US respects the unity and territorial integrity of Pakistan and does not support independence for Balochistan, John Kirby, US state department spokesman, said on Monday while addressing a press briefing.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The government policy is that we support the territorial integrity of Pakistan and we do not support independence for Balochistan,&quot; he said when asked about the controversy stirred after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s reference to human rights in Balochistan during the Indian Independence Day speech last month.&nbsp; 
 
Kirby also avoided commenting on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s statements regarding the issue and said he had underlined US&#39;s reaction well.&nbsp; 
 
During his press briefing, Kirby was answering questions on Russia, Syria, North Korea and Pakistan, when he was asked United States position on the Baloch subject.&nbsp; 
 
While celebrating India&#39;s Independence Day on August 15, Indian Prime Minister Modi raised Balochistan and Gilgit saying the people of Baloch were grateful to him for raising their issues. 
 
This was in response to Pakistan&#39;s criticism over India&#39;s handling of Kashmir Valley, gripped with violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

US state department spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that US supports territorial integrity of Pakistan

US respects the unity and territorial integrity of Pakistan and does not support independence for Balochistan, John Kirby, US state department spokesman, said on Monday while addressing a press briefing. "The government policy is that we support the territorial integrity of Pakistan and we do not support independence for Balochistan," he said when asked about the controversy stirred after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to human rights in Balochistan during the Indian Independence Day speech last month. Kirby also avoided commenting on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statements regarding the issue and said he had underlined US's reaction well. During his press briefing, Kirby was answering questions on Russia, Syria, North Korea and Pakistan, when he was asked United States position on the Baloch subject. While celebrating India's Independence Day on August 15, Indian Prime Minister Modi raised Balochistan and Gilgit saying the people of Baloch were grateful to him for raising their issues. This was in response to Pakistan's criticism over India's handling of Kashmir Valley, gripped with violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. (WION with inputs from agencies)

'US does not support independence for Balochistan'

The World Bank has turned down a Chinese firm&#39;s plea to intervene in a bidding process for the construction of 4,320MW Dasu hydropower project on the Indus River, Pakistan daily The Express Tribune reported today.&nbsp; 
 
The objective of the Dasu hydropower project is to faciliate the expansion of electricity supply in Pakistan, according to World Bank&#39;s Project Overview.&nbsp; 
 
Chinese firm Messrs Power Construction Corporation of China Limited (PCCCL) is eyeing a contract for the construction of the civil works required for main dam structure on the Indus River to raise the water level and thus create energy for running the power generating turbines and generators.&nbsp; 
 
The project is likely to improve socio-economic services for people residing in that area. It will also be a stepping-stone for future hydro-power projects by the Water and Power Development Authority&rsquo;s (WAPDA&rsquo;s). 
 
The International money lending bank has, however, advised PCCCL to approach the Pakistan government and WAPDA for permission to bid, according to The Express Tribune. 
 
Earlier, Pakistan&#39;s top court had asked WAPDA &quot;not to publicise the result of the pre-qualification of the bidding for the project&quot;, according to the Pakistan daily.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s Supreme Court, on August 25, had allowed PCCCL to approach the World Bank with an appeal against WPADA&#39;s decision of removing it from obtaining the contract of civil works, to construct the &#39;main hydraulic structure&#39; which is the first component of the project.&nbsp; 
 
Without the hydraulic structure, the water level will not rise and power will not be generated stated World Bank&#39;s project review. 
 
(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Chinese firm PCCCL is eyeing the contract for the construction of civil works required for the dam structure

The World Bank has turned down a Chinese firm's plea to intervene in a bidding process for the construction of 4,320MW Dasu hydropower project on the Indus River, Pakistan daily The Express Tribune reported today. The objective of the Dasu hydropower project is to faciliate the expansion of electricity supply in Pakistan, according to World Bank's Project Overview. Chinese firm Messrs Power Construction Corporation of China Limited (PCCCL) is eyeing a contract for the construction of the civil works required for main dam structure on the Indus River to raise the water level and thus create energy for running the power generating turbines and generators. The project is likely to improve socio-economic services for people residing in that area. It will also be a stepping-stone for future hydro-power projects by the Water and Power Development Authority’s (WAPDA’s). The International money lending bank has, however, advised PCCCL to approach the Pakistan government and WAPDA for permission to bid, according to The Express Tribune. Earlier, Pakistan's top court had asked WAPDA "not to publicise the result of the pre-qualification of the bidding for the project", according to the Pakistan daily. Pakistan's Supreme Court, on August 25, had allowed PCCCL to approach the World Bank with an appeal against WPADA's decision of removing it from obtaining the contract of civil works, to construct the 'main hydraulic structure' which is the first component of the project. Without the hydraulic structure, the water level will not rise and power will not be generated stated World Bank's project review. (WION)

World Bank turns down Chinese firm's plea to intervene in Dasu hydropower project in Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is set to raise the problems unfolding in India&#39;s Kashmir at the United Nations. 
 
&quot;The prime minister has expressed grave concern over India&#39;s use of excessive force in Kashmir,&quot; a spokesperson of his office told Pakistan newspaper Dawn. 
 
The issue will be raised at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, the spokesperson further said, adding that it was a top priority issue for Sharif. 
 
The 71st session of UNGA will commence in New York from September 13. 
 
More than 70 people have been killed in Kashmir following the killing of&nbsp;Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on July 8. 
 
The killing unleashed a wave of protests that devolved into clashes between India&#39;s security personnel and agitators.&nbsp; 
 
This is the worst civilian crisis in the restive state since 2010.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
 
&nbsp;

The premier has been concerned about India's use of 'excessive force' to quell protests in Kashmir

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is set to raise the problems unfolding in India's Kashmir at the United Nations. "The prime minister has expressed grave concern over India's use of excessive force in Kashmir," a spokesperson of his office told Pakistan newspaper Dawn. The issue will be raised at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, the spokesperson further said, adding that it was a top priority issue for Sharif. The 71st session of UNGA will commence in New York from September 13. More than 70 people have been killed in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on July 8. The killing unleashed a wave of protests that devolved into clashes between India's security personnel and agitators. This is the worst civilian crisis in the restive state since 2010. (WION)

Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to raise Kashmir issue in UN

Kashmir is Pakistan&#39;s &quot;jugular vein&quot; and people of Kashmir will continue to get Pakistan&#39;s support on diplomatic fronts,&nbsp;Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Tuesday.&nbsp; 
 
Sharif&nbsp;was addressing the Defence Day ceremony in memory of martyrs who died in the Indo-Pak war in 1965, where he expressed support for the people of &nbsp;the disputed region in the northernmost past of India.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination,&quot;&nbsp;Pakistan daily Express Tribune quoted him as saying.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.&rdquo; 
 
The war of words between India and Pakistan after unrest broke out in Kashmir following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The ensuing violence has left at least 70 people dead and thousands injured.&nbsp;Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and remains a bone of contention even after seven decades. 
 
&quot;The solution is not spraying Kashmiri people with bullets, those who are struggling for their right to self determination. The solution lies there in hearing their voice and to respect their aspirations. The solution of Kashmir issue is only possible if UN resolutions are enforced,&quot; &nbsp;Sharif said.&nbsp; 
 
 
Pak-China ties 
 
Sharif also said that Pakistan and China&#39;s relationship is based on mutual respect and any threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be dealt with a heavy-hand. 
 
&ldquo;I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is invincible,&quot; he asserted. 
 
The CPEC is 3,000-kilometer-long which includes a network of roads, railways and pipelines connecting western China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. 
 
The project was given a green signal last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. The agreement includes a plan for energy and infrastructure projects worth 46$ billion in Pakistan and aims to underscore China&#39;s economic ambitions in Asia. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to be &quot;concerned&quot; and had termed the project &quot;unacceptable&quot;, Reuters reported. 
 
Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said, Prime Minister Modi had &quot;very strongly&quot; raised the issue during his visit to Beijing and the Indian governement had summoned a Chinese envoy. 
 
China, however rejected India&#39;s reservations and said India&#39;s concerns were baseless. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination: General Raheel Sharif

Kashmir is Pakistan's "jugular vein" and people of Kashmir will continue to get Pakistan's support on diplomatic fronts, Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Tuesday. Sharif was addressing the Defence Day ceremony in memory of martyrs who died in the Indo-Pak war in 1965, where he expressed support for the people of the disputed region in the northernmost past of India. “We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination," Pakistan daily Express Tribune quoted him as saying. "The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.” The war of words between India and Pakistan after unrest broke out in Kashmir following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The ensuing violence has left at least 70 people dead and thousands injured. Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and remains a bone of contention even after seven decades. "The solution is not spraying Kashmiri people with bullets, those who are struggling for their right to self determination. The solution lies there in hearing their voice and to respect their aspirations. The solution of Kashmir issue is only possible if UN resolutions are enforced," Sharif said. Pak-China ties Sharif also said that Pakistan and China's relationship is based on mutual respect and any threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be dealt with a heavy-hand. “I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is invincible," he asserted. The CPEC is 3,000-kilometer-long which includes a network of roads, railways and pipelines connecting western China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. The project was given a green signal last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. The agreement includes a plan for energy and infrastructure projects worth 46$ billion in Pakistan and aims to underscore China's economic ambitions in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to be "concerned" and had termed the project "unacceptable", Reuters reported. Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said, Prime Minister Modi had "very strongly" raised the issue during his visit to Beijing and the Indian governement had summoned a Chinese envoy. China, however rejected India's reservations and said India's concerns were baseless. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Kashmir is Pakistan's 'jugular vein', says Pakistan army chief

The Balochistan government will send a delegation of parliamentarians to international forums, including the United Nations, to draw the attention of the world on the situation in the province, local media reported today.&nbsp; 
 
The govenment has decided to send the lawmakers to friendly to raise the issue of India&rsquo;s involvement&nbsp;in fomenting violence in the province, a report by Pakistan daily The Express Tribune said.&nbsp; 
 
Balochistan chief minister Sardar Sanaullah Zehri reportedly spoke to the media in Lahore on Sunday and said he is planning to write to&nbsp; the UN Secretary-General in this regard.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;These international institutions talk of democracy all the time. The parliamentarians are the true representatives of the Balochistan people and when they talk at these forums their voce carry weight,&rdquo; he was quoted as saying by another Pakistan daily, The Nation, while referring to the negative propaganda of enemies of Pakistan at international level.&nbsp; 
 
During the Indian&nbsp;Independence Day address last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had &quot;thanked&quot; the people of Balochistan, the people of Gilgit and the people of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir for &quot;the goodwill they have showed towards him&quot;.&nbsp; 
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<h5>During the Indian&nbsp;Independence Day address last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had &quot;thanked&quot; the people of Balochistan, the people of Gilgit and the people of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir for &quot;the goodwill they have showed towards him&quot;.&nbsp;</h5>
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&quot;Time has come that Pakistan shall have to answer to the world for the atrocities committed by it against people in Balochistan and PoK,&quot; he had earlier said at an all-party meeting on Kashmir Valley.&nbsp; 
 
However, his remarks were clearly rejected by Pakistan following which Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formed a team of 22 members of parliament as special envoys to &quot;travel to various countries and highlight the situation on the Kashmir issue&quot; and &quot;cement Pakistan&#39;s stand in the long-standing Kashmir dispute&quot;. 
 
People in Balochistan recently took to streets against Modi&#39;s remark, Zehri pointed out.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Why did even ten persons had not gathered anywhere in Balochistan to support Mr Modi&rsquo;s assertions? The reason is simple. The so-called separatist elements do not enjoy any public support.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The chief minister also accused the separatist leader of provoking the youth.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
 
&nbsp;

A delegation of lawmakers from the state in Pakistan would also try to draw world's attention towards the province, said local media reports

The Balochistan government will send a delegation of parliamentarians to international forums, including the United Nations, to draw the attention of the world on the situation in the province, local media reported today. The govenment has decided to send the lawmakers to friendly to raise the issue of India’s involvement in fomenting violence in the province, a report by Pakistan daily The Express Tribune said. Balochistan chief minister Sardar Sanaullah Zehri reportedly spoke to the media in Lahore on Sunday and said he is planning to write to the UN Secretary-General in this regard. “These international institutions talk of democracy all the time. The parliamentarians are the true representatives of the Balochistan people and when they talk at these forums their voce carry weight,” he was quoted as saying by another Pakistan daily, The Nation, while referring to the negative propaganda of enemies of Pakistan at international level. During the Indian Independence Day address last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "thanked" the people of Balochistan, the people of Gilgit and the people of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir for "the goodwill they have showed towards him". During the Indian Independence Day address last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "thanked" the people of Balochistan, the people of Gilgit and the people of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir for "the goodwill they have showed towards him". "Time has come that Pakistan shall have to answer to the world for the atrocities committed by it against people in Balochistan and PoK," he had earlier said at an all-party meeting on Kashmir Valley. However, his remarks were clearly rejected by Pakistan following which Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formed a team of 22 members of parliament as special envoys to "travel to various countries and highlight the situation on the Kashmir issue" and "cement Pakistan's stand in the long-standing Kashmir dispute". People in Balochistan recently took to streets against Modi's remark, Zehri pointed out. “Why did even ten persons had not gathered anywhere in Balochistan to support Mr Modi’s assertions? The reason is simple. The so-called separatist elements do not enjoy any public support." The chief minister also accused the separatist leader of provoking the youth. (WION)

Balochistan chief minister likely to write to UN head over 'India meddling'

About 90,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their country from Pakistan this year, The Express Tribune reported today.&nbsp; 
 
According to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan, security checks for undocumented Afghans and a relatively higher cash grant for those who apply for repatriation has made this possible.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;The increase in the number of security operations against undocumented foreigners, including undocumented Afghans, has also impacted refugees&rsquo; decision-making, despite assurances from authorities that Proof of Registration card holders will not be subjected to arrest or deportation,&rdquo; UNHCR-Pakistan spokesperson Dunya Khan told the Pakistan daily.&nbsp; 
 
She however added that refugees should not be forced to go back.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Because of the border security environment and action against undocumented foreigners, Afghan refugees face pressure,&rdquo; she said. 
 
Pakistan currently has around three million Afghan refugees. Of these, 1.6 million are registered while the remaining are not, and are vulnerable to expulsion, The Express Tribune report said, 
 
Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier extended the deadline for registration of Afghan refugees by six months, that has allowed them &nbsp;to stay in the country &nbsp;till December 31, 2016. 
 
(WION)

The UN refugee agency says its because of security checks for undocumented Afghans and a higher cash grant for repatriation: Express Tribune

About 90,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their country from Pakistan this year, The Express Tribune reported today. According to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan, security checks for undocumented Afghans and a relatively higher cash grant for those who apply for repatriation has made this possible. “The increase in the number of security operations against undocumented foreigners, including undocumented Afghans, has also impacted refugees’ decision-making, despite assurances from authorities that Proof of Registration card holders will not be subjected to arrest or deportation,” UNHCR-Pakistan spokesperson Dunya Khan told the Pakistan daily. She however added that refugees should not be forced to go back. “Because of the border security environment and action against undocumented foreigners, Afghan refugees face pressure,” she said. Pakistan currently has around three million Afghan refugees. Of these, 1.6 million are registered while the remaining are not, and are vulnerable to expulsion, The Express Tribune report said, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier extended the deadline for registration of Afghan refugees by six months, that has allowed them to stay in the country till December 31, 2016. (WION)

'90,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan returned to their homes this year'

The Kashmir talks between the Indian government and various stake-holders from the northern state were bound to fail as it became an internal exercise for the representatives of political parties who were in capital Srinagar for the proposed dialogue. 
 
Instead of an engagement with groups associated with the protests that have kept Kashmir on boil for almost two months, the all-party meet at Sher-e-Kashmir centre morphed into a briefing session by Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. 
 
Although the current view within the Indian establishment is that the agitation is funded and instigated by Pakistan, but closely observed, it is clear that the seeds of discord were sown by the competitive politics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Kashmir&#39;s People&#39;s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
There is no denying that Pakistan has funded terrorists and aided and directed attacks on the Indian side. It would, however, be foolish to overlook the fact that the fierce Kashmiri pride, if denied its own political, cultural and social space, often erupts in violent street protests. 
 
The PDP, on one hand, kept alive the rhetoric of &#39;a political solution&#39; to the problem of Kashmir&#39;s demand for azaadi (freedom) alive, but was quick to establish a close working relationship with the BJP that has always opposed any demand for self-determination for the state. 
 
The BJP-PDP combine in was expected to bring Jammu and the Valley together, but competitive politics for retaining core votes only created a bigger chasm. 
&nbsp; 
A common minimum programme was devised by the state government to ensure a smooth tenure, but it only ended up alientating the PDP&rsquo;s cadre that felt that the core issue on which they voted was compromised. 
 
A host of issues contributed to it. Whether it was the mulling of Union Territory status for Ladakh (a part of the state that has a sizeable Buddhist population, as opposed to Kashmir that is predominantly Muslim),&nbsp;or the consideration of the idea of &#39;a neglected Jammu,&#39; it only fostered distrust. The narrative of media also changed. 
 
The above debates polarised the views on the identity of Kashmir. Whether it was the skirmish between non-Kashmiri students and local ones over India&#39;s defeat in a cricket match that turned violent at Srinagar&#39;s National Institute of Technology or the&nbsp;move to establish enclaves for Indian Army ex-servicemen called &#39;Sainik Colony&#39; in Srinagar and Budgam that has been opposed by civil society and the separatist groups, Delhi appeared aloof. 
 
Suddenly everyday politics became coded gesture of a more muscular India intent on dealing with the Kashmir issue as if the state had to compensate for Pakistan&rsquo;s intransigent stand on various issues. 
 
The belief that successfully organising elections in the state affirm India&#39;s commitment towards the ideals of its Constitution has failed in Kashmir. This approach has also failed in other parts of India where tribal areas still witness armed insurgencies -- proving the point that elections are only the starting point in a democracy not the end. 
 
It becomes especially true in the state of Kashmir where Article 370 as an instrument of accession creates a different political situation on the ground. 
&nbsp; 
In this case the PDP cadre not only merged into the angry mobs, but also vented anger against senior party leaders when their houses came under attack. 
 
This brings us back to the question of a&nbsp;solution. First, it becomes imperative for the current government to look into the suggestions made by three-member committee of interlocutors appointed by the previous government and announce certain concrete steps. 
 
Second, PDP leaders must show enough courage to engage the locals by organising meetings in rural areas so that the ground situation can be stabilised. 
 
Third, Balochistan as an issue can only be a diplomatic pressure point, but not as a solution to the local problem. 
 
And last, since it has recognised that the agitation is headless, it becomes imperative that small groups of professionals must be encouraged for talks and the reconciliation process so that the agitation doesn&rsquo;t become hostage to entities like Hurriyat that have a fixed agenda. 
 
The strength of any democracy lies in absorbing dissent and not ignoring it. The challenge before the Centre is not to treat Kashmir as a logistical issue, but as a political challenge where creative solutions within the ambit of constitutional norm should be made available to common Kashmiris. 
 
(WION)

Politicians talking among themselves cannot be a solution to the Kashmir unrest; need to engage young professionals in talks

The Kashmir talks between the Indian government and various stake-holders from the northern state were bound to fail as it became an internal exercise for the representatives of political parties who were in capital Srinagar for the proposed dialogue. Instead of an engagement with groups associated with the protests that have kept Kashmir on boil for almost two months, the all-party meet at Sher-e-Kashmir centre morphed into a briefing session by Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. Although the current view within the Indian establishment is that the agitation is funded and instigated by Pakistan, but closely observed, it is clear that the seeds of discord were sown by the competitive politics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Kashmir's People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. There is no denying that Pakistan has funded terrorists and aided and directed attacks on the Indian side. It would, however, be foolish to overlook the fact that the fierce Kashmiri pride, if denied its own political, cultural and social space, often erupts in violent street protests. The PDP, on one hand, kept alive the rhetoric of 'a political solution' to the problem of Kashmir's demand for azaadi (freedom) alive, but was quick to establish a close working relationship with the BJP that has always opposed any demand for self-determination for the state. The BJP-PDP combine in was expected to bring Jammu and the Valley together, but competitive politics for retaining core votes only created a bigger chasm. A common minimum programme was devised by the state government to ensure a smooth tenure, but it only ended up alientating the PDP’s cadre that felt that the core issue on which they voted was compromised. A host of issues contributed to it. Whether it was the mulling of Union Territory status for Ladakh (a part of the state that has a sizeable Buddhist population, as opposed to Kashmir that is predominantly Muslim), or the consideration of the idea of 'a neglected Jammu,' it only fostered distrust. The narrative of media also changed. The above debates polarised the views on the identity of Kashmir. Whether it was the skirmish between non-Kashmiri students and local ones over India's defeat in a cricket match that turned violent at Srinagar's National Institute of Technology or the move to establish enclaves for Indian Army ex-servicemen called 'Sainik Colony' in Srinagar and Budgam that has been opposed by civil society and the separatist groups, Delhi appeared aloof. Suddenly everyday politics became coded gesture of a more muscular India intent on dealing with the Kashmir issue as if the state had to compensate for Pakistan’s intransigent stand on various issues. The belief that successfully organising elections in the state affirm India's commitment towards the ideals of its Constitution has failed in Kashmir. This approach has also failed in other parts of India where tribal areas still witness armed insurgencies -- proving the point that elections are only the starting point in a democracy not the end. It becomes especially true in the state of Kashmir where Article 370 as an instrument of accession creates a different political situation on the ground. In this case the PDP cadre not only merged into the angry mobs, but also vented anger against senior party leaders when their houses came under attack. This brings us back to the question of a solution. First, it becomes imperative for the current government to look into the suggestions made by three-member committee of interlocutors appointed by the previous government and announce certain concrete steps. Second, PDP leaders must show enough courage to engage the locals by organising meetings in rural areas so that the ground situation can be stabilised. Third, Balochistan as an issue can only be a diplomatic pressure point, but not as a solution to the local problem. And last, since it has recognised that the agitation is headless, it becomes imperative that small groups of professionals must be encouraged for talks and the reconciliation process so that the agitation doesn’t become hostage to entities like Hurriyat that have a fixed agenda. The strength of any democracy lies in absorbing dissent and not ignoring it. The challenge before the Centre is not to treat Kashmir as a logistical issue, but as a political challenge where creative solutions within the ambit of constitutional norm should be made available to common Kashmiris. (WION)

Why Kashmir talk was a non-starter

Cab-hailing app Uber has slashed its fares by up to 30 per cent to mark their six-month anniversary in Lahore, Pakistan. 
 
While the base fare and minimum fare remain as before, the company will now charge Rs 6.84 (Pakistan Rupee) per kilometre, down from Rs 13.7 earlier. Even the waiting-per-minute fare has a seen a slight reduction in fares, Pakistan&#39;s English-language daily Dawn reported.&nbsp; 
 
The company expects the revised rates to &quot;boost demand&quot; in the city.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Uber will not only be more affordable for riders but driver-partners should also earn more through increased demand,&quot; said the company in a press release.&nbsp; 
 
There are over 1,000 taxis working for Uber. However, the world&#39;s largest taxi-dispatching company didn&#39;t outline their strategy as to how they will manage the increased workload. 
 
There have been complaints of not enough Uber cabs in the city. The company started out with 100 cabs but has failed to augment its fleet in commensurate with growing demand in the city.&nbsp; 
 
They have faced difficulties in hiring drivers&nbsp;as many drivers walk in for the job with&nbsp;bogus driving licence.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The world's largest taxi-dispatching company revised its fares to boost demand and mark their six-month anniversary in the city

Cab-hailing app Uber has slashed its fares by up to 30 per cent to mark their six-month anniversary in Lahore, Pakistan. While the base fare and minimum fare remain as before, the company will now charge Rs 6.84 (Pakistan Rupee) per kilometre, down from Rs 13.7 earlier. Even the waiting-per-minute fare has a seen a slight reduction in fares, Pakistan's English-language daily Dawn reported. The company expects the revised rates to "boost demand" in the city. "Uber will not only be more affordable for riders but driver-partners should also earn more through increased demand," said the company in a press release. There are over 1,000 taxis working for Uber. However, the world's largest taxi-dispatching company didn't outline their strategy as to how they will manage the increased workload. There have been complaints of not enough Uber cabs in the city. The company started out with 100 cabs but has failed to augment its fleet in commensurate with growing demand in the city. They have faced difficulties in hiring drivers as many drivers walk in for the job with bogus driving licence. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Uber slashes fares by 30 per cent in Lahore

All India Radio (AIR), the national public radio broadcaster of India, would soon start programs in Balochi language.&nbsp; 
 
AIR director general Fayyaz Sheheryar disclosed in a meeting recently that the external services division of the national broadcaster is shortly going to start an exclusive news bulletin in &ldquo;Balochi&rdquo; language particularly for the people living in Balochistan province of Pakistan and other areas, according to PTI news agency.&nbsp; 
 
ANI news agency also confirmed the report today.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
All India Radio(AIR) too soon start programs in Balochi language. Govt gives approval : AIR sources
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/770885042155511808">August 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
 
This comes close on the heels of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Baloch remark where he referred to the human rights violations in Balochistan triggering sharp reactions from Pakistan. He made the comments during the Indian Independence Day speech on August 15. Modi also said that he was thanked by the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-controlled-Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, for flagging their problems. 
 
The remark, however, prompted Pakistan&#39;s foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria &nbsp;to say that &#39;Modi had crossed the red line&#39; with the statement. He also claimed that the statement had further strained the ties between the two countries amid the ongoing unrest in Kashmir Valley. Zakaria was referring to the ongoing protests in Kashmir Valley that were triggered following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.&nbsp; 
 
A top Baloch leader, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party also alleged last week that Pakistan is engaged in &#39;tsunami of human rights violations in Balochistan&#39; as he sought the help of international community and India.&nbsp; 
 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The external services division would soon start the 'exclusive' programs, AIR director general Fayyaz Sheheryar disclosed in a meeting

All India Radio (AIR), the national public radio broadcaster of India, would soon start programs in Balochi language. AIR director general Fayyaz Sheheryar disclosed in a meeting recently that the external services division of the national broadcaster is shortly going to start an exclusive news bulletin in “Balochi” language particularly for the people living in Balochistan province of Pakistan and other areas, according to PTI news agency. ANI news agency also confirmed the report today. All India Radio(AIR) too soon start programs in Balochi language. Govt gives approval : AIR sources — ANI (@ANI_news) August 31, 2016 This comes close on the heels of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Baloch remark where he referred to the human rights violations in Balochistan triggering sharp reactions from Pakistan. He made the comments during the Indian Independence Day speech on August 15. Modi also said that he was thanked by the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-controlled-Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, for flagging their problems. The remark, however, prompted Pakistan's foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria to say that 'Modi had crossed the red line' with the statement. He also claimed that the statement had further strained the ties between the two countries amid the ongoing unrest in Kashmir Valley. Zakaria was referring to the ongoing protests in Kashmir Valley that were triggered following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. A top Baloch leader, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party also alleged last week that Pakistan is engaged in 'tsunami of human rights violations in Balochistan' as he sought the help of international community and India. (WION with inputs from agencies)

All India Radio to air Baloch news bulletin?

China will &quot;have to get involved if any Indian plot disrupts the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan&#39;s Balochistan&quot;, a Chinese Think Tank was reported saying. 
 
The statement came following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern &nbsp;over the restive Balochistan. 
 
Hu Shisheng, Director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), affiliated with the country&#39;s Ministry of State Security, said that India&#39;s growing military ties with the US and its changed attitude on the disputed South China Sea were not welcomed by China. 
 
&quot;It could be regarded as a watershed moment in India&#39;s policy towards Pakistan. Why Chinese scholars are concerned is because this is for the first time India has mentioned it,&quot; Hu said. 
 
He said that China was concerned about India using &quot;anti-government&quot; elements in Balochistan where Beijing is building the $46 billion CPEC -- crucial to the success of its One Road One Belt project. 
 
&quot;India may take the same approach that it believes Pakistan is taking, asymmetrically using anti-government factors in Pakistan,&quot; Hu said. 
 
&quot;If this kind of plot causes damage to the CPEC, China will have to get involved,&quot; he said. 
 
The CPEC will connect China&#39;s largest province, Xinjiang, with Pakistan&#39;s Gwadar port in Balochistan, marked by rebels and separatists. India has opposed the corridor as it will pass through Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir which India calls its own. 
 
Hu pointed that the defence cooperation between New Delhi and Washington had increased significantly after Modi took over as Prime Minster, also referring to US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter&#39;s visit to India in April. 
 
&quot;There is renewal of defence and technological cooperation (between India and the US) for another 10 years, enhancing the cooperation under the framework of DTTI (Defence Technology and Trade Initiative),&quot; Hu added. 
 
India must resist pressure from the US and Japan in countering China, he said. 
 
A UN court had in July rejected China&#39;s claims over the the Nine-Dash line -- which covers almost 90 per cent of the contested South China Sea -- and backed the Philippines which has overlapping claims in the waters, also partly claimed by Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

China is concerned about the Indian Prime Minister's comments hampering the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project work in Balochistan

China will "have to get involved if any Indian plot disrupts the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's Balochistan", a Chinese Think Tank was reported saying. The statement came following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over the restive Balochistan. Hu Shisheng, Director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), affiliated with the country's Ministry of State Security, said that India's growing military ties with the US and its changed attitude on the disputed South China Sea were not welcomed by China. "It could be regarded as a watershed moment in India's policy towards Pakistan. Why Chinese scholars are concerned is because this is for the first time India has mentioned it," Hu said. He said that China was concerned about India using "anti-government" elements in Balochistan where Beijing is building the $46 billion CPEC -- crucial to the success of its One Road One Belt project. "India may take the same approach that it believes Pakistan is taking, asymmetrically using anti-government factors in Pakistan," Hu said. "If this kind of plot causes damage to the CPEC, China will have to get involved," he said. The CPEC will connect China's largest province, Xinjiang, with Pakistan's Gwadar port in Balochistan, marked by rebels and separatists. India has opposed the corridor as it will pass through Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir which India calls its own. Hu pointed that the defence cooperation between New Delhi and Washington had increased significantly after Modi took over as Prime Minster, also referring to US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's visit to India in April. "There is renewal of defence and technological cooperation (between India and the US) for another 10 years, enhancing the cooperation under the framework of DTTI (Defence Technology and Trade Initiative)," Hu added. India must resist pressure from the US and Japan in countering China, he said. A UN court had in July rejected China's claims over the the Nine-Dash line -- which covers almost 90 per cent of the contested South China Sea -- and backed the Philippines which has overlapping claims in the waters, also partly claimed by Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia. (WION with inputs from agencies)

'Will get involved if India stirs up trouble in Balochistan', Chinese think tank warns

Visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry began holding talks with India&rsquo;s top leaders on Tuesday&nbsp;after the two democracies signed an agreement strengthening their defence ties. 
 
Kerry arrived in New Delhi on Monday night for the second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, likely to include war-torn Afghanistan and tensions with Pakistan. 
 
Washington had hosted the first such dialogue in September 2015. 
 
Kerry, on his fourth visit to India, flew in from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where he held talks with the Bangladeshi government on bilateral and regional issues, including the terrorist attack at a cafe in Dhaka in July. In his meetings there, Kerry reportedly voiced his fears at the advent of the Islamic State in Bangladesh. 
 
In New Delhi, Kerry is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj after 2 pm India time followed by a joint press availability at 6 pm India time. 
 
On the last day of his visit to India, August 31, Kerry is expected to call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over plans to hike trade between the two countries five-fold to around $500 billion. 
 
On the commercial side, US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman on issues such as trade, investment&nbsp;and visa. 
 
This edition of the India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue is taking place towards the end of US President Barack Obama&#39;s tenure; it could very well have been postponed to a later date but sources tell WION that it signals the commitment of India and the US to maintain the momentum of the bilateral ties into the next administration in the US. 
 
(WION)

The second India-US strategic and commercial dialogue is likely to include war-torn Afghanistan and tensions with Pakistan

Visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry began holding talks with India’s top leaders on Tuesday after the two democracies signed an agreement strengthening their defence ties. Kerry arrived in New Delhi on Monday night for the second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, likely to include war-torn Afghanistan and tensions with Pakistan. Washington had hosted the first such dialogue in September 2015. Kerry, on his fourth visit to India, flew in from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where he held talks with the Bangladeshi government on bilateral and regional issues, including the terrorist attack at a cafe in Dhaka in July. In his meetings there, Kerry reportedly voiced his fears at the advent of the Islamic State in Bangladesh. In New Delhi, Kerry is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj after 2 pm India time followed by a joint press availability at 6 pm India time. On the last day of his visit to India, August 31, Kerry is expected to call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over plans to hike trade between the two countries five-fold to around $500 billion. On the commercial side, US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman on issues such as trade, investment and visa. This edition of the India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue is taking place towards the end of US President Barack Obama's tenure; it could very well have been postponed to a later date but sources tell WION that it signals the commitment of India and the US to maintain the momentum of the bilateral ties into the next administration in the US. (WION)

US secretary of state to meet Indian foreign minister for annual strategic dialogue

Chief minister of India&#39;s Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday insisted that people give her a chance to address the crisis in the state.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;I appeal to all those protesting in the streets. You may be angry with me, I may be angry with you. But please give me one chance to address your concerns and aspirations,&rdquo; she said. 
 
After her 45-minute-meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Mehbooba told DNA that she had outlined a three-pronged action during the meeting. 
 
It included the involvement of separatists and Pakistan in a substantive dialogue. But she refused to divulge details. 
 
Mehbooba said that good governance in her state was linked to peaceful relations between India and Pakistan. &ldquo;How can you govern and undertake development-related work when there are tensions?&rdquo; she said. 
 
On this front, she blamed Islamabad for not responding to Modi&rsquo;s peace overtures. 
 
&quot;PM Modi reached out to Pakistan, went to Lahore, but then Pathankot happened. Home minister Rajnath Singh also went to Islamabad. Unfortunately, Pakistan has repeatedly given up the chances to talk and resolve the issue of violence in Kashmir. Now, it is again time for Pakistan (to respond),&quot; she said. 
 
Only Modi can revive the process, she said. Mehbooba, however, skirted questions on the PM&rsquo;s recent pronouncements on Balochistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PoK). 
 
Fifty seven-year-old Mehbooba, mother of two and one of the few women politicians from Kashmir, said she asked Modi to put in place an institutionalised mechanism to address the issue. &ldquo;I asked for reviving the reconciliation and resolution process, which was initiated by the then NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 2002 and 2005,&rdquo; she said. 
 
It was the brushing of issues under the carpet, as in 2008 and 2010, that has resulted in the current unrest, Mehbooba said. &ldquo;The country&rsquo;s political leadership must commit itself to address all dimensions of the problem in a manner that balances and promotes enduring political and economic stability in the state and the region,&rdquo; she said. 
 
She expressed confidence that the escalating tensions would not derail the scheduled South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit and the PM&rsquo;s proposed visit to Islamabad. 
 
She also appealed to all political parties to help resolve the problems and not make the state a discussion point during their election campaigns. An &ldquo;all-party delegation will visit the state soon to reach out to the people,&rdquo; she said. 
 
Mehbooba, who single-handedly built the edifice of People&rsquo;s Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the monopoly of mainstream National Conference (NC) said the Agenda of Alliance enacted between her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the Prime Minister has a commitment to normalise the relationship with Pakistan. 
 
(This piece first appeared in DNA)

Mehbooba Mufti believes that only Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi can smoothen the fraying relations with Pakistan

Chief minister of India's Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday insisted that people give her a chance to address the crisis in the state. “I appeal to all those protesting in the streets. You may be angry with me, I may be angry with you. But please give me one chance to address your concerns and aspirations,” she said. After her 45-minute-meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Mehbooba told DNA that she had outlined a three-pronged action during the meeting. It included the involvement of separatists and Pakistan in a substantive dialogue. But she refused to divulge details. Mehbooba said that good governance in her state was linked to peaceful relations between India and Pakistan. “How can you govern and undertake development-related work when there are tensions?” she said. On this front, she blamed Islamabad for not responding to Modi’s peace overtures. "PM Modi reached out to Pakistan, went to Lahore, but then Pathankot happened. Home minister Rajnath Singh also went to Islamabad. Unfortunately, Pakistan has repeatedly given up the chances to talk and resolve the issue of violence in Kashmir. Now, it is again time for Pakistan (to respond)," she said. Only Modi can revive the process, she said. Mehbooba, however, skirted questions on the PM’s recent pronouncements on Balochistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PoK). Fifty seven-year-old Mehbooba, mother of two and one of the few women politicians from Kashmir, said she asked Modi to put in place an institutionalised mechanism to address the issue. “I asked for reviving the reconciliation and resolution process, which was initiated by the then NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 2002 and 2005,” she said. It was the brushing of issues under the carpet, as in 2008 and 2010, that has resulted in the current unrest, Mehbooba said. “The country’s political leadership must commit itself to address all dimensions of the problem in a manner that balances and promotes enduring political and economic stability in the state and the region,” she said. She expressed confidence that the escalating tensions would not derail the scheduled South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit and the PM’s proposed visit to Islamabad. She also appealed to all political parties to help resolve the problems and not make the state a discussion point during their election campaigns. An “all-party delegation will visit the state soon to reach out to the people,” she said. Mehbooba, who single-handedly built the edifice of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the monopoly of mainstream National Conference (NC) said the Agenda of Alliance enacted between her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the Prime Minister has a commitment to normalise the relationship with Pakistan. (This piece first appeared in DNA)

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister urges protesters to give her chance to address crisis

Four&nbsp;militants of the outlawed&nbsp;Lashkar-e- Jhanghvi (LeJ), who were allegedly involved in the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, were gunned down by Pakistan police today. 
 
Authorities said a gunbattle ensued after seven armed men belonging to LeJ attacked a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team in&nbsp;Manawan area of Lahore where offices of the department are located.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They were involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 and Moon Market Lahore attack in 2008,&quot; a police spokesperson said, adding that&nbsp;weapons and explosives were recovered from their possession.&nbsp; 
 
Police have identified the slain militants as&nbsp;Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, Abdul Wahab, Adnan Arshad and Attiqur Rehman. 
 
The three other militants managed to escape but police have launched a search operation to nab them.&nbsp; 
 
In March 2009, the Sri Lankan cricket team bus was attacked by LeJ and Taliban operatives in Lahore, injuring seven cricketers and killing six security personnel.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

The militants were gunned down after they attacked a Pakistan investigation team in Lahore today

Four militants of the outlawed Lashkar-e- Jhanghvi (LeJ), who were allegedly involved in the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, were gunned down by Pakistan police today. Authorities said a gunbattle ensued after seven armed men belonging to LeJ attacked a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team in Manawan area of Lahore where offices of the department are located. "They were involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 and Moon Market Lahore attack in 2008," a police spokesperson said, adding that weapons and explosives were recovered from their possession. Police have identified the slain militants as Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, Abdul Wahab, Adnan Arshad and Attiqur Rehman. The three other militants managed to escape but police have launched a search operation to nab them. In March 2009, the Sri Lankan cricket team bus was attacked by LeJ and Taliban operatives in Lahore, injuring seven cricketers and killing six security personnel. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Four LeJ extremists involved in attack on Sri Lanka cricket team shot dead: Pakistan police

Days after Pakistani paramilitary forces raided the headquarters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the port city of Karachi, &nbsp;Pakistan has said it will not seek the extradition of MQM founder Altaf Hussain from Britain.&nbsp; 
 
However, a legal action will be pursued against the MQM leader for his alleged incendiary address earlier this week that provoked MQM party workers to resort to violence in Karachi on August 22, Islamabad has said.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan to seek British government &#39;s help&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan said it would provide evidence against Hussain to the British Government on Monday. It ruled out Hussain&#39;s extradition as both nations don&#39;t have a treaty to do so, reports Geo TV. 
 
It said that the British government would be asked to take legal action against Hussain. Scotland Yard is also conducting its own investigation in this regard and collecting evidence against the MQM founder. 
 
Sources said that services of a legal council would also be taken, if required. 
 
Reportedly, Pakistan interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan is in close contact with British authorities regarding the issue and the interior ministry is pushing UK&#39;s home department to take action against Hussain as provoking people to violence was also against British laws. 
 
Member of parliament for Bradford West Naz Shah has also asked the UK authorities to consider proscribing the MQM as a terrorist organisation because of MQM founder&#39;s incitement of violence, attacks on Pakistan`s armed forces and the state of Pakistan itself. 
 
Shah has also written to Scotland Yard chief Sir Bernard Hogan Howe and home secretary Amber Rudd. In her letter, Shah asked the Scotland Yard to explain why the police have failed to take action against Hussain over his several speeches which incited violence in Pakistan. 
 
Crackdown deepens dispute&nbsp; 
 
The operation carried out by the troops on Tuesday deepened the dispute between MQM, which has dominated Karachi politics for decades, and local security forces that regularly spills into violence. 
 
The exiled leader living in London since 1992, in an address earlier this week, had said: &quot;Pakistan is a cancer for the entire world.&quot; His speech had prompted the MQM party workers to attack a TV station in Karachi.&nbsp; 
 
The riots by the MQM workers following Hussain&#39;s speech triggered a crackdown leading to the sealing of the party&#39;s headquarters Nine Zero, along with several other offices in the metropolis and elsewhere in Sindh. 
 
A case of treason was filed against Hussain by the police. However, Hussain later asked for forgiveness from the army and Rangers chiefs. 
 
&quot;From the depth of (my) heart, I beg pardon from the Pakistani establishment,&quot; he said. &quot;I was under severe mental stress over extra-judicial arrests and (the) precarious condition of my workers sitting at (a) hunger striking camp.&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
The British authorities have also been investigating Hussain for money laundering after a huge pile of cash was recovered from his residence and office in London in December 2012.He was arrested in June 2013 and released after questioning and was bailed six times since. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Pakistan interior ministry is reportedly pushing UK's home department to take action against Hussain for provoking people to violence

Days after Pakistani paramilitary forces raided the headquarters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the port city of Karachi, Pakistan has said it will not seek the extradition of MQM founder Altaf Hussain from Britain. However, a legal action will be pursued against the MQM leader for his alleged incendiary address earlier this week that provoked MQM party workers to resort to violence in Karachi on August 22, Islamabad has said. Pakistan to seek British government 's help Pakistan said it would provide evidence against Hussain to the British Government on Monday. It ruled out Hussain's extradition as both nations don't have a treaty to do so, reports Geo TV. It said that the British government would be asked to take legal action against Hussain. Scotland Yard is also conducting its own investigation in this regard and collecting evidence against the MQM founder. Sources said that services of a legal council would also be taken, if required. Reportedly, Pakistan interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan is in close contact with British authorities regarding the issue and the interior ministry is pushing UK's home department to take action against Hussain as provoking people to violence was also against British laws. Member of parliament for Bradford West Naz Shah has also asked the UK authorities to consider proscribing the MQM as a terrorist organisation because of MQM founder's incitement of violence, attacks on Pakistan`s armed forces and the state of Pakistan itself. Shah has also written to Scotland Yard chief Sir Bernard Hogan Howe and home secretary Amber Rudd. In her letter, Shah asked the Scotland Yard to explain why the police have failed to take action against Hussain over his several speeches which incited violence in Pakistan. Crackdown deepens dispute The operation carried out by the troops on Tuesday deepened the dispute between MQM, which has dominated Karachi politics for decades, and local security forces that regularly spills into violence. The exiled leader living in London since 1992, in an address earlier this week, had said: "Pakistan is a cancer for the entire world." His speech had prompted the MQM party workers to attack a TV station in Karachi. The riots by the MQM workers following Hussain's speech triggered a crackdown leading to the sealing of the party's headquarters Nine Zero, along with several other offices in the metropolis and elsewhere in Sindh. A case of treason was filed against Hussain by the police. However, Hussain later asked for forgiveness from the army and Rangers chiefs. "From the depth of (my) heart, I beg pardon from the Pakistani establishment," he said. "I was under severe mental stress over extra-judicial arrests and (the) precarious condition of my workers sitting at (a) hunger striking camp." he said. The British authorities have also been investigating Hussain for money laundering after a huge pile of cash was recovered from his residence and office in London in December 2012.He was arrested in June 2013 and released after questioning and was bailed six times since. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan to pursue 'legal action' against MQM founder Altaf Hussain, rules out extradition

A Baloch leader today, August 27 alleged that Pakistani forces were engaging in a &quot;tsunami of human rights violations&quot; in Balochistan. 
 
The leader has asked for the international community&#39;s (including India) intervention in the Baloch natiolist movement. 
 
Baloch Republican Party president Brahumdagh Bugti thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recently raising concern over the situation in Balochistan. 
 
&quot;Pak forces are engaged in tsunami of human rights violations. We do not want to live with Pakistan anymore,&quot; said the Switzerland-based Bugti. 
 
He insisted on a referendum of Baloch people under the supervision of the United Nations. 
 
He made an appeal to the US, NATO countries, Israel and India, to help them in their fight for independence. 
 
He said he is ready for a dialogue with the Pakistani government but insisted that there is no going back on freedom movement. 
 
Balochistan, of the size of France, is Pakistan&#39;s largest province which has been under &#39;illegal Pakistani occupation for the last seven decades&#39;, he said. 
 
Bugti called Modi&#39;s recent remarks the &quot;most powerful statement&quot; in the last seven decades. 
 
&quot;It is for the first time that an Indian Prime Minister has spoken. We believe that India should have taken this step a long time ago,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I am thoroughly indebted to Prime Minister Modi. I thank Prime Minister Modi for speaking raising the voice of Baloch people in his Independence Day address,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
He claimed that the use of aerial bombardment, and gases against the people of Balochistan was a routine, calling Balochistan the world capital of missing people. 
 
&quot;We are political people. We want to solve this with peaceful means. But there is no way we are going to be part of the Pakistan any more. We want freedom from Pakistan. We are not fools to try our luck again and again with Pakistan. We are ready to negotiate through peaceful means,&quot; Bugti said. 
 
&quot;So far we have never received any support from any international countries including India. We want to request India and other countries to help Balochistan. It is genocide of (the) Baloch (people) in Pakistan going on,&quot; he said. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Baloch Republican Party president Brahumdagh Bugti has sought international intervention in the Balochistan issue

A Baloch leader today, August 27 alleged that Pakistani forces were engaging in a "tsunami of human rights violations" in Balochistan. The leader has asked for the international community's (including India) intervention in the Baloch natiolist movement. Baloch Republican Party president Brahumdagh Bugti thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recently raising concern over the situation in Balochistan. "Pak forces are engaged in tsunami of human rights violations. We do not want to live with Pakistan anymore," said the Switzerland-based Bugti. He insisted on a referendum of Baloch people under the supervision of the United Nations. He made an appeal to the US, NATO countries, Israel and India, to help them in their fight for independence. He said he is ready for a dialogue with the Pakistani government but insisted that there is no going back on freedom movement. Balochistan, of the size of France, is Pakistan's largest province which has been under 'illegal Pakistani occupation for the last seven decades', he said. Bugti called Modi's recent remarks the "most powerful statement" in the last seven decades. "It is for the first time that an Indian Prime Minister has spoken. We believe that India should have taken this step a long time ago," he said. "I am thoroughly indebted to Prime Minister Modi. I thank Prime Minister Modi for speaking raising the voice of Baloch people in his Independence Day address," he added. He claimed that the use of aerial bombardment, and gases against the people of Balochistan was a routine, calling Balochistan the world capital of missing people. "We are political people. We want to solve this with peaceful means. But there is no way we are going to be part of the Pakistan any more. We want freedom from Pakistan. We are not fools to try our luck again and again with Pakistan. We are ready to negotiate through peaceful means," Bugti said. "So far we have never received any support from any international countries including India. We want to request India and other countries to help Balochistan. It is genocide of (the) Baloch (people) in Pakistan going on," he said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Baloch leader hits at Pakistani forces, calls Balochistan 'world capital of missing people'

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that the attack on American University in Kabul was &nbsp;&ldquo;organised and orchestrated&rdquo; from Pakistan, in &nbsp;yet another blow to the cooling ties between the two countries. 
 
According to media reports, Ghani spoke to Pakistan army chief general Raheel Sharif over phone and demanded &ldquo;serious measure against the terrorists&rdquo;. 
 
Raheel Sharif has reportedly told Ghani that &ldquo; &quot;Pakistani soil would not be allowed to be used for any type of terrorism in Afghanistan.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. 
 
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16 people were killed after at least two gunmen raided the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul late on Wednesday night.&nbsp; 
 
The militants stormed classrooms after a suspected car bomb was used to get into the walled complex,. 
 
There has been no claim of responsibility for the raid . 
 
University attracted foreign staff despite security concerns, heart of liberal learning 
 
Partly funded by US aid the American University, was founded in 2006, and offered the country&#39;s most sought after degrees. 
 
Despite security concerns, fuelled by the growth of&nbsp;insurgency and attacks on foreigners in Kabul, the university has &nbsp;continued to attract overseas teaching staff. 
 
Some 60 per cent of professors are foreign and the wider academic staff are drawn from 16 countries including Afghanistan, said Shamroz Khan Masjidi, a university spokesman told Reuters. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghan President spoke to Pakistan army chief over phone on Thursday, following which security forces in Pakistan began combing operations

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that the attack on American University in Kabul was “organised and orchestrated” from Pakistan, in yet another blow to the cooling ties between the two countries. According to media reports, Ghani spoke to Pakistan army chief general Raheel Sharif over phone and demanded “serious measure against the terrorists”. Raheel Sharif has reportedly told Ghani that “ "Pakistani soil would not be allowed to be used for any type of terrorism in Afghanistan." Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. 16 people were killed after at least two gunmen raided the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul late on Wednesday night. The militants stormed classrooms after a suspected car bomb was used to get into the walled complex,. There has been no claim of responsibility for the raid . University attracted foreign staff despite security concerns, heart of liberal learning Partly funded by US aid the American University, was founded in 2006, and offered the country's most sought after degrees. Despite security concerns, fuelled by the growth of insurgency and attacks on foreigners in Kabul, the university has continued to attract overseas teaching staff. Some 60 per cent of professors are foreign and the wider academic staff are drawn from 16 countries including Afghanistan, said Shamroz Khan Masjidi, a university spokesman told Reuters. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Kabul blames Islamabad for 'orchestrating' American University attack

Six soldiers and a provinicial government official were killed in an ambush on&nbsp;their convoy today when armed gunmen attacked them in the&nbsp;southwest province of Balochistan. 
 
The incident took place 80 kilometres from Gwadar, a vital port in a planned&nbsp;China-Pakistan economic corridor from the Arabian sea to China&#39;s western&nbsp;Xinjiang district. 
 
The gunmen hurled grenades and fired rockets at the convoy, informed the Gwadar deputy district commissioner. 
 
Separatist groups in Balochistan&nbsp;have been involved in several attacks on the&nbsp;country&#39;s security forces as part of their struggle for independence. 
 
Baloch activists have claimed that security forces have carried out extrajudicial&nbsp;killings, and thousands of people have disappeared from the region. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The gunmen hurled grenades and fired rockets at the convoy, informed the deputy district commissioner of southwestern Gwadar port city

Six soldiers and a provinicial government official were killed in an ambush on their convoy today when armed gunmen attacked them in the southwest province of Balochistan. The incident took place 80 kilometres from Gwadar, a vital port in a planned China-Pakistan economic corridor from the Arabian sea to China's western Xinjiang district. The gunmen hurled grenades and fired rockets at the convoy, informed the Gwadar deputy district commissioner. Separatist groups in Balochistan have been involved in several attacks on the country's security forces as part of their struggle for independence. Baloch activists have claimed that security forces have carried out extrajudicial killings, and thousands of people have disappeared from the region. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Attack on convoy kills 7 in Pakistan's Balochistan

Pakistan&#39;s top diplomat at the United Nations has said that the country had&nbsp;taken &quot;exemplary measures&quot; to establish nuclear safety and must thus be&nbsp;included in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. 
 
Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan&#39;s permanent representative to the UN, on Tuesday said&nbsp;that the country had implemented an export control regime and also&nbsp;participated in the Nuclear Security Summit process, the Dawn reported. 
 
Pakistan had also ratified the 2005 amendment to the Convention on Physical&nbsp;Protection of Nuclear Material and reinforced that it was keen on a bilateral&nbsp;arrangement on non-testing with India. 
 
The NSG is a group of nuclear suppliers that regulate global trade in nuclear&nbsp;technology. 
 
&quot;Pakistan is fulfilling its responsibility toward non-proliferation of nuclear&nbsp;weapons with utmost dedication,&quot; she was reported saying. 
 
&quot;We expect that a non-discriminatory, criteria-based approach is followed for&nbsp;extending NSG membership which strengthens the non-proliferation regime,&quot;&nbsp;she added. 
 
&quot;Differences in state capacities compounded challenges to addressing the&nbsp;proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,&quot; she said. 
 
Pakistan and India are the two non-NPT States aspiring for the membership of&nbsp;the elite group. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan and India are the two non-NPT States aspiring for the membership of?the elite group

Pakistan's top diplomat at the United Nations has said that the country had taken "exemplary measures" to establish nuclear safety and must thus be included in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN, on Tuesday said that the country had implemented an export control regime and also participated in the Nuclear Security Summit process, the Dawn reported. Pakistan had also ratified the 2005 amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and reinforced that it was keen on a bilateral arrangement on non-testing with India. The NSG is a group of nuclear suppliers that regulate global trade in nuclear technology. "Pakistan is fulfilling its responsibility toward non-proliferation of nuclear weapons with utmost dedication," she was reported saying. "We expect that a non-discriminatory, criteria-based approach is followed for extending NSG membership which strengthens the non-proliferation regime," she added. "Differences in state capacities compounded challenges to addressing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," she said. Pakistan and India are the two non-NPT States aspiring for the membership of the elite group. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan diplomat at UN pitches for inclusion in NSG

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top aides to prepare last week&#39;s annual Independence Day address, some senior bureaucrats warned him against mentioning Balochistan, arch-rival Pakistan&#39;s restive southwestern province. 
 
Referring to Balochistan in such a prominent speech would be a highly unusual move bound to ratchet up tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours more used to trading barbs over northern Kashmir state, the cause of two of their three wars. 
 
According to a senior official at the meeting in early August, the more hawkish politicians in the room, angered by what they saw as Pakistan&#39;s recent trouble-making in Kashmir, thought differently, and so did Modi. 
 
By siding with the hawks, and including Balochistan in his address, Modi signalled a more muscular approach towards Pakistan. 
 
That dims prospects of bringing the bitter rivals closer together to reduce economic pain and the risk of more violence, an issue that will be high on US secretary of state John Kerry&#39;s agenda when he lands in New Delhi on Monday for a three-day visit. 
 
&quot;The bureaucrats suggested that talking about Balochistan is a good idea but may be the Independence Day speech was not a good platform for it,&quot; said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the meeting&#39;s sensitivity. 
 
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar &quot;rejected these ideas&quot;, while home minister Rajnath Singh &quot;supported him (Parrikar) by saying we should do everything to silence Pakistan&quot;, this official said. 
 
India&#39;s ministry for external affairs declined to comment on the debate about Modi&#39;s speech. His office, and the defence and home ministries, did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
Speaking from the ramparts of the 17th-century Red Fort in Old Delhi on August 15, Modi thanked the Baloch people for their support after a number of separatist leaders published videos praising him for acknowledging their cause previously. 
 
He also lashed out at supporters of &quot;terrorism&quot;, in a more familiar broadside against India&#39;s old foe. 
 
Crossing the red line 
 
Pakistan has seized on Modi&#39;s speech as evidence that India has a hand in a decades-long Baloch separatist campaign, in which insurgents in the resource-rich yet impoverished region have launched sporadic attacks and demanded independence. India denies the charge. 
 
A senior foreign ministry official in Islamabad said Modi had &quot;crossed the red line&quot;. 
 
Indian officials said Modi&#39;s speech was designed to remind the world about alleged human rights abuses by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, just as Pakistan accuses India of abusing civilians in the disputed region of Kashmir during recent unrest. 
 
But outside Modi&#39;s entourage, questions are being asked about what strategic reward, if any, India can hope to gain by raising the geopolitical stakes. 
 
&quot;Politically, it&#39;s much less useful in terms of Pakistan using this as evidence of Indian meddling. It gives them ammunition,&quot; said Daniel Markey, a South Asia expert at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, referring to Modi&#39;s mention of Balochistan. 
 
But he added: &quot;There is a strategic utility in looking a little unhinged, in sending that message.&quot; 
 
A New Delhi-based diplomat from a major power with traditionally close ties to India said it will only escalate tension. 
 
Deteriorating relations 
 
Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated since the killing of a separatist leader in Indian-ruled Kashmir on July 8 sparked the worst violence in the disputed territory in six years. 
 
At least 66 protesters and two security personnel have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides, according to official state figures. 
 
India blames Pakistan for failing to stop militants crossing the heavily-militarised de facto border between them and attacking Indian security forces. Pakistan denies this. 
 
Two senior Indian officials said Modi had become frustrated with Pakistan&#39;s latest attempt to draw wide international attention to the Kashmir question and the current clampdown, and to take the matter to the United Nations. 
 
&quot;Dealing with militancy is our internal issue and we will not tolerate any other country&#39;s interference,&quot; said one of the officials, from Modi&#39;s nationalist ruling party, who is closely involved in regional policy. 
 
At the August meeting, Parrikar, the defence minister, also said that by raising Balochistan, Modi would be highlighting China&#39;s role in unrest in the region, said the official present. 
 
The reference to China reflects Indian unease at Beijing&#39;s backing of a $46 billion trade corridor running through land in northeast Pakistan that New Delhi claims, onward through Balochistan to the port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea coast. 
 
Some of the Baloch separatist leaders who praised Modi before his address worry that their battle for a homeland will become a political football between the South Asian neighbours. 
 
&quot;If India&#39;s support is just a reaction to the politics and to Kashmir, then it could damage the political struggle,&quot; said Geneva-based Baloch Republican Party leader Brahamdagh Bugti. 
 
He said New Delhi had rejected his application for Indian asylum in 2007. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

By including Balochistan in his address, Modi signalled a more muscular approach towards Pakistan.

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top aides to prepare last week's annual Independence Day address, some senior bureaucrats warned him against mentioning Balochistan, arch-rival Pakistan's restive southwestern province. Referring to Balochistan in such a prominent speech would be a highly unusual move bound to ratchet up tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours more used to trading barbs over northern Kashmir state, the cause of two of their three wars. According to a senior official at the meeting in early August, the more hawkish politicians in the room, angered by what they saw as Pakistan's recent trouble-making in Kashmir, thought differently, and so did Modi. By siding with the hawks, and including Balochistan in his address, Modi signalled a more muscular approach towards Pakistan. That dims prospects of bringing the bitter rivals closer together to reduce economic pain and the risk of more violence, an issue that will be high on US secretary of state John Kerry's agenda when he lands in New Delhi on Monday for a three-day visit. "The bureaucrats suggested that talking about Balochistan is a good idea but may be the Independence Day speech was not a good platform for it," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the meeting's sensitivity. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar "rejected these ideas", while home minister Rajnath Singh "supported him (Parrikar) by saying we should do everything to silence Pakistan", this official said. India's ministry for external affairs declined to comment on the debate about Modi's speech. His office, and the defence and home ministries, did not respond to requests for comment. Speaking from the ramparts of the 17th-century Red Fort in Old Delhi on August 15, Modi thanked the Baloch people for their support after a number of separatist leaders published videos praising him for acknowledging their cause previously. He also lashed out at supporters of "terrorism", in a more familiar broadside against India's old foe. Crossing the red line Pakistan has seized on Modi's speech as evidence that India has a hand in a decades-long Baloch separatist campaign, in which insurgents in the resource-rich yet impoverished region have launched sporadic attacks and demanded independence. India denies the charge. A senior foreign ministry official in Islamabad said Modi had "crossed the red line". Indian officials said Modi's speech was designed to remind the world about alleged human rights abuses by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, just as Pakistan accuses India of abusing civilians in the disputed region of Kashmir during recent unrest. But outside Modi's entourage, questions are being asked about what strategic reward, if any, India can hope to gain by raising the geopolitical stakes. "Politically, it's much less useful in terms of Pakistan using this as evidence of Indian meddling. It gives them ammunition," said Daniel Markey, a South Asia expert at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, referring to Modi's mention of Balochistan. But he added: "There is a strategic utility in looking a little unhinged, in sending that message." A New Delhi-based diplomat from a major power with traditionally close ties to India said it will only escalate tension. Deteriorating relations Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated since the killing of a separatist leader in Indian-ruled Kashmir on July 8 sparked the worst violence in the disputed territory in six years. At least 66 protesters and two security personnel have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides, according to official state figures. India blames Pakistan for failing to stop militants crossing the heavily-militarised de facto border between them and attacking Indian security forces. Pakistan denies this. Two senior Indian officials said Modi had become frustrated with Pakistan's latest attempt to draw wide international attention to the Kashmir question and the current clampdown, and to take the matter to the United Nations. "Dealing with militancy is our internal issue and we will not tolerate any other country's interference," said one of the officials, from Modi's nationalist ruling party, who is closely involved in regional policy. At the August meeting, Parrikar, the defence minister, also said that by raising Balochistan, Modi would be highlighting China's role in unrest in the region, said the official present. The reference to China reflects Indian unease at Beijing's backing of a $46 billion trade corridor running through land in northeast Pakistan that New Delhi claims, onward through Balochistan to the port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea coast. Some of the Baloch separatist leaders who praised Modi before his address worry that their battle for a homeland will become a political football between the South Asian neighbours. "If India's support is just a reaction to the politics and to Kashmir, then it could damage the political struggle," said Geneva-based Baloch Republican Party leader Brahamdagh Bugti. He said New Delhi had rejected his application for Indian asylum in 2007. (Reuters)

Indian PM Modi goaded Pakistan on Balochistan in deliberate but risky move

Waseem Akhtar, the mayor elect of Karachi, one of Pakistan&#39;s largest and most populous cities, vowed on Wednesday to run the city from his prison cell after he was detained last month on allegations that he helped militants and criminals.&nbsp; 
 
Akhtar&#39;s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had &nbsp;swept the local elections in December, but was prevented from taking office because of delays in finalising local council elections in parts of the city. The final voting took place on Wednesday. 
 
He arrived in an armoured police vehicle at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation building to vote in elections that give MQM a secure lead. 
 
&quot;Thank you Karachi, which has gone through this election in such difficult times,&quot; Akhtar said after he voted, according to media reports. 
 
&quot;It will go down in history that such an election has never before taken place in Pakistan.&quot; 
 
Under Pakistan law, politicians can govern from police custody but there is still ambiguity over how Akhtar will run the city from a prison cell. According to media reports, he is not expected to be released before taking his oath, the ceremony for which might take place on August 30. 
 
Media reports also quoted Akhtar&rsquo;s lawyer saying that the new mayor would run Karachi through video link for the whole term of office if necessary. 
 
Akhtar has reportedly said that he would ask the chief minister of Sindh to allow him to open an office in jail and make &quot;new rules&quot; so that people can access him. 
 
MQM has dominated Karachi, which is also Pakistan&rsquo;s richest city, for decades but a paramilitary crackdown since 2013 has chipped away its power base. 
 
A number of MQM members were arrested last year after being accused of murder, torture and racketeering. The party however denies any link to crime and accuses security forces of extra-judicial killing of its members, 
 
Senior Karachi-based members in the &nbsp;MQM pledged this week &nbsp;to reduce the influence of the party&rsquo;s London-based leader, Altaf Hussain, who on Monday urged supporters to attack the office of a TV channel in clashes that left one dead. 
 
(Reuters)

Akhtar was detained last month over allegations of helping militants and is not due to be released before the oath ceremony

Waseem Akhtar, the mayor elect of Karachi, one of Pakistan's largest and most populous cities, vowed on Wednesday to run the city from his prison cell after he was detained last month on allegations that he helped militants and criminals. Akhtar's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had swept the local elections in December, but was prevented from taking office because of delays in finalising local council elections in parts of the city. The final voting took place on Wednesday. He arrived in an armoured police vehicle at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation building to vote in elections that give MQM a secure lead. "Thank you Karachi, which has gone through this election in such difficult times," Akhtar said after he voted, according to media reports. "It will go down in history that such an election has never before taken place in Pakistan." Under Pakistan law, politicians can govern from police custody but there is still ambiguity over how Akhtar will run the city from a prison cell. According to media reports, he is not expected to be released before taking his oath, the ceremony for which might take place on August 30. Media reports also quoted Akhtar’s lawyer saying that the new mayor would run Karachi through video link for the whole term of office if necessary. Akhtar has reportedly said that he would ask the chief minister of Sindh to allow him to open an office in jail and make "new rules" so that people can access him. MQM has dominated Karachi, which is also Pakistan’s richest city, for decades but a paramilitary crackdown since 2013 has chipped away its power base. A number of MQM members were arrested last year after being accused of murder, torture and racketeering. The party however denies any link to crime and accuses security forces of extra-judicial killing of its members, Senior Karachi-based members in the MQM pledged this week to reduce the influence of the party’s London-based leader, Altaf Hussain, who on Monday urged supporters to attack the office of a TV channel in clashes that left one dead. (Reuters)

Karachi mayor-elect: Will run city from prison cell

A Pakistani court today reserved its verdict over a petition filed by Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief seeking directives for the government to take up the&nbsp;Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council forum. 
 
Saeed had filed the petition in the Lahore High Court on August 12. 
 
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali heard the petition and&nbsp;reserved the judgement after hearing arguments from Saeed&#39;s counsel advocate&nbsp;A K Dogar. 
 
Saeed in his petition alleged that India had been committing &quot;atrocities&quot; on&nbsp;Kashmiris and &quot;violating&quot; the resolutions passed by the UN. 
 
The petetion alleged that India also did not give Kashmiris their right to self-determination. 
 
Saeed sought a court order for the federal government to take up the Kashmir&nbsp;issue at the Security Council to force India to obey the Security Council&#39;s&nbsp;resolution passed in April 1948. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The petition sought directives for the government to raise the Kashmir issue with the UN Security Council

A Pakistani court today reserved its verdict over a petition filed by Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief seeking directives for the government to take up the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council forum. Saeed had filed the petition in the Lahore High Court on August 12. Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali heard the petition and reserved the judgement after hearing arguments from Saeed's counsel advocate A K Dogar. Saeed in his petition alleged that India had been committing "atrocities" on Kashmiris and "violating" the resolutions passed by the UN. The petetion alleged that India also did not give Kashmiris their right to self-determination. Saeed sought a court order for the federal government to take up the Kashmir issue at the Security Council to force India to obey the Security Council's resolution passed in April 1948. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan court reserves verdict over JuD chief's petition regarding Kashmir issue

Pakistani paramilitary troops raided headquarters of a powerful political party in Pakistan&#39;s southern city of Karachi and detained several party leaders and activists through the night and early on Tuesday (August 23) following protesters&#39; attack on Pakistani TV station, a senior Rangers official said. 
 
Supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) fired shots at the office of a television channel in the afternoon on Monday (August 22) before ransacking the building, police said. 
 
The protesters belonged to the MQM, senior superintendent of police Saqib Ismail said. Media reported they were angry about a lack of coverage of a hunger strike. 
 
He said MQM workers fired shots at the ARY (News) office, ransacked the premises and set fire to a police mobile. 
 
The Sindh province government late on Monday decided to shut down all offices of the MQM. The rangers and police carried out a search operation for four hours and sealed MQM headquarters, popularly known as Nine Zero following the raid. 
 
Rangers recovered weapons from MQM headquarters, said sector commander of Rangers Brigadier Khurram Shehzad. MQM website was also blocked. 
 
&quot;During the search, we have recovered some weapons which include few SMGs and two pistols. After it&#39;s forensic test and study of the anti-state material which we have found, we will bring the facts to the media,&quot; Shehzad said. 
 
Earlier, five MQM leaders were taken into custody by law enforcement agencies while a MQM lawmaker announced resignation following provocative speech of Altaf Hussain that led to ransacking of media houses and clashes with police. 
 
The arrested MQM leaders included Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, Sajid Ahmed and Amir Liaquat Hussain. Two of the leaders were released after brief interrogation, reported ARY NEWS. 
 
More than fifty workers of MQM were also rounded up from across Karachi, Geo news reported. 
 
The crackdown was launched after at least one person was reported killed and several others were injured during the violence. 
 
Local media said the protesters had rushed to the office of ARY shortly after the MQM leader Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London, had criticised Pakistan&#39;s media in a telephone address for failing to report on his workers&#39; hunger strikes. 
 
The MQM has held sway over Karachi for years and law enforcement agencies, its opponents and many residents have accused it of racketeering, abduction, torture and murder in its bid to maintain power. The party denies links to crime. 
 
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a high-level meeting today to discuss Karachi situation. 
 
(Reuters)

Pakistani rangers recovered weapons from the MQM headquarters. PM Nawaz Sharif has called for a meeting to discuss the situation in Karachi

Pakistani paramilitary troops raided headquarters of a powerful political party in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi and detained several party leaders and activists through the night and early on Tuesday (August 23) following protesters' attack on Pakistani TV station, a senior Rangers official said. Supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) fired shots at the office of a television channel in the afternoon on Monday (August 22) before ransacking the building, police said. The protesters belonged to the MQM, senior superintendent of police Saqib Ismail said. Media reported they were angry about a lack of coverage of a hunger strike. He said MQM workers fired shots at the ARY (News) office, ransacked the premises and set fire to a police mobile. The Sindh province government late on Monday decided to shut down all offices of the MQM. The rangers and police carried out a search operation for four hours and sealed MQM headquarters, popularly known as Nine Zero following the raid. Rangers recovered weapons from MQM headquarters, said sector commander of Rangers Brigadier Khurram Shehzad. MQM website was also blocked. "During the search, we have recovered some weapons which include few SMGs and two pistols. After it's forensic test and study of the anti-state material which we have found, we will bring the facts to the media," Shehzad said. Earlier, five MQM leaders were taken into custody by law enforcement agencies while a MQM lawmaker announced resignation following provocative speech of Altaf Hussain that led to ransacking of media houses and clashes with police. The arrested MQM leaders included Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, Sajid Ahmed and Amir Liaquat Hussain. Two of the leaders were released after brief interrogation, reported ARY NEWS. More than fifty workers of MQM were also rounded up from across Karachi, Geo news reported. The crackdown was launched after at least one person was reported killed and several others were injured during the violence. Local media said the protesters had rushed to the office of ARY shortly after the MQM leader Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London, had criticised Pakistan's media in a telephone address for failing to report on his workers' hunger strikes. The MQM has held sway over Karachi for years and law enforcement agencies, its opponents and many residents have accused it of racketeering, abduction, torture and murder in its bid to maintain power. The party denies links to crime. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a high-level meeting today to discuss Karachi situation. (Reuters)

MQM headquarters sealed by Pakistan forces for attacking TV station

Pakistani police charged the exiled leader of a major political party with treason and inciting terrorism on Tuesday, as his own second-in-command vowed to disown him a day after a violent protest in Karachi. 
 
Altaf Hussain,&nbsp;leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which rules Karachi, Pakistan&#39;s biggest city, was accused with a dozen other party leaders of shouting anti-Pakistan slogans at the demonstration Monday. 
 
MQM activists clashed with police and ransacked a private television station in the southern port city leaving at least one man dead and seven others injured. 
 
The violence erupted soon after Hussain gave a telephone address to supporters from London in which he castigated the media for not giving due coverage of his workers. 
 
According to a police report, he chanted &quot;down with Pakistan&quot; and called the country a &quot;bastion of terrorism&quot;. 
 
For over two decades, Hussain has addressed supporters through a loudspeaker linked to his London home telephone. 
 
Later Tuesday, Hussain&#39;s second-in-command Farooq Sattar, who was also briefly arrested after Monday&#39;s violence, said the MQM &quot;completely disowns&quot; Hussain&#39;s statements, accusing him of repeatedly embarrassing the party. 
 
&quot;We have decided to address his mental tension, or illness, or whatever condition he is suffering from,&quot; he said of Hussain at a press conference in Karachi. 
 
&quot;The MQM cannot afford to suffer this damage time and time again,&quot; he said, explaining what he claimed was a party decision to take control away from Hussain. 
 
&quot;It is MQM Pakistan, so it should be operated from Pakistan,&quot; he added. 
 
At home in London 
 
The MQM, run by Hussain from London -- and accused of using extortion and murder to cement its grip on power -- has long been blamed for ethnic violence in Karachi. 
 
It has clashed repeatedly with authorities who, according to rights groups, have resorted to hundreds of extra-judicial killings during a &quot;clean-up&quot; operation that began in 2013 in a city already plagued by violence. 
 
Last year Pakistani police registered a case under terrorism laws against Hussain over a speech criticising the country&#39;s powerful military establishment. 
 
Previous charges have not resulted in action or extradition requests against Hussain, who has lived in London since fleeing a military operation against his party in 1992 and is a British citizen. 
 
Hussain remains a highly influential figure in Karachi, Pakistan&#39;s economic centre and main port, though observers believe his grip on power is gradually diminishing in his absence and his party is no longer the force it once was. 
 
Earlier this year another party stalwart also turned on Hussain. Mustafa Kamal, a former MQM mayor of Karachi, broke away to form his own political party, taking several party leaders with him. 
 
Hussain was arrested in June 2014 by British police on suspicion of money laundering charges, but later released on bail, leading to speculation that his once cosy ties with London -- who viewed his party as a bulwark against Taliban terrorism -- were fraying. 
 
As well as the money-laundering case, British police are also probing the murder of MQM politician Imran Farooq in London in 2010. 
 
(AFP)

According to a police report, he chanted 'down with Pakistan' and called the country a 'bastion of terrorism'

Pakistani police charged the exiled leader of a major political party with treason and inciting terrorism on Tuesday, as his own second-in-command vowed to disown him a day after a violent protest in Karachi. Altaf Hussain, leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which rules Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city, was accused with a dozen other party leaders of shouting anti-Pakistan slogans at the demonstration Monday. MQM activists clashed with police and ransacked a private television station in the southern port city leaving at least one man dead and seven others injured. The violence erupted soon after Hussain gave a telephone address to supporters from London in which he castigated the media for not giving due coverage of his workers. According to a police report, he chanted "down with Pakistan" and called the country a "bastion of terrorism". For over two decades, Hussain has addressed supporters through a loudspeaker linked to his London home telephone. Later Tuesday, Hussain's second-in-command Farooq Sattar, who was also briefly arrested after Monday's violence, said the MQM "completely disowns" Hussain's statements, accusing him of repeatedly embarrassing the party. "We have decided to address his mental tension, or illness, or whatever condition he is suffering from," he said of Hussain at a press conference in Karachi. "The MQM cannot afford to suffer this damage time and time again," he said, explaining what he claimed was a party decision to take control away from Hussain. "It is MQM Pakistan, so it should be operated from Pakistan," he added. At home in London The MQM, run by Hussain from London -- and accused of using extortion and murder to cement its grip on power -- has long been blamed for ethnic violence in Karachi. It has clashed repeatedly with authorities who, according to rights groups, have resorted to hundreds of extra-judicial killings during a "clean-up" operation that began in 2013 in a city already plagued by violence. Last year Pakistani police registered a case under terrorism laws against Hussain over a speech criticising the country's powerful military establishment. Previous charges have not resulted in action or extradition requests against Hussain, who has lived in London since fleeing a military operation against his party in 1992 and is a British citizen. Hussain remains a highly influential figure in Karachi, Pakistan's economic centre and main port, though observers believe his grip on power is gradually diminishing in his absence and his party is no longer the force it once was. Earlier this year another party stalwart also turned on Hussain. Mustafa Kamal, a former MQM mayor of Karachi, broke away to form his own political party, taking several party leaders with him. Hussain was arrested in June 2014 by British police on suspicion of money laundering charges, but later released on bail, leading to speculation that his once cosy ties with London -- who viewed his party as a bulwark against Taliban terrorism -- were fraying. As well as the money-laundering case, British police are also probing the murder of MQM politician Imran Farooq in London in 2010. (AFP)

Pakistan charges MQM leader Altaf Hussain with treason

The US blocked USD 300 million military aid to&nbsp;Islamabad as it failed to get a Congressional certification for&nbsp;&quot;satisfactory&quot; action against the dreaded Haqqani network, the Pentagon has&nbsp;said as it warned that it was in Pakistan&#39;s interest to take action against&nbsp;terrorists. 
 
The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks&nbsp;against US interests in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and other civilian&nbsp;targets. 
 
The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests&nbsp;in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that&nbsp;killed 58 people. 
 
The Pentagon said it was in Pakistan&#39;s interest to take action against&nbsp;terrorists in &quot;as many ways as possible&quot;. 
 
&quot;We continue to have a close relationship with Pakistan with regard to&nbsp;terrorism and fighting terrorism. (But) It&#39;s obviously in Pakistan&#39;s own&nbsp;interest and the United States interest to combat terrorism in as many ways&nbsp;as possible,&quot; Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters yesterday. 
 
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter did not give Congressional certification&nbsp;to Pakistan for satisfactory action against the Haqqani network this year,&nbsp;Cook said. 
 
In the absence of the certification, the Pentagon blocked disbursement of USD&nbsp;300 million to Pakistan under Coalition Support Fund, which is essentially&nbsp;reimbursement money for the expenses made by Pakistan Army in support of US&nbsp;operations in Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;With regard to that USD 300 million, there was a (June 30) deadline in terms&nbsp;of whether or not to transfer that money or to use that money in other ways,&nbsp;and it was determined that at this moment in time, it was best to reprogramme&nbsp;that money in other directions,&quot; Cook said. 
 
The Washington Post, which first reported about it, has described the&nbsp;withholding of the US military assistance to Pakistan as a &quot;potential blow&quot;&nbsp;to US-Pak ties. 
 
The Pentagon press secretary, however, said the US will continue to work&nbsp;&quot;closely with Pakistan and we&#39;ve seen significant efforts on the part of the&nbsp;Pakistanis.&quot; 
 
(PTI)

The group has carried out a number of attacks?against US and Indian interests in Afghanistan

The US blocked USD 300 million military aid to Islamabad as it failed to get a Congressional certification for "satisfactory" action against the dreaded Haqqani network, the Pentagon has said as it warned that it was in Pakistan's interest to take action against terrorists. The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and other civilian targets. The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people. The Pentagon said it was in Pakistan's interest to take action against terrorists in "as many ways as possible". "We continue to have a close relationship with Pakistan with regard to terrorism and fighting terrorism. (But) It's obviously in Pakistan's own interest and the United States interest to combat terrorism in as many ways as possible," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters yesterday. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter did not give Congressional certification to Pakistan for satisfactory action against the Haqqani network this year, Cook said. In the absence of the certification, the Pentagon blocked disbursement of USD 300 million to Pakistan under Coalition Support Fund, which is essentially reimbursement money for the expenses made by Pakistan Army in support of US operations in Afghanistan. "With regard to that USD 300 million, there was a (June 30) deadline in terms of whether or not to transfer that money or to use that money in other ways, and it was determined that at this moment in time, it was best to reprogramme that money in other directions," Cook said. The Washington Post, which first reported about it, has described the withholding of the US military assistance to Pakistan as a "potential blow" to US-Pak ties. The Pentagon press secretary, however, said the US will continue to work "closely with Pakistan and we've seen significant efforts on the part of the Pakistanis." (PTI)

In Pak's interest to take action against Haqqani network: Pentagon

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