A journalist from Pakistan tweeted on Thursday that F-16 fighter jets were seen flying over Islamabad during the night.

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F-16 planes flying at 10:20 pm over Islamabad
&mdash; Hamid Mir (@HamidMirGEO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HamidMirGEO/status/779008199009632256">September 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 
 
 
Hamid Mir, the scribe,&nbsp;spoke to an Indian TV channel saying that he had spoken to defence experts who said &nbsp;they were conducting war exercises. He said F-16 jets were seen landing on Islamabad&#39;s motorway.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday had suspended multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) imposed restrictions in northern areas. 
 
The air restrictions were imposed after attacks on Indian Army base in Uri sector of Kashmir on Sunday that killed at least 18 soldiers, Indian news agency PTI said.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)&nbsp;

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Hamid Mir spoke to an Indian Tv channel saying there were pictures on Twitter that showed the fighter jets landing on Islamabad's motorway

A journalist from Pakistan tweeted on Thursday that F-16 fighter jets were seen flying over Islamabad during the night. F-16 planes flying at 10:20 pm over Islamabad — Hamid Mir (@HamidMirGEO) September 22, 2016 Hamid Mir, the scribe, spoke to an Indian TV channel saying that he had spoken to defence experts who said they were conducting war exercises. He said F-16 jets were seen landing on Islamabad's motorway. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday had suspended multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) imposed restrictions in northern areas. The air restrictions were imposed after attacks on Indian Army base in Uri sector of Kashmir on Sunday that killed at least 18 soldiers, Indian news agency PTI said. (WION)

Pakistan: Journalist claims F-16 planes seen flying over Islamabad

By&nbsp;Manan Kumar 
 
Big intervention by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at repeating the feat of country&#39;s first premier, Jawaharlal Nehru, seems to be yielding result as India has received the request for political asylum from exiled Baloch leader Brahumdagh Bugti. 
 
Highly placed sources suggested that if relations with Pakistan continue to deteriorate, the Modi government, besides providing political asylum to Brahumdagh, heir apparent to firebrand pro-India Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, may also allow Baloch expats to establish their government in exile in India. 
 
This has been done only once by India, with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who, in a big diplomatic blow to China, was welcomed by Nehru with open arms in 1959 and was allowed to set up the Tibetan government in exile with its headquarters in Dharamsala area of northern Himachal Pradesh state. 
 
If Pakistan does not stop using terrorism as a state policy to harm India, the government can take a policy decision to give persecuted Baloch leaders and people the political space to seek freedom from Pakistan&rsquo;s occupation, said sources. 
 
In August, Modi had suggested a major shift in policy towards Pakistan by invoking the Baloch issue first at the all-party meet to discuss the Kashmir unrest and later followed it up in his Independence Day address. 
 
&ldquo;Pakistan forgets that it rains bombs on its citizens. Now, the time has come for Pakistan to explain to the world about the atrocities it is unleashing on the people of Balochistan&hellip;,&rdquo; Modi had said. 
 
Like the Tibetan government in exile, Brahumdagh can be provided a place to run his government in exile from the Bilochpura village of Baghpat in northern Uttar Pradesh, where many ethnic Balochis have been living since Babur&rsquo;s period, sources said. 
 
Recently, Mazdak Dilshad Baloch, a prominent voice among the expatriate Baloch community fighting for the liberation of Balochistan, was allowed by the government to meet the Baloch families from Bilochpura and five nearby villages that have Baloch population. 
 
However, sources said that the call to give political asylum will be taken at the highest level by Modi after weighing all pros and cons as it is a big policy decision that can open a new area of conflict with Pakistan. 
 
After his grandfather Nawab Bugti was killed in a Pakistani air strike in 2006, Brahumdagh founded the Baloch Republican Party, a Baloch nationalist group, which broke away from his uncle Talal Akbar Bugti&#39;s Jamhoori Watan Party in 2008. 
 
Pakistan government accuses Brahumdagh Bugti of leading the Baloch Republican Army, a separatist group designated as a terrorist organisation in Pakistan. Since the death of his grandfather, who was also his mentor, Brahumdagh, fearing for his life, has lived in exile &ndash; first in Afghanistan and later in Switzerland. 
 
Brahumdagh&#39;s asylum request, received at the Indian consulate in Geneva, has been forwarded to the Union home ministry. The ministry is looking at old records for asylum procedures as there is not stated policy on asylum. 
 
(This report first appeared in DNA)&nbsp;

Exiled Balochi leader Brahumdagh Bugti appealed for political asylum in India after Indian Prime Minister invoked Balochi issue last month

By Manan Kumar Big intervention by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at repeating the feat of country's first premier, Jawaharlal Nehru, seems to be yielding result as India has received the request for political asylum from exiled Baloch leader Brahumdagh Bugti. Highly placed sources suggested that if relations with Pakistan continue to deteriorate, the Modi government, besides providing political asylum to Brahumdagh, heir apparent to firebrand pro-India Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, may also allow Baloch expats to establish their government in exile in India. This has been done only once by India, with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who, in a big diplomatic blow to China, was welcomed by Nehru with open arms in 1959 and was allowed to set up the Tibetan government in exile with its headquarters in Dharamsala area of northern Himachal Pradesh state. If Pakistan does not stop using terrorism as a state policy to harm India, the government can take a policy decision to give persecuted Baloch leaders and people the political space to seek freedom from Pakistan’s occupation, said sources. In August, Modi had suggested a major shift in policy towards Pakistan by invoking the Baloch issue first at the all-party meet to discuss the Kashmir unrest and later followed it up in his Independence Day address. “Pakistan forgets that it rains bombs on its citizens. Now, the time has come for Pakistan to explain to the world about the atrocities it is unleashing on the people of Balochistan…,” Modi had said. Like the Tibetan government in exile, Brahumdagh can be provided a place to run his government in exile from the Bilochpura village of Baghpat in northern Uttar Pradesh, where many ethnic Balochis have been living since Babur’s period, sources said. Recently, Mazdak Dilshad Baloch, a prominent voice among the expatriate Baloch community fighting for the liberation of Balochistan, was allowed by the government to meet the Baloch families from Bilochpura and five nearby villages that have Baloch population. However, sources said that the call to give political asylum will be taken at the highest level by Modi after weighing all pros and cons as it is a big policy decision that can open a new area of conflict with Pakistan. After his grandfather Nawab Bugti was killed in a Pakistani air strike in 2006, Brahumdagh founded the Baloch Republican Party, a Baloch nationalist group, which broke away from his uncle Talal Akbar Bugti's Jamhoori Watan Party in 2008. Pakistan government accuses Brahumdagh Bugti of leading the Baloch Republican Army, a separatist group designated as a terrorist organisation in Pakistan. Since the death of his grandfather, who was also his mentor, Brahumdagh, fearing for his life, has lived in exile – first in Afghanistan and later in Switzerland. Brahumdagh's asylum request, received at the Indian consulate in Geneva, has been forwarded to the Union home ministry. The ministry is looking at old records for asylum procedures as there is not stated policy on asylum. (This report first appeared in DNA)

India might consider government-in-exile status for Balochis

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority&rsquo;s (CAA) announced closing of airspace over the country&rsquo;s northern areas on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. 
 
&quot;As per directives of &nbsp;CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), the air space over Northern areas will remain closed on Wednesday.&nbsp;Inconvenience regretted,&quot; PIA spokesperson Danyal Gilani said on Twitter. 
 
Flights to northern areas including Gilgit and Skardu in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled.&nbsp; 
 
The move to impose airspace restrictions comes amid escalating tensions with India, Indian news agency PTI said. However, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, pointed out that no reason was given for closure of airspace.&nbsp; 
 
India and Pakistan are at loggerheads with each-other following terror attack on Indian Army base in the Uri sector of Kashmir Valley where 18 soldiers were killed. Four militants involved in the terror strike were also shot dead during one of the worst such raids in over two decades in Kashmir. 
 
A showdown at United Nations General Assembly has also laid bare the tensions between the two nations with both the countries hurling allegations at each other over continuing unrest and human rights violations in Kashmir in India and Balochistan in Pakistan.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Flights to northern areas, including Gilgit and Skardu, in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) announced closing of airspace over the country’s northern areas on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. "As per directives of CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), the air space over Northern areas will remain closed on Wednesday. Inconvenience regretted," PIA spokesperson Danyal Gilani said on Twitter. Flights to northern areas including Gilgit and Skardu in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled. The move to impose airspace restrictions comes amid escalating tensions with India, Indian news agency PTI said. However, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, pointed out that no reason was given for closure of airspace. India and Pakistan are at loggerheads with each-other following terror attack on Indian Army base in the Uri sector of Kashmir Valley where 18 soldiers were killed. Four militants involved in the terror strike were also shot dead during one of the worst such raids in over two decades in Kashmir. A showdown at United Nations General Assembly has also laid bare the tensions between the two nations with both the countries hurling allegations at each other over continuing unrest and human rights violations in Kashmir in India and Balochistan in Pakistan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan imposes airspace curbs as tension escalates with India?

UN secretary general&nbsp;Ban Ki-moon ha rejected Pakistan&#39;s repeated pleas to resolve the Kashmir dispute, Indian news agency PTI reported today.&nbsp; 
 
The UN chief has told Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Pakistan and India should address their outstanding issues, including the&nbsp;Kashmir dispute, through &quot;dialogue&quot;. His&nbsp;remarks came as Sharif handed over to him a dossier with evidence of alleged human rights violations by Indian security&nbsp;forces in Kashmir Valley.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Secretary-General stressed on the need for Pakistan and India to address their outstanding issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue, saying it is in the interest of both countries and the region as a whole,&quot; according to a readout of Ban&#39;s meeting with Sharif provided by his spokesperson, reported PTI. 
 
According to PTI, a statement by the Pakistan mission to the UN said that Sharif also showed Ban&nbsp;&quot;pictures of innocent and defenceless&nbsp;people in Kashmir victimised through brutal use of force and atrocities&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The Prime Minister also reiterated the imperative of an independent inquiry into the extra-judicial killings and a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the situation in occupied Kashmir. He emphasised that India must be urged to abide by UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir,&quot; the statement said. 
 
In an attempt&nbsp;to gain international traction over the Kashmir issue,&nbsp;Sharif&nbsp;had sent out letters to the UN and Ban and&nbsp;had also raised the issue in all of his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA. 
 
But in his final speech to the UNGA as UN chief, Ban made no reference to the situation the Kashmir valley and mentioned a list of global issues on the UN agenda, including the situation in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, the tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the Syrian crisis.&nbsp;

 
(WION with inputs from PTI) 
 
&nbsp;

The UN chief has said that India and Pakistan should resolve the decades-old Kashmir dispute through 'dialogue'

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon ha rejected Pakistan's repeated pleas to resolve the Kashmir dispute, Indian news agency PTI reported today. The UN chief has told Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Pakistan and India should address their outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute, through "dialogue". His remarks came as Sharif handed over to him a dossier with evidence of alleged human rights violations by Indian security forces in Kashmir Valley. "The Secretary-General stressed on the need for Pakistan and India to address their outstanding issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue, saying it is in the interest of both countries and the region as a whole," according to a readout of Ban's meeting with Sharif provided by his spokesperson, reported PTI. According to PTI, a statement by the Pakistan mission to the UN said that Sharif also showed Ban "pictures of innocent and defenceless people in Kashmir victimised through brutal use of force and atrocities". "The Prime Minister also reiterated the imperative of an independent inquiry into the extra-judicial killings and a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the situation in occupied Kashmir. He emphasised that India must be urged to abide by UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir," the statement said. In an attempt to gain international traction over the Kashmir issue, Sharif had sent out letters to the UN and Ban and had also raised the issue in all of his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA. But in his final speech to the UNGA as UN chief, Ban made no reference to the situation the Kashmir valley and mentioned a list of global issues on the UN agenda, including the situation in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, the tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the Syrian crisis. (WION with inputs from PTI)

UN  rejects Pakistan's pleas to resolve Kashmir dispute

Pakistan&#39;s Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali slammed Pakistani political parties for supporting terrorists on Monday.&nbsp; 
 
The Chief Justice while addressing a public meeting hit out at Pakistani political parties supporting terrorism for their own vested interests.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It is disappointing to see some political parties supporting terrorists for their own interest,&rdquo; he said, Geo News, a private Pakistani news channel reported.&nbsp; 
 
His comments come a day after four militants inflitrated an Indian army headquarters in Uri in India&#39;s northern Kashmir state near the Line of Control. In the encounter 18 Indian army soliders died and the four militants were killed. &nbsp; 
 
Jamali was quoted by Geo News saying &quot;terrorism&quot; is thriving in Pakistan because of &quot;external powers and internal patronisation.&quot; 
 
(WION) 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Chief Justice hit out at Pakistani political parties supporting terrorism for their own vested interests

Pakistan's Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali slammed Pakistani political parties for supporting terrorists on Monday. The Chief Justice while addressing a public meeting hit out at Pakistani political parties supporting terrorism for their own vested interests. “It is disappointing to see some political parties supporting terrorists for their own interest,” he said, Geo News, a private Pakistani news channel reported. His comments come a day after four militants inflitrated an Indian army headquarters in Uri in India's northern Kashmir state near the Line of Control. In the encounter 18 Indian army soliders died and the four militants were killed. Jamali was quoted by Geo News saying "terrorism" is thriving in Pakistan because of "external powers and internal patronisation." (WION)

Pakistan Chief Justice accuses political parties for supporting terrorism

The US House of Representatives has introduced the &#39;Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act&#39;, a bill which labels Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism, the Press Trust of India reported.&nbsp; 
 
The bill was introduced by Republicans Ted Poe and Dana Rohrabacher. 
 
Poe, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism said, &quot;It is time we stopped paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a state sponsor of terrorism. 
 
&quot;Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the US for years,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;From harbouring Osama bin Laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the War on Terror. And it&#39;s not America&#39;s,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
PTI reported Poe as saying US President Barack Obama will have to issue a report stating whether Pakistan has backed international terrorism or not within 90 days. &nbsp; 
 
&quot;Thirty days after that, the secretary of state must issue a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism or a detailed justification as to why Pakistan does not meet the legal criteria for designation,&quot; Poe said. 
 
Congressman Pete Olson condemned the Uri attack and said, &quot;I strongly condemn this terrorist attack on an Indian army base in Kashmir that resulted in the death of 18 Indian soldiers. India is a strong partner and ally in peace.&quot; 
 
&quot;I support every effort to find out who committed this heinous act, so that the perpetrators are brought to justice. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The bill was introduced by Republicans Ted Poe and Dana Rohrabacher

The US House of Representatives has introduced the 'Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act', a bill which labels Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism, the Press Trust of India reported. The bill was introduced by Republicans Ted Poe and Dana Rohrabacher. Poe, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism said, "It is time we stopped paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a state sponsor of terrorism. "Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the US for years," he said. "From harbouring Osama bin Laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the War on Terror. And it's not America's," he added. PTI reported Poe as saying US President Barack Obama will have to issue a report stating whether Pakistan has backed international terrorism or not within 90 days. "Thirty days after that, the secretary of state must issue a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism or a detailed justification as to why Pakistan does not meet the legal criteria for designation," Poe said. Congressman Pete Olson condemned the Uri attack and said, "I strongly condemn this terrorist attack on an Indian army base in Kashmir that resulted in the death of 18 Indian soldiers. India is a strong partner and ally in peace." "I support every effort to find out who committed this heinous act, so that the perpetrators are brought to justice. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims," he said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

US lawmakers introduce bill labelling Pakistan 'state sponsor of terrorism'

India&#39;s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the Uri attacks, sources close to MEA told ANI. 
 
Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar too reacted strongly to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Uri district and said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s statement about punishing those behind the deadly attack will not remain a mere statement. 
 
Speaking at an event organised by the All India Management Association (AIMA), Parrikar said, &quot;Something may have gone wrong in Uri. It is a sensitive matter. I believe in zero error. As a nation should ensure this is not repeated again. I will take steps to ensure it doesn&#39;t go wrong again.&quot; 
 
Further warning Pakistan, he said, &quot;Not saying specifically on this incident, but if I want I can have a knee-jerk reaction. I normally prefer to implement things rather than talk. PM Modi&#39;s statement that &#39;those behind Uri attack will not go unpunished&#39;, will not remain a mere statement.&quot; 
 
Security has been beefed up in the Valley, especially after the Uri attack in which 18 Army soldiers lost their lives, and defence forces are on high alert and on the lookout for any untoward elements. 
 
(This piece first appeared in DNA)

Security has been beefed up in the Kashmir valley after the Uri attack that killed 18 Indian Army soldiers

India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the Uri attacks, sources close to MEA told ANI. Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar too reacted strongly to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri district and said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement about punishing those behind the deadly attack will not remain a mere statement. Speaking at an event organised by the All India Management Association (AIMA), Parrikar said, "Something may have gone wrong in Uri. It is a sensitive matter. I believe in zero error. As a nation should ensure this is not repeated again. I will take steps to ensure it doesn't go wrong again." Further warning Pakistan, he said, "Not saying specifically on this incident, but if I want I can have a knee-jerk reaction. I normally prefer to implement things rather than talk. PM Modi's statement that 'those behind Uri attack will not go unpunished', will not remain a mere statement." Security has been beefed up in the Valley, especially after the Uri attack in which 18 Army soldiers lost their lives, and defence forces are on high alert and on the lookout for any untoward elements. (This piece first appeared in DNA)

India summons Pak envoy Basit over Uri attack

Natives of the world have their own way of living, distant from the rest. These are some 7 indigenous tribes from South Asia that are almost near- extinction: &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Veddas</li>
</ul>
&lsquo;The Forest People&rsquo; or Veddas are indigenous to Sri Lanka. Their language Vedda, is now extinct and the tribe speaks Sinhala and Tamil. They practise the religion of animism, worshipping the spirit of nature. The area&rsquo;s last cave dwellers worship dead ancestors, called Nae Yaku. The hunt gatherers also have a peculiar deity unique to them named Kande Yakka, spirit of the mountain or rock.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/sri-20160921110620.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Veddas, Sri Lanka 
 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Jarawa</li>
</ul>
One of the Adivasi indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands in India, Jarawas are considered to be one of the most isolated natives in the world. Away from prying eyes earlier, they used to stay naked at all times with some adornments in the form of accessories made of palm leaves and sea shells. Currently, they are just 250-400 in number.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/jarawa-20160921110919.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Jarawa, India
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Kalash</li>
</ul>
Indo-Aryan indigenous people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, can easily be clubbed under the country&rsquo;s smallest religion. A unique group, the Kalash people are polytheists who lay emphasis on nature and offer sacrifices as a part of their culture. Their mythology and folklore has been compared by researchers to that of ancient Greece but are closer to Indo-Iranian traditions. They also have their own, distinct language.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/kalash-20160921111307.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Kalash, Pakistan
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Naga</li>
</ul>
A collection of several tribes, Nagas are native to north-eastern India and north-western Myanmar. They speak some 89 distinct languages, all part of Tibeto-Burman family. Nagas are expert craftsmen and each tribe has a unique way of constructing their house. Till 1969, Nagas also used to engage in headhunting, preserving the heads of their enemies as trophies. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/naga1-20160921111631.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Naga, India
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Lhop</li>
</ul>
A small tribe of southwest Bhutan, The Lhop or Doya people are said to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the country. They trace their descent matrilineally and marry their cross cousins. Currently 2,500 in number, the tribe speaks Tibeto-Burmese language. Their religion is Tibetan Buddhism mixed with animism and they embalm their deceased who are then placed in a foetal position in a circular adorned coffin, above the ground.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/lhop-20160921112024.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Bhutan 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Bodo</li>
</ul>
Indigenous to Nepal and north-eastern India, Bodos are a silkworm rearing tribe. All families have their own silkworms and girls learn how to spin silk at a young age. Weaving also forms an integral part of their culture. The Bodos are a strong-knit community and practice a form of forefather worship called Obonglaoree.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/bodo-20160921114552.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Bodo tribal dance, Nepal
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Giraavaru</li>
</ul>
Native to Giraavaru Island in Maldives, the same named tribe were essentially those considered to be of lower caste than the others. Consequently due to isolation, they developed a series of heritable genetic disorders. The tribe is strictly monogamous and prohibits divorce. It is usually seen to be headed by a woman called Foolhuma-Dhaitha. They also wear unique necklaces of tiny blue beads, not seen on any other tribe.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/maldives1-20160921115809.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Maldives dance
</div>
 
Every South Asian country has various indigenous tribes of its own making it rich in cultures and traditions.&nbsp; 
 
 
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Isolated from the world, married to their uniqueness and caught in a time warp

Natives of the world have their own way of living, distant from the rest. These are some 7 indigenous tribes from South Asia that are almost near- extinction: Veddas ‘The Forest People’ or Veddas are indigenous to Sri Lanka. Their language Vedda, is now extinct and the tribe speaks Sinhala and Tamil. They practise the religion of animism, worshipping the spirit of nature. The area’s last cave dwellers worship dead ancestors, called Nae Yaku. The hunt gatherers also have a peculiar deity unique to them named Kande Yakka, spirit of the mountain or rock. Veddas, Sri Lanka Jarawa One of the Adivasi indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands in India, Jarawas are considered to be one of the most isolated natives in the world. Away from prying eyes earlier, they used to stay naked at all times with some adornments in the form of accessories made of palm leaves and sea shells. Currently, they are just 250-400 in number. Jarawa, India Kalash Indo-Aryan indigenous people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, can easily be clubbed under the country’s smallest religion. A unique group, the Kalash people are polytheists who lay emphasis on nature and offer sacrifices as a part of their culture. Their mythology and folklore has been compared by researchers to that of ancient Greece but are closer to Indo-Iranian traditions. They also have their own, distinct language. Kalash, Pakistan Naga A collection of several tribes, Nagas are native to north-eastern India and north-western Myanmar. They speak some 89 distinct languages, all part of Tibeto-Burman family. Nagas are expert craftsmen and each tribe has a unique way of constructing their house. Till 1969, Nagas also used to engage in headhunting, preserving the heads of their enemies as trophies. Naga, India Lhop A small tribe of southwest Bhutan, The Lhop or Doya people are said to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the country. They trace their descent matrilineally and marry their cross cousins. Currently 2,500 in number, the tribe speaks Tibeto-Burmese language. Their religion is Tibetan Buddhism mixed with animism and they embalm their deceased who are then placed in a foetal position in a circular adorned coffin, above the ground. Bhutan Bodo Indigenous to Nepal and north-eastern India, Bodos are a silkworm rearing tribe. All families have their own silkworms and girls learn how to spin silk at a young age. Weaving also forms an integral part of their culture. The Bodos are a strong-knit community and practice a form of forefather worship called Obonglaoree. Bodo tribal dance, Nepal Giraavaru Native to Giraavaru Island in Maldives, the same named tribe were essentially those considered to be of lower caste than the others. Consequently due to isolation, they developed a series of heritable genetic disorders. The tribe is strictly monogamous and prohibits divorce. It is usually seen to be headed by a woman called Foolhuma-Dhaitha. They also wear unique necklaces of tiny blue beads, not seen on any other tribe. Maldives dance Every South Asian country has various indigenous tribes of its own making it rich in cultures and traditions. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

7 unique indigenous tribes of South Asia

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has raised the Kashmir issue with almost every world leader he has held talks with on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, but his efforts to internationalise the dispute with India appeared to have gained no traction. 
 
Sharif raised the issue with the leaders of the US, the UK, Japan and Turkey and sought their intervention in resolving the matter. He met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan here yesterday. 
 
&quot;PM Sharif briefed Japanese PM about the grave turn that the situation in occupied Kashmir is taking. Reminded him about UNSC resolutions,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi tweeted. 
 
&quot;PM Nawaz Sharif also apprised his Japanese counterpart of the human rights violations being committed by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir,&quot; Lodhi said in another tweet. 
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<h5>According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been &#39;assassinated&#39;&nbsp;in Kashmir, thousands injured and the &#39;worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level&#39;</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry by the Pakistan mission, Sharif told him that more than 107 people have been &quot;assassinated&quot; in Kashmir, thousands injured and &quot;worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level.&quot;" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Erdogan and Sharif &quot;agreed that Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Human Rights should send a fact-finding mission&quot; to Kashmir, Lodhi said. 
 
On Monday, Sharif held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. 
 
According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been &quot;assassinated&quot; in Kashmir, thousands injured and the &quot;worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level.&quot; 
 
&quot;I still remember President (Bill) Clinton&#39;s promise that US will play its role to help out in resolving bilateral disputes and issues between Pakistan and India,&quot; Sharif said, according to the release. 
 
&quot;I expect US Administration and Secretary Kerry to use his good offices to help in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India,&quot; he added. 
 
In his meeting with May, Sharif urged her to play a role in convincing India to stop the use of force against the people of the region. 
 
He said Pakistan&#39;s support for Kashmiri people &quot;in their legitimate struggle for self-determination and its commitment to the Kashmir cause are non-negotiable.&quot; 
 
However, Sharif&#39;s repeated calls to the UN to help resolve the Kashmir dispute appeared to be gaining little traction as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made no reference to Kashmir in his final speech as UN chief to the UNGA. 
 
At the opening session of the General Debate yesterday, Ban touched upon a cross-section of global issues including the Syrian crisis, the Palestinian issue, the refugee and migrant movements and tension in the Korean Peninsula. 
 
Kashmir will be the focal point of Sharif&#39;s address to the UN General Assembly today. 
 
Tensions have heightened between India and Pakistan in the wake of the attack by heavily-armed militants, suspected to be from Pakistan, on an army base in Uri, Kashmir in which 18 soldiers died. 
 
Ban has repeatedly said his &quot;good offices&quot; are available to help resolve the Kashmir dispute only if both India and Pakistan request for it, a clear indication that the issue is bilateral and should be solved by the two countries only. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp;

It will also be the focal point of Nawaz Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly today

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has raised the Kashmir issue with almost every world leader he has held talks with on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, but his efforts to internationalise the dispute with India appeared to have gained no traction. Sharif raised the issue with the leaders of the US, the UK, Japan and Turkey and sought their intervention in resolving the matter. He met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan here yesterday. "PM Sharif briefed Japanese PM about the grave turn that the situation in occupied Kashmir is taking. Reminded him about UNSC resolutions," Pakistan's envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi tweeted. "PM Nawaz Sharif also apprised his Japanese counterpart of the human rights violations being committed by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir," Lodhi said in another tweet. According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been 'assassinated' in Kashmir, thousands injured and the 'worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level' Erdogan and Sharif "agreed that Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Human Rights should send a fact-finding mission" to Kashmir, Lodhi said. On Monday, Sharif held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been "assassinated" in Kashmir, thousands injured and the "worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level." "I still remember President (Bill) Clinton's promise that US will play its role to help out in resolving bilateral disputes and issues between Pakistan and India," Sharif said, according to the release. "I expect US Administration and Secretary Kerry to use his good offices to help in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India," he added. In his meeting with May, Sharif urged her to play a role in convincing India to stop the use of force against the people of the region. He said Pakistan's support for Kashmiri people "in their legitimate struggle for self-determination and its commitment to the Kashmir cause are non-negotiable." However, Sharif's repeated calls to the UN to help resolve the Kashmir dispute appeared to be gaining little traction as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made no reference to Kashmir in his final speech as UN chief to the UNGA. At the opening session of the General Debate yesterday, Ban touched upon a cross-section of global issues including the Syrian crisis, the Palestinian issue, the refugee and migrant movements and tension in the Korean Peninsula. Kashmir will be the focal point of Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly today. Tensions have heightened between India and Pakistan in the wake of the attack by heavily-armed militants, suspected to be from Pakistan, on an army base in Uri, Kashmir in which 18 soldiers died. Ban has repeatedly said his "good offices" are available to help resolve the Kashmir dispute only if both India and Pakistan request for it, a clear indication that the issue is bilateral and should be solved by the two countries only. (PTI)

Pakistan PM Sharif raises Kashmir issue with world leaders on sidelines of UN meet

Continuing with its efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan on Sunday took up the matter on the second day of the NAM summit in Venezuela.&nbsp; 
 
Head of the Pakistani delegation and the Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the group should be outraged by the situation in the Indian state of Kashmir.&nbsp; 
 
Aziz said resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council is imperative to the peace in South Asia. 
 
&quot;It is tragic that 60 years after being promised, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are still waiting to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and Kashmir along with Palestine has become one of the longstanding items on the UN agenda,&quot; Aziz said. 
 
&quot;We should also be outraged by the horrific images of innocent Kashmiris being killed, maimed and blinded by the use of boot force in Kashmir in the last two months,&quot; he added. 
 
Aziz asserted that Pakistan strongly endorses the NAM agreement to undertake measures to oppose terrorism and violent extremism.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. ..Pakistan has lost tens of thousands of lives in this fight yet are resolve is firm, our commitment unflinching and our actions tougher and more wide-ranging than ever,&quot; Aziz said. 
 
Aziz told the 120-nation group that Pakistan is willing to share the valuable experience it has acquired in successfully tackling the menace of terrorism in the past three years. &nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Islamabad said Kashmir issue has been a longstanding UN agenda and must be resolved to bring peace in the South Asian region

Continuing with its efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan on Sunday took up the matter on the second day of the NAM summit in Venezuela. Head of the Pakistani delegation and the Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the group should be outraged by the situation in the Indian state of Kashmir. Aziz said resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council is imperative to the peace in South Asia. "It is tragic that 60 years after being promised, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are still waiting to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and Kashmir along with Palestine has become one of the longstanding items on the UN agenda," Aziz said. "We should also be outraged by the horrific images of innocent Kashmiris being killed, maimed and blinded by the use of boot force in Kashmir in the last two months," he added. Aziz asserted that Pakistan strongly endorses the NAM agreement to undertake measures to oppose terrorism and violent extremism. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. ..Pakistan has lost tens of thousands of lives in this fight yet are resolve is firm, our commitment unflinching and our actions tougher and more wide-ranging than ever," Aziz said. Aziz told the 120-nation group that Pakistan is willing to share the valuable experience it has acquired in successfully tackling the menace of terrorism in the past three years. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan raises Kashmir issue at NAM summit, says it is outraged by suppression of innocent civilians

India is likely to raise the deadly Uri attack&nbsp;at the 71st United Nations General Assembly and highlight Pakistan&#39;s involvement in the terror strike.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;India will raise the matter in the UN General Assembly and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will strongly emphasise on Pakistan&#39;s involvement in her speech on 26th,&quot; Indian news agency ANI reported today quoting&nbsp;sources. 
 
Meanwhile, Indian interior minister today reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, &nbsp;a day after at least 17 Indian soldiers were left dead following a terror strike on Indian Army base in Uri. 
 
Expressing &#39;deep disappointment&#39; with Pakistan&#39;s continued and direct support to terrorism, Rajnath chaired a high-level meet in the presence of national security advisor Ajit Doval. 
 
Top officials of the ministries of home and defence, Indian Army, paramilitary forces and chiefs of intelligence agencies briefed Singh on the latest ground report in the Kashmir Valley as well as along the Line of Control, &nbsp;Indian news agency PTI reported quoting sources. &nbsp;He held a similar review meet on Sunday. 
 
A National Investigative Agency (NIA) team is expected to visit Uri in the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir in a bid to gather leads and other evidence from the terror attack site.
 
During the meeting, possible strategies to deal with the fresh challenges arising out of the terror attack at the Army Brigade Headquarters, located along the LoC, were also discussed the news agency said. 
 
Sources confirmed to the news agency that the interior minister and the top officials also reviewed the security situation across the country, particulary along the western border from northern Punjab state to western Gujarat. &nbsp; 
 
Indian home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, who postponed his visit to Srinagar, also attended the meeting. 
 
Following the attack, Rajnath had blamed the neighbouring country Pakistan for the terror strike while Pakistan refuted allegations.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Indian interior minster Rajnath Singh branded Pakistan as a 'terrorist state' following the terror strike on Indian Army base

India is likely to raise the deadly Uri attack at the 71st United Nations General Assembly and highlight Pakistan's involvement in the terror strike. "India will raise the matter in the UN General Assembly and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will strongly emphasise on Pakistan's involvement in her speech on 26th," Indian news agency ANI reported today quoting sources. Meanwhile, Indian interior minister today reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after at least 17 Indian soldiers were left dead following a terror strike on Indian Army base in Uri. Expressing 'deep disappointment' with Pakistan's continued and direct support to terrorism, Rajnath chaired a high-level meet in the presence of national security advisor Ajit Doval. Top officials of the ministries of home and defence, Indian Army, paramilitary forces and chiefs of intelligence agencies briefed Singh on the latest ground report in the Kashmir Valley as well as along the Line of Control, Indian news agency PTI reported quoting sources. He held a similar review meet on Sunday. A National Investigative Agency (NIA) team is expected to visit Uri in the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir in a bid to gather leads and other evidence from the terror attack site. During the meeting, possible strategies to deal with the fresh challenges arising out of the terror attack at the Army Brigade Headquarters, located along the LoC, were also discussed the news agency said. Sources confirmed to the news agency that the interior minister and the top officials also reviewed the security situation across the country, particulary along the western border from northern Punjab state to western Gujarat. Indian home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, who postponed his visit to Srinagar, also attended the meeting. Following the attack, Rajnath had blamed the neighbouring country Pakistan for the terror strike while Pakistan refuted allegations. (WION with inputs from PTI)

India to raise Uri attack in United Nations General Assembly

Amid renewed turbulence between India and Pakistan over the Uri attack in Kashmir, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the 71st UN General Assembly where he is set to highlight the Kashmir issue. 
 
A terror strike on Indian Army base in Uri area of the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir left at least 17 Indian soldiers dead in what is being labelled as one of the worst such attacks in a decade. Indo-Pak ties have taken a major hit following the terror attack.&nbsp; 
 
Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh put the blame on Islamabad saying that Pakistan is a terrorist state and it should be identified and isolated as such. 
 
According to Pakistani daily Dawn, Pakistan&#39;s foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria called it &quot;a very reckless statement&quot; and refuted the allegations.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan is trying to draw the UN&#39;s attention towards the &quot;ruthless military campaign&quot; in the Kashmir Valley where at least 80 people have died and thousands have been injured since the outbreak of violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Sharif is likely to devote a large part of his address to the UN General Assembly to talk about &#39;human rights abuses&#39; in Kashmir, Indian news agency ANI reported today.&nbsp; 
 
He will also call on the global community to intervene in Kashmir to enforce UN resolutions that promised a plebiscite.India is expected to raise the Baloch issue to counter Pakistan&#39;s position on Kashmir, claiming that Pakistan too is guilty of similar human rights violations in the province.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Nawaz Sharif is expected to talk about 'human rights abuses' in Kashmir in his address to the UN General Assembly

Amid renewed turbulence between India and Pakistan over the Uri attack in Kashmir, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the 71st UN General Assembly where he is set to highlight the Kashmir issue. A terror strike on Indian Army base in Uri area of the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir left at least 17 Indian soldiers dead in what is being labelled as one of the worst such attacks in a decade. Indo-Pak ties have taken a major hit following the terror attack. Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh put the blame on Islamabad saying that Pakistan is a terrorist state and it should be identified and isolated as such. According to Pakistani daily Dawn, Pakistan's foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria called it "a very reckless statement" and refuted the allegations. Pakistan is trying to draw the UN's attention towards the "ruthless military campaign" in the Kashmir Valley where at least 80 people have died and thousands have been injured since the outbreak of violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Prime Minister Sharif is likely to devote a large part of his address to the UN General Assembly to talk about 'human rights abuses' in Kashmir, Indian news agency ANI reported today. He will also call on the global community to intervene in Kashmir to enforce UN resolutions that promised a plebiscite.India is expected to raise the Baloch issue to counter Pakistan's position on Kashmir, claiming that Pakistan too is guilty of similar human rights violations in the province. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan PM Nawaz sharif arrives in New York, set to raise Kashmir issue at UN General Assembly

Jaish-e-Mohammed is responsible for the fidayeen (guerilla) attack&nbsp;on an army brigade headquarters in Uri, Kashmir, the Indian Army has said. 
 
Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh said the weapons recovered from the slain terrorists had Pakistan marking.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Four AK 47s, four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers and other war like stores were recovered from the four terrorists who were killed. All the weapons had Pakistan marking,&rdquo; Singh said in a press statement. 
 
The Army&#39;s statement means this will be JeM&#39;s second deadly attack on Indian forces in the last nine months. Indian intelligence agencies believed the group also had a hand in the attack on Pathankot Air Force Station on January 2, which had resulted in deaths of six soldiers. 
 
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is a Kashmir-based Islamist militant group. The group is viewed by the Indian intelligence agencies as the principal terrorist organisation in Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
The group, helmed by Maulana Masood Azhar, has been deemed as a terror outfit by India and United States.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the army brigade headquarters in Uri. 
 
He also promised to punish the perpetrators for the &quot;despicable&quot; and &quot;cowardly&quot; attack on the army base. 
&nbsp; 
Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed after four suicide gunmen attacked the army&#39;s battalion headquarters in Uri. The armed men were later neutralised, Indian authorities said. 
 
India&#39;s defence ministry said a total of 35 soldiers had been wounded in the attack which began at 4 am local time. 
 
&quot;We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished,&quot; Modi said in a tweet following the raid.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished.
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/777417302912430080">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
India&#39;s interior minister Rajnath Singh has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack. &quot;Pakistan is a terrorist state and it should be&nbsp;identified&nbsp;and isolated as such,&quot; the senior minister said, PTI reported. 
 
He also said the militants were &quot;highly trained&quot; and &quot;heavily armed&quot;.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
There are definite and conclusive indications that the perpetrators of Uri attack were highly trained, heavily armed and specially equipped.
&mdash; Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/777430864200278016">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
Singh also chaired a crisis meeting in New Delhi to assess the situation in the state. He has cancelled his trips to Russia and the US.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have apprised the PM Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> regarding the deliberations of the security review meeting held at my residence this afternoon
&mdash; Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/777433143259168768">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
India&#39;s defence minister Manohar Parrikar will travel to Kashmir to probe the attacks, the deadliest since 2014 which also took place in Uri. 
 
India&#39;s army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag rushed to Kashmir in the wake of the attack. 
 
A senior home ministry official said the attack was &quot;clearly a case of cross-border terror attack&quot;.
According to reports by Indian media, an alert was generated on September 15 by the Intelligence Bureau about a possible Fidayeen attack in Uri sector. 
 
The alert was sent to everyone in the &quot;crisis loop&quot; including all the Army command units in the state, media reports said.
Pakistan has reacted strongly to India&#39;s claims.&nbsp;&quot;India immediately puts the blame on Pakistan without doing any investigation. We reject this,&quot; Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria as saying. 
 
Meanwhile, Pakistan military&#39;s media wing issued a statement saying that Pakistan and Indian army&#39;s DGMO have established a hotline on India&#39;s request. 
 
The media wing refuted India&#39;s suggestion of the Uri attack being orchestrated from across the border. &quot;No infiltration is allowed from Pakistani soil because water tight arrangements are in place,&quot; it said. 
 
Pakistan&#39;s DGMO has asked his Indian counterpart to &quot;share any actionable intelligence&quot;, Pakistan military further said. 
 
In 2001, JeM terrorists had stormed in India&#39;s Parliament in New Delhi, killing 5 security personnel. 
 
Watch: Major JeM attacks in India since 2000 
 
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Timeline of Uri attack 
 
5:30 am: Four heavily armed men sneak into the army camp in Uri town before dawn and target soldiers 
 
8:00 am: The Army sends three choppers from Indian Army&rsquo;s 19 divisional headquarters in Baramulla to Uri 
 
8:10 am: Interior Minister Rajnath Singh postpones visit to Russia and the US&nbsp; 
 
8:50 am: Rajnath Singh calls for an emergency meeting of concerned officials over the ongoing encounter in Uri&nbsp; 
 
9:00 am: Rajnath Singh speaks to the governor and chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir 
 
9:57 am: High-level security meet to take place at Rajnath Singh&rsquo;s residence at 12:15pm. Senior home ministry and defence ministry officials to attend the meet 
 
10:15 am: All four terrorists gunned down by the Army. Search operation under way 
 
10:59 am: Army Chief General Dalbir Singh to visit Kashmir in the wake of the terror attack 
 
11:00 am: 17 soldiers killed in Uri terror attack: Indian Army 
 
11:01 am: Indian Defence Minister Parrikar to visit Srinagar 
 
11:36 am: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi condemns Uri attack 
 
11.54 am: Ministry of home affairs issues alert for all airports across the country 
 
12:04 pm: Interior Minister Rajnath Singh briefs Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Uri&nbsp; 
 
12:48 pm: Congress President Sonia Gandhi expresses shock and deep distress over the martyrdom of Indian soldiers&nbsp; 
 
12:52 pm: Rajnath Singh chairs high-level security meet&nbsp; 
 
1:19 pm: Army chief General Dalbir Singh reaches Srinagar, will meet soldiers injured in Uri attack 
 
1:30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemns Uri attack 
 
1:50 pm: Home ministry and defence ministry officials leave home minister&rsquo;s residence after the high-level meeting 
 
2:25 pm: Interior minister Rajnath Singh calls Pakistan a terrorist state and says it should be identified and isolated as such 
 
2:45 pm: US strongly condemns Uri attack 
 
5:20 pm: Army indicates JeM responsible for the attack 
 
Watch: Uri attack as it unfolded 
 
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(WION with inputs from agencies)

The weapons recovered from the slain terrorists are from Pakistan, senior Army official Ranbir Singh said

Jaish-e-Mohammed is responsible for the fidayeen (guerilla) attack on an army brigade headquarters in Uri, Kashmir, the Indian Army has said. Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh said the weapons recovered from the slain terrorists had Pakistan marking. "Four AK 47s, four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers and other war like stores were recovered from the four terrorists who were killed. All the weapons had Pakistan marking,” Singh said in a press statement. The Army's statement means this will be JeM's second deadly attack on Indian forces in the last nine months. Indian intelligence agencies believed the group also had a hand in the attack on Pathankot Air Force Station on January 2, which had resulted in deaths of six soldiers. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is a Kashmir-based Islamist militant group. The group is viewed by the Indian intelligence agencies as the principal terrorist organisation in Jammu and Kashmir. The group, helmed by Maulana Masood Azhar, has been deemed as a terror outfit by India and United States. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the army brigade headquarters in Uri. He also promised to punish the perpetrators for the "despicable" and "cowardly" attack on the army base. Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed after four suicide gunmen attacked the army's battalion headquarters in Uri. The armed men were later neutralised, Indian authorities said. India's defence ministry said a total of 35 soldiers had been wounded in the attack which began at 4 am local time. "We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished," Modi said in a tweet following the raid. We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 18, 2016 India's interior minister Rajnath Singh has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack. "Pakistan is a terrorist state and it should be identified and isolated as such," the senior minister said, PTI reported. He also said the militants were "highly trained" and "heavily armed". There are definite and conclusive indications that the perpetrators of Uri attack were highly trained, heavily armed and specially equipped. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 18, 2016 Singh also chaired a crisis meeting in New Delhi to assess the situation in the state. He has cancelled his trips to Russia and the US. I have apprised the PM Shri @narendramodi regarding the deliberations of the security review meeting held at my residence this afternoon — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 18, 2016 India's defence minister Manohar Parrikar will travel to Kashmir to probe the attacks, the deadliest since 2014 which also took place in Uri. India's army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag rushed to Kashmir in the wake of the attack. A senior home ministry official said the attack was "clearly a case of cross-border terror attack". According to reports by Indian media, an alert was generated on September 15 by the Intelligence Bureau about a possible Fidayeen attack in Uri sector. The alert was sent to everyone in the "crisis loop" including all the Army command units in the state, media reports said. Pakistan has reacted strongly to India's claims. "India immediately puts the blame on Pakistan without doing any investigation. We reject this," Reuters quoted foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria as saying. Meanwhile, Pakistan military's media wing issued a statement saying that Pakistan and Indian army's DGMO have established a hotline on India's request. The media wing refuted India's suggestion of the Uri attack being orchestrated from across the border. "No infiltration is allowed from Pakistani soil because water tight arrangements are in place," it said. Pakistan's DGMO has asked his Indian counterpart to "share any actionable intelligence", Pakistan military further said. In 2001, JeM terrorists had stormed in India's Parliament in New Delhi, killing 5 security personnel. Watch: Major JeM attacks in India since 2000 Timeline of Uri attack 5:30 am: Four heavily armed men sneak into the army camp in Uri town before dawn and target soldiers 8:00 am: The Army sends three choppers from Indian Army’s 19 divisional headquarters in Baramulla to Uri 8:10 am: Interior Minister Rajnath Singh postpones visit to Russia and the US 8:50 am: Rajnath Singh calls for an emergency meeting of concerned officials over the ongoing encounter in Uri 9:00 am: Rajnath Singh speaks to the governor and chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir 9:57 am: High-level security meet to take place at Rajnath Singh’s residence at 12:15pm. Senior home ministry and defence ministry officials to attend the meet 10:15 am: All four terrorists gunned down by the Army. Search operation under way 10:59 am: Army Chief General Dalbir Singh to visit Kashmir in the wake of the terror attack 11:00 am: 17 soldiers killed in Uri terror attack: Indian Army 11:01 am: Indian Defence Minister Parrikar to visit Srinagar 11:36 am: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi condemns Uri attack 11.54 am: Ministry of home affairs issues alert for all airports across the country 12:04 pm: Interior Minister Rajnath Singh briefs Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Uri 12:48 pm: Congress President Sonia Gandhi expresses shock and deep distress over the martyrdom of Indian soldiers 12:52 pm: Rajnath Singh chairs high-level security meet 1:19 pm: Army chief General Dalbir Singh reaches Srinagar, will meet soldiers injured in Uri attack 1:30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemns Uri attack 1:50 pm: Home ministry and defence ministry officials leave home minister’s residence after the high-level meeting 2:25 pm: Interior minister Rajnath Singh calls Pakistan a terrorist state and says it should be identified and isolated as such 2:45 pm: US strongly condemns Uri attack 5:20 pm: Army indicates JeM responsible for the attack Watch: Uri attack as it unfolded (WION with inputs from agencies)

Jaish-e-Mohammed responsible for attack on Uri military base: Indian Army

Pakistan government may table the highly-debated Hindu Marriage Bill at the next session of Parliament later this month, media reports said today. 
 
The legislation seeks to give a proper framework to marriages in the minority community and is expected to address impending issues of the community, including registration of marriages, divorce and forced conversions, Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael told the media. 
 
According to the Express Tribune,&nbsp;Michael is likely to table the bill at the next session of Parliament.&nbsp; 
 
He earlier made an attempt to move the bill on September 9, but the discussion was postponed to the next session because of absence of a few minority lawmakers. 
 
Many Hindu community members, mainly women, lack basic documentation to prove their marital status. They also don&#39;t have key legal rights,like, inheritance, remarriage, separation, adoption of children and annulment of marriage. 
 
The bill is expected to put an end to the practice of abduction of married Hindu women. 
 
Hindu widows will have the right to remarry of their own free will six months after the death of her husband, according to the provisions of the bill. 
 
The National Assembly&#39;s standing committee on law and justice tabled its report on the bill on August 17 which was impending since March last year.&nbsp; 
 
The draft law was first moved by&nbsp;minority lawmakers &nbsp;Ramesh Lal of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Asiya Nasir of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) JUI-F. 
 
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) party, headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had also supported the draft bill. 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

The government might table the Hindu Marriage Bill next parliament session to give married Hindu women inheritance & separation rights

Pakistan government may table the highly-debated Hindu Marriage Bill at the next session of Parliament later this month, media reports said today. The legislation seeks to give a proper framework to marriages in the minority community and is expected to address impending issues of the community, including registration of marriages, divorce and forced conversions, Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael told the media. According to the Express Tribune, Michael is likely to table the bill at the next session of Parliament. He earlier made an attempt to move the bill on September 9, but the discussion was postponed to the next session because of absence of a few minority lawmakers. Many Hindu community members, mainly women, lack basic documentation to prove their marital status. They also don't have key legal rights,like, inheritance, remarriage, separation, adoption of children and annulment of marriage. The bill is expected to put an end to the practice of abduction of married Hindu women. Hindu widows will have the right to remarry of their own free will six months after the death of her husband, according to the provisions of the bill. The National Assembly's standing committee on law and justice tabled its report on the bill on August 17 which was impending since March last year. The draft law was first moved by minority lawmakers Ramesh Lal of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Asiya Nasir of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) JUI-F. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) party, headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had also supported the draft bill. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan plans to empower married Hindu women

A Pakistani court on Saturday ordered the confiscation of Pakistan&#39;s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf&#39;s property.&nbsp; 
 
Islamabad district court judge Pervaiz Qadir Memon passed the order in a case pertaining to the deadly raid on Islamabad&#39;s Red Mosque.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi was among the more than 100 people that were killed when troops stormed the Red Mosque in 2007. 
 
&quot;Our next move will be to put pressure on the interior ministry to bring Musharraf back home so he can face all cases against him,&quot; a lawyer for the Red Mosque, Tariq Asad said. 
 
The court had also issued several arrest warrants against the former President.&nbsp; 
 
Musharraf is facing a string of court cases, including charges of treason. A special court in July had issued a similar order against Musharraf.&nbsp; 
 
In January this year Musharraf was acquitted over the 2006 killing of a Baloch rebel leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti. 
 
He had resigned in 2008 to avoid possible impeachment and went into exile overseas.&nbsp; 
 
A travel ban was imposed on him when he returned to Pakistan in 2013 in an attempt to contest elections.&nbsp; 
 
Former President Musharraf went to Dubai in March, after the ban was lifted, for what was described as urgent medical treatment. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

The order was passed in a case relating to the deadly 2007 raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in which more than 100 people were killed

A Pakistani court on Saturday ordered the confiscation of Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's property. Islamabad district court judge Pervaiz Qadir Memon passed the order in a case pertaining to the deadly raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque. Pakistan's radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi was among the more than 100 people that were killed when troops stormed the Red Mosque in 2007. "Our next move will be to put pressure on the interior ministry to bring Musharraf back home so he can face all cases against him," a lawyer for the Red Mosque, Tariq Asad said. The court had also issued several arrest warrants against the former President. Musharraf is facing a string of court cases, including charges of treason. A special court in July had issued a similar order against Musharraf. In January this year Musharraf was acquitted over the 2006 killing of a Baloch rebel leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti. He had resigned in 2008 to avoid possible impeachment and went into exile overseas. A travel ban was imposed on him when he returned to Pakistan in 2013 in an attempt to contest elections. Former President Musharraf went to Dubai in March, after the ban was lifted, for what was described as urgent medical treatment. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pak court orders confiscation of Musharraf's property

Making a strong anti-terror pitch at the NAM Summit in Venezuela, India today asserted that &quot;concrete action&quot; was needed in the fight against terrorism. 
 
India urged the 120-nation group to set up a mechanism to ensure effective cooperation in combating the menace. 
 
Vice-President Hamid Ansari is leading the Indian delegation at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
 
In his address to the plenary meeting of the bloc, Ansari said, &quot;The time has come for our movement to recognise the need for concrete action in the fight against terrorism.&quot; 
 
Ansari described terrorism as the &quot;biggest threat&quot; to international peace and to the sovereignty of states. 
 
&quot;We need to establish a mechanism within our movement that will ensure effective cooperation in combating terrorism, that is the main threat to security, sovereignty and development,&quot; he said. 
 
He said terrorism is one of the &quot;most egregious sources of human right violations today&quot; and its use as an instrument of state policy is to be unequivocally condemned. 
 
India has raised the issue of Pakistan&#39;s support to cross-border terrrorism at several international forums.&nbsp; 
 
Ansari asserted that no cause justifies the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians as a means to achieve a political goal or change of policies. 
 
Prime Minister Modi had made clear references to Pakistan&#39;s support to terrorism without naming it at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, at a BRICS meeting in Hangzhou and at the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Lao PDR. 
 
Ansari stated that terrorism has become a major impediment to development. 
 
&quot;It is therefore imperative for the Non-Aligned Movement to galvanise the international community to strengthen the international legal framework to address this menace, including by adopting the draft Comprehensive UN Convention on Terrorism, to ensure the closest cooperation amongst the international community to counter the scourge of terror.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We must also ensure that all existing structures that are the building blocks of UN&#39;s Global Counter Terrorism Strategy function in a non-partisan and professional manner,&quot; Ansari said. 
 
India had earlier called on NAM to set up a &quot;working group on terrorism&quot; to safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

India has raised its concerns at various international fora over Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism

Making a strong anti-terror pitch at the NAM Summit in Venezuela, India today asserted that "concrete action" was needed in the fight against terrorism. India urged the 120-nation group to set up a mechanism to ensure effective cooperation in combating the menace. Vice-President Hamid Ansari is leading the Indian delegation at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his address to the plenary meeting of the bloc, Ansari said, "The time has come for our movement to recognise the need for concrete action in the fight against terrorism." Ansari described terrorism as the "biggest threat" to international peace and to the sovereignty of states. "We need to establish a mechanism within our movement that will ensure effective cooperation in combating terrorism, that is the main threat to security, sovereignty and development," he said. He said terrorism is one of the "most egregious sources of human right violations today" and its use as an instrument of state policy is to be unequivocally condemned. India has raised the issue of Pakistan's support to cross-border terrrorism at several international forums. Ansari asserted that no cause justifies the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians as a means to achieve a political goal or change of policies. Prime Minister Modi had made clear references to Pakistan's support to terrorism without naming it at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, at a BRICS meeting in Hangzhou and at the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Lao PDR. Ansari stated that terrorism has become a major impediment to development. "It is therefore imperative for the Non-Aligned Movement to galvanise the international community to strengthen the international legal framework to address this menace, including by adopting the draft Comprehensive UN Convention on Terrorism, to ensure the closest cooperation amongst the international community to counter the scourge of terror." "We must also ensure that all existing structures that are the building blocks of UN's Global Counter Terrorism Strategy function in a non-partisan and professional manner," Ansari said. India had earlier called on NAM to set up a "working group on terrorism" to safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity. (WION with inputs from agencies)

NAM summit: India makes strong anti-terror pitch, seeks action against state sponsors of terror

A rights group&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;spoke against the hanging of a&nbsp;man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia after a court in Pakistan scheduled his execution for next week. 
 
Fifty-year-old Imdad Ali was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002, international news agency AFP reported today.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Imdad Ali is&nbsp;mentally&nbsp;ill&nbsp;and has suffered years without proper treatment,&quot; a report by rights group,&nbsp;the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) said, adding he had been diagnosed as a &quot;paranoid schizophrenic&quot;. 
 
JPP told AFP that it had filed an appeal against a Lahore High Court decision last month which rejected&nbsp;pleas that Ali could not be executed on the basis of his mental illness. 
 
The rights group argued that Ali&#39;s medical condition should be taken into account,&nbsp;and also the&nbsp;circumstances that had aggravated his mental illness trial&nbsp;period. 
 
Pakistan had reintroduced death penalty following the 2014 school attack in Peshawar but for those convicted of terrorism. It was only later that the capital punishment was extended to all capital offences. 
 
JPP executive director Sarah Belal also told AFP that Pakistan would violate its international legal commitments if it executed a&nbsp;mentally&nbsp;ill&nbsp;person. 
 
&quot;Executing Imdad will exemplify Pakistan&#39;s failure to abide by its international legal commitments that forbid the death penalty for persons suffering from mental disabilities,&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Knowing what they do about his condition would make his hanging a most serious crime.&quot; 
 
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), which Pakistan ratified in 2011, guarantees the &ldquo;inherent dignity&rdquo; of individuals with disabilities, she said. 
 
( WION with inputs from AFP)

50-year-old Imdad Ali was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002. He will face execution next week

A rights group on Friday spoke against the hanging of a man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia after a court in Pakistan scheduled his execution for next week. Fifty-year-old Imdad Ali was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002, international news agency AFP reported today. "Imdad Ali is mentally ill and has suffered years without proper treatment," a report by rights group, the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) said, adding he had been diagnosed as a "paranoid schizophrenic". JPP told AFP that it had filed an appeal against a Lahore High Court decision last month which rejected pleas that Ali could not be executed on the basis of his mental illness. The rights group argued that Ali's medical condition should be taken into account, and also the circumstances that had aggravated his mental illness trial period. Pakistan had reintroduced death penalty following the 2014 school attack in Peshawar but for those convicted of terrorism. It was only later that the capital punishment was extended to all capital offences. JPP executive director Sarah Belal also told AFP that Pakistan would violate its international legal commitments if it executed a mentally ill person. "Executing Imdad will exemplify Pakistan's failure to abide by its international legal commitments that forbid the death penalty for persons suffering from mental disabilities," "Knowing what they do about his condition would make his hanging a most serious crime." The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), which Pakistan ratified in 2011, guarantees the “inherent dignity” of individuals with disabilities, she said. ( WION with inputs from AFP)

Rights group speaks against hanging of mentally ill man in Pakistan

US state department spokesman, John Kirby maintained the United States wants India and Pakistan to resolve their issues bilaterally, during a press briefing on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
Kirby said this in response to a reporter&#39;s statement on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif planning to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums, reported the Press Trust of India.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;How do you view Pakistan effort to raise this issue on international forums?&quot; a reported questioned him and he reiterated that it is up to both sides how they want to resolve this issue.&nbsp; 
 
Sharif had earlier said he would raise the Kashmir issue, this year in his address to the UN General Assembly.&nbsp; 
 
According to the Press Trust of India, he also appointed more than 20 special envoys on Kashmir who are travelling across the world, including the United States. 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

US state department spokesman John Kirby maintained it was up to India and Pakistan how they wanted to resolve this problem

US state department spokesman, John Kirby maintained the United States wants India and Pakistan to resolve their issues bilaterally, during a press briefing on Friday. Kirby said this in response to a reporter's statement on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif planning to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums, reported the Press Trust of India. "How do you view Pakistan effort to raise this issue on international forums?" a reported questioned him and he reiterated that it is up to both sides how they want to resolve this issue. Sharif had earlier said he would raise the Kashmir issue, this year in his address to the UN General Assembly. According to the Press Trust of India, he also appointed more than 20 special envoys on Kashmir who are travelling across the world, including the United States. (WION with inputs from PTI)

US wants India, Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue bilaterally

We, all who love Kashmir, have to work towards its economic revival

Kashmir: The need to start a peace process

Art transcends all borders and goes beyond the definition of geographical divides. Here are some 11 noteworthy cultural festivals celebrated in the South Asian region that you must know about: 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Jaisalmer Desert Festival, India</li>
</ul>
Set against the sand dunes, the festival is a unique showcase of folk culture. Held every year, there are programs for folk singing, puppet shows, acrobats, fire dancing, and others. Home of the camels, you can also take a camel ride, enjoy a game of camel polo, participate in camel decoration and pack some exciting desert memories with you.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/jaisalmer-20160915100616.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A glimpse of Jaisalmer Desert Festival in India 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Kala Pola, Sri Lanka</li>
</ul>
Kala Pola is Sri Lanka&rsquo;s open-air art exhibition cum fair which happens every year. Attracting artists from across the country, it serves as a launch pad for talent. A wide array of art forms are displayed for the crowd to cheer and appreciate.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6189267-20160915100439.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Kala Pola festival in Sri Lanka 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Annual Bhutan International Festival, Bhutan</li>
</ul>
It&rsquo;s a collaborative effort to encourage different countries to come and engage, while showcasing their culture and art. The festival boasts of some of the best entertainment performances by world known artists. The festival has an intimate setting and welcomes everyone interested.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/bhutan1-20160915103529.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Bhutanese monks at the Bhutan International festival 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Rann Utsav, India</li>
</ul>
Rann Utsav is a quarter year-long winter celebration in white sandy desert. You set up your makeshift tents and absorb the local tradition and culture. The region known for it&rsquo;s distinct handicrafts, also offers options for kite flying, camel rides and desert safaris.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/rann1-20160915103938.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Local artists at Rann Utsav
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan</li>
</ul>
An international cultural event, this festival brings performing artists from all over the world to celebrate music, theatre, concert, dance, puppet shows and others. Serving as a nurturing ground for local talent, it brings to fore the vibrancy of Pakistan&rsquo;s talents and helps people engage in a cultural exchange.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/pakistan-20160915113108.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Hornbill Festival, India</li>
</ul>
The aboriginal Naga tribes of Nagaland are a sight to watch. Held every year in the month of December, Hornbill festival is a weeklong celebration of music, culture, art, sport and cuisine takes place. You will see some exquisite paintings, wood carvings and sculptures that form an essential part of Nagaland&rsquo;s cultural identity.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del527342-20160915113835.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A Naga tribesman eats a stump of smouldering firewood during annual Hornbill Festival
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Afghan Arts and Culture Festival, Afghanistan</li>
</ul>
It is one of the largest coming together of artists and music bands in Afghanistan. Opening its doors to fellow countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan United States, the festival started with an aim to show the world Afghanistan&rsquo;s rich culture. Bikers, break dancers, rock bands and other performers come together every year.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afghan1-20160915012131.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Local Afghan dancers
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>South Ari Atoll, Maldives</li>
</ul>
A festival with a thought, South Ari Atoll is a collaboration between artists from Maldives and Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. It is a platform for showcasing artworks representing the island&rsquo;s marine diversity with a special emphasis on the shark population of Maldives. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/cqi9uwpumaae2vl.jpg-large-20160916014323.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
South Ari Atoll in Maldives where the Conservation festival happens
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Pohela Boishakh, Bangladesh</li>
</ul>
The Bengali New Year is celebrated with a lot of fervour all across the state of West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. Called Vasanta Utsav, the festivals starts at Shantiniketan in India and Bangladesh at the same time. The festivity celebrates art and diversity of both the regions. Among songs, dance and fairs, people are seen enjoying themselves around that time of the year.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/crh9vswuaaamwpn.jpg-large-20160916015136.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal</li>
</ul>
Almost in every three years, Nepal celebrates its artists with an International Art festival. Artists come together to exhibit their works at different venues in the capital city of Kathmandu.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/a8hm7l3ceaac3w9.jpg-large-20160916015737.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
A glimpse of Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal
</div>
 
 
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Discover how art and culture in South Asia binds the region together

Art transcends all borders and goes beyond the definition of geographical divides. Here are some 11 noteworthy cultural festivals celebrated in the South Asian region that you must know about: Jaisalmer Desert Festival, India Set against the sand dunes, the festival is a unique showcase of folk culture. Held every year, there are programs for folk singing, puppet shows, acrobats, fire dancing, and others. Home of the camels, you can also take a camel ride, enjoy a game of camel polo, participate in camel decoration and pack some exciting desert memories with you. A glimpse of Jaisalmer Desert Festival in India Kala Pola, Sri Lanka Kala Pola is Sri Lanka’s open-air art exhibition cum fair which happens every year. Attracting artists from across the country, it serves as a launch pad for talent. A wide array of art forms are displayed for the crowd to cheer and appreciate. Kala Pola festival in Sri Lanka Annual Bhutan International Festival, Bhutan It’s a collaborative effort to encourage different countries to come and engage, while showcasing their culture and art. The festival boasts of some of the best entertainment performances by world known artists. The festival has an intimate setting and welcomes everyone interested. Bhutanese monks at the Bhutan International festival Rann Utsav, India Rann Utsav is a quarter year-long winter celebration in white sandy desert. You set up your makeshift tents and absorb the local tradition and culture. The region known for it’s distinct handicrafts, also offers options for kite flying, camel rides and desert safaris. Local artists at Rann Utsav World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan An international cultural event, this festival brings performing artists from all over the world to celebrate music, theatre, concert, dance, puppet shows and others. Serving as a nurturing ground for local talent, it brings to fore the vibrancy of Pakistan’s talents and helps people engage in a cultural exchange. World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan Hornbill Festival, India The aboriginal Naga tribes of Nagaland are a sight to watch. Held every year in the month of December, Hornbill festival is a weeklong celebration of music, culture, art, sport and cuisine takes place. You will see some exquisite paintings, wood carvings and sculptures that form an essential part of Nagaland’s cultural identity. A Naga tribesman eats a stump of smouldering firewood during annual Hornbill Festival Afghan Arts and Culture Festival, Afghanistan It is one of the largest coming together of artists and music bands in Afghanistan. Opening its doors to fellow countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan United States, the festival started with an aim to show the world Afghanistan’s rich culture. Bikers, break dancers, rock bands and other performers come together every year. Local Afghan dancers South Ari Atoll, Maldives A festival with a thought, South Ari Atoll is a collaboration between artists from Maldives and Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. It is a platform for showcasing artworks representing the island’s marine diversity with a special emphasis on the shark population of Maldives. South Ari Atoll in Maldives where the Conservation festival happens Pohela Boishakh, Bangladesh The Bengali New Year is celebrated with a lot of fervour all across the state of West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. Called Vasanta Utsav, the festivals starts at Shantiniketan in India and Bangladesh at the same time. The festivity celebrates art and diversity of both the regions. Among songs, dance and fairs, people are seen enjoying themselves around that time of the year. Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal Almost in every three years, Nepal celebrates its artists with an International Art festival. Artists come together to exhibit their works at different venues in the capital city of Kathmandu. A glimpse of Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

11 cultural festivals in South Asia that you must attend at least once in your lifetime

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s decision to skip the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Venezuela has raised eyebrows.&nbsp;Modi would only be the second Indian Prime Minister to not attend the NAM summit since its inception in 1961.&nbsp; 
 
Indian vice-president Hamid Ansari on Friday sought to downplay the decision saying there was no shift in India&#39;s foreign policy.&nbsp; 
 
Ansari will be leading the Indian delegation to the summit in Porlamar on September 17-18. 
 
&quot;India is participating. NAM is not a conference of prime ministers. They have been going, but there have been occasions when prime minister, for a variety of reasons, has not been able to go but India&#39;s participation remains,&quot; Ansari said. 
 
Venezuela foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez had personally handed over the invitation to Indian government. 
 
Ansari asserted that terrorism remains the biggest concern for India and will be taken up at the summit. India has urged the movement to set up a &#39;Working Group on Terrorism&#39; to coordinate their positions in the international forum.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Priorities of this conference also, if I remember correctly, are peace, sovereignty and solidarity for development. Basic point is how do you devote your energies to development,&quot; Ansari added. 
 
A large number of NAM delegations have supported setting up of a working group. But Pakistan quickly opposed India&#39;s proposal on counter-terrorism. 
 
Pakistani representative Tasneem Aslam questioned why a working group was suggested only for terrorism and not for other issues. 
 
It remains to be seen whether the proposal will be included in the final statement of the 17th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Vice-President Ansari to lead Indian delegation, downplays PM Modi's decision to skip summit. Not a meet for just PMs, he said

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to skip the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Venezuela has raised eyebrows. Modi would only be the second Indian Prime Minister to not attend the NAM summit since its inception in 1961. Indian vice-president Hamid Ansari on Friday sought to downplay the decision saying there was no shift in India's foreign policy. Ansari will be leading the Indian delegation to the summit in Porlamar on September 17-18. "India is participating. NAM is not a conference of prime ministers. They have been going, but there have been occasions when prime minister, for a variety of reasons, has not been able to go but India's participation remains," Ansari said. Venezuela foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez had personally handed over the invitation to Indian government. Ansari asserted that terrorism remains the biggest concern for India and will be taken up at the summit. India has urged the movement to set up a 'Working Group on Terrorism' to coordinate their positions in the international forum. "Priorities of this conference also, if I remember correctly, are peace, sovereignty and solidarity for development. Basic point is how do you devote your energies to development," Ansari added. A large number of NAM delegations have supported setting up of a working group. But Pakistan quickly opposed India's proposal on counter-terrorism. Pakistani representative Tasneem Aslam questioned why a working group was suggested only for terrorism and not for other issues. It remains to be seen whether the proposal will be included in the final statement of the 17th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. (WION with inputs from agencies)

NAM summit: India urges talk on terror, Pakistan sole opponent

The planned Russia-Pakistan military exercises need not worry India, Russian diplomats said today. 
 
The joint military exercises, &#39;Friendship-2016&#39;, will be held from September 24 to October 7 in the Army High School Altitude School in northern Pakistan&rsquo;s Rattu and Cherat areas. 
 
The Russian foreign ministry&#39;s director of the Second Asian Department Zamir Kabulov said that the exercises aim to strengthen and develop cooperation between the two former Cold War rivals&#39; armed forces. 
 
&quot;We were informed by the Russian Defense Ministry that these exercises will not be carried out in (disputed) areas, and a place was chosen that has nothing to do with this. Hence there is no reason for India to worry about it,&quot; Kabulov was quoted as saying Russia&#39;s state-run Sputnik news agency. 
 
Moscow had informed New Delhi of the regions where the exercises with Pakistan were planned to take place, PTI reported. 
Around 200 military personnel would take part in the joint military exercises. 
 
Pakistan has also recently bought military aircraft from Russia, according to Pakistani media reports. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The joint military exercises, 'Friendship-2016', will be held from September 24 to October 7 in Pakistan

The planned Russia-Pakistan military exercises need not worry India, Russian diplomats said today. The joint military exercises, 'Friendship-2016', will be held from September 24 to October 7 in the Army High School Altitude School in northern Pakistan’s Rattu and Cherat areas. The Russian foreign ministry's director of the Second Asian Department Zamir Kabulov said that the exercises aim to strengthen and develop cooperation between the two former Cold War rivals' armed forces. "We were informed by the Russian Defense Ministry that these exercises will not be carried out in (disputed) areas, and a place was chosen that has nothing to do with this. Hence there is no reason for India to worry about it," Kabulov was quoted as saying Russia's state-run Sputnik news agency. Moscow had informed New Delhi of the regions where the exercises with Pakistan were planned to take place, PTI reported. Around 200 military personnel would take part in the joint military exercises. Pakistan has also recently bought military aircraft from Russia, according to Pakistani media reports. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India need not worry about Russia-Pak military drills: Russia

Chinese diplomats conveyed to their Indian counterparts in a meeting today that Beijing would remain firm on its stand that the Nuclear Suppliers&rsquo; Group (NSG) must adopt a &ldquo;two-step approach&rdquo; toward admitting new members to the group. 
 
Chinese diplomats said that it would like the NSG to &ldquo;explore through an open and transparent process&rdquo; before reaching an agreement on a &ldquo;non-discriminatory formula&rdquo; over granting membership to countries who haven&rsquo;t signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 
 
Earlier in June, at the annual plenary in Seoul, China had argued that if the &ldquo;NPT signatory&rdquo; criterion was diluted to admit India into the NSG, it should also open doors for other non-NPT countries like Pakistan. 
 
Once the formula is in place, the second step should be to take&nbsp;up &ldquo;country-specific membership issues&rdquo;, said a press release issued by the ministry of foreign affairs of the Chinese government. 
 
Sources in New Delhi said that China&rsquo;s position meant that it would not allow India to enter the NSG unless it ensured that the cartel would also admit Pakistan, PTI reported. 
 
India&rsquo; s ministry of external affairs stated that the discussions between the diplomats had agreed to meet for the next round of discussions. 
 
The NSG controls global nuclear commerce. &nbsp;Its guidelines prohibit members from entering into nuclear ties with the countries that have not signed the NPT. Neither India, nor Pakistan has signed the NPT. 
 
The NSG, however, granted a waiver to India in 2008 which paved the way for India entering into a civil nuclear deal with the United States. 
 
India subsequently got into similar agreements with France, Australia and Canada. 
 
India submitted its application for membership of the NSG on May 12 and Pakistan did so on May 19 this year. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

In Tuesday's meeting, China conveyed to Indian diplomats that it would like an 'open and transparent process' for granting membership to NSG

Chinese diplomats conveyed to their Indian counterparts in a meeting today that Beijing would remain firm on its stand that the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) must adopt a “two-step approach” toward admitting new members to the group. Chinese diplomats said that it would like the NSG to “explore through an open and transparent process” before reaching an agreement on a “non-discriminatory formula” over granting membership to countries who haven’t signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Earlier in June, at the annual plenary in Seoul, China had argued that if the “NPT signatory” criterion was diluted to admit India into the NSG, it should also open doors for other non-NPT countries like Pakistan. Once the formula is in place, the second step should be to take up “country-specific membership issues”, said a press release issued by the ministry of foreign affairs of the Chinese government. Sources in New Delhi said that China’s position meant that it would not allow India to enter the NSG unless it ensured that the cartel would also admit Pakistan, PTI reported. India’ s ministry of external affairs stated that the discussions between the diplomats had agreed to meet for the next round of discussions. The NSG controls global nuclear commerce. Its guidelines prohibit members from entering into nuclear ties with the countries that have not signed the NPT. Neither India, nor Pakistan has signed the NPT. The NSG, however, granted a waiver to India in 2008 which paved the way for India entering into a civil nuclear deal with the United States. India subsequently got into similar agreements with France, Australia and Canada. India submitted its application for membership of the NSG on May 12 and Pakistan did so on May 19 this year. (WION with inputs from agencies)

China wants 'non-discriminatory' formula for NSG membership

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday dedicated today&rsquo;s Eid-ul-Adha to the &ldquo;supreme sacrifices&rdquo; of Kashmiris. 
 
&ldquo;We cannot ignore sacrifices of Kashmiris. They will succeed through their sacrifices. We dedicate this Eid to the supreme sacrifices of Kashmiri people and we will continue doing so till the Kashmir issue is not resolved according to their (Kashmiri people) wishes,&rdquo; PTI reported Sharif as saying. 
 
He said that this was the third generation of Kashmiris sacrificing for freedom from India.&nbsp; 
 
The country&rsquo;s president, Mamnoon Hussain, too said that Pakistan must remember &ldquo;our Kashmiri brothers and sisters affected by terrorism&rdquo;. 
 
He said that it was not long before Kashmiri people would reap the &ldquo;dividends of their supreme struggle&rdquo;. 
 
Jammat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed also prayed for the &quot;success of Kashmiris fighting against Indian forces.&quot; 
 
He urged the Nawaz government to take a strong stand on the issue help Kashmiris. 
 
India and Pakistan have been engaged in a verbal battle over the situation in Kashmir ever since the recent unrest broke out in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani by security forces on July 8. 
 
Sharif had earlier called for investigations into the &quot;atrocities&quot; committed by Indian forces, and an inquiry into the killing of Wani and implementation of UN resolutions. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Nawaz Sharif today said that Pakistan would continue to support Kashmir's struggle for freedom from India

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday dedicated today’s Eid-ul-Adha to the “supreme sacrifices” of Kashmiris. “We cannot ignore sacrifices of Kashmiris. They will succeed through their sacrifices. We dedicate this Eid to the supreme sacrifices of Kashmiri people and we will continue doing so till the Kashmir issue is not resolved according to their (Kashmiri people) wishes,” PTI reported Sharif as saying. He said that this was the third generation of Kashmiris sacrificing for freedom from India. The country’s president, Mamnoon Hussain, too said that Pakistan must remember “our Kashmiri brothers and sisters affected by terrorism”. He said that it was not long before Kashmiri people would reap the “dividends of their supreme struggle”. Jammat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed also prayed for the "success of Kashmiris fighting against Indian forces." He urged the Nawaz government to take a strong stand on the issue help Kashmiris. India and Pakistan have been engaged in a verbal battle over the situation in Kashmir ever since the recent unrest broke out in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani by security forces on July 8. Sharif had earlier called for investigations into the "atrocities" committed by Indian forces, and an inquiry into the killing of Wani and implementation of UN resolutions. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan prime minister dedicates Eid to 'sacrifices' of Kashmiris

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