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


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

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

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

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


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

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

Trump warns Pakistan will pay for harbouring terrorists

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


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

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

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

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


Cases of forced conversion are mostly reported from Sindh

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

Pakistan: NAB directorates initiate fresh probes against Sharif family

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


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

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

Pakistan: PML-N mulls over new party chief

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


The firing started at 5.34 am on Wednesday

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

What it means to be a hijra in Bangladesh

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


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

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

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

<p>Another elected prime minister has been &quot;sent home&quot;, Nawaz Sharif&#39;s daughter Maryam said today but asserted that her father&#39;s disqualification by the Supreme Court would not deter him from staging a comeback.</p>

<p>In her first reaction to the verdict in the Panama Papers scandal, she tweeted: &quot;Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif&#39;s resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha&#39;Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo (Stop him, if you can)!&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif&#39;s resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha&#39;Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo !</p>
&mdash; Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/890874550984069120">July 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Maryam, 43, is seen by many as a political heir to the veteran politician and three-time premier of Pakistan.<br />
She has vigorously defended Sharif during the probe.</p>

<p>The Panam papers scandal is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in the 1990s, when he twice served as prime minister, to purchase assets in London.</p>

<p>The assets surfaced when Panama Papers leak last year revealed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif&#39;s two sons and daughter, Maryam.</p>

<p>&quot;Another elected prime minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force and support and soonest Insha&#39;Allah,&quot; she said in another tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Another elected Prime Minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force &amp; support &amp; soonest Insha&#39;Allah. Stay strong PMLN.</p>
&mdash; Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/890867636296441857">July 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The apex court verdict in the Panama Papers scandal came as a setback for Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), threatening a revolt within the ruling party.</p>

<p>But Maryam said: &quot;PML-N stands united, more resolute and unfazed. That&#39;s also unprecedented.&quot;</p>

<p>When a follower tweeted her that the supporters of Sharif were disappointed, Maryam wrote back: &quot;Kion ghum main hain (Why are they sad)? Not the first time your leader had to face ouster and trial. Every such act has made him stronger. History bears witness.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kion ghum main hain? Not the first time your leader had to face ouster &amp; trial. Every such act has made him stronger. History bears witness. <a href="https://t.co/aWAG5LnDi1">https://t.co/aWAG5LnDi1</a></p>
&mdash; Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/890880569449603072">July 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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'Another elected prime minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force and support and soonest Insha'Allah,' she said in a tweet

Another elected prime minister has been "sent home", Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam said today but asserted that her father's disqualification by the Supreme Court would not deter him from staging a comeback. In her first reaction to the verdict in the Panama Papers scandal, she tweeted: "Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif's resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha'Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo (Stop him, if you can)!" Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif's resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha'Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo ! — Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 28, 2017 × Maryam, 43, is seen by many as a political heir to the veteran politician and three-time premier of Pakistan. She has vigorously defended Sharif during the probe. The Panam papers scandal is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in the 1990s, when he twice served as prime minister, to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama Papers leak last year revealed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's two sons and daughter, Maryam. "Another elected prime minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force and support and soonest Insha'Allah," she said in another tweet. Another elected Prime Minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force & support & soonest Insha'Allah. Stay strong PMLN. — Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 28, 2017 × The apex court verdict in the Panama Papers scandal came as a setback for Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), threatening a revolt within the ruling party. But Maryam said: "PML-N stands united, more resolute and unfazed. That's also unprecedented." When a follower tweeted her that the supporters of Sharif were disappointed, Maryam wrote back: "Kion ghum main hain (Why are they sad)? Not the first time your leader had to face ouster and trial. Every such act has made him stronger. History bears witness." Kion ghum main hain? Not the first time your leader had to face ouster & trial. Every such act has made him stronger. History bears witness. https://t.co/aWAG5LnDi1 — Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 28, 2017 ×

Maryam Nawaz Sharif on father's disqualification: Another elected PM 'sent home' in Pakistan

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the sacrifices made by the armed forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas.</p>

<p>He took to Twitter, writing, &quot;Remembering our brave soldiers who fought gallantly for the pride of our nation &amp; the security of our citizens during the Kargil War.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Remembering our brave soldiers who fought gallantly for the pride of our nation &amp; the security of our citizens during the Kargil War.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/890026259899531264">July 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India&rsquo;s military prowess &amp; the great sacrifices our armed forces make while steadfastly keeping India safe.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/890027035598307328">July 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He added that Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India`s military prowess.</p>

<p>The country is celebrating the eighteenth anniversary of `Kargil Vijay Diwas` today.</p>

<p>On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army successfully took back control of high-altitude posts in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>They had been fighting for 60 days.</p>

<p>More than 500 soldiers sacrificed their lives.</p>

<p>Four Param Vir Chakras, nine Maha Vir Chakras, and 53 Vir Chakras were awarded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kargil Vijay Diwas&nbsp;commemorates India`s victory against Pakistan and honours the heroes of that war.</p>

<p>Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the chiefs of the three services paid floral tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash">#Delhi</a>: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley pays tribute to soldiers who lost lives in Kargil War, at Amar Jawan Jyoti <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KargilVijayDiwas?src=hash">#KargilVijayDiwas</a> <a href="https://t.co/k3qXZUZrGL">pic.twitter.com/k3qXZUZrGL</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/890052972566126593">July 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>At the Drass War memorial, in Jammu and Kashmir, the celebrations began on Monday.</p>

<p>Last Sunday, the Kargil Parakram Rally was organised at India Gate to recall the valour of the soldiers who won back the Kargil heights.</p>

<p>(With inputs from ANI)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The country is celebrating the eighteenth anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the sacrifices made by the armed forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas. He took to Twitter, writing, "Remembering our brave soldiers who fought gallantly for the pride of our nation & the security of our citizens during the Kargil War." Remembering our brave soldiers who fought gallantly for the pride of our nation & the security of our citizens during the Kargil War. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2017 × Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India’s military prowess & the great sacrifices our armed forces make while steadfastly keeping India safe. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2017 × He added that Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India`s military prowess. The country is celebrating the eighteenth anniversary of `Kargil Vijay Diwas` today. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army successfully took back control of high-altitude posts in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. They had been fighting for 60 days. More than 500 soldiers sacrificed their lives. Four Param Vir Chakras, nine Maha Vir Chakras, and 53 Vir Chakras were awarded. Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates India`s victory against Pakistan and honours the heroes of that war. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the chiefs of the three services paid floral tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate. #Delhi: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley pays tribute to soldiers who lost lives in Kargil War, at Amar Jawan Jyoti #KargilVijayDiwas pic.twitter.com/k3qXZUZrGL — ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2017 × At the Drass War memorial, in Jammu and Kashmir, the celebrations began on Monday. Last Sunday, the Kargil Parakram Rally was organised at India Gate to recall the valour of the soldiers who won back the Kargil heights. (With inputs from ANI)

Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India's military prowess: PM Modi

<p>By Naziya Alvi Rahman</p>

<p>It&#39;s traumatic for any woman to learn that her husband is gay. And when the husband in question is from Pakistan and the wife from India, it&#39;s a story that goes beyond personal anguish to get enmeshed in the complicated tangle that the two countries are forever caught in.</p>

<p>Ask Salma, whose marriage lasted just a year and who has been fighting a lone battle for her 11-year-old daughter&#39;s nationality. The resident from Mumbra was married to Karachi-based Salman in 2005. She was from a lower-middle-class family who had managed to complete her masters in economics, and he a rich brat who claimed to be an engineer but was actually a school dropout.</p>

<p>&quot;There was no means to cross-check. And we believed them as they were related to us distantly,&quot; says 40-year-old Salma, regretting every day that her daughter was born in Pakistan. &quot;If only if she was not born there... I got her here when she was 2.5 months old and applied for her nationality within the first year of moving back. Eleven years later, she is still a Pakistani.&quot; With that comes worries about her school, college and other admissions.</p>

<p>Salma is not alone. Given the fractious, yet symbiotic, relationship between the two countries and the large number of divided families, there are many such Salmas across India. &quot;In Maharashtra alone, there are hundreds of pending cases,&quot; says an official on the condition of anonymity.</p>

<p>The Home department&#39;s foreign section is flooded with such cases &ndash; Indian women married to Pakistanis, divorced and back in India with &#39;Pakistani&#39; children. Officials who deal with these cases claim that one of every 10 cases that comes for citizenship is of children born of such marriages.</p>

<p>In some cases, like that of 29-year-old Saira, a resident of Sewri Cross Road, divorce resulted in the children being divided. She managed to bring three children back but her eldest, a boy, remained with the father.</p>

<p>&quot;She would come to us every second month to seek a visa to go to Pakistan to meet her eldest son. We understand a mother&#39;s plight but we can&#39;t move her file seeking a Pakistan visa so frequently. We have so many such cases,&quot; says a Home department official.</p>

<p>&quot;I have no means to raise these three kids. It&#39;s not easy for me to leave behind my son. I want to go back and seek alimony from my in-laws. I will fight for my children&#39;s rights,&quot; Saira says determinedly.</p>

<p>Officials believe there are several reasons behind the failure of these marriages. &quot;It&#39;s like any NRI marriage where you only know the truth after you get married,&quot; says an official.</p>

<p>Salma&#39;s is a classic such case. That he was gay was known in Pakistan but she realised it only much later. &quot;He left within two days of our wedding without establishing any physical relations with me&hellip; It was only a month later when I reached Pakistan that I learnt about his sexual preference.&quot;</p>

<p>She says she was tortured by her in-laws and came back to India after three months. Told the full story, her parents supported her decision to stay back but relatives persuaded them to give him one more chance. Her father-in-law himself came over to India with the boy.</p>

<p>&quot;It was during this encounter that I conceived my daughter. We believed that everything would be fine now and I went back to stay with him,&quot; says Salma.</p>

<p>When Salma gave birth to a girl child, the family lost interest in her and she was sent back to India. &quot;Since that day, they have never looked back at me or my daughter. For how many more years will I have to continue to run from pillar to post to get her an Indian nationality?&quot;</p>

<p>Salma, who supports a family of four with the Rs 25,000 she gets as an executive in a private firm, got married again but lost her second husband in a road accident.</p>

<p>Officials claim her case is now in the final stages. But the process can only be completed after she surrenders her daughter&#39;s Pakistani passport to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.</p>

<p>She doesn&#39;t have the money to travel to Delhi and stay in a hotel. &quot;The department officials did request them to consider my case as an exemption&hellip; but on December 16, 2016, my file came back with a rejection,&quot; Salma says.</p>

<p>And the wait continues.</p>

<p>(This report first appeared on DNA)</p>


Hundreds of such citizenship cases are pending in India's western state of Maharashtra

By Naziya Alvi Rahman It's traumatic for any woman to learn that her husband is gay. And when the husband in question is from Pakistan and the wife from India, it's a story that goes beyond personal anguish to get enmeshed in the complicated tangle that the two countries are forever caught in. Ask Salma, whose marriage lasted just a year and who has been fighting a lone battle for her 11-year-old daughter's nationality. The resident from Mumbra was married to Karachi-based Salman in 2005. She was from a lower-middle-class family who had managed to complete her masters in economics, and he a rich brat who claimed to be an engineer but was actually a school dropout. "There was no means to cross-check. And we believed them as they were related to us distantly," says 40-year-old Salma, regretting every day that her daughter was born in Pakistan. "If only if she was not born there... I got her here when she was 2.5 months old and applied for her nationality within the first year of moving back. Eleven years later, she is still a Pakistani." With that comes worries about her school, college and other admissions. Salma is not alone. Given the fractious, yet symbiotic, relationship between the two countries and the large number of divided families, there are many such Salmas across India. "In Maharashtra alone, there are hundreds of pending cases," says an official on the condition of anonymity. The Home department's foreign section is flooded with such cases – Indian women married to Pakistanis, divorced and back in India with 'Pakistani' children. Officials who deal with these cases claim that one of every 10 cases that comes for citizenship is of children born of such marriages. In some cases, like that of 29-year-old Saira, a resident of Sewri Cross Road, divorce resulted in the children being divided. She managed to bring three children back but her eldest, a boy, remained with the father. "She would come to us every second month to seek a visa to go to Pakistan to meet her eldest son. We understand a mother's plight but we can't move her file seeking a Pakistan visa so frequently. We have so many such cases," says a Home department official. "I have no means to raise these three kids. It's not easy for me to leave behind my son. I want to go back and seek alimony from my in-laws. I will fight for my children's rights," Saira says determinedly. Officials believe there are several reasons behind the failure of these marriages. "It's like any NRI marriage where you only know the truth after you get married," says an official. Salma's is a classic such case. That he was gay was known in Pakistan but she realised it only much later. "He left within two days of our wedding without establishing any physical relations with me… It was only a month later when I reached Pakistan that I learnt about his sexual preference." She says she was tortured by her in-laws and came back to India after three months. Told the full story, her parents supported her decision to stay back but relatives persuaded them to give him one more chance. Her father-in-law himself came over to India with the boy. "It was during this encounter that I conceived my daughter. We believed that everything would be fine now and I went back to stay with him," says Salma. When Salma gave birth to a girl child, the family lost interest in her and she was sent back to India. "Since that day, they have never looked back at me or my daughter. For how many more years will I have to continue to run from pillar to post to get her an Indian nationality?" Salma, who supports a family of four with the Rs 25,000 she gets as an executive in a private firm, got married again but lost her second husband in a road accident. Officials claim her case is now in the final stages. But the process can only be completed after she surrenders her daughter's Pakistani passport to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. She doesn't have the money to travel to Delhi and stay in a hotel. "The department officials did request them to consider my case as an exemption… but on December 16, 2016, my file came back with a rejection," Salma says. And the wait continues. (This report first appeared on DNA)

Citizens of nowhere: Children born to Indian mothers & Pakistani fathers caught in India-Pak tangle

<p>One week before Barack Obama leaves the White House, the debate about his foreign policy legacy is already in full swing. Analysts in Washington, D.C. say his strategy towards South Asia is a mix of successes and failures. The key pillar of his approach to the entire region has been developing the relationship between India and the US.</p>

<p>These deeper ties are reflected in the strong personal relationship between Obama and India&rsquo;s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.</p>

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<p>&ldquo;It is true that Obama and I have a special friendship, a special wavelength,&rdquo; Modi told The Wall Street Journal in May 2016. Asia analysts say the motivation behind these deeper ties is to position India as a counterbalance against the region&rsquo;s other key power.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I think there&rsquo;s a very strong desire on the part of the Obama administration to look to India as a key partner in Asia to help push back against the rising influence and activities of China,&rdquo; said Michael Kugelman, a Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.</p>

<p>China has been aggressively pushing its claims in the South China Sea, with the US countering by sending regular air and sea patrols through the disputed waters. In the wider region, Obama&rsquo;s outgoing administration is also facing allegations of a muddled approach to Afghanistan.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The biggest fault when it comes to the Obama administration in Afghanistan is not clearly articulating US objectives. A lot of people in this country don&rsquo;t really know why US troops are still in Afghanistan, fighting and dying there,&rdquo; said Mr Kugelman.</p>

<p>President-elect Donald Trump has previously declared that the US is &ldquo;getting out of the nation-building business.&rdquo; Although that mindset could signal a shift in the US presence in Afghanistan, the signs are that Trump&rsquo;s new administration will not seek to drastically change the relationship with India.</p>

<p>James Mattis, Donald Trump&rsquo;s pick for his new defence secretary, this week said strategic ties with India are &ldquo;of utmost importance&rdquo; to the US.</p>

<p>Fears of visa restrictions for highly-skilled Indians who want to work in the US have the potential to sour that relationship. But many believe the single biggest obstacle to even deeper ties between New Delhi and Washington is Pakistan.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment,&rdquo; said Mr Kugelman.</p>

<p>After a year of increasing tensions along the Line of Control, the Trump administration now faces a four-year tightrope walk to maintain its twin relationships with New Delhi and Islamabad.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The key pillar of his approach to the region was developing the relationship between India and the US

One week before Barack Obama leaves the White House, the debate about his foreign policy legacy is already in full swing. Analysts in Washington, D.C. say his strategy towards South Asia is a mix of successes and failures. The key pillar of his approach to the entire region has been developing the relationship between India and the US. These deeper ties are reflected in the strong personal relationship between Obama and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. It’s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment × “It is true that Obama and I have a special friendship, a special wavelength,” Modi told The Wall Street Journal in May 2016. Asia analysts say the motivation behind these deeper ties is to position India as a counterbalance against the region’s other key power. “I think there’s a very strong desire on the part of the Obama administration to look to India as a key partner in Asia to help push back against the rising influence and activities of China,” said Michael Kugelman, a Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. China has been aggressively pushing its claims in the South China Sea, with the US countering by sending regular air and sea patrols through the disputed waters. In the wider region, Obama’s outgoing administration is also facing allegations of a muddled approach to Afghanistan. “The biggest fault when it comes to the Obama administration in Afghanistan is not clearly articulating US objectives. A lot of people in this country don’t really know why US troops are still in Afghanistan, fighting and dying there,” said Mr Kugelman. President-elect Donald Trump has previously declared that the US is “getting out of the nation-building business.” Although that mindset could signal a shift in the US presence in Afghanistan, the signs are that Trump’s new administration will not seek to drastically change the relationship with India. James Mattis, Donald Trump’s pick for his new defence secretary, this week said strategic ties with India are “of utmost importance” to the US. Fears of visa restrictions for highly-skilled Indians who want to work in the US have the potential to sour that relationship. But many believe the single biggest obstacle to even deeper ties between New Delhi and Washington is Pakistan. “It’s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment,” said Mr Kugelman. After a year of increasing tensions along the Line of Control, the Trump administration now faces a four-year tightrope walk to maintain its twin relationships with New Delhi and Islamabad. (WION)

Obama's South Asia legacy? Some hits, some misses

<p>The US defense department has withheld military payments to Pakistan after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis determined that Pakistan&nbsp;was not doing enough to counter the Haqqani network, an official said Friday.</p>

<p>&quot;Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said.</p>

<p>&quot;This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over previous years,&quot; Stump said.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan still has time to take action against the Haqqani network in order to influence the secretary&#39;s certification decision in FY17,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>The Haqqani network based in Afghanistan is aligned to the Taliban, it was earlier linked to Osama bin Laden&#39;s al Qaida in the 80s.</p>

<p>The network led by Jalaluddin Haqqani moved to Pakistan&#39;s tribal area after the US attacked Afghanistan in 2001. The Obama administration had designated the Haqqani network as a &quot;foreign terrorist organisation&quot; five years ago.</p>

<p>The Taliban, however, denies any link to the&nbsp;Haqqani network.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The US has been frustrated by Pakistan&#39;s unwillingness to act against terror groups (WION)</p>
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Pentagon chief Jim Mattis determined that Pakistan was not doing enough to counter the Haqqani network

The US defense department has withheld military payments to Pakistan after Pentagon chief Jim Mattis determined that Pakistan was not doing enough to counter the Haqqani network, an official said Friday. "Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said. "This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over previous years," Stump said. "Pakistan still has time to take action against the Haqqani network in order to influence the secretary's certification decision in FY17," he added. The Haqqani network based in Afghanistan is aligned to the Taliban, it was earlier linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaida in the 80s. The network led by Jalaluddin Haqqani moved to Pakistan's tribal area after the US attacked Afghanistan in 2001. The Obama administration had designated the Haqqani network as a "foreign terrorist organisation" five years ago. The Taliban, however, denies any link to the Haqqani network. The US has been frustrated by Pakistan's unwillingness to act against terror groups (WION) ×

US defense department blocks military payments to Pakistan

<p>PM&nbsp;Nawaz Sharif&#39;s legal&nbsp;team has dismissed as &quot;illegal and biased&quot; the Panama Papers probe by Pakistan&#39;s Joint investigation team&nbsp;(JIT).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Joint Investigation Team in its final report recommended the filing of graft case against him and his children as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the Panama Papers graft case.</p>

<p>The JIT was formed after the Supreme Court&rsquo;s judgment on April 20 &nbsp;to probe Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family&#39;s offshore business dealings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The panel submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10, pointing out discrepancies in the wealth details of Sharif and members of his family.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report found them &ldquo;guilty&rdquo; of being beneficial owners of multiple offshore companies, and recommended initiation of reference against Sharif and his family members in the National Accountability Bureau.</p>

<p>Following the report, the special bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, issued notices to the parties to submit their responses.</p>

<p>The opposition parties have been demanding the prime minister&rsquo;s resignation since the JIT report became public.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khawja Harris on behalf of PM Sharif filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate, reports PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of no legal value,&quot; he said.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khawja Harris&nbsp;also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country.&nbsp;He asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT&#39;s request.</p>

<p>Harris also urged the court to reject the JIT report.&nbsp;Finance minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar&#39;s office.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Imran Khan&#39;s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s brother and current Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif over allegations of conflict of interest.&nbsp;The plea alleges that Shahbaz &quot;violated his oath&quot; that he took when he assumed the office of Punjab chief minister as he remained involved in his private business despite holding a public office.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The petition would be heard by the Lahore High Court on Tuesday.</p>

<p><strong>Pak Army distances itself</strong></p>

<p>The Pakistan Army has said that it has no direct link with the Panama case Joint Investigation Team against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members,&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports had claimed that the army is part of a controversy to remove the civilian government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Geo News quoted major general Asif Ghafoor, director general, of Pakistan Army&rsquo;s media wing as saying, &quot;I don&#39;t think this even merits a response. I have shown you what the army is doing&quot;.</p>

<p>Gafoor faced a flurry&nbsp;of questions on the Panamagate controversy during a press conference, ANI reported.</p>

<p>He said the members of the JIT worked with honesty and dedication and added that &quot;it is a sub-judice matter and the Supreme Court will make its decision in the case&quot;.</p>

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The proceedings in the case are expected to begin from 9.30 am

PM Nawaz Sharif's legal team has dismissed as "illegal and biased" the Panama Papers probe by Pakistan's Joint investigation team (JIT). The Joint Investigation Team in its final report recommended the filing of graft case against him and his children as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the Panama Papers graft case. The JIT was formed after the Supreme Court’s judgment on April 20 to probe Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family's offshore business dealings. The panel submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10, pointing out discrepancies in the wealth details of Sharif and members of his family. The report found them “guilty” of being beneficial owners of multiple offshore companies, and recommended initiation of reference against Sharif and his family members in the National Accountability Bureau. Following the report, the special bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, issued notices to the parties to submit their responses. The opposition parties have been demanding the prime minister’s resignation since the JIT report became public. Khawja Harris on behalf of PM Sharif filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate, reports PTI. "The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of no legal value," he said. Khawja Harris also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country. He asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT's request. Harris also urged the court to reject the JIT report. Finance minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar's office. Meanwhile, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s brother and current Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif over allegations of conflict of interest. The plea alleges that Shahbaz "violated his oath" that he took when he assumed the office of Punjab chief minister as he remained involved in his private business despite holding a public office. The petition would be heard by the Lahore High Court on Tuesday. Pak Army distances itself The Pakistan Army has said that it has no direct link with the Panama case Joint Investigation Team against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members, Reports had claimed that the army is part of a controversy to remove the civilian government. Geo News quoted major general Asif Ghafoor, director general, of Pakistan Army’s media wing as saying, "I don't think this even merits a response. I have shown you what the army is doing". Gafoor faced a flurry of questions on the Panamagate controversy during a press conference, ANI reported. He said the members of the JIT worked with honesty and dedication and added that "it is a sub-judice matter and the Supreme Court will make its decision in the case". Nawaz Sharif is the first sitting premier to appear before a team probing graft charges (WION) ×

Panama Papers case: PM Nawaz Sharif's legal team dismisses JIT report

<p>In a move that imposes strict conditions on reimbursements by US for defence spending by Pakistan, the US House of Representatives voted for three amendments to its National Defence Authorisation Act, 2018, that make it conditional to Islamabad&#39;s satisfactory progress in the fight against terrorism. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The conditions are related to Pakistan&#39;s support to terrorists and terror outfits, about which several top US officials and lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about in the past.</p>

<p>The National Defence Authorisation Act, 2018, authorises defence spending for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2017 and was adopted by the House 344-81.</p>

<p>The bill, as passed by the House, requires the Secretary of Defence to certify, prior to making any reimbursement to Pakistan, that Islamabad is maintaining security along the Ground Lines of Communication through Pakistan, taking demonstrable steps to support counterterrorism operations, disrupting cross border attacks, and countering the threat of improvised explosive devices.</p>

<p>It also specifies that of the total amount of reimbursement and support authorised for Pakistan during the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2018-- USD 400 million-- would not be eligible for a national security waiver unless the Secretary of Defence certifies that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations against the Haqqani Network in North Waziristan.</p>

<p>The Defence Secretary also needs to certify that Pakistan is demonstrating commitment to preventing the Haqqani network from using North Waziristan as a safe haven, and is actively coordinating with the Government of Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, including the Haqqani Network, along the Pak-Afghan border.</p>

<p>Two of these amendments were moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and one by Ted Poe.</p>

<p>&quot;Today, Congress took a step forward to end Pakistan&#39;s betrayal of the US with the addition of an additional certification requirement,&quot; said Poe, a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation &amp; Trade.</p>

<p>One of Poe&#39;s amendment, as passed by the House proposes to withhold reimbursement funding for Pakistan unless the Secretary of Defence can certify that Pakistan is not providing military, financial, or logistical support to any individuals designated by the US as a terrorist operating in Pakistan or Afghanistan.</p>

<p>NDAA, as passed by the House, now requires that the Pentagon assess Pakistan&#39;s support for known terrorists before handing over US dollars to Islamabad, Poe said.</p>

<p>&quot;Making excess military equipment available to federal, state, and law enforcement agencies along our southern border will provide much-needed support and reinforcements to the men and women who are our first line of defence,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;It is well known that Pakistan is a Benedict Arnold ally who supports multiple terrorist organisations, including groups that target Americans working to stabilise Afghanistan.</p>

<p>&quot;But current limitations on military reimbursement funding to Pakistan only apply to one terrorist group: the Haqqani Network,&quot; Poe said in a statement.</p>

<p>The legislative amendment moved by Rohrabacher adds a stipulation requiring that, prior to the disbursement of certain funds, the Secretary of Defence certify to Congress that Pakistan is not using its military or any funds or equipment provided by the US to persecute minority groups seeking political or religious freedom.</p>

<p>Another Rohrabacher amendment expresses a sense of Congress that Shakil Afridi is an international hero and that the Government of Pakistan should release him immediately from prison.</p>

<p>&quot;Dr Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani physician, is a hero to whom the people of the United States, Pakistan and the world owe a debt of gratitude for his help in finally locating Osama bin Laden before 10 more innocent American, Pakistani and other lives were lost to this terrorist leader,&quot; the amendment said.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s imprisonment of Afridi presents a serious and growing impediment to the United States&#39; bilateral relations with Pakistan, said the amendment as passed by the House of Representatives.</p>


The conditions are related to Pakistan's support to terrorists and terror outfits, about which several top US officials and lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about

In a move that imposes strict conditions on reimbursements by US for defence spending by Pakistan, the US House of Representatives voted for three amendments to its National Defence Authorisation Act, 2018, that make it conditional to Islamabad's satisfactory progress in the fight against terrorism. The conditions are related to Pakistan's support to terrorists and terror outfits, about which several top US officials and lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about in the past. The National Defence Authorisation Act, 2018, authorises defence spending for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2017 and was adopted by the House 344-81. The bill, as passed by the House, requires the Secretary of Defence to certify, prior to making any reimbursement to Pakistan, that Islamabad is maintaining security along the Ground Lines of Communication through Pakistan, taking demonstrable steps to support counterterrorism operations, disrupting cross border attacks, and countering the threat of improvised explosive devices. It also specifies that of the total amount of reimbursement and support authorised for Pakistan during the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2018-- USD 400 million-- would not be eligible for a national security waiver unless the Secretary of Defence certifies that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations against the Haqqani Network in North Waziristan. The Defence Secretary also needs to certify that Pakistan is demonstrating commitment to preventing the Haqqani network from using North Waziristan as a safe haven, and is actively coordinating with the Government of Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, including the Haqqani Network, along the Pak-Afghan border. Two of these amendments were moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and one by Ted Poe. "Today, Congress took a step forward to end Pakistan's betrayal of the US with the addition of an additional certification requirement," said Poe, a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation & Trade. One of Poe's amendment, as passed by the House proposes to withhold reimbursement funding for Pakistan unless the Secretary of Defence can certify that Pakistan is not providing military, financial, or logistical support to any individuals designated by the US as a terrorist operating in Pakistan or Afghanistan. NDAA, as passed by the House, now requires that the Pentagon assess Pakistan's support for known terrorists before handing over US dollars to Islamabad, Poe said. "Making excess military equipment available to federal, state, and law enforcement agencies along our southern border will provide much-needed support and reinforcements to the men and women who are our first line of defence," he said. "It is well known that Pakistan is a Benedict Arnold ally who supports multiple terrorist organisations, including groups that target Americans working to stabilise Afghanistan. "But current limitations on military reimbursement funding to Pakistan only apply to one terrorist group: the Haqqani Network," Poe said in a statement. The legislative amendment moved by Rohrabacher adds a stipulation requiring that, prior to the disbursement of certain funds, the Secretary of Defence certify to Congress that Pakistan is not using its military or any funds or equipment provided by the US to persecute minority groups seeking political or religious freedom. Another Rohrabacher amendment expresses a sense of Congress that Shakil Afridi is an international hero and that the Government of Pakistan should release him immediately from prison. "Dr Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani physician, is a hero to whom the people of the United States, Pakistan and the world owe a debt of gratitude for his help in finally locating Osama bin Laden before 10 more innocent American, Pakistani and other lives were lost to this terrorist leader," the amendment said. Pakistan's imprisonment of Afridi presents a serious and growing impediment to the United States' bilateral relations with Pakistan, said the amendment as passed by the House of Representatives.

US imposes strict conditions on defence funding to Pakistan

<p>In a big achievement for security forces, three terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation&nbsp;Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in an encounter in Kashmir&#39;s Tral.</p>

<p>The bodies of all three terrorists have been recovered along with weapons, a police official said, according to a PTI report.</p>

<p>&nbsp;The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area after receiving information about the presence of terrorists there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The killing of the militants is a major setback for the outfit which is trying to revive its activities in the valley,&quot; the official said.</p>

<p>The security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the stone pelters who tried to disrupt the operation to help the terrorists flee the spot.</p>

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The encounter started after security forces launched a search and cordon operation after receiving information about presence of terrorists in the area

In a big achievement for security forces, three terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in an encounter in Kashmir's Tral. The bodies of all three terrorists have been recovered along with weapons, a police official said, according to a PTI report. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area after receiving information about the presence of terrorists there. "The killing of the militants is a major setback for the outfit which is trying to revive its activities in the valley," the official said. The security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the stone pelters who tried to disrupt the operation to help the terrorists flee the spot.

Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists killed in Tral encounter

<p>Pakistan is considering the request of Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s mother Avantika Jadhav for the grant of visa, its foreign office said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Considering giving Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s mother a visa on India&#39;s request says Pakistan Foreign Office: Pak media</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/885441572031963137">July 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>India&#39;s ministry of external affairs, however, said that there has been no change in position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and a visa to his mother.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There has been no change in position on providing consular access &amp; visa for his mother; no progress on that front: MEA on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KulbhushanJadhav?src=hash">#KulbhushanJadhav</a> <a href="https://t.co/0e4M244Yyq">pic.twitter.com/0e4M244Yyq</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/885449825679851520">July 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death on charges of spying by a Pakistani military court in April.</p>

<p>India had strongly reacted to the news and served a demarche on Abdul Basit, Pakistan&#39;s high commissioner to India. India also raised the issue of denial of consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and said that if the authorities in Pakistan carry out the execution, it will be against international norms.</p>

<p>India&#39;s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had written a &quot;personal letter&quot; to Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan&#39;s foreign affairs chief, requesting a grant of visa to Avantika Jadhav, reported Times of India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, she lashed out at his Pakistani counterpart for not even showing the courtesy to reply to her letter, the report added.</p>

<p>The International Court of Justice at The Hague had stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav in May till the time the hearing in the case gets over.</p>


India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, in a 'personal letter', had requested her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz to grant AVantika Jadhav visa, reported Times of India

Pakistan is considering the request of Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother Avantika Jadhav for the grant of visa, its foreign office said. Considering giving Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother a visa on India's request says Pakistan Foreign Office: Pak media — ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 × India's ministry of external affairs, however, said that there has been no change in position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and a visa to his mother. There has been no change in position on providing consular access & visa for his mother; no progress on that front: MEA on #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/0e4M244Yyq — ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 × Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death on charges of spying by a Pakistani military court in April. India had strongly reacted to the news and served a demarche on Abdul Basit, Pakistan's high commissioner to India. India also raised the issue of denial of consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and said that if the authorities in Pakistan carry out the execution, it will be against international norms. India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had written a "personal letter" to Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's foreign affairs chief, requesting a grant of visa to Avantika Jadhav, reported Times of India. On Monday, she lashed out at his Pakistani counterpart for not even showing the courtesy to reply to her letter, the report added. The International Court of Justice at The Hague had stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav in May till the time the hearing in the case gets over.

Pakistan considering India's request to grant visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother

<p>China said today that it was willing to play a &quot;constructive role&quot; in improving relations between India and Pakistan, PTI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, PTI reported, said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the &quot;situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Geng added, PTI reported, that &quot;the conflict occurred near the Line of Control of Kashmir. This will not only harm the peace and stability of the two countries but also the peace and tranquillity of the region. We hope the relevant sides can do more things that are conducive for peace and stability in the region and avoiding escalating the tensions and China is willing to play constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Geng was talking to reporters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incidents Geng was referring to were most probably the Hizbul militants killed today in Kashmir in an encounter with security forces, and the two Indian Army soldiers killed in cross-border firing with Pakistan near the LoC in Kupwara&#39;s Keran sector.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And on Monday evening, terrorists had attacked a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Anantnag.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Seven pilgrims, six of them women, had died in the attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the reason for Geng&#39;s words is the current India-China standoff in Doklam in Bhutan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>China claims Doklam and had begun building a road there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Bhutanese Army had tried to stop them but were unable to.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They then asked Indian troops for help, who intervened.&nbsp;</p>

<p>China has been threatening to use the same logic to intervene in the India-Pakistan imbroglio.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A recent article in the state-run Global Times (known for its hawkish views) said a &quot;third country&#39;s&quot; army could enter Kashmir at Pakistan&#39;s request using the &quot;logic&quot; India did in Doklam.&nbsp;</p>


The 'situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community,' Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said

China said today that it was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving relations between India and Pakistan, PTI reported. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, PTI reported, said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the "situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community." Geng added, PTI reported, that "the conflict occurred near the Line of Control of Kashmir. This will not only harm the peace and stability of the two countries but also the peace and tranquillity of the region. We hope the relevant sides can do more things that are conducive for peace and stability in the region and avoiding escalating the tensions and China is willing to play constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan." Geng was talking to reporters. The incidents Geng was referring to were most probably the Hizbul militants killed today in Kashmir in an encounter with security forces, and the two Indian Army soldiers killed in cross-border firing with Pakistan near the LoC in Kupwara's Keran sector. And on Monday evening, terrorists had attacked a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Anantnag. Seven pilgrims, six of them women, had died in the attack. But the reason for Geng's words is the current India-China standoff in Doklam in Bhutan. China claims Doklam and had begun building a road there. The Bhutanese Army had tried to stop them but were unable to. They then asked Indian troops for help, who intervened. China has been threatening to use the same logic to intervene in the India-Pakistan imbroglio. A recent article in the state-run Global Times (known for its hawkish views) said a "third country's" army could enter Kashmir at Pakistan's request using the "logic" India did in Doklam.

China: Willing to play 'constructive role' in improving India-Pak relations

<p>Amid calls for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday got into a huddle with his top aides to chalk out a strategy to deal with the Panama case probe panel&#39;s damning report that recommended the filing of a graft case against him and his family.</p>

<p>The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family&#39;s business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on Monday recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999.</p>

<p>It found Sharif and his children to be &quot;living beyond the known means of income&quot;.</p>

<p>The report, however, was slammed by the Sharif government as &quot;trash&quot; with Sharif&#39;s close aide and minister for development Ahsan Iqbal in a press conference with other ministers, saying they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court and will &quot;completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsifications&quot;.</p>

<p>Sharif on Tuesday consulted senior party leaders and loyalists to formulate a policy to deal with the legal and political consequences of the high-level inquiry report against him.</p>

<p>Sharif also called his younger brother and Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif from Lahore to be a part of a meeting attended by defence minister Khawaja Asif, railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, interior&nbsp;minister Nisar Ali Khan, minister of planning and development Ahsan Iqbal, minister of petroleum Khaqan Abbasi and other members of his legal team.</p>

<p>According to sources, Tuesday&#39;s meeting was more focused on how to defend the prime minister and his family in the Supreme Court which will hear the case on July 17 and has already asked the parties to respond in the light of the JIT report.</p>

<p>&quot;The meeting has also expressed complete confidence in the leadership of the prime minister,&quot; sources said.</p>

<p>Sharif faces formidable legal and political challenges after the report. His fate is dependent on the verdict of the Supreme Court which will hear the arguments and decide on a future course of action.</p>

<p>It is likely that it may ask the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to launch the corruption case against Sharif and his children. But it may also reject the report after hearing the objections by the Sharif legal team.</p>

<p>But even before any action is taken, opposition parties have joined hands and are asking for his removal.</p>

<p>&quot;Sharif has no reason to stay in power. He should resign immediately,&quot; Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.</p>

<p>Pakistan Peoples Party leader Syed Khurshid Shah said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should start working on in-house change by replacing Sharif.</p>

<p>Sharif&#39;s nemesis Imran Khan told the media on Monday that Sharif should resign.</p>

<p>&quot;There is no need of further trial or proceedings. He should go away and should be barred from leaving the country along with other family members,&quot; Khan had said.</p>

<p>Replying to the opposition, finance minister Ishaq Dar rejected the call for Sharif&#39;s resignation and said: &quot;why he should resign. There is no allegation against him. The JIT report is faulty and we will defend the case before the Supreme Court&quot;.</p>

<p>Railway minister Saad Rafique alleged that the conspiracy to remove Sharif was hatched outside and is being implemented through Imran.</p>

<p>Both the ministers were of the view that the JIT report was not final and it cannot force Sharif to resign.</p>

<p>Only the Supreme Court has the authority to take the final decision about the future of the prime minister, they said.&nbsp;</p>


Sharif faces formidable legal and political challenges after the JIT report. His fate is dependent on the verdict of the Supreme Court which will hear the arguments and decide on a future course of action

Amid calls for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday got into a huddle with his top aides to chalk out a strategy to deal with the Panama case probe panel's damning report that recommended the filing of a graft case against him and his family. The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on Monday recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999. It found Sharif and his children to be "living beyond the known means of income". The report, however, was slammed by the Sharif government as "trash" with Sharif's close aide and minister for development Ahsan Iqbal in a press conference with other ministers, saying they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court and will "completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsifications". Sharif on Tuesday consulted senior party leaders and loyalists to formulate a policy to deal with the legal and political consequences of the high-level inquiry report against him. Sharif also called his younger brother and Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif from Lahore to be a part of a meeting attended by defence minister Khawaja Asif, railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, interior minister Nisar Ali Khan, minister of planning and development Ahsan Iqbal, minister of petroleum Khaqan Abbasi and other members of his legal team. According to sources, Tuesday's meeting was more focused on how to defend the prime minister and his family in the Supreme Court which will hear the case on July 17 and has already asked the parties to respond in the light of the JIT report. "The meeting has also expressed complete confidence in the leadership of the prime minister," sources said. Sharif faces formidable legal and political challenges after the report. His fate is dependent on the verdict of the Supreme Court which will hear the arguments and decide on a future course of action. It is likely that it may ask the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to launch the corruption case against Sharif and his children. But it may also reject the report after hearing the objections by the Sharif legal team. But even before any action is taken, opposition parties have joined hands and are asking for his removal. "Sharif has no reason to stay in power. He should resign immediately," Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said. Pakistan Peoples Party leader Syed Khurshid Shah said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should start working on in-house change by replacing Sharif. Sharif's nemesis Imran Khan told the media on Monday that Sharif should resign. "There is no need of further trial or proceedings. He should go away and should be barred from leaving the country along with other family members," Khan had said. Replying to the opposition, finance minister Ishaq Dar rejected the call for Sharif's resignation and said: "why he should resign. There is no allegation against him. The JIT report is faulty and we will defend the case before the Supreme Court". Railway minister Saad Rafique alleged that the conspiracy to remove Sharif was hatched outside and is being implemented through Imran. Both the ministers were of the view that the JIT report was not final and it cannot force Sharif to resign. Only the Supreme Court has the authority to take the final decision about the future of the prime minister, they said.

Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif meets top aides after JIT fallout

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