Travel advisories issued by the US Department of State carry huge significance. Issued, primarily, to advise and warn American citizens who intend to visit other countries, such advisories end up making global news. Such as it did today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

National news media took it very seriously as the USDS placed India in Level 2, urging American tourists to &#39;exercise caution&#39; if they do decide to travel to India.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The only consolation is the US has placed Pakistan in the Level 3. Beyond this level, there are only countries, such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and little-known places in the names of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Guerrero.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

So, the national pride, though slightly bruised, is not completely compromised. We are better than them. At the end of the day, that is what matters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Though primarily designed to ensure the safety of American citizens, the travel advisories of the State Department have come to carry political significance over the years. The advisory is designed in such a way as to make it easily comprehensible, direct and impactful.

&nbsp;

But the potency of the list comes from its very simplicity. The colour coded map of the world facilitates an &quot;at a glance&quot; approach. Without knowing so much about any region of the world, one can immediately know which parts will be safe or dangerous for us. The red, yellow, light brown and the creamish white colour codes come as the signifier of safety and danger.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Unwittingly, in your mind, looking at the picture, you would conjure up a hierarchical structure of dangerous to safest nations. Your vacation plan would decisively and unquestioningly block out those regions of the world which comes in Red, Brown and Yellow. What was meant to be unsafe countries for an American citizen has now become unsafe for you too. But what if the standards of safety are not as universalised as we think it to be.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

What if the brush strokes are too wide, putting entire countries under blanket assumptions based on statistical figures.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

If we trust too much in numbers, the danger is that we may lose trust in humans.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

After all an American citizen, for whatever political reasons, are mostly unsafe outside few countries of western and continental Europe. But an Indian can be much safer. At least, we used to be until we decided to align ourselves too close to Uncle Sam. So, just like one can bask in reflected glory, one can suffer from reflected malice too.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The travel advisory has warned US citizens of prevalent crime and terrorism in India. Fair enough. Recently, a Swiss couple was beaten up. A heinous act. Both the government and media condemned it in no uncertain terms. African nationals have been treated with much meanness in this country. Robbing and duping of tourists are not uncommon, though we trust in India being incredible and working towards promoting responsible tourism.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

One of the crimes specifically mentioned in the advisory was rape. Yes, that is a problem too.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Having said that, none of these problems are unique to India. It will be such a loss if stop visiting countries based on what the travel advisories have to say.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I still remember how my husband and I, as PhD students in the US, consulted the advisory but did not let it influence our decision to visit either Mexico or Colombia. Or, more recently, Jordan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

These are all level 2 countries like India.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Colombia was our honeymoon trip. Everybody said no to us visiting Colombia. Infested with drug dealers, H1N1 disease, abduction. The list of negatives was just endless.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We had the most magnificent tour of our life, ensconced in the beautiful Walled City of Cartagena by the Caribbean Sea.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Warmth, beauty and hospitality of the people were just exemplary.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We had a similar experience with Mexico. Known as a country of thugs and criminals, I had an exceptional experience in the city of Cancun. This was 6 months after Colombia. Newly married, I carried most of the jewelry I received as gifts in my wedding in this trip. Soon after landing, I lost the bag on the way to the hotel.

&nbsp;

I had no hope of ever getting it back. But I did. In the evening, the driver came to drop off the back at my hotel reception. My faith in humanity was restored.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the US instead, in Philadelphia where I lived, I had terrible experiences of men stalking me. At the heart of Washington DC, I was scared to death by a bunch of rowdies. But NYC was always most charming-as safe as home.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Let the State Department come out with travel advisories, but let it not clip your wings. The world is a beautiful place. Kabul is my friend&#39;s favourite city followed by London.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Does it make sense? No.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

Let the State Department come out with travel advisories, but let it not clip your wings. The world is a beautiful place.

Travel advisories issued by the US Department of State carry huge significance. Issued, primarily, to advise and warn American citizens who intend to visit other countries, such advisories end up making global news. Such as it did today. National news media took it very seriously as the USDS placed India in Level 2, urging American tourists to 'exercise caution' if they do decide to travel to India. The only consolation is the US has placed Pakistan in the Level 3. Beyond this level, there are only countries, such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and little-known places in the names of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Guerrero. So, the national pride, though slightly bruised, is not completely compromised. We are better than them. At the end of the day, that is what matters. Though primarily designed to ensure the safety of American citizens, the travel advisories of the State Department have come to carry political significance over the years. The advisory is designed in such a way as to make it easily comprehensible, direct and impactful. But the potency of the list comes from its very simplicity. The colour coded map of the world facilitates an "at a glance" approach. Without knowing so much about any region of the world, one can immediately know which parts will be safe or dangerous for us. The red, yellow, light brown and the creamish white colour codes come as the signifier of safety and danger. Unwittingly, in your mind, looking at the picture, you would conjure up a hierarchical structure of dangerous to safest nations. Your vacation plan would decisively and unquestioningly block out those regions of the world which comes in Red, Brown and Yellow. What was meant to be unsafe countries for an American citizen has now become unsafe for you too. But what if the standards of safety are not as universalised as we think it to be. What if the brush strokes are too wide, putting entire countries under blanket assumptions based on statistical figures. If we trust too much in numbers, the danger is that we may lose trust in humans. After all an American citizen, for whatever political reasons, are mostly unsafe outside few countries of western and continental Europe. But an Indian can be much safer. At least, we used to be until we decided to align ourselves too close to Uncle Sam. So, just like one can bask in reflected glory, one can suffer from reflected malice too. The travel advisory has warned US citizens of prevalent crime and terrorism in India. Fair enough. Recently, a Swiss couple was beaten up. A heinous act. Both the government and media condemned it in no uncertain terms. African nationals have been treated with much meanness in this country. Robbing and duping of tourists are not uncommon, though we trust in India being incredible and working towards promoting responsible tourism. One of the crimes specifically mentioned in the advisory was rape. Yes, that is a problem too. Having said that, none of these problems are unique to India. It will be such a loss if stop visiting countries based on what the travel advisories have to say. I still remember how my husband and I, as PhD students in the US, consulted the advisory but did not let it influence our decision to visit either Mexico or Colombia. Or, more recently, Jordan. These are all level 2 countries like India. Colombia was our honeymoon trip. Everybody said no to us visiting Colombia. Infested with drug dealers, H1N1 disease, abduction. The list of negatives was just endless. We had the most magnificent tour of our life, ensconced in the beautiful Walled City of Cartagena by the Caribbean Sea. Warmth, beauty and hospitality of the people were just exemplary. We had a similar experience with Mexico. Known as a country of thugs and criminals, I had an exceptional experience in the city of Cancun. This was 6 months after Colombia. Newly married, I carried most of the jewelry I received as gifts in my wedding in this trip. Soon after landing, I lost the bag on the way to the hotel. I had no hope of ever getting it back. But I did. In the evening, the driver came to drop off the back at my hotel reception. My faith in humanity was restored. In the US instead, in Philadelphia where I lived, I had terrible experiences of men stalking me. At the heart of Washington DC, I was scared to death by a bunch of rowdies. But NYC was always most charming-as safe as home. Let the State Department come out with travel advisories, but let it not clip your wings. The world is a beautiful place. Kabul is my friend's favourite city followed by London. Does it make sense? No. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Why US travel advisory should not affect your travel plans

Over 21 militants were killed in the latest airstrike carried out in western Farah province of Afghanistan which also included some Pakistani nationals.&nbsp;

The airstrike was conducted in the Khak-e-Safid area which destroyed at least three vehicles, seven vehicles. Among those killed were three Pakistani nationals.&nbsp;

Farah is among the relatively restive provinces in West of Afghanistan where the anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents are actively operating in some of its districts.

Although, Taliban have not made any comment on the incident as yet.&nbsp;

On Monday, at least three terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group were killed in the airstrikes carried out in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan.

A senior Taliban leader who was heading the Red Unit command of the group for western parts of Farah province was also killed last year in a counter-terrorism operation.

The airstrike was conducted in the Khak-e-Safid area which destroyed at least three vehicles, seven vehicles. Among those killed were three Pakistani nationals

Over 21 militants were killed in the latest airstrike carried out in western Farah province of Afghanistan which also included some Pakistani nationals. The airstrike was conducted in the Khak-e-Safid area which destroyed at least three vehicles, seven vehicles. Among those killed were three Pakistani nationals. Farah is among the relatively restive provinces in West of Afghanistan where the anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents are actively operating in some of its districts. Although, Taliban have not made any comment on the incident as yet. On Monday, at least three terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group were killed in the airstrikes carried out in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan. A senior Taliban leader who was heading the Red Unit command of the group for western parts of Farah province was also killed last year in a counter-terrorism operation.

Pakistan nationals among 21 killed in Afghanistan air strike

Two civilians were killed when officers fired live rounds to disburse crowds that attacked a police station in Pakistan on Wednesday in a protest over the rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl.

Police recovered the body of Zainab Ansari on Tuesday from a garbage dumpster in the town of Kasur in eastern Pakistan, four days after she was reported missing.

It was the twelfth incident of a girl being abducted, raped, and killed in the past year in Kasur district, police say. Residents have been furious at the authorities for what they see as a failure to investigate such cases.

The spokesman for Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, told Reuters that protesters turned violent and attacked a local police office.

&quot;They started throwing stones at the office and some of armed protesters shot bullets at police. In order to stop them, police resorted to aerial firing,&quot; Khan said, adding that two people were killed and one wounded as a result.

Locals said police responded with undue force.

&quot;A peaceful protest was taking place, some students threw stones and police responded by firing at the crowd,&quot; Saleem ur Rehman, a resident who was at the protest, told Reuters. &quot;The law and order situation here is really bad and there have been many such incidents. That is what the protest was about.&quot;

Ansari&#39;s parents, who were not in the country when their daughter was kidnapped, returned on Wednesday.

&quot;I want justice! I want justice!&quot; Zainab&#39;s mother cried, surrounded by reporters at the international airport in the capital Islamabad.

Ansari&#39;s case has attracted the attention of the country&#39;s civilian and military leadership, with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif calling for immediate action.

Police in Kasur deny they have been lax in investigating child abductions in the town. Regional police officer Zulfiqar Hameed told Reuters that four kidnappers had been arrested and another killed during an arrest attempt.

&quot;Investigations reveal that in each case a paedophile kidnaps little girls, rapes them and kills them,&quot; he said.

The case of Ansari would soon be solved, he said: &quot;We have got CCTV footage that shows a young man taking her along. We will catch him very soon,&quot; he said, adding that 95 DNA samples had been taken from suspects.

A number of police officials have been transferred out of the region for failing to investigate complaints of missing children since 2015, when authorities uncovered what they called a paedophile ring linked to a prominent local family. At least two people have been convicted in the case, in which authorities say hundreds of children in the district were abused.

It was the twelfth incident of a girl being abducted, raped, and killed in the past year in Punjab's Kasur district, police say

Two civilians were killed when officers fired live rounds to disburse crowds that attacked a police station in Pakistan on Wednesday in a protest over the rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl. Police recovered the body of Zainab Ansari on Tuesday from a garbage dumpster in the town of Kasur in eastern Pakistan, four days after she was reported missing. It was the twelfth incident of a girl being abducted, raped, and killed in the past year in Kasur district, police say. Residents have been furious at the authorities for what they see as a failure to investigate such cases. The spokesman for Pakistan's Punjab province, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, told Reuters that protesters turned violent and attacked a local police office. "They started throwing stones at the office and some of armed protesters shot bullets at police. In order to stop them, police resorted to aerial firing," Khan said, adding that two people were killed and one wounded as a result. Locals said police responded with undue force. "A peaceful protest was taking place, some students threw stones and police responded by firing at the crowd," Saleem ur Rehman, a resident who was at the protest, told Reuters. "The law and order situation here is really bad and there have been many such incidents. That is what the protest was about." Ansari's parents, who were not in the country when their daughter was kidnapped, returned on Wednesday. "I want justice! I want justice!" Zainab's mother cried, surrounded by reporters at the international airport in the capital Islamabad. Ansari's case has attracted the attention of the country's civilian and military leadership, with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif calling for immediate action. Police in Kasur deny they have been lax in investigating child abductions in the town. Regional police officer Zulfiqar Hameed told Reuters that four kidnappers had been arrested and another killed during an arrest attempt. "Investigations reveal that in each case a paedophile kidnaps little girls, rapes them and kills them," he said. The case of Ansari would soon be solved, he said: "We have got CCTV footage that shows a young man taking her along. We will catch him very soon," he said, adding that 95 DNA samples had been taken from suspects. A number of police officials have been transferred out of the region for failing to investigate complaints of missing children since 2015, when authorities uncovered what they called a paedophile ring linked to a prominent local family. At least two people have been convicted in the case, in which authorities say hundreds of children in the district were abused.

Two dead in protests over Pakistan girl's rape and murder

The distraught father of a 7-year- old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Pakistan has blamed the &quot;callous attitude&quot; of police as the government roped in military intelligence and the ISI to probe the horrific incident that shocked the country.

The girl in Kasur district of Punjab province was abducted last week outside her home. Her body was found in a rubbish dump on Tuesday.

She had gone to a religious tuition centre near her house in Kasur city, some 50 km from Lahore, on January 5 from where a man said to be a &#39;serial killer&#39; abducted her, police said.

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<h5>Police was quick to open fire on the people seeking justice for my daughter but showed it&#39;s routine callous attitude to trace her when she had gone missing,&#39; the father said</h5>
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&quot;A serial killer seems to be behind this incident. That serial killer may have been involved in other eight such cases in Kasur,&quot; senior police officer Zulfiqar Hameed said.

Her parents were in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and she had been living with a maternal aunt.

According to a preliminary post-mortem report, the girl was raped multiple times before being strangled to death.

There were visible marks of torture on her face, congestion in her muscles.

The horrific incident triggered public outage throughout the country with people demanding justice for the child. The protests continued for the second day.

The protesters attacked the out house of a ruling PMLN legislator in Kasur and set ablaze his two cars. They also ransacked a district hospital in Kasur.

In Lahore, angry demonstrators blocked Ferozpur Road suspending the metro bus service. In Rawalpindi, traffic remained suspended for several hours as protesters demanded justice for her.

Police opened fire at the protesters that left two people dead.

&quot;My daughter could have been saved had police acted when she was abducted on January 5,&quot; Muhammad Amin told reporters.

He said he had no faith in Punjab police to trace the killers of his daughter.

&quot;Police was quick to open fire on the people seeking justice for my daughter but showed it&#39;s routine callous attitude to trace her when she had gone missing,&quot; he said.

&quot;I have appealed to the army chief and the chief justice of Pakistan to give me justice as I have no faith in Punjab government and police,&quot; he said.

The chief justice has taken suo motu notice of the incident while the army chief ordered the ISI and military intelligence to help police trace the girl&#39;s killers.

Kiran Naz, a TV anchor, brought her daughter to a news programme and blamed the government&#39;s inefficiency for the incident as she called the incident a murder of humanity.

Geo News published the last poem written by her on January 4 before she was kidnapped.

Meanwhile, Punjab government announced 10 million Pakistani rupees reward for providing information of the killers.

&quot;We have registered a murder case against four policemen involved in the killing of two protesters,&quot; the police said.

According to a NGO Sahil, every day more than 11 children under the age of 18 fall prey to sexual abuse in Punjab province of Pakistan.

Last year 4,139 incidents of child abuse took place in the province where 43 per cent of victims knew the perpetrators.&nbsp;

Two people have died in the protests that broke out after the rape and murder of the 8-year-old girl

The distraught father of a 7-year- old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Pakistan has blamed the "callous attitude" of police as the government roped in military intelligence and the ISI to probe the horrific incident that shocked the country. The girl in Kasur district of Punjab province was abducted last week outside her home. Her body was found in a rubbish dump on Tuesday. She had gone to a religious tuition centre near her house in Kasur city, some 50 km from Lahore, on January 5 from where a man said to be a 'serial killer' abducted her, police said. Police was quick to open fire on the people seeking justice for my daughter but showed it's routine callous attitude to trace her when she had gone missing,' the father said × "A serial killer seems to be behind this incident. That serial killer may have been involved in other eight such cases in Kasur," senior police officer Zulfiqar Hameed said. Her parents were in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and she had been living with a maternal aunt. According to a preliminary post-mortem report, the girl was raped multiple times before being strangled to death. There were visible marks of torture on her face, congestion in her muscles. The horrific incident triggered public outage throughout the country with people demanding justice for the child. The protests continued for the second day. The protesters attacked the out house of a ruling PMLN legislator in Kasur and set ablaze his two cars. They also ransacked a district hospital in Kasur. In Lahore, angry demonstrators blocked Ferozpur Road suspending the metro bus service. In Rawalpindi, traffic remained suspended for several hours as protesters demanded justice for her. Police opened fire at the protesters that left two people dead. "My daughter could have been saved had police acted when she was abducted on January 5," Muhammad Amin told reporters. He said he had no faith in Punjab police to trace the killers of his daughter. "Police was quick to open fire on the people seeking justice for my daughter but showed it's routine callous attitude to trace her when she had gone missing," he said. "I have appealed to the army chief and the chief justice of Pakistan to give me justice as I have no faith in Punjab government and police," he said. The chief justice has taken suo motu notice of the incident while the army chief ordered the ISI and military intelligence to help police trace the girl's killers. Kiran Naz, a TV anchor, brought her daughter to a news programme and blamed the government's inefficiency for the incident as she called the incident a murder of humanity. Geo News published the last poem written by her on January 4 before she was kidnapped. Meanwhile, Punjab government announced 10 million Pakistani rupees reward for providing information of the killers. "We have registered a murder case against four policemen involved in the killing of two protesters," the police said. According to a NGO Sahil, every day more than 11 children under the age of 18 fall prey to sexual abuse in Punjab province of Pakistan. Last year 4,139 incidents of child abuse took place in the province where 43 per cent of victims knew the perpetrators.

Pakistan: Father blames police's callous attitude for daughter's rape, murder

Taha Siddiqui is my colleague. He is WION&#39;s Pakistan bureau chief.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Close to a dozen armed men tried to abduct Taha Siddiqui this morning. He was beaten, his phone and laptop snatched. The man, luckily, managed to escape.

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This is Taha Siddiqui (<a href="https://twitter.com/TahaSSiddiqui?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TahaSSiddiqui</a>) using Cyrils a/c. I was on my way to airport today at 8:20am whn 10-12 armed men stopped my cab &amp; forcibly tried to abduct me. I managed to escape. Safe and with police now. Looking for support in any way possible <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopEnforcedDisappearances?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopEnforcedDisappearances</a>
&mdash; cyril almeida (@cyalm) <a href="https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/950970834524532736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Taha, stationed at Islamabad, is known for fearless journalism. The journalism of courage, which we all aspire to do but rarely can, is practised by Taha every day.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He is a Pakistani citizen but works for an Indian international news channel. He tries to do his job conscientiously, amidst much constraint and threat. Recently, he came out with a fearless criticism of how the Pakistani press treated Jadhav&#39;s mother and wife. I was the fortunate Opinion editor who published that critique for the world.&nbsp;

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Somedays we do a story tht disgusts us. Today was one such day. But it wasnt cuz of what I covered. Rather it was cuz of how my fellow journos behaved with mother &amp; wife of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KulbushanJadhav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KulbushanJadhav</a> whn they left FO building. They shouted taunts. It was very shameful
&mdash; Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) <a href="https://twitter.com/TahaSSiddiqui/status/945320373117210624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Taha wrote in piece, knowing fully well, this will land him in grave danger: &quot;Many of these journalists are familiar faces at Foreign Office briefings and have a number of years of experience before being allotted such an important news beat to cover. And yet on Monday, when they were covering the meet-up, they seemed to have lost all sense of ethics when it comes to reporting.&quot;

&nbsp;

Again in the same piece, Taha writes: &quot;Whatever his alleged crimes are, the two women did not deserve such harassment, and that too from supposedly trained professionals.&quot;

&nbsp;

And, this morning he paid the price for his insolence. For following professional ethics, and for not giving up to statist coercion.

&nbsp;

On his way to the Islamabad airport, they tried harming him, tried to shoot him, threatened him of taking his life. Taha escaped.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He is currently with security agencies. Taha, I would like to believe, is safe.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Audibly shaken like any normal being, Taha, however, did not fail to be the fine professional he is.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He was ready to face the camera, as he battled injuries.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The forced disappearance of journalists is becoming very common in this increasingly intolerant world. It is encouraging that fellow journalists are speaking up against such acts of forced disappearance.&nbsp;

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Assault on <a href="https://twitter.com/TahaSSiddiqui?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TahaSSiddiqui</a> is a substantial escalation of a campaign of intimidation. 
 
This brute thuggery is unacceptable. It only damages Pakistan. 
 
Intimidation cannot suppress voices that do not align w more favourable narratives. Stop trying.
&mdash; Mosharraf Zaidi (@mosharrafzaidi) <a href="https://twitter.com/mosharrafzaidi/status/951002749927329792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In Pakistan itself, a 24-year-old Pakistani journalist Zeenat Shahzadi, went missing on August 19, 2015. The young journalist was taken in broad daylight on her way to work. She is the first female journalist in Pakistan to be forcefully disappeared.

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The press statement issued by Islamabad Rawalpindi press union (Others)
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International Federation of Journalists notes that around 16 cases of forced disappearance of journalists remain unsolved in the Asia-Pacific region. Nepal tops the chart with 4 missing journalists, Sri Lanka has 3.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

IFJ has rightly recognised that the &quot;Enforced disappearances are aimed to spread terror and fear.&quot;

&nbsp;

Yes, they wanted to scare Taha Siddiqui. I am beyond glad he survived.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Take care, buddy.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

On his way to the Islamabad airport, they tried harming him, tried to shoot him, threatened him of taking his life. Taha escaped.

Taha Siddiqui is my colleague. He is WION's Pakistan bureau chief. Close to a dozen armed men tried to abduct Taha Siddiqui this morning. He was beaten, his phone and laptop snatched. The man, luckily, managed to escape. This is Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) using Cyrils a/c. I was on my way to airport today at 8:20am whn 10-12 armed men stopped my cab & forcibly tried to abduct me. I managed to escape. Safe and with police now. Looking for support in any way possible #StopEnforcedDisappearances — cyril almeida (@cyalm) January 10, 2018 × Taha, stationed at Islamabad, is known for fearless journalism. The journalism of courage, which we all aspire to do but rarely can, is practised by Taha every day. He is a Pakistani citizen but works for an Indian international news channel. He tries to do his job conscientiously, amidst much constraint and threat. Recently, he came out with a fearless criticism of how the Pakistani press treated Jadhav's mother and wife. I was the fortunate Opinion editor who published that critique for the world. Somedays we do a story tht disgusts us. Today was one such day. But it wasnt cuz of what I covered. Rather it was cuz of how my fellow journos behaved with mother & wife of #KulbushanJadhav whn they left FO building. They shouted taunts. It was very shameful — Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) December 25, 2017 × Taha wrote in piece, knowing fully well, this will land him in grave danger: "Many of these journalists are familiar faces at Foreign Office briefings and have a number of years of experience before being allotted such an important news beat to cover. And yet on Monday, when they were covering the meet-up, they seemed to have lost all sense of ethics when it comes to reporting." Again in the same piece, Taha writes: "Whatever his alleged crimes are, the two women did not deserve such harassment, and that too from supposedly trained professionals." And, this morning he paid the price for his insolence. For following professional ethics, and for not giving up to statist coercion. On his way to the Islamabad airport, they tried harming him, tried to shoot him, threatened him of taking his life. Taha escaped. He is currently with security agencies. Taha, I would like to believe, is safe. Audibly shaken like any normal being, Taha, however, did not fail to be the fine professional he is. He was ready to face the camera, as he battled injuries. The forced disappearance of journalists is becoming very common in this increasingly intolerant world. It is encouraging that fellow journalists are speaking up against such acts of forced disappearance. Assault on @TahaSSiddiqui is a substantial escalation of a campaign of intimidation. This brute thuggery is unacceptable. It only damages Pakistan. Intimidation cannot suppress voices that do not align w more favourable narratives. Stop trying. — Mosharraf Zaidi (@mosharrafzaidi) January 10, 2018 × In Pakistan itself, a 24-year-old Pakistani journalist Zeenat Shahzadi, went missing on August 19, 2015. The young journalist was taken in broad daylight on her way to work. She is the first female journalist in Pakistan to be forcefully disappeared. The press statement issued by Islamabad Rawalpindi press union (Others) × International Federation of Journalists notes that around 16 cases of forced disappearance of journalists remain unsolved in the Asia-Pacific region. Nepal tops the chart with 4 missing journalists, Sri Lanka has 3. IFJ has rightly recognised that the "Enforced disappearances are aimed to spread terror and fear." Yes, they wanted to scare Taha Siddiqui. I am beyond glad he survived. Take care, buddy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Taha Siddiqui's failed abduction. Fearless journalism is costly in Pakistan

While speaking at the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, chief minister Mahbooba Mufti said &quot;whatever the state will get, it will get from India only, Jammu and Kashmir will not get anything from any other country&quot;.

She asked the people of the state that if they do not accept India&#39;s constitution, Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s constitution, which constitution are they going to follow?&nbsp;

She also said that Jammu and Kashmir had the most empowered assembly in the country. Referring to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), she said it was implemented in the entire country at one go&nbsp;but that it came to Jammu and Kashmir only after a proper debate in the assembly.&nbsp;

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Hum J&amp;K constitution ko, mulk ki constitution ko nahi maante, to kis ko maante hain?Fir aapko milne waala kya hai?Kahan se milega? Mai aaj record pe ye baat laana chahti hun-J&amp;K ke jo bhi log hain- jo milne waala hai isi mulq se milega aur kahin se kuch nahi milega:Mehbooba Mufti <a href="https://t.co/oEVeyuiuRP">pic.twitter.com/oEVeyuiuRP</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951045757523521536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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She also requested in the assembly that the political issue should not be &quot;hijacked&quot; as a religious issue. She said whatever may be going on in the country, but there is harmony in the state alliance.

She said it feels great to see religious diversity in the morning when bells in the temple, gurbani and morning azaan&nbsp;are heard.

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Ek jo political issue hai, usko religious issue ki tarah hijack na kiya jaaye. Mulq mein kya ho raha hai, kya nahin ho raha hai, magar hamari alliance mein harmony hai. Itna accha lagta hai jab subah mandir ki ghanti, uske baad azaan or din ko gurbani sunti hun: Mehbooba Mufti <a href="https://t.co/69mhkySGdz">pic.twitter.com/69mhkySGdz</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951052282908491776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister asked the people of the state that if they do not accept India's constitution or Jammu and Kashmir's constitution, then which constitution are they going to follow`

While speaking at the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, chief minister Mahbooba Mufti said "whatever the state will get, it will get from India only, Jammu and Kashmir will not get anything from any other country". She asked the people of the state that if they do not accept India's constitution, Jammu and Kashmir's constitution, which constitution are they going to follow? She also said that Jammu and Kashmir had the most empowered assembly in the country. Referring to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), she said it was implemented in the entire country at one go but that it came to Jammu and Kashmir only after a proper debate in the assembly. Hum J&K constitution ko, mulk ki constitution ko nahi maante, to kis ko maante hain?Fir aapko milne waala kya hai?Kahan se milega? Mai aaj record pe ye baat laana chahti hun-J&K ke jo bhi log hain- jo milne waala hai isi mulq se milega aur kahin se kuch nahi milega:Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/oEVeyuiuRP — ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2018 × She also requested in the assembly that the political issue should not be "hijacked" as a religious issue. She said whatever may be going on in the country, but there is harmony in the state alliance. She said it feels great to see religious diversity in the morning when bells in the temple, gurbani and morning azaan are heard. Ek jo political issue hai, usko religious issue ki tarah hijack na kiya jaaye. Mulq mein kya ho raha hai, kya nahin ho raha hai, magar hamari alliance mein harmony hai. Itna accha lagta hai jab subah mandir ki ghanti, uske baad azaan or din ko gurbani sunti hun: Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/69mhkySGdz — ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2018 ×

Whatever you get, you will get from India: Mehbooba Mufti in J&K assembly

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province, triggering riots in which two people were killed in clashes with police.&nbsp;

According to CCTV footage, the girl in Kasur district was abducted last week outside her home. Her body was found in a rubbish dump yesterday, police said.&nbsp;

&quot;Last night the girl&#39;s body was found from a heap of garbage in Saddar area of the city,&quot; Regional Police Officer (Kasur) Zulffiqar Hameed said, adding the body had been sent for autopsy.&nbsp;

&quot;Initial autopsy report suggests that the girl was strangulated after rape,&quot; Hameed said.&nbsp;

The murder has sparked outrage across Pakistan. Well- known film and cricket stars demanded the killer be caught and the military offered support to the police.&nbsp;

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My message on the horrific Kasur tragedy and the police brutality that ensued. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JusticeForZainab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JusticeForZainab</a> <a href="https://t.co/3c7WMmLF0f">pic.twitter.com/3c7WMmLF0f</a>
&mdash; Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/951111111046303744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JusticeForZainab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JusticeForZainab</a> There have been 11 Zainabs in Kasur last year, we forgot about them after a brief outrage! Now, will we force Police, Govts &amp; Courts to act on the 12th Zainab or forget about this too after a few days &amp; wait for a 13th Zainab to make us angry again?
&mdash; Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamhamzaabbasi/status/951123521744330752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The girl was staying with her relatives while her parents had gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Hijaz, Saudi Arabia, performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year.&nbsp;

The police have taken four suspects into custody.&nbsp;

&quot;We are trying to identify the person who was seen taking the girl along in the footage,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Riots erupted in Kasur over police inaction after reports of the alleged rape and murder of the girl began circulating on social media.&nbsp;

The protesters pelted stone at the police station, offices of the district police officer and district coordination officer in Kasur as the city observed a complete shutter down to protest against the brutal murder.&nbsp;

Police resorted to &#39;direct&#39; and aerial firing to disperse the protesters, media reports said.&nbsp;

&quot;Two persons who suffered serious bullet injuries during the protest succumbed to their injuries,&quot; a rescue official said.&nbsp;

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah took notice of the murder and sought report from the Punjab government.&nbsp;

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said he would personally monitor this case and would not rest till culprits brought to justice.&nbsp;

Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has directed his younger brother Shahbaz to immediately arrest the culprits and bring them to justice.&nbsp;

Ruling PML-N member Punjab Assembly Hina Butt submitted a privilege motion in the assembly, seeking justice for 11 other minor girls who were killed after rape in Kasur and adjoining areas during the last year.&nbsp;

Opposition PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto has termed the brutal rape and murder of the girl as &quot;shocking and a slap on the face of Sharifdom (Sharif brothers)&quot;.&nbsp;

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf, Maryam Nawaz and other politicians condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.&nbsp;

Test cricketers Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz tweeted that it was unbelievable that this brutal incident took place in Pakistan. &quot;Our thoughts are with the parents of the girl,&quot; they said and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Riots erupted in Kasur over police inaction after reports of the alleged rape and murder of the girl began circulating on social media

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Pakistan's Punjab province, triggering riots in which two people were killed in clashes with police. According to CCTV footage, the girl in Kasur district was abducted last week outside her home. Her body was found in a rubbish dump yesterday, police said. "Last night the girl's body was found from a heap of garbage in Saddar area of the city," Regional Police Officer (Kasur) Zulffiqar Hameed said, adding the body had been sent for autopsy. "Initial autopsy report suggests that the girl was strangulated after rape," Hameed said. The murder has sparked outrage across Pakistan. Well- known film and cricket stars demanded the killer be caught and the military offered support to the police. My message on the horrific Kasur tragedy and the police brutality that ensued. #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/3c7WMmLF0f — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 10, 2018 × #JusticeForZainab There have been 11 Zainabs in Kasur last year, we forgot about them after a brief outrage! Now, will we force Police, Govts & Courts to act on the 12th Zainab or forget about this too after a few days & wait for a 13th Zainab to make us angry again? — Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) January 10, 2018 × The girl was staying with her relatives while her parents had gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Hijaz, Saudi Arabia, performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. The police have taken four suspects into custody. "We are trying to identify the person who was seen taking the girl along in the footage," he said. Riots erupted in Kasur over police inaction after reports of the alleged rape and murder of the girl began circulating on social media. The protesters pelted stone at the police station, offices of the district police officer and district coordination officer in Kasur as the city observed a complete shutter down to protest against the brutal murder. Police resorted to 'direct' and aerial firing to disperse the protesters, media reports said. "Two persons who suffered serious bullet injuries during the protest succumbed to their injuries," a rescue official said. Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah took notice of the murder and sought report from the Punjab government. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said he would personally monitor this case and would not rest till culprits brought to justice. Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has directed his younger brother Shahbaz to immediately arrest the culprits and bring them to justice. Ruling PML-N member Punjab Assembly Hina Butt submitted a privilege motion in the assembly, seeking justice for 11 other minor girls who were killed after rape in Kasur and adjoining areas during the last year. Opposition PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto has termed the brutal rape and murder of the girl as "shocking and a slap on the face of Sharifdom (Sharif brothers)". Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf, Maryam Nawaz and other politicians condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. Test cricketers Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz tweeted that it was unbelievable that this brutal incident took place in Pakistan. "Our thoughts are with the parents of the girl," they said and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Protests erupt after rape and murder of 8-year-old girl in Pakistan's Punjab

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kamala-mills-fire-hotelier-arrested-for-sheltering-accused-29051">Kamala Mills fire: Hotelier arrested for sheltering accused</a>

The Mumbai Police have arrested a Juhu-based hotelier for sheltering three owners of &#39;1 Above&#39; pub, after a police probe, Vishal Kariya confessed to having sheltered the accused trio -- Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar -- at his Juhu residence.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">Pakistan has suspended military intelligence cooperation with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">: Defence </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">minister</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060"> Khurram Dastgir Khan</a>

Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said today that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048">Our weapons &#39;are only aimed&#39; at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048">United</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048"> States: North Korea official</a>

North Korea said after its first talks with South Korea in more than two years that it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were aimed only at the United States, not its &quot;brethren&quot; in South Korea. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dominos-ceo-patrick-doyle-to-step-down-in-june-29058">Domino&#39;s CEO Patrick Doyle to step down in June</a>

Patrick Doyle, Domino&#39;s chief executive officer will step down this June, the fast-food giant announced Tuesday, he will be replaced by Domino&#39;s current chief of international business, Richard Allison.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/six-including-four-policemen-killed-in-quetta-blast-29034">Pakistan: Six including five policemen killed in Quetta suicide bombing</a>

Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta&#39;s Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building.&nbsp;

Kamala Mills fire: Hotelier arrested for sheltering accused The Mumbai Police have arrested a Juhu-based hotelier for sheltering three owners of '1 Above' pub, after a police probe, Vishal Kariya confessed to having sheltered the accused trio -- Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar -- at his Juhu residence. Pakistan has suspended military intelligence cooperation with US: Defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said today that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive. Our weapons 'are only aimed' at United States: North Korea official North Korea said after its first talks with South Korea in more than two years that it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were aimed only at the United States, not its "brethren" in South Korea. Domino's CEO Patrick Doyle to step down in June Patrick Doyle, Domino's chief executive officer will step down this June, the fast-food giant announced Tuesday, he will be replaced by Domino's current chief of international business, Richard Allison. Pakistan: Six including five policemen killed in Quetta suicide bombing Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta's Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building.

WION Morning News Brief, January 10, 2018

Pakistan defence minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-expectations-are-straightforward-take-concrete-steps-on-terror-us-to-pak-28944">Khurram Dastgir Khan said today </a>that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive.

Pakistan&#39;s Dawn newspaper <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-a-good-relationship-with-both-pakistan-and-india-china-consul-general-29046">reported Khan speaking at Institute of Strategic </a>Studies in Islamabad said &nbsp;US is facing defeat in Afghanistan despite spending billions of dollars, alleging that the US is using Pakistan as a &quot;scapegoat&quot; for its failures in Afghanistan.

During his address in Islamabad, Pakistan defence minister slammed the US for the &quot;blame game&quot; against Pakistan instead of providing assistance to secure the Pak-Afghan border, Dawn reported.

The US embassy in Pakistan, however, said it hadn&#39;t received any communication regarding Pakistan&#39;s latest stance on cooperation with the Trump administration.

Abbasi&#39;s government has come under renewed attack from President Trump after the US president in a New Year&#39;s Eve tweet said Pakistan was resorting to &quot;lies and deceit&quot; in the fight against terror.

Pakistan government officials hit back at Trump with foreign minister&nbsp;Asif Khawaja&nbsp;saying: &quot;This is not how allies behave,&quot; adding that Pakistan was being made a &quot;whipping boy&quot;.

On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning fired another warning shot at Pakistan saying Pakistan needs to take &quot;concrete steps&quot; in its fight against terror.

During his address in Islamabad, Pakistan defence minister slammed the US for the "blame game" against Pakistan

Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said today that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported Khan speaking at Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad said US is facing defeat in Afghanistan despite spending billions of dollars, alleging that the US is using Pakistan as a "scapegoat" for its failures in Afghanistan. During his address in Islamabad, Pakistan defence minister slammed the US for the "blame game" against Pakistan instead of providing assistance to secure the Pak-Afghan border, Dawn reported. The US embassy in Pakistan, however, said it hadn't received any communication regarding Pakistan's latest stance on cooperation with the Trump administration. Abbasi's government has come under renewed attack from President Trump after the US president in a New Year's Eve tweet said Pakistan was resorting to "lies and deceit" in the fight against terror. Pakistan government officials hit back at Trump with foreign minister Asif Khawaja saying: "This is not how allies behave," adding that Pakistan was being made a "whipping boy". On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning fired another warning shot at Pakistan saying Pakistan needs to take "concrete steps" in its fight against terror.

Pakistan has suspended military intelligence cooperation with US: Defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank">&#39;Saale ko </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank">goli</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank">maaro</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank">,&#39; armed men shouted as they tried to abduct WION&#39;s Pakistan bureau chief Taha </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saale-ko-goli-maaro-armed-men-shouted-as-they-tried-to-abduct-wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-29126" target="_blank">Siddiqui</a>

WION&#39;s Pakistan bureau chief&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/wions-pakistan-bureau-chief-taha-siddiqui-narrowly-escapes-abduction-attempt-29101" target="_blank">narrowly escaped an abduction attempt</a>&nbsp;on him this morning in Islamabad, Pakistan. Taha Siddiqui had been on his way to the Islamabad airport in a cab early Wednesday morning -- he was going on leave for three days -- when another car overtook him and blocked his path.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uidai-issues-virtual-id-against-aadhaar-to-strengthen-data-security-29128" target="_blank">After report of Aadhar details being sold, UIDAI issues virtual IDs</a>

Days after a media report that Aadhaar details were being sold for as little as Rs 500, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Wednesday introduced virtual IDs for Aadhar holders which can be used in lieu of a person&#39;s Aadhaar number.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-origin-shopkeeper-beaten-to-death-in-uk-29141" target="_blank">Indian-origin shopkeeper beaten to death in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-origin-shopkeeper-beaten-to-death-in-uk-29141" target="_blank">UK</a>

An Indian-origin shopkeeper was killed after he was punched for refusing to serve cigarette paper to under-age UK teenagers at his shop in north London. Vijay Patel, 49, was attacked in Mill Hill area of the city on Saturday night and rushed to a hospital, where he died of head injuries on Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/1984-anti-sikh-riots-case-supreme-court-orders-re-investigation-of-186-cases-29114" target="_blank">1984 anti-Sikh riots: SC orders reinvestigation of 186 cases</a>

The Supreme Court on Wednesday has ordered re-investigation of 186 cases in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. These cases had earlier been closed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-killed-138-pakistani-soldiers-across-loc-in-2017-sources-29119" target="_blank">Indian Army killed 138 Pakistani soldiers across LoC in 2017: Sources</a>

The Indian Army killed 138 Pakistan Army personnel in 2017 in tactical operations and retaliatory cross-border firings along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, government intelligence sources said today.

'Saale ko goli maaro,' armed men shouted as they tried to abduct WION's Pakistan bureau chief Taha Siddiqui WION's Pakistan bureau chief narrowly escaped an abduction attempt on him this morning in Islamabad, Pakistan. Taha Siddiqui had been on his way to the Islamabad airport in a cab early Wednesday morning -- he was going on leave for three days -- when another car overtook him and blocked his path. After report of Aadhar details being sold, UIDAI issues virtual IDs Days after a media report that Aadhaar details were being sold for as little as Rs 500, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Wednesday introduced virtual IDs for Aadhar holders which can be used in lieu of a person's Aadhaar number. Indian-origin shopkeeper beaten to death in UK An Indian-origin shopkeeper was killed after he was punched for refusing to serve cigarette paper to under-age UK teenagers at his shop in north London. Vijay Patel, 49, was attacked in Mill Hill area of the city on Saturday night and rushed to a hospital, where he died of head injuries on Monday. 1984 anti-Sikh riots: SC orders reinvestigation of 186 cases The Supreme Court on Wednesday has ordered re-investigation of 186 cases in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. These cases had earlier been closed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. Indian Army killed 138 Pakistani soldiers across LoC in 2017: Sources The Indian Army killed 138 Pakistan Army personnel in 2017 in tactical operations and retaliatory cross-border firings along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, government intelligence sources said today.

WION Evening News brief, January 10, 2018

Unidentified armed men attempted to kidnap Islamabad-based WION&rsquo;s Pakistan bureau chief Taha Siddiqui while he was on his way to the airport early Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

Pakistan has been in a state of anarchy since several decades.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
There is no effective civilian government, the army and the ISI are virtually in control and &ndash; there has always been a nexus between many Islamist groups and the security establishment of Pakistan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Abductions and disappearances are on the rise. WION has not been spared either.&nbsp;

WION&rsquo;s Islamabad bureau chief was already harassed and interrogated by authorities several times. &nbsp;

His fearless and truthful reportage is the reason behind it, even and especially on the coverage of the uprising in Balochistan and &ndash; the Indian prisoner Kulbhushan Yadav. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Taha Siddiqui escaped kidnapping by the skin of his teeth this morning. Many others have not been that lucky in the history of Pakistan. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Here&rsquo;s a timeline of abductions in Pakistan &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
January 2002: American journalist kidnapped and beheaded nine days later.&nbsp;

October 2004: Two Chinese engineers kidnapped in Waziristan. One killed, the other rescued.&nbsp;

September 2008: A polish engineer kidnapped and later beheaded. His driver shot dead.&nbsp;

November 2008: Canadian journalist kidnapped. Her colleagues freed, she dies in captivity. 
&nbsp; 
February 2009: American official abducted, later released, driver killed.&nbsp;

July 2011: Swiss couple abducted, later escape.&nbsp;

August 2011: American aid worker kidnapped, dies in drone attack.&nbsp;

January 2012: Two European aid workers kidnapped, one freed, other dies in drone attack. 
&nbsp; 
March 2013: Two Czech tourists abducted, released after $6 million ransom paid.&nbsp;

May 2017: Two Chinese teachers kidnapped, reported killed through video.

Taha Siddiqui escaped kidnapping by the skin of his teeth this morning. Many others have not been that lucky in the history of Pakistan

Unidentified armed men attempted to kidnap Islamabad-based WION’s Pakistan bureau chief Taha Siddiqui while he was on his way to the airport early Wednesday morning. Pakistan has been in a state of anarchy since several decades. There is no effective civilian government, the army and the ISI are virtually in control and – there has always been a nexus between many Islamist groups and the security establishment of Pakistan. Abductions and disappearances are on the rise. WION has not been spared either. WION’s Islamabad bureau chief was already harassed and interrogated by authorities several times. His fearless and truthful reportage is the reason behind it, even and especially on the coverage of the uprising in Balochistan and – the Indian prisoner Kulbhushan Yadav. Taha Siddiqui escaped kidnapping by the skin of his teeth this morning. Many others have not been that lucky in the history of Pakistan. Here’s a timeline of abductions in Pakistan January 2002: American journalist kidnapped and beheaded nine days later. October 2004: Two Chinese engineers kidnapped in Waziristan. One killed, the other rescued. September 2008: A polish engineer kidnapped and later beheaded. His driver shot dead. November 2008: Canadian journalist kidnapped. Her colleagues freed, she dies in captivity. February 2009: American official abducted, later released, driver killed. July 2011: Swiss couple abducted, later escape. August 2011: American aid worker kidnapped, dies in drone attack. January 2012: Two European aid workers kidnapped, one freed, other dies in drone attack. March 2013: Two Czech tourists abducted, released after $6 million ransom paid. May 2017: Two Chinese teachers kidnapped, reported killed through video.

Taha Siddiqui kidnapping bid: A chronology of abductions in Pakistan

Recent years have seen a remarkable era of Pakistan-China friendship. Apparently, everyone in Pakistan is singing songs that China is their real friend and it will be purely due to China that their country will rise from the ashes like a miracle.

&nbsp;

Over the last so many decades, Pakistani rulers have been emphasising on their Islamic orientation, criticising the instances wherever they felt that Muslims are facing discriminations. For instance, Pakistan&#39;s political establishment went berserk over atrocities committed against Palestinian, Rohingya Muslims, during Balkan Conflict at Kosovo, the Chechnya debacle among. Criticism flowed fast and steady.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But a serious question arises as to how much is the People&#39;s Republic of China, the mentor and &#39;best friend&#39; of Pakistan, concerned and sensitive about the second largest and the fastest growing religion in the world?

&nbsp;

To find the answer, you must look towards the north-west edge of Pakistan and Indian province of Kashmir. In the map, you will find Xinxiang province of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China where an ethnic Islamic minority called Uighurs have been fighting for over six decades for their existence. They have been receiving a second-class treatment from rulers of the Peoples Republic of China; their religious and cultural autonomy is under serious threat.

&nbsp;

Uighurs are a minority of Turkish-speaking people of about 10 million population. While Pakistan considers itself as the true defender of Islam, China has banned Islamic activities in its Xinxiang province for Uighur Muslims. Religious education is totally banned for Uighurs and is punishable by law. The religious prohibition by China includes control over religious activities, practitioners, schools, cultural institutions, publication of Islamic literature and even personal appearance and behaviour of Uighur Muslims. They cannot display any symbol of Islam, for example, beard or Islamic dresses.

&nbsp;

Not only this, all Imams of the mosques are supposed to vet themselves on a regular basis, attend self-criticism sessions where they are to criticise their own religion. They are forbidden to practice anything which can be termed as a symbol of slightest separatism as per the policy of China, and it is punishable by death. Last year the Imams were called for a gathering and made to dance on the tunes of China. The video is still available on social media.&nbsp;

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WcGZPPC7RRk" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

There are cases where people have been tortured and punished just because they were in possession of a version of Holy Koran. There have been times where the peaceful activists have been arrested, tortured and executed even without any evidence. There are so many stories of atrocities of Uighurs in the area, however, due to media censorship in the country, they don&rsquo;t come out.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The mass genocide of Uighurs started in 1949 with the Chinese occupation of territory by General Wang Zhen. Things have not changed much since then. Only the Generals changed over the years, the genocide of innocent population continues.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Chinese influence in the area has risen very sharply. The Uighurs which used to dominate the region with over 90% population share in 1955 has now dropped to 43% because of a state-sponsored mass settlement of residents from the eastern part of China. Many of these settlers include retired soldiers from the Chinese military and seasonal workers employed in various industries in the region. China has already succeeded in changing the demographic pattern of the area.

&nbsp;

India&#39;s neighbour who is so concerned about Islam has always turned a blind eye to this matter. No one in Pakistan government ever speaks about the religious freedom of Uighurs in China. Their support for Islam falls through when it comes to Uighurs of China. If we compare the state of religious freedom across the world, China&#39;s track record would be the worst due to their treatment of Uighurs in Xinxiang.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

So, what is the reason for this behaviour of not only our nuclear-powered neighbour but also other Islamic countries? The reason lies in the belief of the West about the impressive growth and state-led development of China in last 30 years. In the current scenario, every country is dependent upon Chinese imports and wants to enter their multitrillion-dollar market so that they can also make money.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The case of Pakistan is even worst. The economy of the country is going through a dangerous turbulence. Western countries, as well as IMF, have cut down on aid. The domestic production is on a decline and corruption among the top leaders of the country has become a common scene. The only support is Chinese investment which is aimed at making Pakistan its second territory. If Pakistan starts showing their genuine concern towards Uighur Muslims, it may lose multibillion-dollar projects of China. In the current wake of China establishing its industrial, economic and military establishments in Pakistan rapidly, the day is not far when it will be another territory of China. And in such case, another Xinxiang is in making now.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Imams are forbidden to practice anything which can be termed as a symbol of slightest separatism as per the policy of China, and it is punishable by death

Recent years have seen a remarkable era of Pakistan-China friendship. Apparently, everyone in Pakistan is singing songs that China is their real friend and it will be purely due to China that their country will rise from the ashes like a miracle. Over the last so many decades, Pakistani rulers have been emphasising on their Islamic orientation, criticising the instances wherever they felt that Muslims are facing discriminations. For instance, Pakistan's political establishment went berserk over atrocities committed against Palestinian, Rohingya Muslims, during Balkan Conflict at Kosovo, the Chechnya debacle among. Criticism flowed fast and steady. But a serious question arises as to how much is the People's Republic of China, the mentor and 'best friend' of Pakistan, concerned and sensitive about the second largest and the fastest growing religion in the world? To find the answer, you must look towards the north-west edge of Pakistan and Indian province of Kashmir. In the map, you will find Xinxiang province of the People’s Republic of China where an ethnic Islamic minority called Uighurs have been fighting for over six decades for their existence. They have been receiving a second-class treatment from rulers of the Peoples Republic of China; their religious and cultural autonomy is under serious threat. Uighurs are a minority of Turkish-speaking people of about 10 million population. While Pakistan considers itself as the true defender of Islam, China has banned Islamic activities in its Xinxiang province for Uighur Muslims. Religious education is totally banned for Uighurs and is punishable by law. The religious prohibition by China includes control over religious activities, practitioners, schools, cultural institutions, publication of Islamic literature and even personal appearance and behaviour of Uighur Muslims. They cannot display any symbol of Islam, for example, beard or Islamic dresses. Not only this, all Imams of the mosques are supposed to vet themselves on a regular basis, attend self-criticism sessions where they are to criticise their own religion. They are forbidden to practice anything which can be termed as a symbol of slightest separatism as per the policy of China, and it is punishable by death. Last year the Imams were called for a gathering and made to dance on the tunes of China. The video is still available on social media. × There are cases where people have been tortured and punished just because they were in possession of a version of Holy Koran. There have been times where the peaceful activists have been arrested, tortured and executed even without any evidence. There are so many stories of atrocities of Uighurs in the area, however, due to media censorship in the country, they don’t come out. The mass genocide of Uighurs started in 1949 with the Chinese occupation of territory by General Wang Zhen. Things have not changed much since then. Only the Generals changed over the years, the genocide of innocent population continues. The Chinese influence in the area has risen very sharply. The Uighurs which used to dominate the region with over 90% population share in 1955 has now dropped to 43% because of a state-sponsored mass settlement of residents from the eastern part of China. Many of these settlers include retired soldiers from the Chinese military and seasonal workers employed in various industries in the region. China has already succeeded in changing the demographic pattern of the area. India's neighbour who is so concerned about Islam has always turned a blind eye to this matter. No one in Pakistan government ever speaks about the religious freedom of Uighurs in China. Their support for Islam falls through when it comes to Uighurs of China. If we compare the state of religious freedom across the world, China's track record would be the worst due to their treatment of Uighurs in Xinxiang. So, what is the reason for this behaviour of not only our nuclear-powered neighbour but also other Islamic countries? The reason lies in the belief of the West about the impressive growth and state-led development of China in last 30 years. In the current scenario, every country is dependent upon Chinese imports and wants to enter their multitrillion-dollar market so that they can also make money. The case of Pakistan is even worst. The economy of the country is going through a dangerous turbulence. Western countries, as well as IMF, have cut down on aid. The domestic production is on a decline and corruption among the top leaders of the country has become a common scene. The only support is Chinese investment which is aimed at making Pakistan its second territory. If Pakistan starts showing their genuine concern towards Uighur Muslims, it may lose multibillion-dollar projects of China. In the current wake of China establishing its industrial, economic and military establishments in Pakistan rapidly, the day is not far when it will be another territory of China. And in such case, another Xinxiang is in making now. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: China censors Islamic practices. Why Pakistan is silent

Martin Guptill belted New Zealand to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the second ODI. The game was earlier delayed and finally shortened due to rain in Nelson on Tuesday.

After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat they recovered from an early collapse&nbsp;to reach 246&nbsp;in their 50 overs&nbsp;on the back of half-centuries by Mohammad Hafeez (60). Also, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan contributed well with their bats by scoring 51 and 52 respectively.&nbsp;Lochie Ferguson was New Zealand&#39;s chief wicket-taker with three for 39.

New Zealand were 64 for two after 14 overs in reply when the rain set in. Under the Duckworth-Lewis revision, New Zealand had 11 overs to make a further 87 runs when play resumed.

Pakistan did have early success with the ball by taking early wickets of Colin Munro and&nbsp;Kane Williamson. Munro was&nbsp;taken in the first over itself, he did not score a single run whereas,&nbsp;Williamson was gone for 19, New Zealand was at 47/2 in the 10th over.

But the Pakistan bowlers were not allowed to settle when the weather cleared as Guptill and Taylor pounded the boundaries.&nbsp;Guptill&#39;s whirlwind knock included five fours and five sixes while Ross Taylor, keen to yield the strike in their 104-run partnership, had only four boundaries in his 45 off 43 deliveries.

Guptill scored magnificent 55 off 31 balls to reach the revised target of 151 in 25 overs with seven balls&nbsp;to spare and got player of the match for his impeccable performance.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&lsquo;Martin playing with that freedom was great to watch&rsquo; - captain Kane Williamson on Man of the Match, Martin Guptill <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nzvpak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nzvpak</a> <a href="https://t.co/llMTgnZuGt">pic.twitter.com/llMTgnZuGt</a>
&mdash; BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS/status/950615192345329664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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New Zealand now leads the five-match series 2-0.

&nbsp;

Martin Guptill got player of the match for scoring 55 off 31, now New Zealand leads the five-match series 2-0

Martin Guptill belted New Zealand to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the second ODI. The game was earlier delayed and finally shortened due to rain in Nelson on Tuesday. After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat they recovered from an early collapse to reach 246 in their 50 overs on the back of half-centuries by Mohammad Hafeez (60). Also, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan contributed well with their bats by scoring 51 and 52 respectively. Lochie Ferguson was New Zealand's chief wicket-taker with three for 39. New Zealand were 64 for two after 14 overs in reply when the rain set in. Under the Duckworth-Lewis revision, New Zealand had 11 overs to make a further 87 runs when play resumed. Pakistan did have early success with the ball by taking early wickets of Colin Munro and Kane Williamson. Munro was taken in the first over itself, he did not score a single run whereas, Williamson was gone for 19, New Zealand was at 47/2 in the 10th over. But the Pakistan bowlers were not allowed to settle when the weather cleared as Guptill and Taylor pounded the boundaries. Guptill's whirlwind knock included five fours and five sixes while Ross Taylor, keen to yield the strike in their 104-run partnership, had only four boundaries in his 45 off 43 deliveries. Guptill scored magnificent 55 off 31 balls to reach the revised target of 151 in 25 overs with seven balls to spare and got player of the match for his impeccable performance. ‘Martin playing with that freedom was great to watch’ - captain Kane Williamson on Man of the Match, Martin Guptill #nzvpak pic.twitter.com/llMTgnZuGt — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 9, 2018 × New Zealand now leads the five-match series 2-0.

New Zealand beat Pakistan by 8 wickets in 2nd ODI

Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta&#39;s Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building.&nbsp;

The attack took place near the legislative assembly of Balochistan province.

The Assembly session had just finished and all the MPs had left the Assembly.

The suspected suicide bomber was travelling on a motorbike. His target was Balochistan Assembly building but was stopped at security post where he exploded himself.&nbsp;

The security forces immediately cordoned off the blast site, whereas, rescue teams rushed to the spot and moved the injured persons to nearby hospitals.

&quot;At least five policemen and a pedestrian were killed and 16 others were wounded when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck the bus,&quot; senior police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, he added.

Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and has oil and gas resources but is afflicted by Islamist militancy, sectarian violence and a separatist insurgency.

Police and troops have been battling Islamist militants and separatist groups in mineral-rich Balochistan for more than a decade.

The attack took place near the legislative assembly of southwestern Balochistan province of which Quetta is the capital

Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta's Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building. The attack took place near the legislative assembly of Balochistan province. The Assembly session had just finished and all the MPs had left the Assembly. The suspected suicide bomber was travelling on a motorbike. His target was Balochistan Assembly building but was stopped at security post where he exploded himself. The security forces immediately cordoned off the blast site, whereas, rescue teams rushed to the spot and moved the injured persons to nearby hospitals. "At least five policemen and a pedestrian were killed and 16 others were wounded when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck the bus," senior police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, he added. Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and has oil and gas resources but is afflicted by Islamist militancy, sectarian violence and a separatist insurgency. Police and troops have been battling Islamist militants and separatist groups in mineral-rich Balochistan for more than a decade.

Pakistan: Six including five policemen killed in Quetta suicide bombing

As China sided with Pakistan over US administration continued pressure on terrorism, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning fired another warning shot at the Abbasi government.

Manning told reporters that Pakistan should ensure that Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners &quot;should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil&quot;, as relations between to the two allies on the war on terror continued to be in free fall.

&ldquo;Our expectations are straightforward, the US has conveyed to Pakistan specific and concrete steps that it could take,&quot; Manning added.&nbsp;

The US had last week discontinued $900 million aid to Pakistan asserting that the country hadn&#39;t done enough to take out terror cells, Manning reassured the Pak officials saying that suspension of funds wasn&#39;t permanent and the money wasn&#39;t being diverted somewhere else.

Pakistan has been facing increasing pressure for the past several months from the Trump administration to crack down on terrorism. Both President Trump and top US officials have repeatedly slammed Pak officials in public forum over terror-related issues.

In fact, CIA chief Mike Pompeo speaking in CBS news channel said: &quot;If they(Pakistan) fix this problem, we&#39;re happy to continue to engage with them and be their partner. But if they don&#39;t, we&#39;re going to protect America.&quot;

&quot;We see the Pakistanis continuing to provide safe harbour, havens inside of Pakistan for terrorists who present risks to the United States of America,&quot; Pompeo said in CBS.

Pakistan&#39;s ally China on Monday said it opposed &quot;linking terrorism with any certain country&quot; after the White House said Xi&#39;s regime could play a vital role to convince Pakistan to take steps against the Haqqani Network and the Taliban.

Pakistan has been facing increasing pressure for the past several months from the Trump administration to crack down on terrorism.

As China sided with Pakistan over US administration continued pressure on terrorism, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning fired another warning shot at the Abbasi government. Manning told reporters that Pakistan should ensure that Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners "should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil", as relations between to the two allies on the war on terror continued to be in free fall. “Our expectations are straightforward, the US has conveyed to Pakistan specific and concrete steps that it could take," Manning added. The US had last week discontinued $900 million aid to Pakistan asserting that the country hadn't done enough to take out terror cells, Manning reassured the Pak officials saying that suspension of funds wasn't permanent and the money wasn't being diverted somewhere else. Pakistan has been facing increasing pressure for the past several months from the Trump administration to crack down on terrorism. Both President Trump and top US officials have repeatedly slammed Pak officials in public forum over terror-related issues. In fact, CIA chief Mike Pompeo speaking in CBS news channel said: "If they(Pakistan) fix this problem, we're happy to continue to engage with them and be their partner. But if they don't, we're going to protect America." "We see the Pakistanis continuing to provide safe harbour, havens inside of Pakistan for terrorists who present risks to the United States of America," Pompeo said in CBS. Pakistan's ally China on Monday said it opposed "linking terrorism with any certain country" after the White House said Xi's regime could play a vital role to convince Pakistan to take steps against the Haqqani Network and the Taliban.

Our expectations are straightforward, take concrete steps on terror: US to Pak

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sikh-community-bans-entry-of-indian-officials-into-us-canada-gurudwaras-29006" target="_blank">Sikh community bans entry of Indian officials into </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sikh-community-bans-entry-of-indian-officials-into-us-canada-gurudwaras-29006" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sikh-community-bans-entry-of-indian-officials-into-us-canada-gurudwaras-29006" target="_blank">, Canada gurudwaras</a>

The Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC) and American Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (APGC) who claim&nbsp;to be the largest umbrella organisations of Sikh gurudwaras in the US have banned entry of Indian officials from 96 gurudwaras in the country.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/not-mandatory-to-sing-national-anthem-in-cinema-halls-supreme-court-28984" target="_blank">Not mandatory to sing national anthem in cinema halls: Supreme Court</a>

The Supreme<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-review-order-on-screening-of-national-anthem-in-movie-theatres-on-tuesday-28923">&nbsp;Court on Tuesday modified its order&nbsp;</a>on the national anthem. India&#39;s highest court said it was not mandatory to sing the national anthem in cinema halls.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-silent-over-gen-rawats-remarks-on-pla-troop-reduction-in-dokalam-29018" target="_blank">China silent over Gen Rawat&#39;s remarks on PLA troop reduction in Dokalam</a>

China today skirted a direct response to Army chief General Bipin Rawat&#39;s remarks that there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in Dokalam, but insisted that its soldiers stationed in the area were exercising &quot;sovereignty rights&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-denies-plans-to-set-up-military-base-in-pakistan-29016" target="_blank">China denies plans to set up military base in Pakistan</a>

China on Tuesday denied as &quot;unnecessary&quot; speculation reports that it was planning to build a military base at Jiwani in Pakistan&#39;s Balochistan province close to the strategic Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-train-collision-injures-200-people-28997" target="_blank">South Africa train collision injures 200 people</a>

Around 200 people were injured on Tuesday when two passenger trains collided in a suburb of South Africa&#39;s main city Johannesburg, emergency services network ER24 said

Sikh community bans entry of Indian officials into US, Canada gurudwaras The Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC) and American Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (APGC) who claim to be the largest umbrella organisations of Sikh gurudwaras in the US have banned entry of Indian officials from 96 gurudwaras in the country. Not mandatory to sing national anthem in cinema halls: Supreme Court The Supreme Court on Tuesday modified its order on the national anthem. India's highest court said it was not mandatory to sing the national anthem in cinema halls. China silent over Gen Rawat's remarks on PLA troop reduction in Dokalam China today skirted a direct response to Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks that there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in Dokalam, but insisted that its soldiers stationed in the area were exercising "sovereignty rights". China denies plans to set up military base in Pakistan China on Tuesday denied as "unnecessary" speculation reports that it was planning to build a military base at Jiwani in Pakistan's Balochistan province close to the strategic Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. South Africa train collision injures 200 people Around 200 people were injured on Tuesday when two passenger trains collided in a suburb of South Africa's main city Johannesburg, emergency services network ER24 said

WION Evening News Brief, January 9, 2018

Pakistan is believed to have told US interlocutors that a major military offensive against the Taliban from both sides of the Afghan border, if failed, will have negative consequences for the entire region, according to a media report today.

The key element in the new US strategy for Afghanistan is to launch a two-pronged military offensive that inflicts a military defeat on the Taliban and forces them to join the Afghan reconciliation process on Kabul&#39;s conditions, diplomatic sources told Dawn News.

The paper in a detailed report from Washington reported that Pakistanis do not disagree with the basic thrust of the American argument but they have one major worry: What if it fails?

Trump in August unveiled his South Asia policy and vowed to boost strategic partnership with India in Afghanistan. He had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism.

Pakistani officials, who have interacted with US officials on this issue, say that they too have the same ambition: ridding the region, particularly Afghanistan, of militants.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis at his weekend briefing at the Pentagon urged Islamabad to cooperate with the US in defeating the Afghan Taliban, including the Haqqani Network which, he says, has safe havens inside Pakistan and uses them to recuperate and re-launch attacks into Afghanistan.

While Pakistanis reject the US charge that they have allowed the Haqqani Network to maintain safe havens, they appear more eager to understand the US plan to defeat the Taliban.

But they fear that a major military offensive, without engaging some Taliban factions in direct talks first, could be counter-productive. The Taliban might outlive this offensive too, and deal with it &quot;lying low in their mountain fastness, as they did with previous offensives,&quot; as one interlocutor said.

And in the process Pakistan will lose whatever influence it has. With all lines of communication closed, the Taliban will become even more dangerous, particularly for Pakistan, which has always faced the blowback of previous adventures in Afghanistan, whether launched by the Russians or Americans, the report said.

The Pakistani officials their interlocutors that the country is still coping with the consequences of Britain&#39;s Afghan adventures. Those adventures led to the creation of FATA, a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which later became the source of many troubles.

The Trump administration, however, does not seem much interested in the Pakistani argument, at least for now. But it would if the Taliban outlive the proposed offensive as well, the report said.&nbsp;

The new US strategy for Afghanistan is to launch a two-pronged military offensive

Pakistan is believed to have told US interlocutors that a major military offensive against the Taliban from both sides of the Afghan border, if failed, will have negative consequences for the entire region, according to a media report today. The key element in the new US strategy for Afghanistan is to launch a two-pronged military offensive that inflicts a military defeat on the Taliban and forces them to join the Afghan reconciliation process on Kabul's conditions, diplomatic sources told Dawn News. The paper in a detailed report from Washington reported that Pakistanis do not disagree with the basic thrust of the American argument but they have one major worry: What if it fails? Trump in August unveiled his South Asia policy and vowed to boost strategic partnership with India in Afghanistan. He had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. Pakistani officials, who have interacted with US officials on this issue, say that they too have the same ambition: ridding the region, particularly Afghanistan, of militants. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis at his weekend briefing at the Pentagon urged Islamabad to cooperate with the US in defeating the Afghan Taliban, including the Haqqani Network which, he says, has safe havens inside Pakistan and uses them to recuperate and re-launch attacks into Afghanistan. While Pakistanis reject the US charge that they have allowed the Haqqani Network to maintain safe havens, they appear more eager to understand the US plan to defeat the Taliban. But they fear that a major military offensive, without engaging some Taliban factions in direct talks first, could be counter-productive. The Taliban might outlive this offensive too, and deal with it "lying low in their mountain fastness, as they did with previous offensives," as one interlocutor said. And in the process Pakistan will lose whatever influence it has. With all lines of communication closed, the Taliban will become even more dangerous, particularly for Pakistan, which has always faced the blowback of previous adventures in Afghanistan, whether launched by the Russians or Americans, the report said. The Pakistani officials their interlocutors that the country is still coping with the consequences of Britain's Afghan adventures. Those adventures led to the creation of FATA, a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which later became the source of many troubles. The Trump administration, however, does not seem much interested in the Pakistani argument, at least for now. But it would if the Taliban outlive the proposed offensive as well, the report said.

Pakistan cautions US about consequences of anti-Taliban offensive

China today said it is opposed to the US &quot;finger pointing&quot; at Pakistan and linking it with terrorism, insisting that the responsibility of cracking down on terror outfits cannot be placed on a particular country.

China&#39;s support for its all-weather ally came as the US stepped up its efforts to pressure Pakistan to eliminate terror safe havens on its soil.

The US last week suspended approximately $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan for its failure to take decisive action against terror groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani Network.

&quot;China always opposed linking terrorism with any certain country and we don&#39;t agree to place the responsibility of anti-terrorism on a certain country,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing.

He was responding to a question on a White House official&#39;s remarks that China could play a helpful role in convincing Pakistan that it was in its national interest to crack down on terror safe havens.

&quot;We have stressed many times that Pakistan has made important sacrifices and contributions to the global anti-terrorism cause,&quot; Lu said.

&quot;Countries should strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation on the basis of mutual respect instead of finger pointing at each other. This is not conducive to the global terrorism efforts,&quot; he said.

China has been vocal in extending support to Pakistan since US President Donald Trump increased rhetoric against Islamabad providing safe havens for terrorists.

Trump in a New Year&#39;s Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but &quot;lies and deceit&quot; and providing &quot;safe haven&quot; to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

Chinese media has been speculating that Trump&#39;s efforts to step up pressure on Pakistan may move it closer to Islamabad as Beijing is involved in a number of projects in the country under the&nbsp; $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Chinese official media is highlighting reports that Pakistan may allow China to build a&nbsp;military base at Jiwani located close to Iran?s Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. Jiwani is also close to the strategic Gwadar port in Balochistan which is being developed by China.

While defending Pakistan, Lu said China at the same time backed international counter-terrorism efforts.

&quot;First and foremost, I would like to say that terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. Cracking down of terrorism calls for the joint efforts from the international community,&quot; he said.

&quot;Actually, China is defending countries that have been making anti-terrorism efforts in a just and fair way. China also welcomes all the global joint efforts in terms of counter-terrorism on the basis of mutual trust and mutual respect,&quot; he said. PTI

The US last week suspended approximately $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan

China today said it is opposed to the US "finger pointing" at Pakistan and linking it with terrorism, insisting that the responsibility of cracking down on terror outfits cannot be placed on a particular country. China's support for its all-weather ally came as the US stepped up its efforts to pressure Pakistan to eliminate terror safe havens on its soil. The US last week suspended approximately $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan for its failure to take decisive action against terror groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani Network. "China always opposed linking terrorism with any certain country and we don't agree to place the responsibility of anti-terrorism on a certain country," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing. He was responding to a question on a White House official's remarks that China could play a helpful role in convincing Pakistan that it was in its national interest to crack down on terror safe havens. "We have stressed many times that Pakistan has made important sacrifices and contributions to the global anti-terrorism cause," Lu said. "Countries should strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation on the basis of mutual respect instead of finger pointing at each other. This is not conducive to the global terrorism efforts," he said. China has been vocal in extending support to Pakistan since US President Donald Trump increased rhetoric against Islamabad providing safe havens for terrorists. Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years. Chinese media has been speculating that Trump's efforts to step up pressure on Pakistan may move it closer to Islamabad as Beijing is involved in a number of projects in the country under the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Chinese official media is highlighting reports that Pakistan may allow China to build a military base at Jiwani located close to Iran?s Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. Jiwani is also close to the strategic Gwadar port in Balochistan which is being developed by China. While defending Pakistan, Lu said China at the same time backed international counter-terrorism efforts. "First and foremost, I would like to say that terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. Cracking down of terrorism calls for the joint efforts from the international community," he said. "Actually, China is defending countries that have been making anti-terrorism efforts in a just and fair way. China also welcomes all the global joint efforts in terms of counter-terrorism on the basis of mutual trust and mutual respect," he said. PTI

Opposed to US 'finger pointing' at Pakistan on terror-related issues: China

The Islamic State (IS) militant group poses a major threat to Pakistan and is alarmingly increasing its presence in the country, according to a think- tank report.

Pakistan has been denying that ISIS had an organised presence in the country, however, even though the terrorist group has claimed responsibility for several other attacks in Baluchistan in recent years.

The security report by Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) yesterday stated that the ISIS, especially active in northern Sindh and Balochistan, was also behind the abduction and killing of two Chinese nationals last year, Dawn News reported.

The PIPS shared the findings of its security analysis titled Special Report 2017, providing an insight into security challenges of Pakistan.

&quot;Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaatul Ahrar and others with similar objectives perpetrated 58 per cent attacks, while 37 per cent and 5 per cent of the attacks were carried out by nationalist insurgents and violent sectarian groups respectively,&quot; it said.

The report has also highlighted that Baloch nationalist- insurgent groups, especially Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were only second to TTP as far as their threat capability was concerned.

The report also noted the alarming increase in the footprint of ISIS, especially in Balochistan and northern Sindh as it carried out the deadliest attacks in those provinces. It said that footprints of ISIS was increasing and it &quot;killed 153 in 6 deadliest attacks&quot;.

It said, &quot;down 16 per cent from the year before, 370 terrorist attacks took place in Pakistan (in 2017), killing 815 and injuring 1,736 people.&quot;

 
It said that Balochistan and the tribal region remained critical areas with 288 and 253 terrorism-related killings, respectively, in 2017.

The report said that security forces and law enforcement agencies killed 524 militants in military/security operations as well as armed clashes and encounters.

It also reported that Pakistan&#39;s National Security Policy is set to be released in 2018 and it will take into account especially global and regional scenarios, including the evolving Pakistan-US relations.

Though Pakistan government has denied the presence of the Islamic State (IS) on its soil, a leading think-tank here has warned that the dreaded terror outfit is alarmingly increasing its presence, posing a major threat to the country

The Islamic State (IS) militant group poses a major threat to Pakistan and is alarmingly increasing its presence in the country, according to a think- tank report. Pakistan has been denying that ISIS had an organised presence in the country, however, even though the terrorist group has claimed responsibility for several other attacks in Baluchistan in recent years. The security report by Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) yesterday stated that the ISIS, especially active in northern Sindh and Balochistan, was also behind the abduction and killing of two Chinese nationals last year, Dawn News reported. The PIPS shared the findings of its security analysis titled Special Report 2017, providing an insight into security challenges of Pakistan. "Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaatul Ahrar and others with similar objectives perpetrated 58 per cent attacks, while 37 per cent and 5 per cent of the attacks were carried out by nationalist insurgents and violent sectarian groups respectively," it said. The report has also highlighted that Baloch nationalist- insurgent groups, especially Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were only second to TTP as far as their threat capability was concerned. The report also noted the alarming increase in the footprint of ISIS, especially in Balochistan and northern Sindh as it carried out the deadliest attacks in those provinces. It said that footprints of ISIS was increasing and it "killed 153 in 6 deadliest attacks". It said, "down 16 per cent from the year before, 370 terrorist attacks took place in Pakistan (in 2017), killing 815 and injuring 1,736 people." It said that Balochistan and the tribal region remained critical areas with 288 and 253 terrorism-related killings, respectively, in 2017. The report said that security forces and law enforcement agencies killed 524 militants in military/security operations as well as armed clashes and encounters. It also reported that Pakistan's National Security Policy is set to be released in 2018 and it will take into account especially global and regional scenarios, including the evolving Pakistan-US relations.

ISIS on the rise in Pakistan: Report

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After a police complaint against a journalist of the Tribune for an expose on the breach of privacy of Aadhaar details, the government today clarified that it is committed to the freedom of the press.

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The date is finally confirmed. Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s film&nbsp;Padmavat&nbsp;is all set to release in the theatre on January 25th, 2018. The controversial film got its censor certificate earlier last week and now the makers have planned to release the film in January and cash in on the extended weekend.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-government-says-padmavat-will-not-be-released-in-state-28900" target="_blank">Rajasthan government says &#39;Padmavat&#39; will not be released in state</a>

Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s much-awaited epic period drama Padmavat has been banned from release in Rajasthan. The state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria confirmed the news.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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The Supreme Court has decided to &quot;refer&nbsp;to a larger bench&quot; a plea that seeks to decriminalise gay sex.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opposed-to-us-finger-pointing-at-pak-on-terror-related-issues-china-28887" target="_blank">Opposed to US &#39;finger pointing&#39; at Pakistan on terror-related issues: China</a>

China today said it is opposed to the US &quot;finger pointing&quot; at Pakistan and linking it with terrorism, insisting that the responsibility of cracking down on terror outfits cannot be placed on a particular country.

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After FIR against journalist, government says committed to freedom of press After a police complaint against a journalist of the Tribune for an expose on the breach of privacy of Aadhaar details, the government today clarified that it is committed to the freedom of the press. Confirmed: Padmavat to release on January 25 The date is finally confirmed. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmavat is all set to release in the theatre on January 25th, 2018. The controversial film got its censor certificate earlier last week and now the makers have planned to release the film in January and cash in on the extended weekend. Rajasthan government says 'Padmavat' will not be released in state Sanjay Leela Bhansali's much-awaited epic period drama Padmavat has been banned from release in Rajasthan. The state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria confirmed the news. Supreme Court to review 2013 verdict on criminalising gay sex The Supreme Court has decided to "refer to a larger bench" a plea that seeks to decriminalise gay sex. Opposed to US 'finger pointing' at Pakistan on terror-related issues: China China today said it is opposed to the US "finger pointing" at Pakistan and linking it with terrorism, insisting that the responsibility of cracking down on terror outfits cannot be placed on a particular country.

WION evening news brief, January 8, 2018

Pakistan today freed 147 Indian fishermen who were imprisoned in Karachi eight months ago for allegedly fishing in its territorial waters, according to a media report.

Their release follows a December announcement by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal that nearly 300 Indian fishermen would be freed in two phases till January 8.

On December 28, Pakistan had released the first batch of 145 Indian fishermen, who were held there on similar charges.

The process for returning the 147 fishermen has been initiated, as they were set to travel to Lahore this afternoon on the Allama Iqbal Express from the Karachi Cantonment railway station, the Dawn reported.

From Lahore, the fishermen will cross the Wagah border and return home, the report quoted Karachi&#39;s Malir jail officials as saying.

They said the travel expenses of the fishermen were being borne by the Edhi Foundation, a Pakistan-based not-for-profit welfare organisation.

&quot;Some 262 Indian fishermen remain imprisoned at Malir jail still,&quot; jail superintendent Hassan Sehto said.

Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other&#39;s territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away.

Owing to prolonged bureaucratic and legal procedures, the fishermen usually languish in jail for several months.

A number of non-governmental organisations in both India and Pakistan have raised the issue, pressing their governments to release arrested fishermen without much delay.

The fishermen were imprisoned in Karachi eight months ago for allegedly fishing in its territorial waters, according to a media report

Pakistan today freed 147 Indian fishermen who were imprisoned in Karachi eight months ago for allegedly fishing in its territorial waters, according to a media report. Their release follows a December announcement by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal that nearly 300 Indian fishermen would be freed in two phases till January 8. On December 28, Pakistan had released the first batch of 145 Indian fishermen, who were held there on similar charges. The process for returning the 147 fishermen has been initiated, as they were set to travel to Lahore this afternoon on the Allama Iqbal Express from the Karachi Cantonment railway station, the Dawn reported. From Lahore, the fishermen will cross the Wagah border and return home, the report quoted Karachi's Malir jail officials as saying. They said the travel expenses of the fishermen were being borne by the Edhi Foundation, a Pakistan-based not-for-profit welfare organisation. "Some 262 Indian fishermen remain imprisoned at Malir jail still," jail superintendent Hassan Sehto said. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away. Owing to prolonged bureaucratic and legal procedures, the fishermen usually languish in jail for several months. A number of non-governmental organisations in both India and Pakistan have raised the issue, pressing their governments to release arrested fishermen without much delay.

Pakistan releases 147 Indian fishermen, 262 remain imprisoned

United States President Donald Trump needs to take a step back, exercise caution and patience, and focus more on having quiet diplomatic negotiations with Pakistan on the issue of neutralising support to terror elements operating from its soil, says an editorial in the New York Times.

The editorial is of the view that President Trump can ill-afford walking away from Pakistan at this juncture of his presidency, and will need to acknowledge that Islamabad has and will continue to be a source of vital intelligence.

He would also have to keep in mind that Pakistan has the world`s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal, which has always been a matter of regional and global concern.

&quot;Whether Pakistan will cooperate after the aid freeze remains to be seen. Initially, some Pakistani officials reacted harshly to the announcement, which came as a surprise, but on Friday, a Foreign Ministry statement talked about the need for mutual respect and patience as the two countries address common threats,&quot; says the editorial, suggesting that tone and engagement is now even-tempered.

&quot;Mr Trump could marshal other diplomatic tools to see if more constructive cooperation with Pakistan is possible. One idea would be to harness his new friendships with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to shut down Haqqani and other Taliban fund-raising efforts in the Persian Gulf. This would, of course, require quiet negotiations, not shouting,&quot; the editorial adds.

It further goes on to say that Pakistan has posed a dilemma for the United States for long, and the Trump administration`s announcement this week that it would freeze nearly all military aid to Pakistan, roughly USD 1.3 billion annually, should for now just be seen as an act of initial frustration and bombast.

It warns that Pakistan has the potential to retaliate by denying access, shutting down supply lines to Afghanistan, ally more closely with China and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India.

China could once again be the beneficiary of a Trump decision whose signature tune is estrangement with and from long-time partners.

The NYT editorial says that while Trump may have highlighted a real point, &quot;he has given no assurance that he would not make matters worse.&quot;

Americans last cut off assistance to Pakistan in the 1990s after it tested a nuclear weapon and underwent a military coup, creating distrust between the two countries that has never dissipated. But after September 11, 2001, the relationship transformed overnight.

Washington has demanded that Islamabad perform on counter-terrorism in return for new aid. Since then, Pakistan has played a double game, accepting American funding while backing militants who protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir.President Trump is not the first to call a spade a spade.

In 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that the Haqqani Network was a &quot;veritable arm&quot; of the Pakistani security service. &quot;Extremist organisations serving as proxies of the Government of Pakistan are attacking Afghan troops and civilians as well as US&nbsp;soldiers,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The editorial says Trump can ill-afford to walk away from Pakistan at this juncture of his presidency, and will need to acknowledge that Islamabad has and will continue to be a source of vital intelligence

United States President Donald Trump needs to take a step back, exercise caution and patience, and focus more on having quiet diplomatic negotiations with Pakistan on the issue of neutralising support to terror elements operating from its soil, says an editorial in the New York Times. The editorial is of the view that President Trump can ill-afford walking away from Pakistan at this juncture of his presidency, and will need to acknowledge that Islamabad has and will continue to be a source of vital intelligence. He would also have to keep in mind that Pakistan has the world`s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal, which has always been a matter of regional and global concern. "Whether Pakistan will cooperate after the aid freeze remains to be seen. Initially, some Pakistani officials reacted harshly to the announcement, which came as a surprise, but on Friday, a Foreign Ministry statement talked about the need for mutual respect and patience as the two countries address common threats," says the editorial, suggesting that tone and engagement is now even-tempered. "Mr Trump could marshal other diplomatic tools to see if more constructive cooperation with Pakistan is possible. One idea would be to harness his new friendships with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to shut down Haqqani and other Taliban fund-raising efforts in the Persian Gulf. This would, of course, require quiet negotiations, not shouting," the editorial adds. It further goes on to say that Pakistan has posed a dilemma for the United States for long, and the Trump administration`s announcement this week that it would freeze nearly all military aid to Pakistan, roughly USD 1.3 billion annually, should for now just be seen as an act of initial frustration and bombast. It warns that Pakistan has the potential to retaliate by denying access, shutting down supply lines to Afghanistan, ally more closely with China and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India. China could once again be the beneficiary of a Trump decision whose signature tune is estrangement with and from long-time partners. The NYT editorial says that while Trump may have highlighted a real point, "he has given no assurance that he would not make matters worse." Americans last cut off assistance to Pakistan in the 1990s after it tested a nuclear weapon and underwent a military coup, creating distrust between the two countries that has never dissipated. But after September 11, 2001, the relationship transformed overnight. Washington has demanded that Islamabad perform on counter-terrorism in return for new aid. Since then, Pakistan has played a double game, accepting American funding while backing militants who protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir.President Trump is not the first to call a spade a spade. In 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that the Haqqani Network was a "veritable arm" of the Pakistani security service. "Extremist organisations serving as proxies of the Government of Pakistan are attacking Afghan troops and civilians as well as US soldiers," he said.

US cannot risk abandoning 'troublesome ally' Pakistan: NYT editorial

Pakistan today said that those providing funds to banned groups, including the so-called charities run by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, will face up to 10 years in prison along with a hefty fine.

The warning was part of a countrywide advertisement in Urdu, which has been published in all major local newspapers of the country.

The advertisement lists 72 groups, including Jamat-ud- Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Tabia of Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad of Masood Azhar.

It said that according to Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 of Pakistan and under UN Security Council act of 1948 it was a crime to provide funding to those groups which have been banned or are on the watchlist.

Those giving funds to such individuals or groups may face &quot;five to 10 years in jail or up to Rs 10 million fine or both&quot;, it said.

Their movable or immovable property can also be confiscated.

&nbsp;Pakistan has banned Saeed-led JuD and FIF from collecting donations on Monday, after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but &quot;lies and deceit&quot; and providing &quot;safe haven&quot; to terrorists.

Trump, in a scathing tweet, at the start of the new year said that Pakistan fooled American authorities and got USD 33 billion in the name of fighting terrorism.

The government has banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, the FIF and other organisations on the UNSC sanctions list.

The advertisement reminds the people that they should make sure that their money given as charity does not end up in wrong hands.

The move comes after the US increased pressure on Pakistan to move decisively against all militants groups allegedly operating from its soil.

Islamabad banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, FIF and other outfits

Pakistan today said that those providing funds to banned groups, including the so-called charities run by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, will face up to 10 years in prison along with a hefty fine. The warning was part of a countrywide advertisement in Urdu, which has been published in all major local newspapers of the country. The advertisement lists 72 groups, including Jamat-ud- Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Tabia of Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad of Masood Azhar. It said that according to Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 of Pakistan and under UN Security Council act of 1948 it was a crime to provide funding to those groups which have been banned or are on the watchlist. Those giving funds to such individuals or groups may face "five to 10 years in jail or up to Rs 10 million fine or both", it said. Their movable or immovable property can also be confiscated. Pakistan has banned Saeed-led JuD and FIF from collecting donations on Monday, after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists. Trump, in a scathing tweet, at the start of the new year said that Pakistan fooled American authorities and got USD 33 billion in the name of fighting terrorism. The government has banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, the FIF and other organisations on the UNSC sanctions list. The advertisement reminds the people that they should make sure that their money given as charity does not end up in wrong hands. The move comes after the US increased pressure on Pakistan to move decisively against all militants groups allegedly operating from its soil.

Those funding Hafiz Saeed, Azhar outfits will face 10 years in jail: Pakistan

China could play a &quot;helpful role&quot; in convincing Pakistan that it is in its national interest to crackdown on terror safe havens, a senior White House official has said.

The official said China shares some of the concerns of the US about the terror issue in Pakistan and Washington is seeking to work with Beijing and other regional players to convince Islamabad about the need to crackdown on terror groups.

The official said that dismantling terrorist safe havens in Pakistan is key to bring stability in Afghanistan and in the region.

&quot;Pakistan already has deep historical ties with China going back to many years and they have close military ties. The economic relationship is also growing due to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),&quot; the senior administration official said on condition of anonymity.

&quot;But, China shares some of the concerns of the US about the terrorism problem. The US is seeking to work with other regional players and China would be one of the main ones to deal with this issue. It won&#39;t serve China&#39;s interests to have terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan,&quot; the official said.

The official was quick to point out that China has been playing a more helpful role in terms of encouraging better relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. &quot;It is taking a more active role in this regard.&quot;

&quot;So, I would disagree with the assertion that China will not play a helpful role in convincing Pakistan it is in its own interest to crack down on the terror sanctuaries,&quot; the official told a group of reporters on Friday.

&quot;Ultimately, China is also working towards a stable Afghanistan. That&#39;s going to take them back to the same issue which are the sanctuaries in Pakistan,&quot; the official said.

China-Pakistan relationship is already very strong and appeared unconcerned over reports that the US&#39; decision to freeze approximately USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan would push Islamabad towards Beijing, the official added.

&quot;That relationship is already very very strong. But what we have seen is an interest by Pakistan in having a strong relationship with both the US and China. So that&#39;s one issue. And the second issue is that China is also concerned about terrorism and extremism in South Asia,&quot; the official said.

Noting that China has taken a more active role in trying to help stabilise Afghanistan, trying to improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the official said the US believes that China is also interested in stability in Pakistan and also for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

&quot;Ultimately if they want to see stability in the region, and I think they do, they also will have an interest in seeing Pakistan crack down on the Haqqani and Taliban network,&quot; the senior administration official said.

The Trump administration has suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.

The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Trump in a New Year&#39;s Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but &quot;lies and deceit&quot; and providing &quot;safe haven&quot; to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.&nbsp;

'The US is seeking to work with other regional players and China would be one of the main ones to deal with this issue,' the official said

China could play a "helpful role" in convincing Pakistan that it is in its national interest to crackdown on terror safe havens, a senior White House official has said. The official said China shares some of the concerns of the US about the terror issue in Pakistan and Washington is seeking to work with Beijing and other regional players to convince Islamabad about the need to crackdown on terror groups. The official said that dismantling terrorist safe havens in Pakistan is key to bring stability in Afghanistan and in the region. "Pakistan already has deep historical ties with China going back to many years and they have close military ties. The economic relationship is also growing due to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," the senior administration official said on condition of anonymity. "But, China shares some of the concerns of the US about the terrorism problem. The US is seeking to work with other regional players and China would be one of the main ones to deal with this issue. It won't serve China's interests to have terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan," the official said. The official was quick to point out that China has been playing a more helpful role in terms of encouraging better relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. "It is taking a more active role in this regard." "So, I would disagree with the assertion that China will not play a helpful role in convincing Pakistan it is in its own interest to crack down on the terror sanctuaries," the official told a group of reporters on Friday. "Ultimately, China is also working towards a stable Afghanistan. That's going to take them back to the same issue which are the sanctuaries in Pakistan," the official said. China-Pakistan relationship is already very strong and appeared unconcerned over reports that the US' decision to freeze approximately USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan would push Islamabad towards Beijing, the official added. "That relationship is already very very strong. But what we have seen is an interest by Pakistan in having a strong relationship with both the US and China. So that's one issue. And the second issue is that China is also concerned about terrorism and extremism in South Asia," the official said. Noting that China has taken a more active role in trying to help stabilise Afghanistan, trying to improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the official said the US believes that China is also interested in stability in Pakistan and also for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. "Ultimately if they want to see stability in the region, and I think they do, they also will have an interest in seeing Pakistan crack down on the Haqqani and Taliban network," the senior administration official said. The Trump administration has suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens. The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

China could convince Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens: Senior White House official

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