the Summit on October 16, Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) will be here to participate in the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet. New Delhi will also make all out efforts to revive Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) when Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) attend the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet. This also assumes significance given the collapse of recent SAARC Summit after four countries apart from India pulled out of the meet to be hosted by Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, maintaining that environment was not conducive to hold such an event. Indian officials have made it clear that India's effort would be to have strong language in the BRICS outcome document on terrorism including how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries, safe havens and finances. "Terrorism is a global problem. It cannot be tackled individually and has to be tackled collectively. We cannot have a differential policy towards terrorism. There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist. So, these are the issues on which there will reiteration of national positions," Secretary (Economic Relations) in External Affairs Ministry Amar Sinha had said. During the meeting of NSAs of BRICS grouping, India had strongly pitched that action should not only be taken against sources of finances but also sources from where terrorists get arms and ammunition. Three MoUs including those on cooperation in the area of environment and customs have been agreed upon by the BRICS countries, Sinha had said, adding the pact pertaining to customs will help in breaking the trade barriers between these countries. The other key issues to be taken up during these significant diplomatic outreach events include cooperation in areas of economy, tourism, connectivity, cultural, education and sports. The main BRICS Summit on October 16 will begin with a photo opportunity followed by restricted talks between the leaders and later a meeting of business captains from the member-countries. In the second half, after the speech of the leaders, there will be BRICS and BIMSTEC retreat. Security situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan is also expected to be discussed when the BRICS leaders take up important regional and international issues. (PTI)

India expected to continue diplomatic offensive against Pak terror at BRICS summit

India is expected to continue&nbsp;its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan on the issue of terrorism originating from there when it hosts the leaders&nbsp;of&nbsp;BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries&nbsp;this Sunday in the western state of Goa.

Even preceding the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to raise these issues with Russia&#39;s Putin and China&#39;s Xi on Saturday, when a series of bilateral meetings are slated at the seaside venue.&nbsp;But across the summit table at a resort hotel, Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to have much interest in casting Beijing&#39;s alliance with Pakistan into doubt.

With the Summits taking place within weeks of the Uri terror strike by Pak-based terrorists, India will be forceful in its demand at BRICS Summit, which will also have a Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation&nbsp;(BIMSTEC) outreach meet, for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism, including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them.

India has made strong references both at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)&nbsp;as well as the G-20 regarding Pakistan&#39;s continued support to cross-border terrorism.

&quot;We will be looking at the global economic and political situation, and obviously terrorism is a very important part of that,&quot; Amar Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official responsible for the BRICS file, told a pre-summit briefing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming Pakistan at G-20, had said that &quot;one single nation in South Asia&quot; is spreading &quot;agents of terror&quot; in the region and it must be isolated. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the UNGA had said confessions of captured terrorists involved in terror strikes in India including in Uri &quot;is a living proof of Pakistan&#39;s complicity in cross-border terror&quot;.

New Delhi will also make all out efforts to revive&nbsp;BIMSTEC&nbsp;when the&nbsp;Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) attend the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet.

This also assumes significance given the collapse of recent South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation&nbsp;(SAARC) Summit after four countries apart from India pulled out of the meet to be hosted by Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, maintaining that environment was not conducive to hold such an event.

Indian officials have made it clear that India&#39;s effort would be to have strong language in the BRICS outcome document on terrorism including how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries, safe havens and finances.&nbsp;

The final summit declaration is expected to repeat earlier condemnations of &quot;terrorism in all its forms&quot;, say diplomats and analysts, but avoid levelling blame over tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals.

&nbsp;

Not Just a &#39;Jolly Partner&#39;

Where Modi and Xi may see eye to eye, at least privately, is in a shared desire for Islamabad to restrain Islamist militants who, in Beijing&#39;s view, pose a threat to China&#39;s plans to build a $46 billion trade corridor that runs through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.

&quot;Contrary to the public messaging in Islamabad, China is not the perpetual jolly partner when it comes to its relations with Pakistan,&quot; said Michael Kugelman, a senior program associate at the Wilson Center in Washington who focuses on South Asia.&nbsp;&quot;With China&#39;s investments and economic assets growing in Pakistan, it&#39;s only natural that it would worry. All militants, whether &#39;good&#39; or &#39;bad&#39; as characterised by Pakistan, threaten stability and by extension China&#39;s economic interests.&quot;

In addition to launching what it described as cross-border &quot;surgical strikes&quot; against suspected militants in Pakistan, in response to a September&nbsp;18 attack on an army base that killed 19 Indian soldiers, New Delhi has mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate Islamabad.

Pakistan has denied any part in the attack on the Uri army base, near the de facto border that runs through the disputed territory of Kashmir. It also denies any &quot;surgical strikes&quot; took place, saying there was only border firing that is relatively common along the frontier.

Islamabad says India has exploited the incident to divert attention from its own security crackdown on protests sparked by the killing of a popular separatist militant leader.

More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in India&#39;s part of Kashmir, and a widespread curfew has been imposed.

&nbsp;

Expressions of Support

After the Uri attack, India quickly won expressions of support from the West and from Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin will also hold a bilateral summit with Modi in Goa.&nbsp;China, for its part, has shown public restraint.&nbsp;Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said that China and Pakistan were paying close attention to security threats to the trade corridor.

&quot;If Pakistan&#39;s security situation does not improve, it will obstruct some of these projects,&nbsp;especially infrastructure ones,&quot; said Zhao. &quot;In this sense, cooperation on counter-terrorism is very close.&quot;

India has already engineered the collapse of a South Asian regional summit to have been hosted by Pakistan, and the Goa gathering will also feature an outreach session to countries from the Bay of Bengal region that could emerge as an alternative focus of regional cooperation.

&nbsp;

Working Groups

BRICS leaders will support plans agreed to by their national security advisers to create three working groups to cooperate on cyber security, counter-terrorism and energy security, said Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official.

But diplomats and analysts say that India&#39;s long-held ambition of joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a club of nuclear-trading nations, is unlikely to progress at Goa with China yet to soften its blocking stance.

And, despite concerns about militancy within Pakistan, China has rebuffed India&#39;s calls for the United Nations to designate Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group that India blames for recent cross-border attacks, as a terrorist.

China recently extended a so-called &quot;hold&quot; on the designation by a further three months.

That reflects an evolving rivalry between the world&#39;s two most populous nations in which, under Modi, India is seeking to close huge economic and military gaps and is shifting away from traditional non-alignment and seeking a closer partnership with the United States.

At the same time, China is expanding its economic and strategic reach into the Indian Ocean region, with Xi visiting Bangladesh on Friday en route to Goa, where he is expected to sign loans worth $24 billion.

&quot;Overall, it will be an awkward summit,&quot; said Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

He added that, for India, &quot;diplomatic isolation of Pakistan will be the most important objective.&quot;

(Agencies)

We will be looking at the global economic and political situation and obviously terrorism is a very important part of that: Indian official

India is expected to continue its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan on the issue of terrorism originating from there when it hosts the leaders of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries this Sunday in the western state of Goa. Even preceding the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to raise these issues with Russia's Putin and China's Xi on Saturday, when a series of bilateral meetings are slated at the seaside venue. But across the summit table at a resort hotel, Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to have much interest in casting Beijing's alliance with Pakistan into doubt. With the Summits taking place within weeks of the Uri terror strike by Pak-based terrorists, India will be forceful in its demand at BRICS Summit, which will also have a Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) outreach meet, for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism, including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them. India has made strong references both at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as well as the G-20 regarding Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism. "We will be looking at the global economic and political situation, and obviously terrorism is a very important part of that," Amar Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official responsible for the BRICS file, told a pre-summit briefing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming Pakistan at G-20, had said that "one single nation in South Asia" is spreading "agents of terror" in the region and it must be isolated. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the UNGA had said confessions of captured terrorists involved in terror strikes in India including in Uri "is a living proof of Pakistan's complicity in cross-border terror". New Delhi will also make all out efforts to revive BIMSTEC when the Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) attend the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet. This also assumes significance given the collapse of recent South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit after four countries apart from India pulled out of the meet to be hosted by Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, maintaining that environment was not conducive to hold such an event. Indian officials have made it clear that India's effort would be to have strong language in the BRICS outcome document on terrorism including how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries, safe havens and finances. The final summit declaration is expected to repeat earlier condemnations of "terrorism in all its forms", say diplomats and analysts, but avoid levelling blame over tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals. Not Just a 'Jolly Partner' Where Modi and Xi may see eye to eye, at least privately, is in a shared desire for Islamabad to restrain Islamist militants who, in Beijing's view, pose a threat to China's plans to build a $46 billion trade corridor that runs through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. "Contrary to the public messaging in Islamabad, China is not the perpetual jolly partner when it comes to its relations with Pakistan," said Michael Kugelman, a senior program associate at the Wilson Center in Washington who focuses on South Asia. "With China's investments and economic assets growing in Pakistan, it's only natural that it would worry. All militants, whether 'good' or 'bad' as characterised by Pakistan, threaten stability and by extension China's economic interests." In addition to launching what it described as cross-border "surgical strikes" against suspected militants in Pakistan, in response to a September 18 attack on an army base that killed 19 Indian soldiers, New Delhi has mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate Islamabad. Pakistan has denied any part in the attack on the Uri army base, near the de facto border that runs through the disputed territory of Kashmir. It also denies any "surgical strikes" took place, saying there was only border firing that is relatively common along the frontier. Islamabad says India has exploited the incident to divert attention from its own security crackdown on protests sparked by the killing of a popular separatist militant leader. More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in India's part of Kashmir, and a widespread curfew has been imposed. Expressions of Support After the Uri attack, India quickly won expressions of support from the West and from Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin will also hold a bilateral summit with Modi in Goa. China, for its part, has shown public restraint. Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said that China and Pakistan were paying close attention to security threats to the trade corridor. "If Pakistan's security situation does not improve, it will obstruct some of these projects, especially infrastructure ones," said Zhao. "In this sense, cooperation on counter-terrorism is very close." India has already engineered the collapse of a South Asian regional summit to have been hosted by Pakistan, and the Goa gathering will also feature an outreach session to countries from the Bay of Bengal region that could emerge as an alternative focus of regional cooperation. Working Groups BRICS leaders will support plans agreed to by their national security advisers to create three working groups to cooperate on cyber security, counter-terrorism and energy security, said Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official. But diplomats and analysts say that India's long-held ambition of joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a club of nuclear-trading nations, is unlikely to progress at Goa with China yet to soften its blocking stance. And, despite concerns about militancy within Pakistan, China has rebuffed India's calls for the United Nations to designate Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group that India blames for recent cross-border attacks, as a terrorist. China recently extended a so-called "hold" on the designation by a further three months. That reflects an evolving rivalry between the world's two most populous nations in which, under Modi, India is seeking to close huge economic and military gaps and is shifting away from traditional non-alignment and seeking a closer partnership with the United States. At the same time, China is expanding its economic and strategic reach into the Indian Ocean region, with Xi visiting Bangladesh on Friday en route to Goa, where he is expected to sign loans worth $24 billion. "Overall, it will be an awkward summit," said Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. He added that, for India, "diplomatic isolation of Pakistan will be the most important objective." (Agencies)

South Asian tensions seen dominating BRICS summit in India

Shiv Sena, a&nbsp;Hindu right-wing&nbsp;political party,&nbsp;today said that All India Muslim Personal Law Board&#39;s (AIMPLB) opposition to uniform civil code (UCC) is not in favour of the nation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;In the interest of the nation and in the interest of the Muslim community Indian civil code must be imposed in the country, only then the nation will agree that the Muslim people are true citizen of this country and they want to be included in the contrived decision and abide by the Constitution of India,&quot; Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told Indian news agency ANI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Muslim personal law board on Thursday announced its decision to boycott a Law Commission of India questionnaire that sought a&nbsp;public vote on whether uniform civil code (the proposal to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India) should be imposed in the country. The questionnaire also sought a public opinion on triple talaq, &nbsp;which according to Islamic law based on the Quran permits a husband to pronounce talaq three times to instantly divorce his wife.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Raut further stressed that unless the Muslim community continues to follow the strict rules and regulation of other Islamic countries, people of India will continue to look upon them with suspicion, ANI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;To the government also, I want to say that their decision should not be based on the fact as to what will these Muslim organisation think regarding this. This is the issue of national interest. The government should take a decision on this,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the news agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Last week, an affidavit was also filed in the Supreme Court by India&#39;s law ministry that said that triple talaq violates women&#39;s rights.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Religious persecution will not be tolerated in India: India&#39;s interior minister&nbsp;

As the Muslim community continues to accuse the Narendra Modi-led Indian government of violating their rights by trying to impose a uniform civil code, India&#39;s interior minister said today that &#39;religious persecution will never be allowed in the country&#39;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Speaking at a meeting of Christian leaders organised by India Christian Council, interior minister Rajnath Singh described India as a &#39;university of tolerance&#39;, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence. People from all religions live peacefully in India and practise their religion without any fear of discrimination. That is why India is a university of tolerance,&quot; Singh was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;All important religions find place in India,&quot; he said and added that people from all religions get respect and it is the only country where all sects of Islam are found.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He also referred to the incidents of attacks on churches in the&nbsp;national capital of Delhi ahead of assembly elections last year.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;There were incidents of attacks on churches in Delhi which came up in the run-up to elections (to Delhi Assembly). &nbsp;But I would like to say that religious persecution will never be allowed in India whether it is before or after the (upcoming) elections (in several Indian states including northern Uttar Pradesh and Punjab).&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Targeting Pakistan he said: It is very unfortunate that some countries make terrorism a state policy. There can be differences between people that can be resolved through dialogue but not by taking up guns.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;The nation (Pakistan) separated from it declared itself a theocratic state. That country uses terrorism as a state policy,&quot; &nbsp;PTI quoted him as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Amid remarks by the Hindu right-wing party, Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh said, 'Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence'

Shiv Sena, a Hindu right-wing political party, today said that All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) opposition to uniform civil code (UCC) is not in favour of the nation. "In the interest of the nation and in the interest of the Muslim community Indian civil code must be imposed in the country, only then the nation will agree that the Muslim people are true citizen of this country and they want to be included in the contrived decision and abide by the Constitution of India," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told Indian news agency ANI. The Muslim personal law board on Thursday announced its decision to boycott a Law Commission of India questionnaire that sought a public vote on whether uniform civil code (the proposal to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India) should be imposed in the country. The questionnaire also sought a public opinion on triple talaq, which according to Islamic law based on the Quran permits a husband to pronounce talaq three times to instantly divorce his wife. Raut further stressed that unless the Muslim community continues to follow the strict rules and regulation of other Islamic countries, people of India will continue to look upon them with suspicion, ANI reported. "To the government also, I want to say that their decision should not be based on the fact as to what will these Muslim organisation think regarding this. This is the issue of national interest. The government should take a decision on this," he was quoted as saying by the news agency. Last week, an affidavit was also filed in the Supreme Court by India's law ministry that said that triple talaq violates women's rights. Religious persecution will not be tolerated in India: India's interior minister As the Muslim community continues to accuse the Narendra Modi-led Indian government of violating their rights by trying to impose a uniform civil code, India's interior minister said today that 'religious persecution will never be allowed in the country'. Speaking at a meeting of Christian leaders organised by India Christian Council, interior minister Rajnath Singh described India as a 'university of tolerance', Indian news agency PTI reported. "Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence. People from all religions live peacefully in India and practise their religion without any fear of discrimination. That is why India is a university of tolerance," Singh was quoted as saying. "All important religions find place in India," he said and added that people from all religions get respect and it is the only country where all sects of Islam are found. He also referred to the incidents of attacks on churches in the national capital of Delhi ahead of assembly elections last year. "There were incidents of attacks on churches in Delhi which came up in the run-up to elections (to Delhi Assembly). But I would like to say that religious persecution will never be allowed in India whether it is before or after the (upcoming) elections (in several Indian states including northern Uttar Pradesh and Punjab)." Targeting Pakistan he said: It is very unfortunate that some countries make terrorism a state policy. There can be differences between people that can be resolved through dialogue but not by taking up guns. "The nation (Pakistan) separated from it declared itself a theocratic state. That country uses terrorism as a state policy," PTI quoted him as saying. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Abide by uniform civil code to become true Indian citizens: Shiv Sena tells Indian Muslims

Asia Bibi&#39;s blasphemy case was adjourned by Pakistan&#39;s Supreme Court after&nbsp;a judge refused to hear her final plea, the Pakistani media reported.&nbsp;

It is not clear when the hearing will commence, Pakistani daily Dawn reported, after&nbsp;one of the three-member bench Justice Iqbal Hamid-ur-Rehman decided to recuse as he had also heard the Salmaan Taseer murder case.&nbsp;

Former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was gunned down in public for supporting Bibi&#39;s cause.

Hundreds of security personnel had been deployed in and around the court in Islamabad ahead of the landmark judgement.&nbsp;

Asia Bibi, a Christian, has been on death row since 2010 for apparently desecrating Prophet Muhammad, an allegation she denies.

Her lawyers are seeking to repeal her death&nbsp;sentence.

In 2010, while Bibi was working on a farm with Muslim women, an argument broke out over a cup of water. The women complained to a local cleric that Bibi had insulted the Prophet.

Bibi was charged with blasphemy.&nbsp;

Bibi&#39;s&nbsp;daughters now live in seclusion fearing attack from angry villagers, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Her relatives claim she was framed as some people held a personal grudge against her.

Her husband has also written to Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain pleading for clemency and taking her to France, where she has been promised asylum.&nbsp;

If the verdict is in favour of Bibi, it could cause serious repercussions&nbsp;in the Muslim-majority country, as the hardliners in the country are demanding death for Bibi.&nbsp;

If Bibi is sentenced, she will be the first person to be legally executed for blasphemy, which will be a huge setback for minorities living in Pakistan, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Blasphemy is a serious offence in Pakistan and the maximum punishment is death.

Pakistan&#39;s blasphemy laws became &quot;Islamicised&quot; between 1980 and 1986 under General Zia-ul-Haq&#39;s regime. After partition, Pakistan adopted the law against religious offences set by the British in 1860. Zia&#39;s government added more clauses to the law, which include:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;In 1927, 295- A was added which stated remarks which outraged religious sentiments would receive imprisonment, which could be extended ten years and a fine.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;In 1982, 295-B was added for defiling or desecrating a copy of the Muslim holy book of Qur&#39;an, for which a person was given life imprisonment.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;In 1986, 295-C was included for insulting Prophet Muhammad.</li>
</ul>

(Source: <a href="http://www.pakistanblasphemylaw.com/?page_id=15">Pakistan Blasphemy Law</a>)

Between 1984 and 2004, 5,000 cases of blasphemy were registered and 964 people were charged and accused of blasphemy. Out of the 964 accused, 32 were killed by vigilantes.&nbsp;

Petitions have been signed to free Asia Bibi by people worldwide, which include &#39;Save Asia Bibi&#39; and &#39; A Call For Mercy&#39;. Benedict XVI, who became the first pope to resign in almost 600 years in 2013, also called for a&nbsp;pardon .&nbsp;

(WION)

 
&nbsp;

It is not clear when the hearing will commence after?one of the judges refused to hear Bibi's final plea

Asia Bibi's blasphemy case was adjourned by Pakistan's Supreme Court after a judge refused to hear her final plea, the Pakistani media reported. It is not clear when the hearing will commence, Pakistani daily Dawn reported, after one of the three-member bench Justice Iqbal Hamid-ur-Rehman decided to recuse as he had also heard the Salmaan Taseer murder case. Former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was gunned down in public for supporting Bibi's cause. Hundreds of security personnel had been deployed in and around the court in Islamabad ahead of the landmark judgement. Asia Bibi, a Christian, has been on death row since 2010 for apparently desecrating Prophet Muhammad, an allegation she denies. Her lawyers are seeking to repeal her death sentence. In 2010, while Bibi was working on a farm with Muslim women, an argument broke out over a cup of water. The women complained to a local cleric that Bibi had insulted the Prophet. Bibi was charged with blasphemy. Bibi's daughters now live in seclusion fearing attack from angry villagers, AFP reported. Her relatives claim she was framed as some people held a personal grudge against her. Her husband has also written to Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain pleading for clemency and taking her to France, where she has been promised asylum. If the verdict is in favour of Bibi, it could cause serious repercussions in the Muslim-majority country, as the hardliners in the country are demanding death for Bibi. If Bibi is sentenced, she will be the first person to be legally executed for blasphemy, which will be a huge setback for minorities living in Pakistan, AFP reported. Blasphemy is a serious offence in Pakistan and the maximum punishment is death. Pakistan's blasphemy laws became "Islamicised" between 1980 and 1986 under General Zia-ul-Haq's regime. After partition, Pakistan adopted the law against religious offences set by the British in 1860. Zia's government added more clauses to the law, which include: In 1927, 295- A was added which stated remarks which outraged religious sentiments would receive imprisonment, which could be extended ten years and a fine. In 1982, 295-B was added for defiling or desecrating a copy of the Muslim holy book of Qur'an, for which a person was given life imprisonment. In 1986, 295-C was included for insulting Prophet Muhammad. (Source: Pakistan Blasphemy Law) Between 1984 and 2004, 5,000 cases of blasphemy were registered and 964 people were charged and accused of blasphemy. Out of the 964 accused, 32 were killed by vigilantes. Petitions have been signed to free Asia Bibi by people worldwide, which include 'Save Asia Bibi' and ' A Call For Mercy'. Benedict XVI, who became the first pope to resign in almost 600 years in 2013, also called for a pardon . (WION)

Pakistan: Asia Bibi blasphemy case adjourned by top court

A seven-year-old boy of Pakistani origin was allegedly beaten up by five classmates on a school bus in the US for being a Muslim, forcing the family to move back to Pakistan, media reports say.

Two-time Fulbright scholar, Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usman,&nbsp;&nbsp;who uses data to prevent terror attacks, shared a post on Facebook with a picture of his son wearing a sling on his arm after he was attacked by fellow students in Cary, North Carolina.&nbsp;

&quot;Welcome to the United States of America of Donald Trump.&quot; he wrote as a caption &nbsp;post on october 8, the International Business Times reported.

&ldquo;Meet my son Abdul Aziz. He is in grade 1, bullied and beaten by his own classmates in school bus for being a Muslim.&quot;&nbsp;he continued.

Usmani &nbsp;told The Huffington Post &nbsp;they twisted his son&#39;s arm and called him &quot;Muslim&quot;&nbsp;over and over again.

&quot;He was born and raised in the United States. He was born in Florida. As American as you can think of. He likes Captain America. He wants to be president of the United States of America,&quot; Usmani told The Huffington Post, while speaking from Pakistan.

The parents reported the incident to the school.

Lisa Luten, a spokeswoman for Wake County Public School System, told The Huffington Post that no students on the bus or the bus driver said they saw an altercation.&nbsp;

She said the family didn&#39;t report that the students made references to Pakistan and Islam, however, an email the father sent to the school principal over what happened describes what was said to his son, The Huffington Post reported.

 
&nbsp;

(WION)

 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

A two-time Fulbright scholar, posted his son's photo on Facebook with the caption 'Welcome to the United States of America of Donald Trump'

A seven-year-old boy of Pakistani origin was allegedly beaten up by five classmates on a school bus in the US for being a Muslim, forcing the family to move back to Pakistan, media reports say. Two-time Fulbright scholar, Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usman, who uses data to prevent terror attacks, shared a post on Facebook with a picture of his son wearing a sling on his arm after he was attacked by fellow students in Cary, North Carolina. "Welcome to the United States of America of Donald Trump." he wrote as a caption post on october 8, the International Business Times reported. “Meet my son Abdul Aziz. He is in grade 1, bullied and beaten by his own classmates in school bus for being a Muslim." he continued. Usmani told The Huffington Post they twisted his son's arm and called him "Muslim" over and over again. "He was born and raised in the United States. He was born in Florida. As American as you can think of. He likes Captain America. He wants to be president of the United States of America," Usmani told The Huffington Post, while speaking from Pakistan. The parents reported the incident to the school. Lisa Luten, a spokeswoman for Wake County Public School System, told The Huffington Post that no students on the bus or the bus driver said they saw an altercation. She said the family didn't report that the students made references to Pakistan and Islam, however, an email the father sent to the school principal over what happened describes what was said to his son, The Huffington Post reported. (WION)

7-year-old Pakistani-origin boy beaten up in US by classmates for being 'Muslim'

To counter India&#39;s influence over the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Pakistan is exploring the possibility of forming a larger South Asian Economic Alliance, diplomatic observers say, the Dawn newspaper reported Wednesday.&nbsp;

The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week. The delegation is in New York now.

&quot;A greater South Asia is already emerging,&rdquo; said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed&nbsp;in an interaction with the media. &ldquo;This greater South Asia includes China, Iran and the neighbouring Central Asian republics.&rdquo;

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was described by him as the key route linking South Asia with Central Asia. The Gwadar port&nbsp;would be the closest water port for the land-locked Central Asian states, he pointed out.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We want India to join this arrangement as well,&rdquo; said Hussain.&nbsp;However, India may be unwilling to accept such an arrangement, considering the advantage SAARC provides it with.&nbsp;

In a bid to isolate Pakistan, India last month exerted its influence on SAARC when it declared that it would not be attending the South Asia-based regional group&#39;s 19th summit, which was to be held in Islamabad on November 15 and 16 this year.&nbsp;

Pakistan&#39;s alleged involvement in&nbsp;the September 18 terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir was the reason cited by India behind its decision to boycott the summit. However, Pakistani has strongly denied the allegation,&nbsp;citing the absence of any concrete evidence provided by India to support its claim. Yet, India was supported by three other SAARC nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - who too boycotted the summit.

This exposed Pakistan&#39;s isolation within the group where it had once played a key role. Afghanistan and Bangladesh are India&#39;s close allies. Bhutan, surrounded by India, is way too small and dependent to question New Delhi&#39;s moves.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal share good relations with Pakistan but they are not powerful enough to take on India.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Apparently, the showdown forced Pakistan to conclude that in its present shape, SAARC will always be dominated by India. That&rsquo;s why they are now talking about a greater South Asia,&rdquo; a senior diplomat told Dawn,&nbsp;confirming reports that Pakistan is seeking a new regional agreement,

Pakistan hopes that this new arrangement will give it more room to manoeuvre when India tries to force a decision on it,&rdquo; said another diplomat to Dawn.

The Washington-based diplomatic observers say&nbsp;that the arrangement Pakistan is seeking will also suit China &nbsp;as it remains worried about India&#39;s growing influence in the region. The observers&nbsp;further argue that Central Asian states and Iran may be persuaded by China to join the new arrangement.&nbsp;

However, the analysts&nbsp;warn&nbsp;that SAARC&nbsp;members will not be too keen to support&nbsp;the idea. The new arrangement will not have much in store for Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as joining a land route far from their borders will not be very favourable to them. Besides, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have their own ports.&nbsp;

Afghanistan, which is a land-locked Central Asian country, is likely to benefit&nbsp;the most from a larger South Asian alliance as any trade route that links South and Central Asian regions is beneficial for Afghanistan. But considering Afghanistan&#39;s links to India, it is unlikely to join any arrangement that hurts India&#39;s interest.&nbsp;

The application for SAARC membership by Afghanistan in 2006&nbsp;paved way for an interesting debate on the definition of South Asian identity as Afghanistan is essentially a Central Asian country.&nbsp;

A stipulation for Afghanistan to hold general elections was imposed by SAARC member states. The polls were held in 2005, later enabling the country to join the group in April 2007 as its eighth member.&nbsp;

Even if a larger South Asia became a reality, there is no certainty that its members will stand by the side of Pakistan in its disputes with India, a South Asian diplomat told Dawn.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Many Central Asian states have strong ties with India and Iran too has problems with Pakistan,&rdquo; the diplomat added.

(WION with inputs from Dawn) 
&nbsp;

The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week

To counter India's influence over the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Pakistan is exploring the possibility of forming a larger South Asian Economic Alliance, diplomatic observers say, the Dawn newspaper reported Wednesday. The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week. The delegation is in New York now. "A greater South Asia is already emerging,” said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in an interaction with the media. “This greater South Asia includes China, Iran and the neighbouring Central Asian republics.” The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was described by him as the key route linking South Asia with Central Asia. The Gwadar port would be the closest water port for the land-locked Central Asian states, he pointed out. “We want India to join this arrangement as well,” said Hussain. However, India may be unwilling to accept such an arrangement, considering the advantage SAARC provides it with. In a bid to isolate Pakistan, India last month exerted its influence on SAARC when it declared that it would not be attending the South Asia-based regional group's 19th summit, which was to be held in Islamabad on November 15 and 16 this year. Pakistan's alleged involvement in the September 18 terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir was the reason cited by India behind its decision to boycott the summit. However, Pakistani has strongly denied the allegation, citing the absence of any concrete evidence provided by India to support its claim. Yet, India was supported by three other SAARC nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - who too boycotted the summit. This exposed Pakistan's isolation within the group where it had once played a key role. Afghanistan and Bangladesh are India's close allies. Bhutan, surrounded by India, is way too small and dependent to question New Delhi's moves. Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal share good relations with Pakistan but they are not powerful enough to take on India. “Apparently, the showdown forced Pakistan to conclude that in its present shape, SAARC will always be dominated by India. That’s why they are now talking about a greater South Asia,” a senior diplomat told Dawn, confirming reports that Pakistan is seeking a new regional agreement, Pakistan hopes that this new arrangement will give it more room to manoeuvre when India tries to force a decision on it,” said another diplomat to Dawn. The Washington-based diplomatic observers say that the arrangement Pakistan is seeking will also suit China as it remains worried about India's growing influence in the region. The observers further argue that Central Asian states and Iran may be persuaded by China to join the new arrangement. However, the analysts warn that SAARC members will not be too keen to support the idea. The new arrangement will not have much in store for Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as joining a land route far from their borders will not be very favourable to them. Besides, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have their own ports. Afghanistan, which is a land-locked Central Asian country, is likely to benefit the most from a larger South Asian alliance as any trade route that links South and Central Asian regions is beneficial for Afghanistan. But considering Afghanistan's links to India, it is unlikely to join any arrangement that hurts India's interest. The application for SAARC membership by Afghanistan in 2006 paved way for an interesting debate on the definition of South Asian identity as Afghanistan is essentially a Central Asian country. A stipulation for Afghanistan to hold general elections was imposed by SAARC member states. The polls were held in 2005, later enabling the country to join the group in April 2007 as its eighth member. Even if a larger South Asia became a reality, there is no certainty that its members will stand by the side of Pakistan in its disputes with India, a South Asian diplomat told Dawn. “Many Central Asian states have strong ties with India and Iran too has problems with Pakistan,” the diplomat added. (WION with inputs from Dawn)

Pakistan seeks larger SAARC to counter India's influence

Pakistan has presented a dossier to the UN General Assembly on human rights violations in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Radio Pakistan, the country&rsquo;s national broadcaster reported.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s special envoys on Kashmir, senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali handed over the dossier to UNGA President Peter Thomson in New York, Radio Pakistan said.

According to the broadcaster, senator Mushahid Hussain said that India has closed all doors to a bilateral dialogue, scuttled a regional summit and refused to implement Security Council resolutions, at an international level.

The broadcaster said Dr. Shezra Ali has given details of &nbsp;the killings of demonstrators and injuries caused by the Indian forces.

The UNGA President, Radio Pakistan said, expressed concern at the situation and assured the envoys of every possible effort to foster peace.&nbsp;

He said an update on the situation from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations will also be sought, Radio&nbsp;Pakistan reported.

 
&nbsp;

(WION)

&nbsp;

The country's national broadcaster said the UNGA president has assured special envoys on Kashmir of efforts fo foster peace

Pakistan has presented a dossier to the UN General Assembly on human rights violations in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Radio Pakistan, the country’s national broadcaster reported. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s special envoys on Kashmir, senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali handed over the dossier to UNGA President Peter Thomson in New York, Radio Pakistan said. According to the broadcaster, senator Mushahid Hussain said that India has closed all doors to a bilateral dialogue, scuttled a regional summit and refused to implement Security Council resolutions, at an international level. The broadcaster said Dr. Shezra Ali has given details of the killings of demonstrators and injuries caused by the Indian forces. The UNGA President, Radio Pakistan said, expressed concern at the situation and assured the envoys of every possible effort to foster peace. He said an update on the situation from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations will also be sought, Radio Pakistan reported. (WION)

Pakistan presents dossier to UN on human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir: Radio Pakistan

Amid escalating tensions between the two South Asian neighbours, India stressed that the nuclear proliferation linkages active today have clear &quot;Pakistan fingerprints&quot;.

The statement comes as part of India&#39;s Right of Reply to Pakistan during the UN debate on international security and disarmament.

Counsellor Siddhartha Nath representing India at the conference in Geneva said the biggest threat to peace and stability comes from active promotion of terrorism and an &quot;unbridled&quot; expansion of fissile material under the nexus between state and non-state actors.&nbsp;Islamabad had raised the Kashmir issue yet again at an October 10 session of UN First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security.

&quot;Nuclear proliferation linkages which are today active have clear Pakistan fingerprints,&quot; he said.

Pakistan permanent representative to the conference, ambassador Tehmina Janjua asked why India had not yet responded to his government&#39;s proposal for a bilateral nuclear test ban arrangement.&nbsp;

Last month, Nawaz Sharif in his UNGA address had expressed readiness to agree on a bilateral arrangement between India and Pakistan on a nuclear test ban.&nbsp;

In a strongly worded response, India said, &quot;it is ironic that a country whose non-proliferation track record is marked by obstructionism seeks to convince the international community of its self-serving proposals.&quot;

&quot;It is a matter of record that Pakistan is singularly responsible for blocking the international disarmament agenda and the Conference on Disarmament,&quot; he said.

Nath urged the international community to stand united &quot;against those whose persistent violations increase nuclear threat and proliferation risks&quot;.

Pakistan had alleged that India conducted its first test in 1974 by &quot;diverting&quot; resources from a reactor that had been supplied for peaceful use and continued development of such weapons Pakistan&#39;s opposition.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

India said Pakistan's proposal of a nuclear test ban was ironic given its track record of blocking disarmament

Amid escalating tensions between the two South Asian neighbours, India stressed that the nuclear proliferation linkages active today have clear "Pakistan fingerprints". The statement comes as part of India's Right of Reply to Pakistan during the UN debate on international security and disarmament. Counsellor Siddhartha Nath representing India at the conference in Geneva said the biggest threat to peace and stability comes from active promotion of terrorism and an "unbridled" expansion of fissile material under the nexus between state and non-state actors. Islamabad had raised the Kashmir issue yet again at an October 10 session of UN First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security. "Nuclear proliferation linkages which are today active have clear Pakistan fingerprints," he said. Pakistan permanent representative to the conference, ambassador Tehmina Janjua asked why India had not yet responded to his government's proposal for a bilateral nuclear test ban arrangement. Last month, Nawaz Sharif in his UNGA address had expressed readiness to agree on a bilateral arrangement between India and Pakistan on a nuclear test ban. In a strongly worded response, India said, "it is ironic that a country whose non-proliferation track record is marked by obstructionism seeks to convince the international community of its self-serving proposals." "It is a matter of record that Pakistan is singularly responsible for blocking the international disarmament agenda and the Conference on Disarmament," he said. Nath urged the international community to stand united "against those whose persistent violations increase nuclear threat and proliferation risks". Pakistan had alleged that India conducted its first test in 1974 by "diverting" resources from a reactor that had been supplied for peaceful use and continued development of such weapons Pakistan's opposition. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan's fingerprints on N-proliferation linkages, India tells UN panel

A petition to bring back the iconic &#39;Dancing Girl&#39; statue back to Lahore Museum was filed on Monday.

The statuette dates back to 2,500 BCE and was excavated from Mohenjodaro, the largest settlement in the Indus Valley, which is one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

The bronze statuette is currently displayed at the National Museum in New Delhi.&nbsp;It was brought to India by Mortimer Wheeler at the behest of the National Arts Council in New Delhi.&nbsp;

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey filed a suo&nbsp;motu appeal with the court to direct the Pakistan government to bring it back as it is the property of Lahore Museum. In present day, Mohenjodaro is located in Pakistan&#39;s southeast Sindh province.&nbsp;

In the petition,&nbsp;Jaffery asserts that the statue is a part of Pakistan&#39;s rich cultural heritage and that it demands the same historical importance that Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci&#39;s Mona Lisa commands in Europe.&nbsp;

The National Museum in New Delhi describes the dancing girl as one of the &quot;rarest-artefacts world-over&quot; giving a glimpse into the cultural past of a lost civilisation.

According to the museum, the metal work is indicative that the Indus Valley people knew metallurgy and had knowledge of dance and drama. The 10.5 cm statue depicts a young girl striking a pose with one arm on her hips, an upward sway to her waist and legs bent. Ornaments adorn her arms and neck, but she is devoid of any clothing. She has large eyes, flat nose, curved cheeks and curly hair framing a broad forehead.&nbsp;

Director general of the Pakistan National Museum of Arts, Jamal Shah, recently hinted that the government was planning to approach UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to help bring back the statue. &quot;This is important if we want to protect our heritage,&quot; added.

(WION)

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey filed a suit, contending that the iconic statuette is a part of Pakistan's rich cultural heritage

A petition to bring back the iconic 'Dancing Girl' statue back to Lahore Museum was filed on Monday. The statuette dates back to 2,500 BCE and was excavated from Mohenjodaro, the largest settlement in the Indus Valley, which is one of the oldest civilisations in the world. The bronze statuette is currently displayed at the National Museum in New Delhi. It was brought to India by Mortimer Wheeler at the behest of the National Arts Council in New Delhi. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey filed a suo motu appeal with the court to direct the Pakistan government to bring it back as it is the property of Lahore Museum. In present day, Mohenjodaro is located in Pakistan's southeast Sindh province. In the petition, Jaffery asserts that the statue is a part of Pakistan's rich cultural heritage and that it demands the same historical importance that Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa commands in Europe. The National Museum in New Delhi describes the dancing girl as one of the "rarest-artefacts world-over" giving a glimpse into the cultural past of a lost civilisation. According to the museum, the metal work is indicative that the Indus Valley people knew metallurgy and had knowledge of dance and drama. The 10.5 cm statue depicts a young girl striking a pose with one arm on her hips, an upward sway to her waist and legs bent. Ornaments adorn her arms and neck, but she is devoid of any clothing. She has large eyes, flat nose, curved cheeks and curly hair framing a broad forehead. Director general of the Pakistan National Museum of Arts, Jamal Shah, recently hinted that the government was planning to approach UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to help bring back the statue. "This is important if we want to protect our heritage," added. (WION)

Lawyer wants Mohenjodaro's 'Dancing Girl' to return to Pakistan from India

The Indian Army&#39;s assessment reports of the surgical strikes carried out on terror launch pads in Pakistan-controlled areas along the border on the night of September 28, showed the terror outfit Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) suffered the maximum damage, the news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

According to the radio intercepts detailed in the report, around 20 militants of the Pakistan-based terror group were killed in the operation.&nbsp;

PTI said&nbsp;the assessment reports available from Indian army field units which included radio conversations between various Pakistani formations showed maximum damage was inflicted on LeT at the Dudniyal launch pad in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The Dudniyal launch pad is believed to be located opposite the Kupwara sector of North Kashmir.&nbsp;

Sources said on Sunday the terrorists were taken by surprise when the Indian Army carried out the well-calibrated operation on September 28.&nbsp;

According to the assessment reports the militants, belonging to LeT, were seen running towards the Pakistani post&nbsp;when the five teams from the Indian army division attacked the terror launch pads located at Kail, the PTI reported.&nbsp;

However, the sources said that post the attack radio and wireless intercepts between various formations of Pakistan have fallen silent.&nbsp;

The report said that radio intercepts of Pakistani army indicated that at least 10 LeT terrorists had been killed during the multiple and near synchronised surgical strikes on four launch pads. There was a&nbsp;heavy movement of Pakistani army vehicles till the break of dawn and all the bodies were cleared off and taken away, the sources said, adding as per the radio intercepts there was a mass burial in the Neelum valley. 
&nbsp;

Similar blow was dealt at the terrorist launch pads located at Balnoi area opposite of Poonch in which nine people belonging to LeT were killed as per the radio intercepts of Pakistani army, the sources said. Two Pakistani soldiers belonging to 8 Northern Light Infantry were also killed in the strike in this sector, they said.

However, Pakistan has refuted all claims made by the Indian Army and said that only two of their soldiers were killed in cross border firing.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The report said that radio intercepts between various Pakistani formations indicated around 20 militants from the group were killed

The Indian Army's assessment reports of the surgical strikes carried out on terror launch pads in Pakistan-controlled areas along the border on the night of September 28, showed the terror outfit Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) suffered the maximum damage, the news agency PTI reported. According to the radio intercepts detailed in the report, around 20 militants of the Pakistan-based terror group were killed in the operation. PTI said the assessment reports available from Indian army field units which included radio conversations between various Pakistani formations showed maximum damage was inflicted on LeT at the Dudniyal launch pad in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The Dudniyal launch pad is believed to be located opposite the Kupwara sector of North Kashmir. Sources said on Sunday the terrorists were taken by surprise when the Indian Army carried out the well-calibrated operation on September 28. According to the assessment reports the militants, belonging to LeT, were seen running towards the Pakistani post when the five teams from the Indian army division attacked the terror launch pads located at Kail, the PTI reported. However, the sources said that post the attack radio and wireless intercepts between various formations of Pakistan have fallen silent. The report said that radio intercepts of Pakistani army indicated that at least 10 LeT terrorists had been killed during the multiple and near synchronised surgical strikes on four launch pads. There was a heavy movement of Pakistani army vehicles till the break of dawn and all the bodies were cleared off and taken away, the sources said, adding as per the radio intercepts there was a mass burial in the Neelum valley. Similar blow was dealt at the terrorist launch pads located at Balnoi area opposite of Poonch in which nine people belonging to LeT were killed as per the radio intercepts of Pakistani army, the sources said. Two Pakistani soldiers belonging to 8 Northern Light Infantry were also killed in the strike in this sector, they said. However, Pakistan has refuted all claims made by the Indian Army and said that only two of their soldiers were killed in cross border firing. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Indian Army's reports on surgical strikes reveal Pak-based terror outfit LeT suffered maximum damage

&nbsp;

Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) activists took to the streets of Quetta protesting against Chinese involvement in Balochistan in the name of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.&nbsp;

The rally blocked the main road for several hours and saw the participation of children and women in large numbers. The demonstrators burnt China and Pakistan&#39;s flags and chanted &quot;Stop War Crimes in Balochistan&quot;, &quot;Stop Baloch Genocide&quot;, &quot;Down with Pakistan&quot; and &quot;Down with China&quot;.

The FBM is against the exploitation of Baloch&#39;s natural resources and its occupation in the name of CPEC. They also burnt effigies of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Army chief General Raheel Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The protesters alleged that China was supporting Pakistan in committing atrocities and human rights violations against the Baluch.&nbsp;

 
&quot;The protest demonstration was taken out by the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) to expose before the world the plunder of their natural resources by Pakistan and China in the name of CPEC and human rights violations by Pakistan in Balochistan,&quot; a protester attending the rally said.&nbsp;

&quot;Baloch people, women, students, and youth, who gathered here, condemn the alliance partners of Pakistan, who are supporting it in the name of military and economy. In the name of development, Pakistani military and Pakistan&#39;s alliance partners are plundering Balochistan&#39;s resources and are trying to dismantle Balochistan&#39;s identity,&quot; ANI reported him saying.&nbsp;

Another protester appealed to China to stop providing support to Pakistan, saying, &quot;Today, we are here to support the Free Balochistan Movement... Pakistan is plundering Balochistan&#39;s resources.The recent condition of Balochistan depicts sad pictures. I personally appeal to the people of China to ask their government not to take part in the genocide taking place here,&quot; she said.

(WION with inputs from ANI)

Free Balochistan Movement is against the exploitation of Baloch's natural resources and its occupation in the name of CPEC

Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) activists took to the streets of Quetta protesting against Chinese involvement in Balochistan in the name of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The rally blocked the main road for several hours and saw the participation of children and women in large numbers. The demonstrators burnt China and Pakistan's flags and chanted "Stop War Crimes in Balochistan", "Stop Baloch Genocide", "Down with Pakistan" and "Down with China". The FBM is against the exploitation of Baloch's natural resources and its occupation in the name of CPEC. They also burnt effigies of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Army chief General Raheel Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The protesters alleged that China was supporting Pakistan in committing atrocities and human rights violations against the Baluch. "The protest demonstration was taken out by the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) to expose before the world the plunder of their natural resources by Pakistan and China in the name of CPEC and human rights violations by Pakistan in Balochistan," a protester attending the rally said. "Baloch people, women, students, and youth, who gathered here, condemn the alliance partners of Pakistan, who are supporting it in the name of military and economy. In the name of development, Pakistani military and Pakistan's alliance partners are plundering Balochistan's resources and are trying to dismantle Balochistan's identity," ANI reported him saying. Another protester appealed to China to stop providing support to Pakistan, saying, "Today, we are here to support the Free Balochistan Movement... Pakistan is plundering Balochistan's resources.The recent condition of Balochistan depicts sad pictures. I personally appeal to the people of China to ask their government not to take part in the genocide taking place here," she said. (WION with inputs from ANI)

Baluchi's protest against Chinese involvement in Balochistan

Three months after the murder of Pakistani model Qandeel Baloch, the Pakistan Parliament today passed legislation against &quot;honour killings&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The new anti-honour killing law was unanimously approved by the lower and upper house of the parliament mandates life imprisonment even if the victim&#39;s relatives forgive the murderer, international agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This removes a currently existing loophole in the existing law that allows killers to walk free after being pardoned by family members.

&nbsp;

&quot;Laws are supposed to guide better behaviour, not allow destructive behaviour to continue with impunity,&quot; former senator Sughra Imam, who initially put forward the bill, was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to the international news agency, around 500 women are killed each year in the country at the hands of family members over perceived damage to &quot;honour&quot; that can involve eloping, fraternising with men or any other infraction against conservative values relating to women.

&nbsp;

Another legislation was passed today by the assembly increasing the punishments for some rape offences, mandating DNA testing and making the rape of a minor or the disabled punishable by life imprisonment or death, AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Rape convictions in the South Asian country are apparently very low due to the law&#39;s reliance on circumstantial evidence and a lack of forensic testing, the news agency highlights in its reports.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Women rights activists have been calling for tougher laws to tackle pepetrators of violence against women in the country.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Honour?killings 'claim the lives of hundreds of victims every year', the bill stated

Three months after the murder of Pakistani model Qandeel Baloch, the Pakistan Parliament today passed legislation against "honour killings". The new anti-honour killing law was unanimously approved by the lower and upper house of the parliament mandates life imprisonment even if the victim's relatives forgive the murderer, international agency AFP reported. This removes a currently existing loophole in the existing law that allows killers to walk free after being pardoned by family members. "Laws are supposed to guide better behaviour, not allow destructive behaviour to continue with impunity," former senator Sughra Imam, who initially put forward the bill, was quoted as saying by Reuters. According to the international news agency, around 500 women are killed each year in the country at the hands of family members over perceived damage to "honour" that can involve eloping, fraternising with men or any other infraction against conservative values relating to women. Another legislation was passed today by the assembly increasing the punishments for some rape offences, mandating DNA testing and making the rape of a minor or the disabled punishable by life imprisonment or death, AFP reported. Rape convictions in the South Asian country are apparently very low due to the law's reliance on circumstantial evidence and a lack of forensic testing, the news agency highlights in its reports. Women rights activists have been calling for tougher laws to tackle pepetrators of violence against women in the country. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan passes legislation against 'honour killings'

Atrocities on Pakistani&nbsp;Hindus have multiplied manyfold since India&#39;s surgical strikes on &quot;terror launchpads&quot; along the Line of Control dividing India and Pakistan on the night of September 28, prompting a flight&nbsp;of them&nbsp;to India, Indian news agency ANI reported today.&nbsp;

About 216 Pakistani&nbsp;Hindus arrived in India yesterday in the western Indian city of Jodhpur. They travelled to India&nbsp;on the Thar Express, an international train that connects Karachi in Pakistan to Jodhpur in India.

The&nbsp;Pakistani Hindus came&nbsp;on&nbsp;pilgrim visas, but say they have no intention of returning.&nbsp;

ANI reported that&nbsp;31 Pakistani Hindus came to India last&nbsp;week. It reported two of them as saying they would rather die than return to Pakistan.

The Pakistani Hindus&nbsp;will for now live in camps for displaced Pakistanis.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from ANI)

Atrocities against them are reportedly on the rise in Pakistan

Atrocities on Pakistani Hindus have multiplied manyfold since India's surgical strikes on "terror launchpads" along the Line of Control dividing India and Pakistan on the night of September 28, prompting a flight of them to India, Indian news agency ANI reported today. About 216 Pakistani Hindus arrived in India yesterday in the western Indian city of Jodhpur. They travelled to India on the Thar Express, an international train that connects Karachi in Pakistan to Jodhpur in India. The Pakistani Hindus came on pilgrim visas, but say they have no intention of returning. ANI reported that 31 Pakistani Hindus came to India last week. It reported two of them as saying they would rather die than return to Pakistan. The Pakistani Hindus will for now live in camps for displaced Pakistanis. (WION with inputs from ANI)

After surgical strikes, influx of Pakistani Hindus into India

The United States&nbsp;on Friday urged India and Pakistan to engage in a &quot;meaningful dialogue&quot; to defuse tension following recent fighting along the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing the two South Asian nations.

Saying that the US&#39; position has not changed on Kashmir, State Department spokesperson John Kirby said, &ldquo;We want this to be worked out between both sides, the issue of Kashmir. And generally, we obviously want to see the tensions that exist right now be brought down and for dialogue to take its place meaningful dialogue to try to address these issues bilaterally between the countries.&rdquo;

&ldquo;We have differences with many countries too, and we continue to try to work through them,&quot; Kirby said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;That&#39;s all we&#39;re asking, that&#39;s all we&#39;re hoping, that&#39;s all we&#39;re expecting from leaders in India and Pakistan,&rdquo; he added.

Kirby also expressed confidence in Pakistan&#39;s nuclear security, saying Pakistan has kept its nuclear arsenals safe from terrorists.&nbsp;

&#39;We don&#39;t support Pakistan state sponsor of terrorism bill&#39;

Asked if the government would support a bill in the Congress and an online petition that the US should declare Pakistan a &#39;terrorist state&#39;, Kirby said that he &ldquo;had not seen anything specifically about the such a bill, and obviously we don&#39;t&quot;.

&quot;What we what I would say is common threat, common challenge in the region, and we&#39;re going to continue to work with Pakistan, with Afghanistan to try to address these common threats and challenges, and we&#39;ve always said that more can be done about the safe havens and that&#39;s we&#39;re going to, again, try to work as cooperatively as we can to that end,&quot; Kirby said.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Asked if the US will support a bill declaring Pakistan a 'terrorist state', State Department spokesperson John Kirby replied in the negative

The United States on Friday urged India and Pakistan to engage in a "meaningful dialogue" to defuse tension following recent fighting along the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing the two South Asian nations. Saying that the US' position has not changed on Kashmir, State Department spokesperson John Kirby said, “We want this to be worked out between both sides, the issue of Kashmir. And generally, we obviously want to see the tensions that exist right now be brought down and for dialogue to take its place meaningful dialogue to try to address these issues bilaterally between the countries.” “We have differences with many countries too, and we continue to try to work through them," Kirby said. “That's all we're asking, that's all we're hoping, that's all we're expecting from leaders in India and Pakistan,” he added. Kirby also expressed confidence in Pakistan's nuclear security, saying Pakistan has kept its nuclear arsenals safe from terrorists. 'We don't support Pakistan state sponsor of terrorism bill' Asked if the government would support a bill in the Congress and an online petition that the US should declare Pakistan a 'terrorist state', Kirby said that he “had not seen anything specifically about the such a bill, and obviously we don't". "What we what I would say is common threat, common challenge in the region, and we're going to continue to work with Pakistan, with Afghanistan to try to address these common threats and challenges, and we've always said that more can be done about the safe havens and that's we're going to, again, try to work as cooperatively as we can to that end," Kirby said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

US calls for 'meaningful dialogue' between India, Pakistan

&nbsp;

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s special Kashmir envoy has said that Pakistan is willing to eliminate terrorism.&nbsp;

Mushahid Hussain, one of the two special envoys said,&quot;Campaign against terrorism has to be comprehensive, clear and has to be all out.&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;Pakistan has waged one of the most difficult and successful against inland terrorists inside the country,&quot; he told the audience at an event organised in Washington by US think-tank Stimson Center.&nbsp;

&quot;There is no two view about that. We are going against the largest war against terrorism inside the country. There is a certain consensus inside the country. We are against terrorism. We would go against remnants,&quot; he said in response to a question.

&quot;We consider terrorism and extremism as the number one security threat in Pakistan. There is a consensus on this,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

When asked by moderator Michael Krepon if Pakistan was facing international isolation, Hussain denied it and said Islamabad had the support of China, Russia, Iran, Turkey.&nbsp;

&quot;Right now, Pakistan is not isolated,&quot; and said the Organisation of Islamic Countries and Human Rights Council backed Pakistan.

Hussain was however contradicted by the other special envoy on Kashmir, Shazra Mansab who said Pakistan does &quot;not fear isolation.&quot;

&quot;We have this feeling that the huge sacrifices that Pakistan has not been recognised by the US and other countries. No other country in the world has taken so much step as we have done,&quot; she said.

&quot;We are against militancy. But we do not fear isolation,&quot; Mansab said.

&quot;First, resume the back channel. Second have confidence building measures (CBMs) in Kashmir and finally give nod to Sharif for the SAARC summit in Pakistan. Let 2017 be the year of decision and year of peace,&quot; he suggested to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve Indo-Pak issues.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from dna)

&nbsp;

Mushahid Hussain said Pakistan has waged a successful war against inland terrorists but there are still 'remnants'

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special Kashmir envoy has said that Pakistan is willing to eliminate terrorism. Mushahid Hussain, one of the two special envoys said,"Campaign against terrorism has to be comprehensive, clear and has to be all out." he said. "Pakistan has waged one of the most difficult and successful against inland terrorists inside the country," he told the audience at an event organised in Washington by US think-tank Stimson Center. "There is no two view about that. We are going against the largest war against terrorism inside the country. There is a certain consensus inside the country. We are against terrorism. We would go against remnants," he said in response to a question. "We consider terrorism and extremism as the number one security threat in Pakistan. There is a consensus on this," he added. When asked by moderator Michael Krepon if Pakistan was facing international isolation, Hussain denied it and said Islamabad had the support of China, Russia, Iran, Turkey. "Right now, Pakistan is not isolated," and said the Organisation of Islamic Countries and Human Rights Council backed Pakistan. Hussain was however contradicted by the other special envoy on Kashmir, Shazra Mansab who said Pakistan does "not fear isolation." "We have this feeling that the huge sacrifices that Pakistan has not been recognised by the US and other countries. No other country in the world has taken so much step as we have done," she said. "We are against militancy. But we do not fear isolation," Mansab said. "First, resume the back channel. Second have confidence building measures (CBMs) in Kashmir and finally give nod to Sharif for the SAARC summit in Pakistan. Let 2017 be the year of decision and year of peace," he suggested to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve Indo-Pak issues. (WION with inputs from dna)

Pakistan not isolated: Sharif's envoy

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said that &quot;India cannot deny the rights of Kashmiris,&quot; as he addressed a joint session of parliament in Islamabad called to discuss the cross-border tensions with India, Pakistan daily the Dawn reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Kashmiri youth have taken it upon themselves to carry on the movement of freedom against Indian aggression and atrocities,&quot; he was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;World powers need to ensure that UN resolutions on Kashmir should be implemented in letter and spirit. We have done everything to make India come to the dialogue table, but India did not let it happen. Our efforts were thwarted over and over again.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&#39;Poverty can&#39;t be fought by driving tanks on farmlands&#39;&nbsp;

Sharif also hit back at his Indian couterpart saying that poverty cannot be eradicated by &quot;driving tanks on farmlands&quot;. He was apparently responding to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s statement that both nations should battle to eradicate poverty.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month slammed the neighbouring country for exporting terrorism across the world and said: &quot;While India exports software, Pakistan exports terrorism across the world.&quot;

&nbsp;

&quot;Your (Pakistani) rulers speak of fighting India for a thousand years. Today, there is such a government in Delhi that I am ready to accept your challenge... Pakistan`s `awam` (people), I want to say to you, India is ready to fight you,&quot; Modi had said.

&nbsp;

&#39;We are against war&#39;&nbsp;

Tensions have been heightened between the two South Asian countries following the millitant attack on Indian Army camp in Uri sector of Kashmir on September 18. Ensuing surgical strikes by India in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and subsequent denial &nbsp;by Pakistan has also drawn attention from the world leaders.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;We have done everything to make India come to the dialogue table, but India did not let it happen. Our efforts were thwarted over and over again,&quot; Sharif said today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;We want peace, we are against war,&quot; the Dawn quoted him as saying.

&nbsp;

Referring to India`s accusations about Pakistan&#39;s involvement in Septmber 18 Uri attack,&nbsp;Sharif said: &quot;Without any investigation within a few hours India blamed Pakistan for the attack. Through this one can see what India&#39;s motives are.&quot;

&nbsp;

He also spoke about the `surgical strikes` carried out by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC), saying, &quot;On Sept 28, India&#39;s ceasefire violation resulted in the death of our two soldiers. It was befittingly responded and was conveyed that Pakistan Army is fully capable to respond to any aggression.&quot;

&nbsp;

PTI chairman skips joint parliament session&nbsp;

The session was opened by the national assembly speaker &nbsp;Ayaz Sadiq by welcoming &nbsp;the chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to the Pakistan daily, senior lawmakers of political parties attended the session with the exception of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;After the Panama Papers revelations, the Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to hold office... I don&rsquo;t accept him as the prime minister anymore,&rdquo; he told the reporters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US urges restraint&nbsp;

Meanwhile, simmering&nbsp;tensions between India and Pakistan prompted United States on Monday to urge both the countries for &quot;calm and restraint&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;We urge calm and restraint on both sides. We understand, as we said last week, that the militaries are in touch. We believe that that continued communication is vital to reduce these tensions,&rdquo; State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters on Monday.

&nbsp;

Kashmir Valley in India has been gripped by violence for more than three months after Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While Pakistan accuses India of human rights violations in Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed that Pakistan has been violating human rights in Balochistan.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

He also responded to Indian PM's challenge about eradicating poverty saying: 'Poverty can't be fought by driving tanks on farmlands'

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said that "India cannot deny the rights of Kashmiris," as he addressed a joint session of parliament in Islamabad called to discuss the cross-border tensions with India, Pakistan daily the Dawn reported. "Kashmiri youth have taken it upon themselves to carry on the movement of freedom against Indian aggression and atrocities," he was quoted as saying. "World powers need to ensure that UN resolutions on Kashmir should be implemented in letter and spirit. We have done everything to make India come to the dialogue table, but India did not let it happen. Our efforts were thwarted over and over again." 'Poverty can't be fought by driving tanks on farmlands' Sharif also hit back at his Indian couterpart saying that poverty cannot be eradicated by "driving tanks on farmlands". He was apparently responding to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s statement that both nations should battle to eradicate poverty. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month slammed the neighbouring country for exporting terrorism across the world and said: "While India exports software, Pakistan exports terrorism across the world." "Your (Pakistani) rulers speak of fighting India for a thousand years. Today, there is such a government in Delhi that I am ready to accept your challenge... Pakistan`s `awam` (people), I want to say to you, India is ready to fight you," Modi had said. 'We are against war' Tensions have been heightened between the two South Asian countries following the millitant attack on Indian Army camp in Uri sector of Kashmir on September 18. Ensuing surgical strikes by India in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and subsequent denial by Pakistan has also drawn attention from the world leaders. "We have done everything to make India come to the dialogue table, but India did not let it happen. Our efforts were thwarted over and over again," Sharif said today. "We want peace, we are against war," the Dawn quoted him as saying. Referring to India`s accusations about Pakistan's involvement in Septmber 18 Uri attack, Sharif said: "Without any investigation within a few hours India blamed Pakistan for the attack. Through this one can see what India's motives are." He also spoke about the `surgical strikes` carried out by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC), saying, "On Sept 28, India's ceasefire violation resulted in the death of our two soldiers. It was befittingly responded and was conveyed that Pakistan Army is fully capable to respond to any aggression." PTI chairman skips joint parliament session The session was opened by the national assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq by welcoming the chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. According to the Pakistan daily, senior lawmakers of political parties attended the session with the exception of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan. “After the Panama Papers revelations, the Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to hold office... I don’t accept him as the prime minister anymore,” he told the reporters. US urges restraint Meanwhile, simmering tensions between India and Pakistan prompted United States on Monday to urge both the countries for "calm and restraint". “We urge calm and restraint on both sides. We understand, as we said last week, that the militaries are in touch. We believe that that continued communication is vital to reduce these tensions,” State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters on Monday. Kashmir Valley in India has been gripped by violence for more than three months after Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed. While Pakistan accuses India of human rights violations in Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed that Pakistan has been violating human rights in Balochistan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India cannot deny rights of Kashmiris: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif

The European Parliament&#39;s vice-president has lauded India&#39;s &quot;proactive operation&quot; against militants in India-administered Kashmir on Tuesday, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Vice president Ryszard Czarnecki has been&nbsp;quoted as saying:&nbsp;&quot;India&#39;s cross-border action against terrorists on its borders with Pakistan should be commended and supported by the international community. &nbsp;India has clearly indicated that these attacks were not against the Pakistani state, but focused against terror groups that threatened peace and stability in the region.&quot;

&nbsp;

Czarnecki&#39;s comments were published in the European Parliament&#39;s monthly magazine where he praised India&#39;s decision and called on the European Union to continue to put pressure on Pakistan to get rid of terror outfits from within its borders.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;The time has come for the world to act decisively against terrorism, and ensure that no terror group is assured of a secure haven in any part of the world,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

&quot;India deserves global support in its fight against terror emanating from Pakistan, for if left unchecked, these individuals and groups would be attacking Europe and the West, soon. It is also important for the European Union to maintain pressure on Pakistan to eliminate the terror networks that operate within its borders,&quot; the Press Trust of India quoted him saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Czarnecki&#39;s further added that the surgical strikes carried out were&nbsp;&quot; probably a first by India&quot;, a retaliation after militants&nbsp;attacked an Indian army base in Uri, close to the Line of Control.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;We have witnessed the alarming growth of Pak-linked terror modules in Europe and other parts of the world. The close proximity between the Pak security establishment and terror groups has also given rise to a situation where organisations propagating Islamic militancy in Pakistan enjoy de facto state patronage,&quot; Czarnecki said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)

 
&nbsp;

Ryszard Czarnecki praised India's 'proactive action' against militants and asked EU to pressure Pakistan to eliminate terror groups

The European Parliament's vice-president has lauded India's "proactive operation" against militants in India-administered Kashmir on Tuesday, Indian news agency PTI reported. Vice president Ryszard Czarnecki has been quoted as saying: "India's cross-border action against terrorists on its borders with Pakistan should be commended and supported by the international community. India has clearly indicated that these attacks were not against the Pakistani state, but focused against terror groups that threatened peace and stability in the region." Czarnecki's comments were published in the European Parliament's monthly magazine where he praised India's decision and called on the European Union to continue to put pressure on Pakistan to get rid of terror outfits from within its borders. "The time has come for the world to act decisively against terrorism, and ensure that no terror group is assured of a secure haven in any part of the world," he said. "India deserves global support in its fight against terror emanating from Pakistan, for if left unchecked, these individuals and groups would be attacking Europe and the West, soon. It is also important for the European Union to maintain pressure on Pakistan to eliminate the terror networks that operate within its borders," the Press Trust of India quoted him saying. Czarnecki's further added that the surgical strikes carried out were " probably a first by India", a retaliation after militants attacked an Indian army base in Uri, close to the Line of Control. "We have witnessed the alarming growth of Pak-linked terror modules in Europe and other parts of the world. The close proximity between the Pak security establishment and terror groups has also given rise to a situation where organisations propagating Islamic militancy in Pakistan enjoy de facto state patronage," Czarnecki said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

European Parliament VP lauds India's surgical strikes

The United Nation&#39;s highest court -- the International Court of Justice -- will decide today whether it will hear a case filed by the Marshall Islands against India, Pakistan and the UK for failing to stop the nuclear arms race.

Between 1946 and 1958, the islands were subjected to a string of nuclear tests conducted by the US. And so the country understands the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The tiny country -- it has a population of 55,000 -- accuses the India, Pakistan, and Britain&nbsp;of failing to abide by the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty.&nbsp;(India and Pakistan have not signed the treaty.)&nbsp;

The Marshall Islands had in 2014&nbsp;filed the cases against&nbsp;nine countries but 6 of them -- China, France, Israel, North Korea, Russia, and the US --&nbsp;do not accept the ICJ&#39;s jurisdiction.&nbsp;

That leaves the court to decide whether it will&nbsp;hear the case against the other three.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Pacific island nation aims to bring the issue of nuclear arms to the forefront so that talks on nuclear disarmament can be started again, AFP reported. &nbsp;

The country argues that as per the NPT, all nuclear powers need &quot;to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament&quot;.

Critics however argue the hearing is only a ruse to divert the islander&#39;s fight with the US which&nbsp;carried out the tests, AFP reported.&nbsp;

&#39;Several islands in my country were vapourised&#39;

At a March hearing, the islanders described the after-effects of 67 nuclear tests carried out on Bikini and Enewetak atolls, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Former foreign minister, Tony deBrum said, &quot;Several islands in my country were vapourised and others are estimated to remain uninhabitable for thousands of years.&quot;

&quot;The entire sky turned blood-red,&quot; he told the court.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The tiny Pacific island nation of 55,000 accuses the three countries of failing to halt the nuclear arms race

The United Nation's highest court -- the International Court of Justice -- will decide today whether it will hear a case filed by the Marshall Islands against India, Pakistan and the UK for failing to stop the nuclear arms race. Between 1946 and 1958, the islands were subjected to a string of nuclear tests conducted by the US. And so the country understands the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, AFP reported. The tiny country -- it has a population of 55,000 -- accuses the India, Pakistan, and Britain of failing to abide by the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty. (India and Pakistan have not signed the treaty.) The Marshall Islands had in 2014 filed the cases against nine countries but 6 of them -- China, France, Israel, North Korea, Russia, and the US -- do not accept the ICJ's jurisdiction. That leaves the court to decide whether it will hear the case against the other three. The Pacific island nation aims to bring the issue of nuclear arms to the forefront so that talks on nuclear disarmament can be started again, AFP reported. The country argues that as per the NPT, all nuclear powers need "to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament". Critics however argue the hearing is only a ruse to divert the islander's fight with the US which carried out the tests, AFP reported. 'Several islands in my country were vapourised' At a March hearing, the islanders described the after-effects of 67 nuclear tests carried out on Bikini and Enewetak atolls, AFP reported. Former foreign minister, Tony deBrum said, "Several islands in my country were vapourised and others are estimated to remain uninhabitable for thousands of years." "The entire sky turned blood-red," he told the court. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Top UN court to decide if it will hear Marshall Islands nuclear case against India, Pak & Britain

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi on Wednesday ahead of bilateral discussions.&nbsp;Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted about the meeting at Hyderabad House in India&#39;s capital.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Furthering partnerships with a valued neighbour. PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> meets Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe <a href="https://twitter.com/RW_UNP">@RW_UNP</a> at Hyderabad House <a href="https://t.co/MJ25yWUedX">pic.twitter.com/MJ25yWUedX</a>
&mdash; Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/783577356430553088">October 5, 2016</a></blockquote>

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is in India on a three-day bilateral visit. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee while he&#39;s in India.

On Tuesday, India&#39;s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had met Wickremesinghe.

Sri Lanka became the fifth country to pull out of the regional SAARC summit on September 30. India was the first country to pull out of the SAARC summit, a move made in response to the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;of an Army camp in&nbsp;Kashmir, near the town of&nbsp;Uri, by&nbsp;terrorists from&nbsp;Pakistan. It was a step to diplomatically isolate Islamabad.

As the New Indian Express reports,&nbsp;Sri Lanka&nbsp;encouraged&nbsp;India and Pakistan to work towards peace, saying&nbsp;the future of the regional grouping SAARC may hang in the balance. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;Cross-border terrorism is on the table. SAARC has to look at it and discuss what has happened (cancellation of the SAARC meet). How we are going to handle it...SAARC has to decide on two issues:&nbsp;cross-border terrorism and areas in which we can work together.&nbsp;If we don&#39;t do it, there is no future for SAARC,&quot; Wickremesinghe said following his&nbsp;meeting with the Indian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also agreed that the India-Pakistan rivalry had already impacted the functioning of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

After India pulled out of&nbsp;this year&#39;s&nbsp;SAARC summit, so too did&nbsp;Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, leaving only the current SAARC chair Nepal, and the host country Pakistan and the Maldives.&nbsp;The 19th SAARC summit was scheduled to be held from 9th to 10th November 2016 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

(WION)

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is in India on a three-day visit, where he spoke of the impact of the recent terrorist strikes from Pakistan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi on Wednesday ahead of bilateral discussions. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted about the meeting at Hyderabad House in India's capital. Furthering partnerships with a valued neighbour. PM @narendramodi meets Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe @RW_UNP at Hyderabad House pic.twitter.com/MJ25yWUedX — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 5, 2016 Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is in India on a three-day bilateral visit. He will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee while he's in India. On Tuesday, India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had met Wickremesinghe. Sri Lanka became the fifth country to pull out of the regional SAARC summit on September 30. India was the first country to pull out of the SAARC summit, a move made in response to the attack of an Army camp in Kashmir, near the town of Uri, by terrorists from Pakistan. It was a step to diplomatically isolate Islamabad. As the New Indian Express reports, Sri Lanka encouraged India and Pakistan to work towards peace, saying the future of the regional grouping SAARC may hang in the balance. "Cross-border terrorism is on the table. SAARC has to look at it and discuss what has happened (cancellation of the SAARC meet). How we are going to handle it...SAARC has to decide on two issues: cross-border terrorism and areas in which we can work together. If we don't do it, there is no future for SAARC," Wickremesinghe said following his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also agreed that the India-Pakistan rivalry had already impacted the functioning of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. After India pulled out of this year's SAARC summit, so too did Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, leaving only the current SAARC chair Nepal, and the host country Pakistan and the Maldives. The 19th SAARC summit was scheduled to be held from 9th to 10th November 2016 in Islamabad, Pakistan. (WION)

Indian PM Modi meets Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe

Mohammad Anwar arrived in Pakistan as a child more than 35 years ago but is leaving as a father, his family among the thousands of uprooted Afghan refugees &quot;returning&quot; to a war-torn homeland many of them have never seen.&nbsp;Anwar, disbelieving and grief-stricken, has packed the bric-a-brac of a lifetime onto a truck wildly painted in baroque colours but says he is leaving his heart and soul in Peshawar, the city that sheltered him for decades.

&quot;We can&#39;t forget the time we passed here, we were treated like brothers,&quot; he tells AFP. &quot;Insha&#39;Allah, we will come here again, this time with passports.&quot;

Pakistan has provided safe haven for decades for millions like Anwar, who fled Afghanistan with his family when he was just seven&nbsp;years&nbsp;old, after the Soviet invasion of 1979.&nbsp;But as the fight against the Soviets morphed into civil war, Taliban rule, the US invasion and the grinding conflict in Afghanistan today, even Pakistan&#39;s famed hospitality has run out.

Pakistan hosts 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, according to UNHCR, making it the third-largest refugee hosting nation in the world. A UNHCR official said the agency also estimates a further one million unregistered refugees are in the country.&nbsp;Since 2009, Islamabad has repeatedly pushed back a deadline for them to return, but fears are growing that the latest cutoff date in March 2017 will be final.&nbsp;Meanwhile, refugees are increasingly worried about their future in Pakistan amid a security crackdown against undocumented foreigners.&nbsp;

The anxiety, combined with a UN decision to double its cash grant for voluntary returnees from $200 to $400 per individual in June, has seen the flow of refugees over the border become a torrent.&nbsp;More than 200,000 have crossed this year, the vast majority since July,&nbsp;including nearly 98,000 in September alone, says UNHCR.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tears, trucks at Torkham

Anwar fills out documents at a UNHCR centre outside Peshawar crammed with men in Afghan caps and turbans. Children lie on the floor as mothers in veils fan themselves in the steamy heat.&nbsp;They face an uncertain future in an Afghanistan still at war and already overwhelmed by so many people fleeing fighting that officials warn of a humanitarian crisis.

But first they will pass the Torkham frontier, a mountainous outpost where,&nbsp;until this year&nbsp;border &quot;controls&quot; were more of a suggestion, and thousands crossed each day with impunity.

When AFP visited recently a gleaming new gate, constructed in June and reinforced by two kilometres of barbed wire,&nbsp;travellers funnelled&nbsp;through customs queues and scanning machines.

Pakistani pride in the new facilities contrasted with tearful Afghan refugees piling their trucks high, not just with household goods, but cattle, tree trunks and scraps that could help build even a mud hut once they reach Afghanistan.&nbsp;

&quot;We spent our best time here,&quot; 45-year-old Khair Muhammad, returning after 36 years with 21 members of his family, told AFP tearfully. His truck was loaded with beds, fans, wood, utensils, and a cow and her calf.&nbsp;&quot;We never thought, never even imagined that we would return in such circumstances,&quot; said 29-year-old Inamullah Khan.

&nbsp;

End of the road

With a resurgent Taliban in control of roughly one-third of Afghanistan&#39;s districts, many returning refugees will travel no further than Kabul.

Among them is Abdhur Rahman, who left for Pakistan 30 years ago, fleeing a province which is now buffeted by Taliban attacks.&nbsp;He returns aged 70, grey turbanned with his white beard curling over his chest, patriarch of a family of 25.&nbsp;

But the former peasant and anti-Soviet fighter from Paktia in the east will find little support in the overstretched capital. Kabul already has one of the highest population growth rates in the region: some 1,200 people every day, says European Union ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin.

The UN put the number of displaced people in the city last month at 265,000, and in 2013 the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) documented 53 informal settlements, little more than timber clinging to the side of mountains with neither water nor electricity.

Abdhur Rahman speaks soberly of his last days in Pakistan.&nbsp;&quot;The police harassed us, they cut the water and electricity in the camp... it was better to leave,&quot; he says.

But another returnee, Sayed Karim, has lived for months in Kabul &quot;without water, no school, no doctor&quot;.&nbsp;Trapped in limbo with the gates at Torkham closed and his home province of Baghlan roiled by fighting, he remembers his days as a teacher in the refugee camp in Pakistan.&nbsp;

&quot;In Pakistan we had good work. A good life,&quot; he says.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Pakistan was a safe haven for millions of Afghans who fled after the 1979 Soviet invasion. Now they're finding that returning home is hard

Mohammad Anwar arrived in Pakistan as a child more than 35 years ago but is leaving as a father, his family among the thousands of uprooted Afghan refugees "returning" to a war-torn homeland many of them have never seen. Anwar, disbelieving and grief-stricken, has packed the bric-a-brac of a lifetime onto a truck wildly painted in baroque colours but says he is leaving his heart and soul in Peshawar, the city that sheltered him for decades. "We can't forget the time we passed here, we were treated like brothers," he tells AFP. "Insha'Allah, we will come here again, this time with passports." Pakistan has provided safe haven for decades for millions like Anwar, who fled Afghanistan with his family when he was just seven years old, after the Soviet invasion of 1979. But as the fight against the Soviets morphed into civil war, Taliban rule, the US invasion and the grinding conflict in Afghanistan today, even Pakistan's famed hospitality has run out. Pakistan hosts 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, according to UNHCR, making it the third-largest refugee hosting nation in the world. A UNHCR official said the agency also estimates a further one million unregistered refugees are in the country. Since 2009, Islamabad has repeatedly pushed back a deadline for them to return, but fears are growing that the latest cutoff date in March 2017 will be final. Meanwhile, refugees are increasingly worried about their future in Pakistan amid a security crackdown against undocumented foreigners. The anxiety, combined with a UN decision to double its cash grant for voluntary returnees from $200 to $400 per individual in June, has seen the flow of refugees over the border become a torrent. More than 200,000 have crossed this year, the vast majority since July, including nearly 98,000 in September alone, says UNHCR. Tears, trucks at Torkham Anwar fills out documents at a UNHCR centre outside Peshawar crammed with men in Afghan caps and turbans. Children lie on the floor as mothers in veils fan themselves in the steamy heat. They face an uncertain future in an Afghanistan still at war and already overwhelmed by so many people fleeing fighting that officials warn of a humanitarian crisis. But first they will pass the Torkham frontier, a mountainous outpost where, until this year border "controls" were more of a suggestion, and thousands crossed each day with impunity. When AFP visited recently a gleaming new gate, constructed in June and reinforced by two kilometres of barbed wire, travellers funnelled through customs queues and scanning machines. Pakistani pride in the new facilities contrasted with tearful Afghan refugees piling their trucks high, not just with household goods, but cattle, tree trunks and scraps that could help build even a mud hut once they reach Afghanistan. "We spent our best time here," 45-year-old Khair Muhammad, returning after 36 years with 21 members of his family, told AFP tearfully. His truck was loaded with beds, fans, wood, utensils, and a cow and her calf. "We never thought, never even imagined that we would return in such circumstances," said 29-year-old Inamullah Khan. End of the road With a resurgent Taliban in control of roughly one-third of Afghanistan's districts, many returning refugees will travel no further than Kabul. Among them is Abdhur Rahman, who left for Pakistan 30 years ago, fleeing a province which is now buffeted by Taliban attacks. He returns aged 70, grey turbanned with his white beard curling over his chest, patriarch of a family of 25. But the former peasant and anti-Soviet fighter from Paktia in the east will find little support in the overstretched capital. Kabul already has one of the highest population growth rates in the region: some 1,200 people every day, says European Union ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin. The UN put the number of displaced people in the city last month at 265,000, and in 2013 the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) documented 53 informal settlements, little more than timber clinging to the side of mountains with neither water nor electricity. Abdhur Rahman speaks soberly of his last days in Pakistan. "The police harassed us, they cut the water and electricity in the camp... it was better to leave," he says. But another returnee, Sayed Karim, has lived for months in Kabul "without water, no school, no doctor". Trapped in limbo with the gates at Torkham closed and his home province of Baghlan roiled by fighting, he remembers his days as a teacher in the refugee camp in Pakistan. "In Pakistan we had good work. A good life," he says. (AFP)

Afghan refugees return to uncertain future in alien homeland

Simmering tensions between India and Pakistan over the past few weeks have&nbsp;drawm the world&#39;s attention. Now, Moscow has backed New Delhi over the brewing controversy after India&#39;s surgical strikes conducted in Pak-administered Kashmir last week.&nbsp;

Today,&nbsp;Indian media claimed that Russia&nbsp;&quot;welcomes&quot; India&#39;s&nbsp;surgical strike. This comes days after Moscow&nbsp;asked lslamabad to take &quot;effective&quot; steps to stop the activities of terrorist groups on its territory.&nbsp;

&quot;Greatest human rights violations take place when terrorists attack military installations and attack peaceful civilians in India. We welcome the surgical strike. Every country has right to defend itself,&quot; Russian embassy quoted Russia&#39;s ambassador to New Delhi, Alexander M Kadakin, as having told a news channel.

He also said his country had always been with India in fighting cross-border terrorism.

With this, Russia became the first P-5 country to back India.&nbsp;

India and Pakistan, the two South Asian nations, have been at loggerheads with each other ever since&nbsp;19 Indian soldiers were killed in the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir. A war of words also ensued between the two countries at the United Nations General Assembly.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, according to local media reports, Kadakin has also assured India that it does not need to worry&nbsp;about Russia-Pakistan joint military exercises, saying it did not take place in &quot;Pakistan-administered Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir&quot;.

It may also be recalled that a Russian foreign ministry statement last week had said Russia stands for &quot;decisive struggle&quot; against terrorism in all its manifestations.

&quot;We are concerned with the aggravation lately of the situation along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.&nbsp;We are calling on the parties not to allow any escalation of tension and to settle the existing problems by political and diplomatic means through negotiations. We stand for decisive struggle against terrorism in all its manifestations.&nbsp;We expect that the government of Pakistan should take effective steps in order to stop the activities of terrorist groups in the territory of the country,&quot; the statement said.

As per Indian media reports, border skirmishes continue along the Line of Control, the de&nbsp;facto border between India and Pakistan, as both the nations continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations. Also, the recent militant&nbsp;attack at an Indian Army camp in Baramulla,&nbsp;Kashmir, that killed one security personnel, has further increased&nbsp;tensions.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from&nbsp;DNA)&nbsp;

Russia's ambassador to New Delhi said his country had always been with India in fighting cross-border terrorism

Simmering tensions between India and Pakistan over the past few weeks have drawm the world's attention. Now, Moscow has backed New Delhi over the brewing controversy after India's surgical strikes conducted in Pak-administered Kashmir last week. Today, Indian media claimed that Russia "welcomes" India's surgical strike. This comes days after Moscow asked lslamabad to take "effective" steps to stop the activities of terrorist groups on its territory. "Greatest human rights violations take place when terrorists attack military installations and attack peaceful civilians in India. We welcome the surgical strike. Every country has right to defend itself," Russian embassy quoted Russia's ambassador to New Delhi, Alexander M Kadakin, as having told a news channel. He also said his country had always been with India in fighting cross-border terrorism. With this, Russia became the first P-5 country to back India. India and Pakistan, the two South Asian nations, have been at loggerheads with each other ever since 19 Indian soldiers were killed in the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir. A war of words also ensued between the two countries at the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, according to local media reports, Kadakin has also assured India that it does not need to worry about Russia-Pakistan joint military exercises, saying it did not take place in "Pakistan-administered Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir". It may also be recalled that a Russian foreign ministry statement last week had said Russia stands for "decisive struggle" against terrorism in all its manifestations. "We are concerned with the aggravation lately of the situation along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. We are calling on the parties not to allow any escalation of tension and to settle the existing problems by political and diplomatic means through negotiations. We stand for decisive struggle against terrorism in all its manifestations. We expect that the government of Pakistan should take effective steps in order to stop the activities of terrorist groups in the territory of the country," the statement said. As per Indian media reports, border skirmishes continue along the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan, as both the nations continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations. Also, the recent militant attack at an Indian Army camp in Baramulla, Kashmir, that killed one security personnel, has further increased tensions. (WION with inputs from DNA)

Every country has a right to defend itself: Russia backs India's surgical strikes in Pak-administered Kashmir

It&#39;s not just the&nbsp;India-Pakistan borders that are simmering amid the escalating tension between the two countries. One of the world&#39;s most diverse film industries,&nbsp;Bollywood,&nbsp;has also suffered drastically.

The Uri attack has left Bollywood divided over the issue of Pakistani actors living&nbsp;in India. However, the issue was first fueled by Raj Thackery of Central India&#39;s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but later actors and artists jumped into the fray with their opinions on the issue.&nbsp;

While some&nbsp;Bollywood actors and artists have actually backed the proposal to send&nbsp;Pakistani&nbsp;actors living in India to Pakistan, others have&nbsp;sided with their fellow actors from Pakistan.

The recent one being&nbsp;veteran Indian actor&nbsp;Om Puri, commenting that forms of art across the border should not suffer because of military tension between the two countries. And that actors from Pakistan do not come to the country illegally, they come here on valid Visas.

Other Bollywood&nbsp;artists to have opposed the ban on Pakistani artists were Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Saif Ali khan, Rahul Agarwal, they all have reiterated that forms of art should work to ensure that peace prevails, and there is a need to draw a line of demarcation between what is happening at the border and that between people of the two countries, including Bollywood. However, all of them have expressed their resentment against the attack carried out by Pakistan-sponsored militants in Uri.

On the other hand, actors and artists like controversial singer Abhijeet , Nana Patekar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Randeep Hooda have asserted that nothing comes above the security of the country, and that all steps should be taken to isolate Pakistan at the international level.&nbsp;Seeking a ban on Pakistan-based artists in India is a step towards in that direction.&nbsp;

Amid&nbsp;all&nbsp;this, it is important to note that it is not just artists from Pakistan who have worked in India, but also vice versa. Among several Indian artists, a few of them&nbsp;who have worked in Pakistani dramas and movies are: Kirron Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Ally Khan, Shewta Tiwari, Deepti Gupta, Kim Sharma,&nbsp;Preeti Jhangiani and others.&nbsp;

(WION)

Known to be one of the most diverse film industries, Bollywood is now picking sides over the recent call for a ban on Pakistani actors

It's not just the India-Pakistan borders that are simmering amid the escalating tension between the two countries. One of the world's most diverse film industries, Bollywood, has also suffered drastically. The Uri attack has left Bollywood divided over the issue of Pakistani actors living in India. However, the issue was first fueled by Raj Thackery of Central India's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but later actors and artists jumped into the fray with their opinions on the issue. While some Bollywood actors and artists have actually backed the proposal to send Pakistani actors living in India to Pakistan, others have sided with their fellow actors from Pakistan. The recent one being veteran Indian actor Om Puri, commenting that forms of art across the border should not suffer because of military tension between the two countries. And that actors from Pakistan do not come to the country illegally, they come here on valid Visas. Other Bollywood artists to have opposed the ban on Pakistani artists were Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Saif Ali khan, Rahul Agarwal, they all have reiterated that forms of art should work to ensure that peace prevails, and there is a need to draw a line of demarcation between what is happening at the border and that between people of the two countries, including Bollywood. However, all of them have expressed their resentment against the attack carried out by Pakistan-sponsored militants in Uri. On the other hand, actors and artists like controversial singer Abhijeet , Nana Patekar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Randeep Hooda have asserted that nothing comes above the security of the country, and that all steps should be taken to isolate Pakistan at the international level. Seeking a ban on Pakistan-based artists in India is a step towards in that direction. Amid all this, it is important to note that it is not just artists from Pakistan who have worked in India, but also vice versa. Among several Indian artists, a few of them who have worked in Pakistani dramas and movies are: Kirron Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Ally Khan, Shewta Tiwari, Deepti Gupta, Kim Sharma, Preeti Jhangiani and others. (WION)

Indo-Pak tension: Bollywood's anti-Pak segment is a distinct minority

&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Indian news channel Times Now&nbsp;reported a &quot;possible ceasefire violation by Pakistani Rangers&quot;&nbsp;in Gurdaspur, Punjab near the&nbsp;Indo-Pak border. It said the Pakistani paramilitary force&nbsp;had opened fire on a Border Security Force (BSF) post on the Indian side of the border.&nbsp;

The channel said the firing had taken place early in&nbsp;the morning.

ANI however quoted&nbsp;BSF inspector general&nbsp;Anil Paliwal as saying, &quot;BSF opened fire after suspected infiltration at Chakri post of Gurdaspur sector.&quot;

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BSF opened fire after suspected infiltration at Chakri post of Gurdaspur(Punjab) sector: Anil Paliwal,IG BSF
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ANI added that combing operations are currently underwary.&nbsp;

This ceasefire&nbsp;violation comes hours&nbsp;after the terror attack in Baramulla, Kashmir in&nbsp;which six militants attacked an Indian army camp and a BSF camp.&nbsp;

One Indian paramilitary&nbsp;personnel was killed in that attack, while another was wounded. As were two terrorists, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

(WION)

India's Border Security Force says they opened fire to stop militants from sneaking over the border

The Indian news channel Times Now reported a "possible ceasefire violation by Pakistani Rangers" in Gurdaspur, Punjab near the Indo-Pak border. It said the Pakistani paramilitary force had opened fire on a Border Security Force (BSF) post on the Indian side of the border. The channel said the firing had taken place early in the morning. ANI however quoted BSF inspector general Anil Paliwal as saying, "BSF opened fire after suspected infiltration at Chakri post of Gurdaspur sector." BSF opened fire after suspected infiltration at Chakri post of Gurdaspur(Punjab) sector: Anil Paliwal,IG BSF — ANI (@ANI_news) October 3, 2016 × ANI added that combing operations are currently underwary. This ceasefire violation comes hours after the terror attack in Baramulla, Kashmir in which six militants attacked an Indian army camp and a BSF camp. One Indian paramilitary personnel was killed in that attack, while another was wounded. As were two terrorists, reported Reuters. (WION)

Pakistani Rangers open fire on BSF post in Indian Punjab: Report

Amid brewing tensions between India and Pakistan, Pakistan&#39;s top diplomat, Sartaj Aziz, today said that the two South Asian countries have decided to reduce tensions, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Referring to the first contact between the national security advisors &nbsp;(NSA) &nbsp;of the two countries following the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir that killed at least 19 Indian soldiers, the adviser to Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister on national security and foreign Affairs, Aziz, informed that India&#39;s NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua spoke over the&nbsp;phone and talked about diffusing tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two countries.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Pakistan wants to reduce tensions on LoC and focus on Kashmir,&quot; Pakistani broadcaster Geo News quoted him as saying.

&nbsp;

Indian Army last week said that it had carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday across the terror launch pads. The surgical strikes were viewed as a retaliation to the militant attacks in Uri.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A&nbsp;militant attack was also reported at the headquarter of Baramulla area of Kashmir on Sunday night that killed one security personnel.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Aziz also referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s recent remarks at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said that Sharif had explained to the world leaders that the incidents of border tensions would continue between both countries without the resolution of Kashmir dispute.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indo-Pak border skirmishes&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, both the nations continue to accuse each other of violating ceasefire along the Indo-Pak border.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indian Army today claimed that Pakistan targeted army posts and civilian post areas in the border town of Poonch, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Public relations officer of Indian defence ministry, Manish Mehta, was quoted as saying by the international news agency that Indian forces gave a befitting reply to the ceasefire violations.

&nbsp;

&quot;Pakistan army carried out unprovoked ceasefire violations in Poonch sector in Shahpur area, using small arms, automatic (weapons) and mortar (shells). We have given them a befitting reply and ceasefire violation is still continuing,&quot; Mehta said in Jammu city.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Presently, we don&#39;t have any report of loss to civilians. However, we have not suffered any kind of causality or any kind of loss,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While on the other hand, AFP quoted a&nbsp;statement by Pakistan&#39;s military that read: &quot;Indian troops yet again resorted to unprovoked firing after midnight at the Line of Control (LoC) in Iftikharabad sector and Pakistani troops befittingly responded.&quot; &nbsp;According to the statement, the exchange ended in the morning.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

While diplomatic efforts are on to diffuse tensions, the two South Asian countries today accused each other of ceasefire violations

Amid brewing tensions between India and Pakistan, Pakistan's top diplomat, Sartaj Aziz, today said that the two South Asian countries have decided to reduce tensions, Indian news agency PTI reported. Referring to the first contact between the national security advisors (NSA) of the two countries following the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir that killed at least 19 Indian soldiers, the adviser to Pakistan's Prime Minister on national security and foreign Affairs, Aziz, informed that India's NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua spoke over the phone and talked about diffusing tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two countries. "Pakistan wants to reduce tensions on LoC and focus on Kashmir," Pakistani broadcaster Geo News quoted him as saying. Indian Army last week said that it had carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday across the terror launch pads. The surgical strikes were viewed as a retaliation to the militant attacks in Uri. A militant attack was also reported at the headquarter of Baramulla area of Kashmir on Sunday night that killed one security personnel. Aziz also referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's recent remarks at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said that Sharif had explained to the world leaders that the incidents of border tensions would continue between both countries without the resolution of Kashmir dispute. Indo-Pak border skirmishes Meanwhile, both the nations continue to accuse each other of violating ceasefire along the Indo-Pak border. Indian Army today claimed that Pakistan targeted army posts and civilian post areas in the border town of Poonch, Reuters reported. Public relations officer of Indian defence ministry, Manish Mehta, was quoted as saying by the international news agency that Indian forces gave a befitting reply to the ceasefire violations. "Pakistan army carried out unprovoked ceasefire violations in Poonch sector in Shahpur area, using small arms, automatic (weapons) and mortar (shells). We have given them a befitting reply and ceasefire violation is still continuing," Mehta said in Jammu city. "Presently, we don't have any report of loss to civilians. However, we have not suffered any kind of causality or any kind of loss," he added. While on the other hand, AFP quoted a statement by Pakistan's military that read: "Indian troops yet again resorted to unprovoked firing after midnight at the Line of Control (LoC) in Iftikharabad sector and Pakistani troops befittingly responded." According to the statement, the exchange ended in the morning. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan, India NSAs agree to reduce tensions across border: Sartaj Aziz

Amid growing Indo-Pak strain following the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir Valley and ensuing surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has never coveted any territory or attacked another country.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The comments were made during an inauguration ceremony in the national capital, Delhi, when in an apparent dig at Pakistan Modi said: &quot;India has never coveted territory, never attacked another country, yet thousands of Indians gave their lives in the first World War.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;In the last two years, you have seen how the government rescued people from conflict situations, not just Indians but foreigners too,&quot; Modi was quoted as saying during an event. &nbsp;He inaugurated Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a facility dedicated to the Indian community abroad, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

On September 18, militants infiltrated an Indian army base in Uri near the border in which at least 18&nbsp;soldiers were killed. India had&nbsp;hit back by conducting surgical strikes across Pakistan&#39;s side of the Line of Control at militant launchpads on Wednesday night.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India&#39;s interior minister Rajnath Singh praised the soldiers for their bravery and said,&nbsp;&quot;The country as well as the whole world is aware of this (surgical strikes)..The way our jawans [soldiers] displayed valour and have made India proud.&quot;

&nbsp;

The minister also insisted to&nbsp;&quot;just wait and watch&quot; in reference to releasing the footage of the surgical strikes carried out.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pakistan is maintaining that its border is impenetrable and the strikes never happened.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Indian Army on Friday slammed Pakistani media for showing false videos depicting Indian casualties in one of the operations carried out by the neighbouring country amid escalating tensions. The Army labelled it as &quot;black propaganda&quot; for showing &quot;morphed images&quot;, Indian agency the Press Trust of India reported.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister's statement comes as tensions continue to fester between India, Pakistan after Uri attack and ensuing surgical strikes

Amid growing Indo-Pak strain following the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir Valley and ensuing surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has never coveted any territory or attacked another country. The comments were made during an inauguration ceremony in the national capital, Delhi, when in an apparent dig at Pakistan Modi said: "India has never coveted territory, never attacked another country, yet thousands of Indians gave their lives in the first World War." "In the last two years, you have seen how the government rescued people from conflict situations, not just Indians but foreigners too," Modi was quoted as saying during an event. He inaugurated Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a facility dedicated to the Indian community abroad, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. On September 18, militants infiltrated an Indian army base in Uri near the border in which at least 18 soldiers were killed. India had hit back by conducting surgical strikes across Pakistan's side of the Line of Control at militant launchpads on Wednesday night. India's interior minister Rajnath Singh praised the soldiers for their bravery and said, "The country as well as the whole world is aware of this (surgical strikes)..The way our jawans [soldiers] displayed valour and have made India proud." The minister also insisted to "just wait and watch" in reference to releasing the footage of the surgical strikes carried out. Pakistan is maintaining that its border is impenetrable and the strikes never happened. Meanwhile, the Indian Army on Friday slammed Pakistani media for showing false videos depicting Indian casualties in one of the operations carried out by the neighbouring country amid escalating tensions. The Army labelled it as "black propaganda" for showing "morphed images", Indian agency the Press Trust of India reported. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Modi: India never attacked another country, coveted territory

A judicial commission in Pakistan appointed by an anti-terrorism court will travel to Karachi next week to examine the boat used by 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists to reach India for carrying out the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

Headed by an ATC judge, the commission will travel to Karachi on October 6 to examine the boat&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;Al Fouz &mdash;&nbsp;and also record the testimony of a witness who saw the boat being seized. &nbsp;

The commission includes officials from Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the defence counsel and court officials. The body was&nbsp;constituted during a hearing into the Mumbai terror attacks case.

The Islamabad High Court had earlier set aside the ruling of a trial court of not allowing a probe committee to Karachi, terming it &quot;flawed and not in accordance with law&quot; and allowed examination of the boat in the port city.

The prosecution in May had challenged the trial court&rsquo;s decision to reject its plea to form a commission to examine the boat so that the vessel could be made a &quot;case property&quot;.

According to the FIA, the attackers used three boats to reach Mumbai from Karachi.

One of the boats, Al-Fauz, is in custody of Pakistani authorities in Karachi, the city&nbsp;from where the 10 LeT terrorists armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand-grenades had left for India.

En-route they hijacked another boat and&nbsp;killed four of its crew members.&nbsp;

LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks, which claimed&nbsp;lives of 166 people.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

.

The boat called Al-Fouz was used by 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists to reach India for carrying out the 2008 attacks in Mumbai

A judicial commission in Pakistan appointed by an anti-terrorism court will travel to Karachi next week to examine the boat used by 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists to reach India for carrying out the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. Headed by an ATC judge, the commission will travel to Karachi on October 6 to examine the boat — Al Fouz — and also record the testimony of a witness who saw the boat being seized. The commission includes officials from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the defence counsel and court officials. The body was constituted during a hearing into the Mumbai terror attacks case. The Islamabad High Court had earlier set aside the ruling of a trial court of not allowing a probe committee to Karachi, terming it "flawed and not in accordance with law" and allowed examination of the boat in the port city. The prosecution in May had challenged the trial court’s decision to reject its plea to form a commission to examine the boat so that the vessel could be made a "case property". According to the FIA, the attackers used three boats to reach Mumbai from Karachi. One of the boats, Al-Fauz, is in custody of Pakistani authorities in Karachi, the city from where the 10 LeT terrorists armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand-grenades had left for India. En-route they hijacked another boat and killed four of its crew members. LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks, which claimed lives of 166 people. (WION with inputs from PTI) .

Pakistani judicial commission to examine boat used in 26/11 Mumbai attacks

&nbsp;

US state department deputy spokesman urged India and Pakistan to show restraint and said that Washington&nbsp;is closely monitoring the situation.&nbsp;

Mark Toner&nbsp;said communication is important between the two countries to reduce tensions.&nbsp;&quot;We certainly don&rsquo;t want to see any kind of escalation and any kind of break in that communication,&quot; he told reporters assembled at state department&#39;s daily news briefing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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We&rsquo;re continuing to follow situation on ground closely.We urge calm &amp; restraint by both (India-Pak): US State Dept Dy Spox <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SurgicalStrike?src=hash">#SurgicalStrike</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/782016702976446464">October 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&quot;We have repeatedly and consistently expressed our concerns regarding the danger that cross-border terrorism poses for the region, and that certainly includes the recent attacks&ndash;terrorist attacks in Uri. And we continue to urge actions to combat and de-escalate &ndash; and delegitimise, rather, terrorist groups like Lashkar-e Talaba &ndash; Tayyiba, rather &ndash; Haqqani Network, as well as Jaish-e-Mohammad,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Toner also said secretary of state, John Kerry&nbsp;was engaged in talks with&nbsp;India&#39;s senior leadership to de-escalate the tension.&nbsp;

In response to Pakistan&#39;s threats of using tactical nuclear weapons against India if the situation escalated further, Toner pointed that nuclear-capable states have a very clear responsibility to exercise restraint regarding nuclear weapons and missile capabilities.

Pakistan has displayed a lack of &#39;no-first-use policy&#39; regarding nuclear weapons. US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also asserted that Islamabad is running at full speed to develop tactical nukes in their continuing hostility with India, a threatening scenario for the entire region.&nbsp;

(WION)

 
&nbsp;

In response to Pakistan's nuke threats against India, Mark Toner cautioned nuclear-capable states to exercise restraint

US state department deputy spokesman urged India and Pakistan to show restraint and said that Washington is closely monitoring the situation. Mark Toner said communication is important between the two countries to reduce tensions. "We certainly don’t want to see any kind of escalation and any kind of break in that communication," he told reporters assembled at state department's daily news briefing. We’re continuing to follow situation on ground closely.We urge calm & restraint by both (India-Pak): US State Dept Dy Spox #SurgicalStrike — ANI (@ANI_news) October 1, 2016 × "We have repeatedly and consistently expressed our concerns regarding the danger that cross-border terrorism poses for the region, and that certainly includes the recent attacks–terrorist attacks in Uri. And we continue to urge actions to combat and de-escalate – and delegitimise, rather, terrorist groups like Lashkar-e Talaba – Tayyiba, rather – Haqqani Network, as well as Jaish-e-Mohammad," he added. Toner also said secretary of state, John Kerry was engaged in talks with India's senior leadership to de-escalate the tension. In response to Pakistan's threats of using tactical nuclear weapons against India if the situation escalated further, Toner pointed that nuclear-capable states have a very clear responsibility to exercise restraint regarding nuclear weapons and missile capabilities. Pakistan has displayed a lack of 'no-first-use policy' regarding nuclear weapons. US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also asserted that Islamabad is running at full speed to develop tactical nukes in their continuing hostility with India, a threatening scenario for the entire region. (WION)

US: Nuclear-capable states must act responsibly

&nbsp;

United Nations secretary-general Ban ki-moon on Friday urged India and Pakistan resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue, and even offered to act as a mediator.&nbsp;

He asked both South Asian nations &quot;to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.&quot;

The UN chief&#39;s statement comes after Pakistan&#39;s envoy Maleeha Lodhi prompted Ban to personally mediate the situation.&nbsp;

Lodhi told AFP &quot;This is a dangerous moment for the region,&quot; referring to the recent &quot;surgical strikes&quot; by India on militant launchpads near the Line of Control (LoC), inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.&nbsp;

&quot;The time has come for bold intervention by him if we are to avoid a crisis, because we can see a crisis building up.&quot;

India&#39;s mission to the United Nations defended its actions saying &quot;our response was a measured counter-terrorist strike.&quot;

&quot;India has no desire to aggravate the situation,&quot; and that &quot;it is reflective of our desire to respond proportionately to clear and imminent threat posed by terrorists in that instance. With our objectives having been met that effort has since ceased.&quot;&nbsp;

Tensions have been rife between the two neighbours since India&#39;s surgical strike on Wednesday, which was in response to the Uri attack on September 18 in which four militants had infiltrated the Indian army base and killed 19 Indian soldiers.&nbsp;

Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman said the secretary-general &quot;would welcome all proposals&quot; or initiatives aimed at de-escalation.&quot;

He added that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which looks into ceasefire violations along the LoC, will report to the UN chief on the latest incidents of ceasefire violations.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

UN's observer mission to report on ceasefire violations in Kashmir as tension escalates between India and Pakistan

United Nations secretary-general Ban ki-moon on Friday urged India and Pakistan resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue, and even offered to act as a mediator. He asked both South Asian nations "to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation." The UN chief's statement comes after Pakistan's envoy Maleeha Lodhi prompted Ban to personally mediate the situation. Lodhi told AFP "This is a dangerous moment for the region," referring to the recent "surgical strikes" by India on militant launchpads near the Line of Control (LoC), inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. "The time has come for bold intervention by him if we are to avoid a crisis, because we can see a crisis building up." India's mission to the United Nations defended its actions saying "our response was a measured counter-terrorist strike." "India has no desire to aggravate the situation," and that "it is reflective of our desire to respond proportionately to clear and imminent threat posed by terrorists in that instance. With our objectives having been met that effort has since ceased." Tensions have been rife between the two neighbours since India's surgical strike on Wednesday, which was in response to the Uri attack on September 18 in which four militants had infiltrated the Indian army base and killed 19 Indian soldiers. Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman said the secretary-general "would welcome all proposals" or initiatives aimed at de-escalation." He added that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which looks into ceasefire violations along the LoC, will report to the UN chief on the latest incidents of ceasefire violations. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UN urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint, offers to mediate over Kashmir issue

Pakistan rangers violated the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Akhnoor district in the early hours today, according to multiple media reports.

Heavy mortar shells were fired at 4 AM in the Pallanwala sector. There have been no casualties or injuries.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash">#FLASH</a> Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor (J&amp;K) started around 4 am, firing still going on.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/782033794735845376">October 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The Pakistani forces had opened fire at the Border Security Forces (BSF), the primary border guarding force of India, at 10 AM on Friday.&nbsp;

According to PTI, this is the fifth ceasefire violation in September 2016 and the third in the past 36 hours.&nbsp;

The spurt in ceasefire violations comes a day after the Indian Army carried out &ldquo;surgical strikes&rdquo; along the Line of Control (LoC) on militant launchpads, killing 38 terrorists.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan violated ceasefire in the Akhnoor sector in the early hours on Saturday, the third in last 36 hours

Pakistan rangers violated the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor district in the early hours today, according to multiple media reports. Heavy mortar shells were fired at 4 AM in the Pallanwala sector. There have been no casualties or injuries. #FLASH Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor (J&K) started around 4 am, firing still going on. — ANI (@ANI_news) October 1, 2016 × The Pakistani forces had opened fire at the Border Security Forces (BSF), the primary border guarding force of India, at 10 AM on Friday. According to PTI, this is the fifth ceasefire violation in September 2016 and the third in the past 36 hours. The spurt in ceasefire violations comes a day after the Indian Army carried out “surgical strikes” along the Line of Control (LoC) on militant launchpads, killing 38 terrorists. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan violates ceasefire in J&K's Akhnoor district, firing still on

India&rsquo;s interior minister Rajnath Singh today assured that all attempts are being made to secure the release of an Indian soldier who inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan on Thursday.

&quot;All attempts are being made to secure his release,&quot; Singh told reporters.

Singh added that New Delhi will take up the matter with Islamabad for the soldier&rsquo;s early release.

Chandu Babulal Chohan, 22, crossed the Line of Control (LOC) when the Indian army carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan Administered Kashmir.

Indian Army sources had said yesterday that &quot;one soldier from 37 RR with weapon has inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control. Pakistan has been informed by the DGMO on the hotline.&quot;

The sources later clarified that his crossing over was not related to the surgical strikes.

&quot;Such inadvertent crossing by Army and civilians are not unusual on either side. They are returned through existing mechanisms,&quot; they had said.

The Indian Army had yesterday rejected as &quot;false and baseless&quot; reports in a section of Pakistani media that eight Indian soldiers were killed and one captured by Pakistani military in retaliatory fire.

Indian Army sources said, &quot;As regard (to the) report of killing of eight Indian Army personnel reported in sections of Pakistan media, the report is completely false and baseless.&quot;

India had carried out surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army inflicting &quot;significant casualties&quot; on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan Administered Kashmir.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

India claims the soldier 'inadvertently' crossed the Line of Control while Pakistan says he was captured after India's surgical strikes

India’s interior minister Rajnath Singh today assured that all attempts are being made to secure the release of an Indian soldier who inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan on Thursday. "All attempts are being made to secure his release," Singh told reporters. Singh added that New Delhi will take up the matter with Islamabad for the soldier’s early release. Chandu Babulal Chohan, 22, crossed the Line of Control (LOC) when the Indian army carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan Administered Kashmir. Indian Army sources had said yesterday that "one soldier from 37 RR with weapon has inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control. Pakistan has been informed by the DGMO on the hotline." The sources later clarified that his crossing over was not related to the surgical strikes. "Such inadvertent crossing by Army and civilians are not unusual on either side. They are returned through existing mechanisms," they had said. The Indian Army had yesterday rejected as "false and baseless" reports in a section of Pakistani media that eight Indian soldiers were killed and one captured by Pakistani military in retaliatory fire. Indian Army sources said, "As regard (to the) report of killing of eight Indian Army personnel reported in sections of Pakistan media, the report is completely false and baseless." India had carried out surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan Administered Kashmir. (WION with inputs from PTI)

All attempts being made to secure release of Indian soldier: Interior minister

The upcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)&nbsp;Summit to be held in Islamabad in November could be postponed, Pakistan hinted on Wednesday after India and three other members pullet out of the summit.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan indirectly blamed Pakistan for creating an environment which is not conducive for holding the meet, &nbsp;a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to attend the SAARC summit citing &quot;the prevailing circumstances&quot;, according to Indian news agency PTI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;As per SAARC rules, the summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend,&quot; Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, was quoted as saying by PTI.&nbsp;

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He, however, said this was not the first time that India was not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

&nbsp;

Aziz added that although it is possible to postpone the summit, the SAARC secretariat has not officially informed the government so far.

&nbsp;

A formal announcement to this effect will be made by Nepal, the current chair of the SAARC, &nbsp;Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said earlier.&nbsp;

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The four SAARC members, including India, informed the SAARC Chair their unwillingness to attend the summit that was scheduled for November 9-10.&nbsp;

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Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.

&nbsp;

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Amid brewing tensions between &nbsp;India and Pakistan following September 18 Uri attack that killed 18 Indian soldiers, cancellation of SAARC summit is likely to draw the world attention yet again after the two countries engaged into a war of words at UN General Assembly.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The development comes a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to attend the summit citing 'prevailing circumstances'

The upcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit to be held in Islamabad in November could be postponed, Pakistan hinted on Wednesday after India and three other members pullet out of the summit. Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan indirectly blamed Pakistan for creating an environment which is not conducive for holding the meet, a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to attend the SAARC summit citing "the prevailing circumstances", according to Indian news agency PTI. "As per SAARC rules, the summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend," Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, was quoted as saying by PTI. He, however, said this was not the first time that India was not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times. Aziz added that although it is possible to postpone the summit, the SAARC secretariat has not officially informed the government so far. A formal announcement to this effect will be made by Nepal, the current chair of the SAARC, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said earlier. The four SAARC members, including India, informed the SAARC Chair their unwillingness to attend the summit that was scheduled for November 9-10. Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members. Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event. Amid brewing tensions between India and Pakistan following September 18 Uri attack that killed 18 Indian soldiers, cancellation of SAARC summit is likely to draw the world attention yet again after the two countries engaged into a war of words at UN General Assembly. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan hints SAARC may be postponed after India and three other members pull out

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