Pushing for inclusion of Islamic content in school textbooks is nothing new in Pakistan. Dawn reported in 2014 that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wanted to reintroduce verses of the Koran, dealing with jihad (Holy War), and adding passages on the divine creation of the universe into science textbooks. Lately, the Express Tribune of Pakistan reported that Pakistan&rsquo;s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is pressuring the ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (FEPT) to include in public school curriculum such Koranic verses which make explicit mention to the concept of jihad.&nbsp; 
 
As part of its mission statement to &ldquo;ensure holistic growth&rdquo;, the FEPT has already proposed that all public schools in the country should include the provision of teaching the Koran to its students from grade 1 to 12. The holy book will be a &ldquo;compulsory subject&rdquo;, the Minister of State for Education Balighur Rehman confirmed last month.&nbsp; 
 
Much to the chagrin of CII members, however, the minister&rsquo;s proposal seems to have left out verses that mention jihad. On reviewing the proposal the top religious legislative advisory body expressed reservations at such exclusions. CII member Maulana Zahid Qasmi said, &ldquo;484 verses of jihad are mentioned in the Quran but they were deliberately not included in the syllabus so students could not be taught about it&rdquo;. 
 
Education falls under the legislative control of the provinces in Pakistan. FEPT is definitely making a centralising bid here in trying to co-ordinate the nature of religious education on a national basis. In the plea of making Koranic education affordable by offering it in public schools, FEPT makes a clear attempt not to leave religious instruction in the hands of privately employed Quran teacher or to religious seminaries, as is the current practise in Pakistan. Its guarantee of enabling a student to recite the Koran in five years, however, faces a challenge, as powerful members of the religious body object to the very authenticity of the project.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

The federal education and professional training ministry has proposed a draft to make the holy Quran a compulsory subject

Pushing for inclusion of Islamic content in school textbooks is nothing new in Pakistan. Dawn reported in 2014 that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wanted to reintroduce verses of the Koran, dealing with jihad (Holy War), and adding passages on the divine creation of the universe into science textbooks. Lately, the Express Tribune of Pakistan reported that Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is pressuring the ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (FEPT) to include in public school curriculum such Koranic verses which make explicit mention to the concept of jihad. As part of its mission statement to “ensure holistic growth”, the FEPT has already proposed that all public schools in the country should include the provision of teaching the Koran to its students from grade 1 to 12. The holy book will be a “compulsory subject”, the Minister of State for Education Balighur Rehman confirmed last month. Much to the chagrin of CII members, however, the minister’s proposal seems to have left out verses that mention jihad. On reviewing the proposal the top religious legislative advisory body expressed reservations at such exclusions. CII member Maulana Zahid Qasmi said, “484 verses of jihad are mentioned in the Quran but they were deliberately not included in the syllabus so students could not be taught about it”. Education falls under the legislative control of the provinces in Pakistan. FEPT is definitely making a centralising bid here in trying to co-ordinate the nature of religious education on a national basis. In the plea of making Koranic education affordable by offering it in public schools, FEPT makes a clear attempt not to leave religious instruction in the hands of privately employed Quran teacher or to religious seminaries, as is the current practise in Pakistan. Its guarantee of enabling a student to recite the Koran in five years, however, faces a challenge, as powerful members of the religious body object to the very authenticity of the project. (WION)

Pakistan: Islamic council demands inclusion of jihad verses in school curriculum

South Asia, rich in culture and tradition, has a unique character of its own. Cohesion of ethnicity in the region, lends it some of the most absurd-sounding customs. 
 
Here are 8 such bizarre traditions you didn&#39;t know about: 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Baby tossing</li>
</ul>
Newborn babies are dropped from a 50 ft high temple in southern Indian state of Karnataka India to &quot;bring health and prosperity in their lives&quot;. 
 
Couples who are blessed with a child after taking a vow at the Shri Santeshwar temple take part in this bizarre practice every year, in the first week of December. The infants are caught by onlookers waiting with a blanket.
<div class="media-description">
<div class="media-description">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Deuki: Sacred slave</li>
</ul>
Deuki is a girl slave in Nepal who is offered to the local Hindu temple to gain religious merit. Historically, the girls served as temple slaves who were engaged by the priests to give sexual services to male worshippers at the temple. The tradition has been formally abolished but continues to be practiced in some villages by those who seek favour from God or sell their girl child to wealthy couples for the same. &nbsp;

<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/nepal%20temple-20160914080853.jpeg" />

<div class="media-description">
A Hindu temple in Nepal 
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Sky burial&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Buddhists in Tibet follow a sacred ritual called Jhator or Sky burial. 
 
As the name goes, dead bodies are taken to open fields at a very high altitude, to be left behind for scavengers. The tradition looks to provide resources to earth, even after death. Sky burials have been made illegal now but it can still be observed with the permission of the family.&nbsp;
<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_mvd872391-20160914081040.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
A flock of vultures 
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Fire walking festival&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Firewalking festival is observed in some countries like India and Sri Lanka where walking on burning embers or stones is considered to ward off evil spirits and is used as a purification ritual. Some tribes in Pakistan also use this as a justification system to prove the innocence of guilty. If the guilty walks over it without any burns, they are deemed innocent otherwise proven of guilt.&nbsp;

<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/thimithi-20160914080745.jpeg" />

<div class="media-description">
Thimithi festival in Sri Lanka 
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Isolated labour</li>
</ul>
According to some families in Pakistan, women giving birth are considered to be impure and unclean. They are sent off to an isolated building called Bashleni to carry on with labour. Only those women who are menstruating can enter the building as they themselves are considered impure and messy.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Love burglars&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Under Bomena,&nbsp;a traditional Bhutanese courtship ritual, boys roam during the night looking for houses where they know that girls, who are eligible for marriage, are sleeping. They then climb up the walls to the girl&rsquo;s bed. The idea is to stay the night, with her approval. 
 
In Bhutan, however, it&rsquo;s not so easy as young girls usually sleep with the entire family and any protest from her gets the boy thrown out. At present, the custom is seen as backward and laws have been enacted to stop it.
<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/bhutan-20160914080335.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
Girls in the northernmost valley of Bhutan where love burglars are found 
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Polyandry system</li>
</ul>
In some parts of Nepal, a woman is made to marry more than one man simultaneously. Adopted by the Himalayan region, polyandry has been continuing for many years, much to the dislike of younger generation. It&rsquo;s present in two forms: fraternal and non-fraternal. Fraternal polyandry has brothers of a generation share a wife whereas in Non-fraternal type, a group of like-minded men from different households get married to one woman.&nbsp;

<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/nepal%20bride-20160914080456.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
A young Nepalese bride at the ceremony 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Marry a tree</li>
</ul>
</div>
Some girls in India are considered to be born cursed, according to astrological readings in Hindu tradition. Those born under the period when planets Mars and Saturn are both under the seventh house, are known as &#39;Mangliks&#39;. 
 
According to belief, she brings early death to her spouse and the curse can be broken only after she gets married to a tree before she ties knot with her fiance. She could also marry a clay urn.&nbsp;
<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/tree-20160914080609.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
A Hindu lady praying to a tree 
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>
 
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan) 
 
&nbsp;

We live in a strange world and it promises to keep us entertained...

South Asia, rich in culture and tradition, has a unique character of its own. Cohesion of ethnicity in the region, lends it some of the most absurd-sounding customs. Here are 8 such bizarre traditions you didn't know about: Baby tossing Newborn babies are dropped from a 50 ft high temple in southern Indian state of Karnataka India to "bring health and prosperity in their lives". Couples who are blessed with a child after taking a vow at the Shri Santeshwar temple take part in this bizarre practice every year, in the first week of December. The infants are caught by onlookers waiting with a blanket. Deuki: Sacred slave Deuki is a girl slave in Nepal who is offered to the local Hindu temple to gain religious merit. Historically, the girls served as temple slaves who were engaged by the priests to give sexual services to male worshippers at the temple. The tradition has been formally abolished but continues to be practiced in some villages by those who seek favour from God or sell their girl child to wealthy couples for the same. A Hindu temple in Nepal Sky burial Buddhists in Tibet follow a sacred ritual called Jhator or Sky burial. As the name goes, dead bodies are taken to open fields at a very high altitude, to be left behind for scavengers. The tradition looks to provide resources to earth, even after death. Sky burials have been made illegal now but it can still be observed with the permission of the family. A flock of vultures Fire walking festival Firewalking festival is observed in some countries like India and Sri Lanka where walking on burning embers or stones is considered to ward off evil spirits and is used as a purification ritual. Some tribes in Pakistan also use this as a justification system to prove the innocence of guilty. If the guilty walks over it without any burns, they are deemed innocent otherwise proven of guilt. Thimithi festival in Sri Lanka Isolated labour According to some families in Pakistan, women giving birth are considered to be impure and unclean. They are sent off to an isolated building called Bashleni to carry on with labour. Only those women who are menstruating can enter the building as they themselves are considered impure and messy. Love burglars Under Bomena, a traditional Bhutanese courtship ritual, boys roam during the night looking for houses where they know that girls, who are eligible for marriage, are sleeping. They then climb up the walls to the girl’s bed. The idea is to stay the night, with her approval. In Bhutan, however, it’s not so easy as young girls usually sleep with the entire family and any protest from her gets the boy thrown out. At present, the custom is seen as backward and laws have been enacted to stop it. Girls in the northernmost valley of Bhutan where love burglars are found Polyandry system In some parts of Nepal, a woman is made to marry more than one man simultaneously. Adopted by the Himalayan region, polyandry has been continuing for many years, much to the dislike of younger generation. It’s present in two forms: fraternal and non-fraternal. Fraternal polyandry has brothers of a generation share a wife whereas in Non-fraternal type, a group of like-minded men from different households get married to one woman. A young Nepalese bride at the ceremony Marry a tree Some girls in India are considered to be born cursed, according to astrological readings in Hindu tradition. Those born under the period when planets Mars and Saturn are both under the seventh house, are known as 'Mangliks'. According to belief, she brings early death to her spouse and the curse can be broken only after she gets married to a tree before she ties knot with her fiance. She could also marry a clay urn. A Hindu lady praying to a tree (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

8 bizarre customs practised in South Asia

Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh&#39;s speech during the seventh SAARC home ministers&#39; meeting held in Pakistan&#39;s capital Islamabad was blacked out. 
 
Members of the Indian media, who had gone to report on the conference, were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between officials of the two sides. 
 
Only Pakistan state PTV was allowed to cover introductory speeches of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and interior minister&nbsp;Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan. Even private Pakistani media was not allowed to cover the event. 
 
As per reports, Singh has left for Islamabad airport to return to India. Media reports also said that his scheduled news conference at Delhi airport has been cancelled. 
 
During a terse speech in Islamabad, Singh said that there should&nbsp;be strongest of action not only against terrorists but also against organisations, individuals and nations which support terror. He said mere condemnation of terrorism and individual acts by terrorists was not enough as far as India was concerned. 
 
Launching a veiled attack on Pakistan for glorifying Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a martyr, Singh said that there should be no glorification of terrorists, adding there is no good or bad terrorism. 
 
The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident when Singh came face- to-face with Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today. The two leaders barely shook hands at the entrance of the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel. 
 
Singh arrived in Islamabad yesterday amid protests by supporters of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkat ul Mujahideen. The protests were held at a distance of about 10 kilometres from the&nbsp;National Assembly. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin was also present during the protests. 
 
(ANI)

Members of the Indian media were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials

Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh's speech during the seventh SAARC home ministers' meeting held in Pakistan's capital Islamabad was blacked out. Members of the Indian media, who had gone to report on the conference, were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between officials of the two sides. Only Pakistan state PTV was allowed to cover introductory speeches of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan. Even private Pakistani media was not allowed to cover the event. As per reports, Singh has left for Islamabad airport to return to India. Media reports also said that his scheduled news conference at Delhi airport has been cancelled. During a terse speech in Islamabad, Singh said that there should be strongest of action not only against terrorists but also against organisations, individuals and nations which support terror. He said mere condemnation of terrorism and individual acts by terrorists was not enough as far as India was concerned. Launching a veiled attack on Pakistan for glorifying Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a martyr, Singh said that there should be no glorification of terrorists, adding there is no good or bad terrorism. The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident when Singh came face- to-face with Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today. The two leaders barely shook hands at the entrance of the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel. Singh arrived in Islamabad yesterday amid protests by supporters of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkat ul Mujahideen. The protests were held at a distance of about 10 kilometres from the National Assembly. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin was also present during the protests. (ANI)

Indian interior minister's speech blacked out at SAARC summit in Pakistan

Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said the country is committed to jointly working with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries for fighting terrorism, corruption and organised crimes. 
 
Addressing the inaugural session of the SAARC home ministers&#39; conference, Sharif cited Pakistan&#39;s anti-terror operations in restive tribal areas and National Action Plan to emphasise &quot;the government&#39;s determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our soil for good&quot;. 
 
He said the SAARC region is blessed with tremendous human and natural resources. &quot;So, SAARC can and should provide a platform to optimally harness the regional potential for peace and prosperity of our people.&quot; 
 
Sharif said such an approach is in sync with his government&#39;s vision of &quot;peace for development and peaceful neighbourhood&quot;. &quot;Pakistan has always been supportive of initiatives taken by SAARC to advance its ideals and objectives as enshrined in its charter,&quot; he said. 
 
He said Pakistan has also been a&nbsp;strong advocate of stepping up regional efforts to ensure energy security through sharing of indigenous sources. 
 
The Prime Minister said Pakistan shares the perception that connectivity is critical to the progress and prosperity of the region and supports, in principle, road, air, rail and water connectivity within the region. 
 
&quot;Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility,&quot; he said. 
 
Addressing the inaugural session, SAARC secretary general Arjun Bahadur Thapa said there is a need to take effective measures to tackle the menace of terrorism, narcotics, cyber crimes and other transnational crimes. 
 
The day-long 7th meeting of the eight-member grouping is being held to review the progress on decisions taken in previous meetings. SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 
 
(PTI)

'Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility,' Nawaz Sharif said

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said the country is committed to jointly working with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries for fighting terrorism, corruption and organised crimes. Addressing the inaugural session of the SAARC home ministers' conference, Sharif cited Pakistan's anti-terror operations in restive tribal areas and National Action Plan to emphasise "the government's determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our soil for good". He said the SAARC region is blessed with tremendous human and natural resources. "So, SAARC can and should provide a platform to optimally harness the regional potential for peace and prosperity of our people." Sharif said such an approach is in sync with his government's vision of "peace for development and peaceful neighbourhood". "Pakistan has always been supportive of initiatives taken by SAARC to advance its ideals and objectives as enshrined in its charter," he said. He said Pakistan has also been a strong advocate of stepping up regional efforts to ensure energy security through sharing of indigenous sources. The Prime Minister said Pakistan shares the perception that connectivity is critical to the progress and prosperity of the region and supports, in principle, road, air, rail and water connectivity within the region. "Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility," he said. Addressing the inaugural session, SAARC secretary general Arjun Bahadur Thapa said there is a need to take effective measures to tackle the menace of terrorism, narcotics, cyber crimes and other transnational crimes. The day-long 7th meeting of the eight-member grouping is being held to review the progress on decisions taken in previous meetings. SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. (PTI)

Pak PM: We are committed to working with SAARC to combat terror

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. 
 
Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US&nbsp;officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad&#39;s unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. 
 
&quot;The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. 
 
The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. 
 
&quot;This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years,&quot; Stump said. 
 
According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. 
 
The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. 
 
Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a &quot;blowback&quot; in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. 
 
&quot;Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan,&quot; foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. 
 
&quot;These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan&#39;s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries.&quot; 
 
Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. 
 
There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. 
 
In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad&#39;s purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. 
 
(Reuters)

US secretary of defence Ash Carter is not yet convinced that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad's unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. "The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. "This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years," Stump said. According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a "blowback" in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. "Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan," foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. "These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries." Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad's purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. (Reuters)

Pentagon not to pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements

With Xinjiang tightening anti-terror law banning instigation of people to cross border to undergo terror training Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif has assured China of cracking down on militant outfits blamed for attacks in the volatile province. 
 
Pakistan will firmly crackdown on terrorist forces like the &quot;East Turkestan Islamic Movement&quot; (ETIM) and protect the security of &quot;China-Pakistan Economic Corridor&quot;, (CEPC) state-run China Military Online quoted him as saying during his meeting with China&#39;s top military official Fang Fenghui in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang on Tuesday. 
 
Fang is the member of China&#39;s Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest military body and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC. 
 
Sharif was in Urumqi to attend the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism by Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces. 
 
His assurance of firm crackdown followed China-Pakistan border police recently launching first joint patrols of the disputed Pakistan Controlled Kashmir (POK) border amid reports that 114 Uyghurs Muslims from Xinjiang joined Islamic State in Syria. 
 
Xinjiang, the home for Uyghurs who resented the increasing settlements of Hans from other provinces has witnessed violent attacks in recent years. 
 
China blamed ETIM, a separatist outfit linked to al-Qaeda for the attacks. Under pressure from China, Pakistan army has conducted military operations against ETIM training bases in the tribal areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months. 
 
Xinjiang recently adopted new anti-terrorism rules stipulating reassessment of risk levels of prisoners before release and solitary confinement and education for ring leaders. 
 
The new rules stipulated that recruiting, training or transporting terror-related personnel will be regarded as carrying out terror activities, as will as organising or instigating others to illegally cross into another country to participate in terror activities or terror training, state-run Global Times reported. 
 
The Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism formed by China significantly includes Afghanistan which also shares borders with Xinjiang.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

Under Chinese pressure, Pakistan army has lately conducted operations against al-Qaeda linked ETIM's training bases

With Xinjiang tightening anti-terror law banning instigation of people to cross border to undergo terror training Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif has assured China of cracking down on militant outfits blamed for attacks in the volatile province. Pakistan will firmly crackdown on terrorist forces like the "East Turkestan Islamic Movement" (ETIM) and protect the security of "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor", (CEPC) state-run China Military Online quoted him as saying during his meeting with China's top military official Fang Fenghui in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang on Tuesday. Fang is the member of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest military body and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC. Sharif was in Urumqi to attend the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism by Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces. His assurance of firm crackdown followed China-Pakistan border police recently launching first joint patrols of the disputed Pakistan Controlled Kashmir (POK) border amid reports that 114 Uyghurs Muslims from Xinjiang joined Islamic State in Syria. Xinjiang, the home for Uyghurs who resented the increasing settlements of Hans from other provinces has witnessed violent attacks in recent years. China blamed ETIM, a separatist outfit linked to al-Qaeda for the attacks. Under pressure from China, Pakistan army has conducted military operations against ETIM training bases in the tribal areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months. Xinjiang recently adopted new anti-terrorism rules stipulating reassessment of risk levels of prisoners before release and solitary confinement and education for ring leaders. The new rules stipulated that recruiting, training or transporting terror-related personnel will be regarded as carrying out terror activities, as will as organising or instigating others to illegally cross into another country to participate in terror activities or terror training, state-run Global Times reported. The Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism formed by China significantly includes Afghanistan which also shares borders with Xinjiang. (PTI)

Pakistan army chief promises China firm crackdown on Uyghur militants

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh today arrived here to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interior ministers&#39; conference tomorrow during which he is expected to raise the issue of most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and cross border terrorism. 
 
Accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs, Singh, who is on his maiden visit to Pakistan, will be underlining the need for meaningful cooperation among the South Asian countries. Before leaving for Islamabad to attend the day-long SAARC home ministers conference, the home minister said he was &quot;looking forward to underscore the imperative of meaningful cooperation within the region against terrorism and organised crime.&quot; 
 
&quot;This Conference provides a platform to discuss issues pertaining to security,&quot; said Singh, who is expected to tell Pakistan to stop sponsoring terror in India and rein in groups like Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Singh&#39;s visit comes notwithstanding threat by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, who warned of a countrywide protest in Pakistan by his outfit if Singh arrives in Islamabad to attend the SAARC ministerial conference. 
 
Tomorrow&#39;s meeting is preceded by the 7th Meeting of the SAARC interior/home secretaries which is being held today. The union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, who is leading the Indian delegation, arrived here yesterday. There is little possibility of Singh having a bilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the wake of strain in Indo-Pak relations after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8. 
 
Not only did Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif praise Wani but he also remarked that &quot;Kashmir will one day become Pakistan&quot;, a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country &quot;will not be realised even at the end of eternity&quot;. 
 
Apart from terrorism, other key issues to be discussed include liberalisation of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms and how to make coordinated and concerted efforts to combat such menace. 
 
The three-tier meeting began at the joint secretary-level and then moves on to secretary and home minister-level meetings. The focus of the meeting will also be on strengthening networking among police forces of SAARC member-countries and also enhance information-sharing among law enforcement agencies. 
 
(PTI)

Singh is expected to raise the issue of cross-border terrorism and underline the need for cooperation among South Asian countries

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh today arrived here to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interior ministers' conference tomorrow during which he is expected to raise the issue of most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and cross border terrorism. Accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs, Singh, who is on his maiden visit to Pakistan, will be underlining the need for meaningful cooperation among the South Asian countries. Before leaving for Islamabad to attend the day-long SAARC home ministers conference, the home minister said he was "looking forward to underscore the imperative of meaningful cooperation within the region against terrorism and organised crime." "This Conference provides a platform to discuss issues pertaining to security," said Singh, who is expected to tell Pakistan to stop sponsoring terror in India and rein in groups like Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Singh's visit comes notwithstanding threat by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, who warned of a countrywide protest in Pakistan by his outfit if Singh arrives in Islamabad to attend the SAARC ministerial conference. Tomorrow's meeting is preceded by the 7th Meeting of the SAARC interior/home secretaries which is being held today. The union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, who is leading the Indian delegation, arrived here yesterday. There is little possibility of Singh having a bilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the wake of strain in Indo-Pak relations after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8. Not only did Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif praise Wani but he also remarked that "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity". Apart from terrorism, other key issues to be discussed include liberalisation of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms and how to make coordinated and concerted efforts to combat such menace. The three-tier meeting began at the joint secretary-level and then moves on to secretary and home minister-level meetings. The focus of the meeting will also be on strengthening networking among police forces of SAARC member-countries and also enhance information-sharing among law enforcement agencies. (PTI)

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh arrives in Pakistan to participate in SAARC meeting

A militant and a policeman were killed while three other security personnel were injured in an encounter on Tuesday in Pakistan&#39;s restive Khyber Pakthunkhwa province. 
 
District Police Officer Swabi Javed Iqbal told reporters that the terrorist was killed when police raided a house in Gadoon Amazai area of Swabi district after credible information about the presence of terrorists. He said terrorists opened-fire on the police team, and that constable Muhammad Javed died while sub-inspector Muhammad Tariq and frontier corps personnel Muhammad Sajjad sustained critical bullet wounds. 
 
They were shifted to Peshawar for treatment.&nbsp;In retaliation, he said, police shot dead a terrorist identified as Anwar Sayed wanted in cases of terrorism. 
 
The police arrested two brothers of the terrorist from the house and also recovered a hand-grenade, one Kalashnikov, two pistols and cartridges.&nbsp;A search operation was conducted after the encounter during which dozens of suspects were taken into custody. 
 
In a separate incident, at least 42 suspected people, including 19 undocumented Afghan nationals, were arrested during a search operation in Hayatabad area of Peshawar district, bordering Khyber Agency.&nbsp;Drugs and arms were also recovered from some of the suspects. 
 
Pakistan has intensified the crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals in parts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa province after it decided not to allow any foreigner to stay in the country without valid documents. 
 
(PTI)

Police arrested two brothers of the terrorist and also recovered a hand-grenade, one Kalashnikov, two pistols and cartridges

A militant and a policeman were killed while three other security personnel were injured in an encounter on Tuesday in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakthunkhwa province. District Police Officer Swabi Javed Iqbal told reporters that the terrorist was killed when police raided a house in Gadoon Amazai area of Swabi district after credible information about the presence of terrorists. He said terrorists opened-fire on the police team, and that constable Muhammad Javed died while sub-inspector Muhammad Tariq and frontier corps personnel Muhammad Sajjad sustained critical bullet wounds. They were shifted to Peshawar for treatment. In retaliation, he said, police shot dead a terrorist identified as Anwar Sayed wanted in cases of terrorism. The police arrested two brothers of the terrorist from the house and also recovered a hand-grenade, one Kalashnikov, two pistols and cartridges. A search operation was conducted after the encounter during which dozens of suspects were taken into custody. In a separate incident, at least 42 suspected people, including 19 undocumented Afghan nationals, were arrested during a search operation in Hayatabad area of Peshawar district, bordering Khyber Agency. Drugs and arms were also recovered from some of the suspects. Pakistan has intensified the crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals in parts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa province after it decided not to allow any foreigner to stay in the country without valid documents. (PTI)

Militant, policeman killed in clash in Pakistan's Khyber Pakthunkhwa province

Coke Studio, known for bringing musicians from every corner into the mainstream, recently took a different kind of initiative in its Pakistani edition. 
 
Titled &quot;Coke Studio for the Deaf&quot;, this special program tried to make the Coke Studio experience accessible to the deaf community of Pakistan, reports the Dawn. According to Ibrahim Khan, Coca-Cola brand manager, &quot;Coke Studio reaches millions around the world, but not the nine million hearing-impaired people in Pakistan. We wanted to bring a small change in that regard.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The makers used a combination of lights and vibrations to make some members of the hearing-impaired community experience music. This initiative has been established in partnership with the Deaf Reach program of the Family Education Services Foundation (FESF).&nbsp; 
 
According to Deaf Reach founder Richard Geary, &quot;Working together with Coke Studio has been a really amazing experience. Not just because we got to see the experience the young people enjoyed, but to create awareness in the country and internationally about the need to provide more opportunities for the deaf community.&quot; 
 
&quot;This is what we try to do at Deaf Reach with our school program, vocational training program and jobs program. And we&#39;d like to engage with other forms of sectors who can make a difference to these kids&#39; lives,&quot; he added. Sharing her experience, a happy listener said, &quot;Whatever my body felt, whatever my brain thought, even though we can&#39;t hear the music, we can feel it.&quot; 
 
(ANI)

A combination of lights and vibrations allow some members of the hearing-impaired community to experience, or 'feel', music

Coke Studio, known for bringing musicians from every corner into the mainstream, recently took a different kind of initiative in its Pakistani edition. Titled "Coke Studio for the Deaf", this special program tried to make the Coke Studio experience accessible to the deaf community of Pakistan, reports the Dawn. According to Ibrahim Khan, Coca-Cola brand manager, "Coke Studio reaches millions around the world, but not the nine million hearing-impaired people in Pakistan. We wanted to bring a small change in that regard." The makers used a combination of lights and vibrations to make some members of the hearing-impaired community experience music. This initiative has been established in partnership with the Deaf Reach program of the Family Education Services Foundation (FESF). According to Deaf Reach founder Richard Geary, "Working together with Coke Studio has been a really amazing experience. Not just because we got to see the experience the young people enjoyed, but to create awareness in the country and internationally about the need to provide more opportunities for the deaf community." "This is what we try to do at Deaf Reach with our school program, vocational training program and jobs program. And we'd like to engage with other forms of sectors who can make a difference to these kids' lives," he added. Sharing her experience, a happy listener said, "Whatever my body felt, whatever my brain thought, even though we can't hear the music, we can feel it." (ANI)

Pakistan studio makes music for deaf people

Pakistan&#39;s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) today arrested 12 employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for allegedly trying to smuggle six kilograms of heroin worth over 60 million rupees. 
 
A PIA flight PK-203 was ready to leave for Dubai yesterday from the airport here when the ANF staff got it vacated on information that a huge quantity of heroin had been concealed in the aircraft, officials said. 
 
After a thorough search of a couple of hours, the ANF team seized six kilograms of heroin, which is worth over Rs 60 million, from the toilet of the aircraft, they said. 
 
According to officials, ANF arrested at least 12 PIA employees today and launched a thorough probe into the matter.&nbsp;PIA spokesman Daniyal Gilani confirmed the arrests saying some PIA employees have been taken into custody in connection with a failed bid to smuggle heroin to Dubai from Lahore. 
 
After investigation, if these employees are found guilty, strict action will be taken against them, he said. 
 
During the last few years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of cases in which the PIA employees were caught red-handed while smuggling different items like drugs, cigarettes, mobile phones, illegal passports and laundered money abroad. 
 
In some cases, the PIA employees were caught at Pakistani airports and in others they were intercepted and arrested in other countries, mostly in the European destinations. 
 
(PTI)

After searching the plane for two hours, police seized six kilograms of heroin, worth over Rs 60 million, from the aircraft's toilet

Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) today arrested 12 employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for allegedly trying to smuggle six kilograms of heroin worth over 60 million rupees. A PIA flight PK-203 was ready to leave for Dubai yesterday from the airport here when the ANF staff got it vacated on information that a huge quantity of heroin had been concealed in the aircraft, officials said. After a thorough search of a couple of hours, the ANF team seized six kilograms of heroin, which is worth over Rs 60 million, from the toilet of the aircraft, they said. According to officials, ANF arrested at least 12 PIA employees today and launched a thorough probe into the matter. PIA spokesman Daniyal Gilani confirmed the arrests saying some PIA employees have been taken into custody in connection with a failed bid to smuggle heroin to Dubai from Lahore. After investigation, if these employees are found guilty, strict action will be taken against them, he said. During the last few years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of cases in which the PIA employees were caught red-handed while smuggling different items like drugs, cigarettes, mobile phones, illegal passports and laundered money abroad. In some cases, the PIA employees were caught at Pakistani airports and in others they were intercepted and arrested in other countries, mostly in the European destinations. (PTI)

12 Pakistan International Airlines employees arrested for smuggling heroin

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh will be travelling to Pakistan as per schedule, sources at the ministry of external affairs said today. This is despite Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed&#39;s warning of a countrywide protest by his outfit. 
 
Singh is scheduled to visit Pakistan on August 3, to attend a SAARC ministerial conference. 
 
Accusing Singh of being &quot;responsible for the killings of innocent Kashmiris&quot;, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has warned of a countrywide protest in Pakistan if the Indian minister travels to the country.&nbsp;Sources, however, said, &quot;The visit is on track. India attains highest priority to SAARC. The visit is strictly to abide by our SAARC commitments.&quot;&nbsp;They also said that the host country (Pakistan) is responsible for the home minister&#39;s security. 
 
The alleged mastermind of the 2008 terror attack in western city of Mumbai in a statement said, &quot;If Singh comes to Islamabad on August 3, the JuD would hold countrywide protest to tell the world that the Pakistani rulers might have compulsions to receive Kashmiris&#39; killers, but the people of Pakistan are siding with oppressed Kashmiris.&quot; 
 
&quot;I want to ask the Pakistani government will it add insult to injury to the wounds of Kashmiris by welcoming Rajnath who is responsible for the killings of innocent Kashmiris,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;It will be ironical, as on the one hand the whole Pakistani nation is protesting against the Indian atrocities in Kashmir, and on the other hand the Pakistani rulers will be garlanding Singh,&quot; said the statement . 
 
External affairs ministry has also made it clear that there will be no bilateral meeting between Singh and Pakistani leaders during his visit on August 3 and 4. 
 
India and Pakistan are witnessing growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani&#39;s killing on July 8. 
 
Not only did Sharif praise Wani but he also remarked that &quot;Kashmir will one day become Pakistan&quot;, a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country &quot;will not be realised even at the end of eternity&quot;. 
 
Further needling India, Pakistan has demanded an independent inquiry into the &quot;extrajudicial&quot; killing of Wani, and claimed that the denial of &quot;plebiscite&quot; to Kashmiri people was behind the flare-up in the Valley. 
 
(DNA)

Singh will be travelling to Pakistan as per schedule, despite JuD chief Hafiz Saeed's warnings of a countrywide protest by his outfit

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh will be travelling to Pakistan as per schedule, sources at the ministry of external affairs said today. This is despite Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's warning of a countrywide protest by his outfit. Singh is scheduled to visit Pakistan on August 3, to attend a SAARC ministerial conference. Accusing Singh of being "responsible for the killings of innocent Kashmiris", JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has warned of a countrywide protest in Pakistan if the Indian minister travels to the country. Sources, however, said, "The visit is on track. India attains highest priority to SAARC. The visit is strictly to abide by our SAARC commitments." They also said that the host country (Pakistan) is responsible for the home minister's security. The alleged mastermind of the 2008 terror attack in western city of Mumbai in a statement said, "If Singh comes to Islamabad on August 3, the JuD would hold countrywide protest to tell the world that the Pakistani rulers might have compulsions to receive Kashmiris' killers, but the people of Pakistan are siding with oppressed Kashmiris." "I want to ask the Pakistani government will it add insult to injury to the wounds of Kashmiris by welcoming Rajnath who is responsible for the killings of innocent Kashmiris," he said. "It will be ironical, as on the one hand the whole Pakistani nation is protesting against the Indian atrocities in Kashmir, and on the other hand the Pakistani rulers will be garlanding Singh," said the statement . External affairs ministry has also made it clear that there will be no bilateral meeting between Singh and Pakistani leaders during his visit on August 3 and 4. India and Pakistan are witnessing growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani's killing on July 8. Not only did Sharif praise Wani but he also remarked that "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity". Further needling India, Pakistan has demanded an independent inquiry into the "extrajudicial" killing of Wani, and claimed that the denial of "plebiscite" to Kashmiri people was behind the flare-up in the Valley. (DNA)

SAARC summit: 'Pakistan responsible for Indian home minister Rajnath Singh's security'

The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan has called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called &quot;honour&quot; killings. 
 
Mukhtar Kazam presented at an emotional press conference a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid`s death, seen by AFP, which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled. 
 
Kazam has branded her death an &quot;honour killing&quot;, a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family &quot;dishonour&quot;. 
 
The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star.&nbsp; 
 
Brother confesses to murder, calls sister&#39;s behaviour &#39;intolerable&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Shahid&#39;s brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister`s behaviour had been &quot;intolerable&quot;. Kazam sought to keep international attention on &quot;honour&quot; killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, Thursday. 
 
&quot;I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
Kazam and Samia, who was a dual British-Pakistani citizen, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police told AFP, adding that it was Shahid&#39;s second marriage. 
? 
Kazam is Pakistani, an officer told AFP. Police had initially said that he also was British-Pakistani. 
 
Kazam said his wife converted to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents.&nbsp; 
 
In a complaint to police, he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20. 
&nbsp; 
Shahid`s father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes.&nbsp; 
 
Police told AFP that Shahid`s first husband, Mohammad Shakeel, is being investigated in the murder but received pre-arrest bail on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
Her parents and a cousin are also being investigated, said Jhelum district police chief Mujahid Akbar.&nbsp; 
 
Special committee formed to investigate into murder&nbsp; 
 
The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, brother to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has formed a special committee that is also tasked with investigating the murder, a senior government official told AFP. 
 
The victims of &quot;honour&quot; killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year.&nbsp; 
 
They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting.&nbsp; 
But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action.&nbsp; 
 
Last week, the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate &quot;honour&quot; killings would soon be voted on by parliament. 
 
Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Mukhtar Kazam, Samia's husband, said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck suggesting she had been strangled

The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan has called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called "honour" killings. Mukhtar Kazam presented at an emotional press conference a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid`s death, seen by AFP, which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled. Kazam has branded her death an "honour killing", a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family "dishonour". The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star. Brother confesses to murder, calls sister's behaviour 'intolerable' Shahid's brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister`s behaviour had been "intolerable". Kazam sought to keep international attention on "honour" killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, Thursday. "I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial," he said. Kazam and Samia, who was a dual British-Pakistani citizen, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police told AFP, adding that it was Shahid's second marriage. ? Kazam is Pakistani, an officer told AFP. Police had initially said that he also was British-Pakistani. Kazam said his wife converted to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents. In a complaint to police, he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20. Shahid`s father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes. Police told AFP that Shahid`s first husband, Mohammad Shakeel, is being investigated in the murder but received pre-arrest bail on Thursday. Her parents and a cousin are also being investigated, said Jhelum district police chief Mujahid Akbar. Special committee formed to investigate into murder The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, brother to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has formed a special committee that is also tasked with investigating the murder, a senior government official told AFP. The victims of "honour" killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year. They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting. But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action. Last week, the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate "honour" killings would soon be voted on by parliament. Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan. (AFP)

Husband of UK woman killed for 'honour' in Pakistan calls for justice

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. 
 
Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 
 
&#39;Search was important step in banning the organisation&#39; 
 
Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. 
 
&quot;The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time,&quot; the state official said. 
 
Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. 
 
Hotbed of Salafists&nbsp; 
 
Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for &quot;hate against non-believers,&quot; the ministry said. 
 
Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. 
 
Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany&#39;s 16 states after Bavaria. 
 
&quot;We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS,&quot; Pistorius said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 'Search was important step in banning the organisation' Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. "The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time," the state official said. Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. Hotbed of Salafists Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for "hate against non-believers," the ministry said. Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany's 16 states after Bavaria. "We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS," Pistorius said. "I'm convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists," he added. (Reuters)

German police clamps down on Salafists, raids mosque and apartments

A Hindu youth was today shot dead as communal tension gripped a district in Pakistan&#39;s Sindh province following alleged desecration of a holy book, the Quran, as reported by The Dawn, by a man from the minority community who was arrested for blasphemy. 
 
Tension ran high in Mehran Samejo village in Ghotki district after a Hindu man, Amar Lal, who was said to be mentally unstable, allegedly desecrated a holy book yesterday. 
 
According to reports, Amar, who has been arrested, was a drug addict and was living in a mosque after converting to Islam a few months ago. 
 
After the incident, local religious leaders along with several agitated people took to streets. 
 
During a protest, some men riding on motorbikes fired at two Hindu youths who were sitting outside a tea stall in Mirpur Mathelo area. 
 
In the attack, one of the youths, Dewan Sateesh Kumar, 17, was killed while another was critically injured, senior superintendent of police Masood Ahmed Bangash said. 
 
Sateesh was a businessman. 
 
Local leaders of the Hindu community have demanded protection of their lives and properties in the wake of the tensions. 
 
Bangash said that police with the help of Rangers are trying to diffuse the tense situation. 
 
According to reports, all towns of the Ghotki district remained closed today. 
 
Leaders of local religious parties have demanded severe punishment for Amar, who has been booked for blasphemy and shifted to an undisclosed location by police. 
 
Sindh has the biggest population of Hindus in Pakistan. 
 
(PTI)

The mentally unstable Hindu man allegedly desecrated the Quran which led to protests in which the 17-year-old was shot along with his friend

A Hindu youth was today shot dead as communal tension gripped a district in Pakistan's Sindh province following alleged desecration of a holy book, the Quran, as reported by The Dawn, by a man from the minority community who was arrested for blasphemy. Tension ran high in Mehran Samejo village in Ghotki district after a Hindu man, Amar Lal, who was said to be mentally unstable, allegedly desecrated a holy book yesterday. According to reports, Amar, who has been arrested, was a drug addict and was living in a mosque after converting to Islam a few months ago. After the incident, local religious leaders along with several agitated people took to streets. During a protest, some men riding on motorbikes fired at two Hindu youths who were sitting outside a tea stall in Mirpur Mathelo area. In the attack, one of the youths, Dewan Sateesh Kumar, 17, was killed while another was critically injured, senior superintendent of police Masood Ahmed Bangash said. Sateesh was a businessman. Local leaders of the Hindu community have demanded protection of their lives and properties in the wake of the tensions. Bangash said that police with the help of Rangers are trying to diffuse the tense situation. According to reports, all towns of the Ghotki district remained closed today. Leaders of local religious parties have demanded severe punishment for Amar, who has been booked for blasphemy and shifted to an undisclosed location by police. Sindh has the biggest population of Hindus in Pakistan. (PTI)

Charged with desecrating Quran, mob kills youth in Pakistan's Sindh

Pakistan&#39;s central bank, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), issued a statement today notifying suspension of operations in Euro-dominated Asian Clearing Union (ACU).&nbsp; 
 
&quot;As the payment channel for processing ACU transactions is under review, SBP is temporarily suspending operations in &#39;ACU Euro&#39; with immediate effect,&quot; the statement read.&nbsp; 
 
The central bank further said that all eligible transactions in Euro will have to be settled outside the system.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The central bank further said that all eligible transactions in Euro will have to be settled outside the system.?

Pakistan's central bank, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), issued a statement today notifying suspension of operations in Euro-dominated Asian Clearing Union (ACU). "As the payment channel for processing ACU transactions is under review, SBP is temporarily suspending operations in 'ACU Euro' with immediate effect," the statement read. The central bank further said that all eligible transactions in Euro will have to be settled outside the system. (WION)

Pakistan's central bank temporarily suspends ACU mechanism?

A Pakistani Taliban faction has claimed responsibility for Tuesday&#39;s killing of two military officers in the southern city of Karachi, a spokesman for the Islamist group said. 
 
The killings were the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years. 
 
The officers were killed as they were on the Pakistani Taliban faction&#39;s &quot;target list&quot;, Ehsan Ullah Ehsan, the spokesman for the group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, said late on Tuesday. 
 
Gunmen attacked the vehicle carrying the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, while they were patrolling a crowded area of the city, police had said. 
 
The crackdown has boosted security in Karachi, although in recent months, a popular Sufi musician, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead and the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped, but later rescued. 
 
(Reuters)

Spokesman of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of Pakistani Taliban, said the officers killed were on the group's target list

A Pakistani Taliban faction has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's killing of two military officers in the southern city of Karachi, a spokesman for the Islamist group said. The killings were the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years. The officers were killed as they were on the Pakistani Taliban faction's "target list", Ehsan Ullah Ehsan, the spokesman for the group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, said late on Tuesday. Gunmen attacked the vehicle carrying the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, while they were patrolling a crowded area of the city, police had said. The crackdown has boosted security in Karachi, although in recent months, a popular Sufi musician, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead and the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped, but later rescued. (Reuters)

Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for Karachi military killings

Indonesia will hold a round of executions on July 29 which will include a Pakistani prisoner, a Pakistani embassy official said on Tuesday. 
 
Indonesian authorities are preparing to execute by firing squad at least three foreign prisoners, including citizens of Nigeria and Zimbabwe. They are among 16 prisoners who Indonesian officials have said are to be executed this year. 
 
Authorities have not given a breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are known to be among them. 
 
It is unsure how many convicts will be executed this week, but local media reported at least 14 had been moved to an isolation cell on the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan, a routine practise ahead of executions. 
 
This will be the third time execution carried out under Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who has declared a &quot;drug emergency&quot; in the country, and vowed to show no mercy for drug traffickers. 
 
Last year, Indonesia executed 14 people, mostly foreign drug traffickers, prompting Australia and Brazil to briefly recall their ambassadors. 
 
Indonesia imposed a moratorium on executions for five years before resuming them in 2013. 
 
 
(Reuters)

No breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row have been given but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are among them

Indonesia will hold a round of executions on July 29 which will include a Pakistani prisoner, a Pakistani embassy official said on Tuesday. Indonesian authorities are preparing to execute by firing squad at least three foreign prisoners, including citizens of Nigeria and Zimbabwe. They are among 16 prisoners who Indonesian officials have said are to be executed this year. Authorities have not given a breakdown of the numbers of foreigners on death row but citizens of France, Britain and the Philippines are known to be among them. It is unsure how many convicts will be executed this week, but local media reported at least 14 had been moved to an isolation cell on the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan, a routine practise ahead of executions. This will be the third time execution carried out under Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who has declared a "drug emergency" in the country, and vowed to show no mercy for drug traffickers. Last year, Indonesia executed 14 people, mostly foreign drug traffickers, prompting Australia and Brazil to briefly recall their ambassadors. Indonesia imposed a moratorium on executions for five years before resuming them in 2013. (Reuters)

Drug charge: Indonesia to execute Pakistani prisoner soon

Massive protests erupted across Pakistan-controlled Kashmir as people hit the streets against the recent elections, which they claimed were rigged by the winning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). 
 
The PML-N was declared winner in 32 out of the 41 seats for the elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, held on July 21. 
 
Protesters blocked the traffic and burnt tyres as they staged protests in Muzaffarabad. All commercial establishments also remained shut in cities as protesters held demonstrations outside government buildings. 
 
Various incidents of violence were also reported from across the region as supporters of political parties clashed with each other. 
 
&quot;After rigging elections, they are now indulging in widespread propaganda and killing. They have killed our friend. If the authorities fail to take any action, they will be responsible for any future incident,&quot; said a party worker of Muslim Conference on Tuesday.&nbsp; 
 
The protesters alleged that genuine voters were not allowed to cast their votes during the elections and the country&#39;s intelligence services rigged the polls in favour of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s party. 
 
&quot;The election commission should suspend everyone. They have stooped to such low levels. We suggest everyone not to indulge in any violence, but now when they have started (the violence), we will reply back for sure,&quot; said a local, Raza Mansoor. 
 
The PML-N had fielded 38 candidates in the elections, while the Pakistan People&#39;s Party (PPP) had contested elections on all 41 seats. Imran Khan&#39;s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had contested elections in 32 constituencies. 
 
The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir was split between India and Pakistan in 1948, after they fought a brief war over it. It remains at the heart of animosity between the nuclear-armed neighbours. 
 
The win by Sharif&#39;s party in the region is seen to not have any direct bearing on Pakistan&#39;s stand on the Kashmir dispute or on its dealings with India. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Various incidents of violence were also reported from across the region as supporters of political parties clashed with each-other

Massive protests erupted across Pakistan-controlled Kashmir as people hit the streets against the recent elections, which they claimed were rigged by the winning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The PML-N was declared winner in 32 out of the 41 seats for the elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, held on July 21. Protesters blocked the traffic and burnt tyres as they staged protests in Muzaffarabad. All commercial establishments also remained shut in cities as protesters held demonstrations outside government buildings. Various incidents of violence were also reported from across the region as supporters of political parties clashed with each other. "After rigging elections, they are now indulging in widespread propaganda and killing. They have killed our friend. If the authorities fail to take any action, they will be responsible for any future incident," said a party worker of Muslim Conference on Tuesday. The protesters alleged that genuine voters were not allowed to cast their votes during the elections and the country's intelligence services rigged the polls in favour of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party. "The election commission should suspend everyone. They have stooped to such low levels. We suggest everyone not to indulge in any violence, but now when they have started (the violence), we will reply back for sure," said a local, Raza Mansoor. The PML-N had fielded 38 candidates in the elections, while the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had contested elections on all 41 seats. Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had contested elections in 32 constituencies. The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir was split between India and Pakistan in 1948, after they fought a brief war over it. It remains at the heart of animosity between the nuclear-armed neighbours. The win by Sharif's party in the region is seen to not have any direct bearing on Pakistan's stand on the Kashmir dispute or on its dealings with India. (Reuters)

Pakistan-controlled Kashmir erupts into protests over 'rigged elections'

Pakistan&#39;s &quot;obsession&quot; to match India in military strength and efforts to equalise the field with &quot;crazies&quot; like Hafiz Saeed, would only create hatred which will bite it back, former Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani has said. 
 
&quot;My argument as a Pakistani is why do we even want to be equal (with India in terms of military prowess). Why do not we want to be happier and prosperous and successful,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;What is this obsession about being equal and trying to equalise the field with crazies like Hafiz Saeed because he will only create hatred, which will only bite us back,&quot; Haqqani said in Bengaluru last night during an interaction on his book &#39;India vs Pakistan - Why Can&#39;t We Just Be Friends&#39;. 
 
&quot;Pakistan always had this presumption that India has a tremendous conventional military advantage and Indian army will be much more bigger than Pakistan&#39;s. So Pakistan needs irregular methods to be able to be equal,&quot; he alleged. 
 
Haqqani recalled a private conversation of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf with Pakistani newspaper editors, wherein he said Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India and thus establishes the strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment. 
 
&quot;He (Musharraf), in a private meeting with Pakistani newspaper editors, had said &#39;Well all of you keep telling me or some of you keep telling me that I should shut down Lashkar e -Taiba, but it is actually my reserve core in fighting India,&#39; a fact that establishes a strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment,&quot; Haqqani said. 
 
The former Pakistani envoy said it was disturbing to know that a head of a country had thought so as these terrorists &quot;would not do good to Pakistan&quot; as the world had seen them attacking Shias, Ahmediyas and Christians in Pakistan, apart from India. 
 
Haqqani said unfortunately Pakistani strategic thinkers in uniform do not realise this &quot;disturbing line of thinking of patronising terrorists and outfits like Jaish-E-Mohammad and Lashkar-E-Taiba.&quot; 
 
Throwing light on the &#39;Jihadi movement&#39; in Pakistan, the former diplomat said Zia-Ul-Haq was not the first man to spread &#39;jihadi awareness&#39; as is presumed, but it was much before him. 
 
&quot;There is a presumption that Zia-Ul-Haq was the first man to start jihadi awareness, but I argue that no it was even further back and there was always a desire for irregular warfare,&quot; he said. 
 
Asked how to shut down the large armed militias, Haqqani said it was not easy because they are well trained in warfare. 
 
But the establishment can put them out of business if they are denied the resources for their mobility and movement, he said. 
 
&quot;If we make this decision now it will take some 15 years to put their business out,&quot; Haqqani added.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Haqqani recalled Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf's words that Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India

Pakistan's "obsession" to match India in military strength and efforts to equalise the field with "crazies" like Hafiz Saeed, would only create hatred which will bite it back, former Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani has said. "My argument as a Pakistani is why do we even want to be equal (with India in terms of military prowess). Why do not we want to be happier and prosperous and successful," he said. "What is this obsession about being equal and trying to equalise the field with crazies like Hafiz Saeed because he will only create hatred, which will only bite us back," Haqqani said in Bengaluru last night during an interaction on his book 'India vs Pakistan - Why Can't We Just Be Friends'. "Pakistan always had this presumption that India has a tremendous conventional military advantage and Indian army will be much more bigger than Pakistan's. So Pakistan needs irregular methods to be able to be equal," he alleged. Haqqani recalled a private conversation of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf with Pakistani newspaper editors, wherein he said Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India and thus establishes the strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment. "He (Musharraf), in a private meeting with Pakistani newspaper editors, had said 'Well all of you keep telling me or some of you keep telling me that I should shut down Lashkar e -Taiba, but it is actually my reserve core in fighting India,' a fact that establishes a strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment," Haqqani said. The former Pakistani envoy said it was disturbing to know that a head of a country had thought so as these terrorists "would not do good to Pakistan" as the world had seen them attacking Shias, Ahmediyas and Christians in Pakistan, apart from India. Haqqani said unfortunately Pakistani strategic thinkers in uniform do not realise this "disturbing line of thinking of patronising terrorists and outfits like Jaish-E-Mohammad and Lashkar-E-Taiba." Throwing light on the 'Jihadi movement' in Pakistan, the former diplomat said Zia-Ul-Haq was not the first man to spread 'jihadi awareness' as is presumed, but it was much before him. "There is a presumption that Zia-Ul-Haq was the first man to start jihadi awareness, but I argue that no it was even further back and there was always a desire for irregular warfare," he said. Asked how to shut down the large armed militias, Haqqani said it was not easy because they are well trained in warfare. But the establishment can put them out of business if they are denied the resources for their mobility and movement, he said. "If we make this decision now it will take some 15 years to put their business out," Haqqani added. (PTI)

Former Pakistan diplomat points to nexus between ISI and terrorists, says hobnobbing with 'crazies' like Hafiz Saeed will backfire

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. 
 
The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. 
 
Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. &quot;The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes,&quot; senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. 
 
Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city&#39;s Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. 
 
Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri&#39;s killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. 
 
Karachi&#39;s murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. 
 
Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. 
 
(Reuters)

The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. "The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes," senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city's Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri's killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. Karachi's murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. (Reuters)

Gunmen shoot two military officials to death in Pakistan's Karachi

Indian Army paid tribute to the fallen heroes of 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan on its 17th anniversary on Monday.

The Kargil War was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place in the summer of 1999 in Kargil and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC) in&nbsp;Kashmir.

Kargil is located 205 kilometres from Kashmir&#39;s capital Srinagar, and faces Pakistan&#39;s so-called northern areas across the LoC.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh laid a wreath at the war memorial in Kargil&#39;s Drass town and remembered the country&#39;s war heroes.

&quot;In 1999 it is this very area and these treacherous peaks which were intruded by the Pak intruders. Our gallant soldiers recaptured them in very short time and some of them made supreme sacrifice,&quot; said General Singh.

The conflict, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 soldiers, many of whom were posthumously given gallantry awards, is also referred to as Operation Vijay, which was the name of the Indian operation that cleared the Kargil sector.

India and Pakistan, who have each administered part of Kashmir since the partition of the subcontinent after the end of British rule in 1947, have fought two of their three wars over&nbsp;Kashmir. 
 
The troops of arch rivals India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the LoC, despite an agreement in 2003 that a ceasefire should be observed along the working boundary. Both New Delhi and Islamabad blame each other for resorting to unprovoked firings. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The Kargil War, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 soldiers, is also referred to as Operation Vijay

Indian Army paid tribute to the fallen heroes of 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan on its 17th anniversary on Monday. The Kargil War was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place in the summer of 1999 in Kargil and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. Kargil is located 205 kilometres from Kashmir's capital Srinagar, and faces Pakistan's so-called northern areas across the LoC. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh laid a wreath at the war memorial in Kargil's Drass town and remembered the country's war heroes. "In 1999 it is this very area and these treacherous peaks which were intruded by the Pak intruders. Our gallant soldiers recaptured them in very short time and some of them made supreme sacrifice," said General Singh. The conflict, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 soldiers, many of whom were posthumously given gallantry awards, is also referred to as Operation Vijay, which was the name of the Indian operation that cleared the Kargil sector. India and Pakistan, who have each administered part of Kashmir since the partition of the subcontinent after the end of British rule in 1947, have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. The troops of arch rivals India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the LoC, despite an agreement in 2003 that a ceasefire should be observed along the working boundary. Both New Delhi and Islamabad blame each other for resorting to unprovoked firings. (Reuters)

Indian Army pays tribute to Kargil War heroes on 17th anniversary

India&#39;s ministry of external affairs (MEA) today condemned the remark made by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, that &quot;Kashmir will one day become Pakistan&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
India&#39;s MEA issued a strong statement: &quot;The whole of India would like to tell Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realised even at the end of eternity. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The official statement also criticised Pakistan&#39;s reactions over the recent spike in violence in Kashmir after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani&#39;s death:&nbsp; 
 
&quot;In the last few days, leadership of Pakistan, including its Prime Minister has praised as martyr, a wanted terrorist Commander of the banned terrorist organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Burhan Wani. He was carrying an award of Rs 10 Lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes, including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security forces.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The statement further added, &quot;Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan&rsquo;s state machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Hafiz Saeed 
 
Hafiz Saeed had expressed solidarity with a key separtist leader of Kashmir, Asiya Andrabi, on Friday.&nbsp;Saeed, a Pakistani Islamist with a $10 million bounty on his head, warned India of war if separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani&#39;s four-point solution to the Kashmir issue is not accepted. 
 
Widespread agitation in Kashmir since then has left over 40 dead and 3,100 injured, most of them by police fire, in the worst outbreak of violence in six years, triggering massive protests in Pakistan. 
 
(WION, with inputs from Reuters)

The Indian foreign ministry was reacting to the Pakistan PM's remark that 'Kashmir will one day become Pakistan'

India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) today condemned the remark made by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, that "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan". India's MEA issued a strong statement: "The whole of India would like to tell Prime Minister of Pakistan that this dream will not be realised even at the end of eternity. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists." The official statement also criticised Pakistan's reactions over the recent spike in violence in Kashmir after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's death: "In the last few days, leadership of Pakistan, including its Prime Minister has praised as martyr, a wanted terrorist Commander of the banned terrorist organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Burhan Wani. He was carrying an award of Rs 10 Lakh on his head because he had perpetrated heinous crimes, including murder of elected representatives of local bodies and security forces." The statement further added, "Even more condemnable than these deplorable attempts from across our border to incite violence and glorify terrorists is the fact that these attempts have been undertaken by Pakistan’s state machinery in active partnership with UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and other leading terrorists belonging to internationally proscribed organisations." Hafiz Saeed Hafiz Saeed had expressed solidarity with a key separtist leader of Kashmir, Asiya Andrabi, on Friday. Saeed, a Pakistani Islamist with a $10 million bounty on his head, warned India of war if separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's four-point solution to the Kashmir issue is not accepted. Widespread agitation in Kashmir since then has left over 40 dead and 3,100 injured, most of them by police fire, in the worst outbreak of violence in six years, triggering massive protests in Pakistan. (WION, with inputs from Reuters)

Your dream of Kashmir as part of Pakistan will never come true, India tells PM Sharif

Appealing to people in Kashmir to help restore normalcy, Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh today said the Indian government wants an emotional relationship with the state and not just need-based, even as he warned Pakistan not to interfere in India&#39;s internal affairs. 
 
Sending a strong message to Pakistan, Rajnath also said the neighbouring country should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir. 
 
Addressing a press conference here after winding up his two-day visit to the state after holding talks with Jammu and Kashmir state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and several delegations both in Srinagar and Anantnag, Rajnath said India will talk to whosoever needed, once peace and normalcy is restored in the state. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Want to make it clear that GoI does not only want to have a relationship based on needs with Kashmir but a emotional relationship: HM
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757178867236872192">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
&quot;As far as government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we don&#39;t just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir,&quot; he said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state (J&amp;K): HM Rajnath Singh <a href="https://t.co/NZYOOmQkOT">pic.twitter.com/NZYOOmQkOT</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757181186682785792">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Attacking Pakistan on its role in Kashmir, he said, &quot;its role has not been &#39;paak&#39; (pure) on Kashmir. Pakistan should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir.&quot; 
 
Singh hit out at Pakistan, which he said is itself affected by terrorism and to end it on one hand it is killing terrorists after entering the Lal Masjid, while on the other it is asking our youth in Kashmir to take to arms. 
 
&quot;This must stop,&quot; he said. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Pakistan&#39;s role isn&#39;t &#39;pak&#39; (pure) in relation to Kashmir. They need to change their behaviour: HM Rajnath Singh <a href="https://t.co/OjGsBNb83p">pic.twitter.com/OjGsBNb83p</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757182382759878656">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Pakistan is in itself a victim of terrorism, it should not encourage violence in Kashmir: HM Rajnath Singh <a href="https://t.co/hoQFMSJxlM">pic.twitter.com/hoQFMSJxlM</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757180891902930945">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Appealing to the youth to not to resort to stone-pelting, Singh said he has asked the security forces to refrain from using pellet guns as much as possible even as he regretted the loss of lives. 
 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We will constitute a expert committee to find out ways to use of non lethal weapon. The committee will submit report in 2 months: HM
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757179601005281280">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces a day after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8 resulting in 45 deaths. 
 
&quot;If there are any differences or disapprovals, they can be resolved through talks mutually. Because there cannot be any other solution.&nbsp;I feel that if there is place of Kashmiriyat in democracy, it will only be of humanity,&quot; he said, adding that the people of the entire country want that Kashmir should once again become &quot;firdaus&quot; (paradise). 
 
Expressing sympathy with those injured during the ongoing unrest in the Valley, Singh appealed to the youth to desist from indulging in stonepleting. 
 
&quot;I appeal to the youth of Kashmir not to indulge in stonepelting and security forces should avoid use of pellet guns as far as possible,&quot; he said. 
 
Rajnath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned about the situation in Kashmir and wanted the situation to improve as soon as possible. 
 
&quot;I am very concerned at the situation in Kashmir and our Prime Minister is also very concerned over it. Along with expressing regret over what happened here, I offer my condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives.&nbsp;The Prime Minister spoke to me last night and discussed the situation (in Kashmir). He also wants that the situation should improve,&quot; he said. 
 
On revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state, Rajnath said whatever has to be done on the issue will be done in consultation with the state governments.&nbsp;On his two-day visit, Rajanth said he met 30 delegations during which he got information and suggestions on how to restore peace and normalcy in the Valley. 
 
&quot;I also visited Anantnag and heard the people there for one hour. I appealed to people of Anantnag also to maintain calm and help in restoring peace and normalcy,&quot; he said. 
 
Replying to a question if India will hold talks with Pakistan over Kashmir, the interior minister there was no need for involvement of a third power. 
 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We don&#39;t need third party&#39;s involvement to address the situation that prevails in J&amp;K: HM Rajnath Singh in Srinagar (J&amp;K)
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757179965091766272">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Rajnath, accompanied by Indian interior secretary and joint secretary in his ministry, took stock of the situation in the state which has been on the boil since past few days following violent protests that erupted in the aftermath of the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter. 
 
Asked about the suggestions of former Indian interior minister P Chidambaram on granting more autonomy to the state, he said, &quot;We will look into the suggestions made by Chidambaram once normalcy is restored in Kashmir&quot;. 
 
He said various delegations who met him informed about the injuries to several people due to use of pellet guns by security forces and he has assured them of treatment of the injured in AIIMS in Delhi. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have conveyed to J&amp;K CM that if need be the injured can be sent to Delhi. Govt will make sure that they are treated at AIIMS: HM
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757181526962479104">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Singh said he talked to Union Health Minister J P Nadda and asked him to appoint a nodal officer in AIIMS to ensure the treatment of all injured in Kashmir there. He said six people are already getting treatment there. 
 
The interior minister said the Indian government has also evolved a programme for providing employment opportunities to Kashmiri youth and engage them. 
 
(PTI)

Singh also 'warned' Pakistan to not interfere in India's internal matters, asked security forces to not use pellet guns

Appealing to people in Kashmir to help restore normalcy, Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh today said the Indian government wants an emotional relationship with the state and not just need-based, even as he warned Pakistan not to interfere in India's internal affairs. Sending a strong message to Pakistan, Rajnath also said the neighbouring country should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir. Addressing a press conference here after winding up his two-day visit to the state after holding talks with Jammu and Kashmir state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and several delegations both in Srinagar and Anantnag, Rajnath said India will talk to whosoever needed, once peace and normalcy is restored in the state. Want to make it clear that GoI does not only want to have a relationship based on needs with Kashmir but a emotional relationship: HM — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 "As far as government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we don't just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir," he said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state. We will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state (J&K): HM Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/NZYOOmQkOT — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Attacking Pakistan on its role in Kashmir, he said, "its role has not been 'paak' (pure) on Kashmir. Pakistan should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir." Singh hit out at Pakistan, which he said is itself affected by terrorism and to end it on one hand it is killing terrorists after entering the Lal Masjid, while on the other it is asking our youth in Kashmir to take to arms. "This must stop," he said. Pakistan's role isn't 'pak' (pure) in relation to Kashmir. They need to change their behaviour: HM Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/OjGsBNb83p — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Pakistan is in itself a victim of terrorism, it should not encourage violence in Kashmir: HM Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/hoQFMSJxlM — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Appealing to the youth to not to resort to stone-pelting, Singh said he has asked the security forces to refrain from using pellet guns as much as possible even as he regretted the loss of lives. We will constitute a expert committee to find out ways to use of non lethal weapon. The committee will submit report in 2 months: HM — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces a day after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8 resulting in 45 deaths. "If there are any differences or disapprovals, they can be resolved through talks mutually. Because there cannot be any other solution. I feel that if there is place of Kashmiriyat in democracy, it will only be of humanity," he said, adding that the people of the entire country want that Kashmir should once again become "firdaus" (paradise). Expressing sympathy with those injured during the ongoing unrest in the Valley, Singh appealed to the youth to desist from indulging in stonepleting. "I appeal to the youth of Kashmir not to indulge in stonepelting and security forces should avoid use of pellet guns as far as possible," he said. Rajnath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned about the situation in Kashmir and wanted the situation to improve as soon as possible. "I am very concerned at the situation in Kashmir and our Prime Minister is also very concerned over it. Along with expressing regret over what happened here, I offer my condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives. The Prime Minister spoke to me last night and discussed the situation (in Kashmir). He also wants that the situation should improve," he said. On revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state, Rajnath said whatever has to be done on the issue will be done in consultation with the state governments. On his two-day visit, Rajanth said he met 30 delegations during which he got information and suggestions on how to restore peace and normalcy in the Valley. "I also visited Anantnag and heard the people there for one hour. I appealed to people of Anantnag also to maintain calm and help in restoring peace and normalcy," he said. Replying to a question if India will hold talks with Pakistan over Kashmir, the interior minister there was no need for involvement of a third power. We don't need third party's involvement to address the situation that prevails in J&K: HM Rajnath Singh in Srinagar (J&K) — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Rajnath, accompanied by Indian interior secretary and joint secretary in his ministry, took stock of the situation in the state which has been on the boil since past few days following violent protests that erupted in the aftermath of the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter. Asked about the suggestions of former Indian interior minister P Chidambaram on granting more autonomy to the state, he said, "We will look into the suggestions made by Chidambaram once normalcy is restored in Kashmir". He said various delegations who met him informed about the injuries to several people due to use of pellet guns by security forces and he has assured them of treatment of the injured in AIIMS in Delhi. I have conveyed to J&K CM that if need be the injured can be sent to Delhi. Govt will make sure that they are treated at AIIMS: HM — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Singh said he talked to Union Health Minister J P Nadda and asked him to appoint a nodal officer in AIIMS to ensure the treatment of all injured in Kashmir there. He said six people are already getting treatment there. The interior minister said the Indian government has also evolved a programme for providing employment opportunities to Kashmiri youth and engage them. (PTI)

India wants emotional relationship with Kashmir, says interior minister Rajnath Singh

Asserting that the relations between India and Pakistan were at its best during the regime of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, north Indian state Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today said encouraging the youngsters to take up arms in Kashmir reflected &#39;hypocrisy&#39; on the part of Islamabad. 
 
Mehbooba, who met Indian interior minister Minister Rajnath Singh today, thanked the doctors and other personnel working round the clock to bring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir back to normal. 
 
&quot;Today India as well as Pakistan has an opportunity to talk and discuss. But they shouldn&#39;t tell their children that if you take up guns and die, we will salute you. I think this is hypocrisy. They torture those who take up guns and teach some other lesson to our children. I believe this is wrong and this shouldn&#39;t happen,&quot; Mufti told ANI. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Thankful to the doctors and others who r&nbsp;trying round-the-clock to bring back normalcy in the state: J&amp;K CM <a href="https://t.co/b1Z5ouhFqp">pic.twitter.com/b1Z5ouhFqp</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757157683699060736">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Hypocrisy. Country (Pak) that punishes children who take up gun in their country but glorifies youth taking up gun in Kashmir: J&amp;K CM
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757156924945231872">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: J&amp;K CM Mehbooba Mufti expresses her displeasure over glorification of Kashmiri youth who take up guns by Pak<a href="https://t.co/G9R9ltVJhS">https://t.co/G9R9ltVJhS</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757169035016441856">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
She said everybody takes the problem of Jammu and Kashmir seriously only when the situation is bad. 
 
&quot;When the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is bad, we think about finding a solution. But when the situation becomes normal, we forget about it. This is the reason why Mufti ji (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) took two months to form the government with the BJP. He created an agenda of alliance that this is the way if you have to take out Jammu and Kashmir from the problem,&quot; she said. 
 
Expressing grief over loss of lives in Kashmir violence in the aftermath of terrorist Burhan Wani`s killing, Mehbooba said the confident building measures must continue. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Pak needs to change this policy of theirs.Imp to start dialogue,confident building measures b/w the 2 nations-J&amp;K CM <a href="https://t.co/9UOW92dend">pic.twitter.com/9UOW92dend</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/757151455967141888">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
&quot;It is unfortunately not for the first time that there is such an atmosphere here. Many civilians and police personnel have died. Confidence building measures started, but later it stopped. The best period was 2002 when Mufti Government was formed here and Vajpayee Government was formed in New Delhi,&quot; she said. 
 
Mufti further said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met&nbsp;Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by visiting Lahore &#39;but unfortunately the dialogue process got stalled after Pathankot&#39;. 
 
Authorities today lifted the ongoing curfew from four districts of Ganderbal, Badgam, Bandipora and Baramulla in the Kashmir valley as the law and order situation showed marginal improvement. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

Mufti said Pakistan punishes its children who take up guns in their country, but hypocritically glorifies Kashmiri youth taking up arms

Asserting that the relations between India and Pakistan were at its best during the regime of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, north Indian state Jammu and Kashmir's chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today said encouraging the youngsters to take up arms in Kashmir reflected 'hypocrisy' on the part of Islamabad. Mehbooba, who met Indian interior minister Minister Rajnath Singh today, thanked the doctors and other personnel working round the clock to bring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir back to normal. "Today India as well as Pakistan has an opportunity to talk and discuss. But they shouldn't tell their children that if you take up guns and die, we will salute you. I think this is hypocrisy. They torture those who take up guns and teach some other lesson to our children. I believe this is wrong and this shouldn't happen," Mufti told ANI. Thankful to the doctors and others who r trying round-the-clock to bring back normalcy in the state: J&K CM pic.twitter.com/b1Z5ouhFqp — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 Hypocrisy. Country (Pak) that punishes children who take up gun in their country but glorifies youth taking up gun in Kashmir: J&K CM — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 #WATCH: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti expresses her displeasure over glorification of Kashmiri youth who take up guns by Pakhttps://t.co/G9R9ltVJhS — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 She said everybody takes the problem of Jammu and Kashmir seriously only when the situation is bad. "When the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is bad, we think about finding a solution. But when the situation becomes normal, we forget about it. This is the reason why Mufti ji (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) took two months to form the government with the BJP. He created an agenda of alliance that this is the way if you have to take out Jammu and Kashmir from the problem," she said. Expressing grief over loss of lives in Kashmir violence in the aftermath of terrorist Burhan Wani`s killing, Mehbooba said the confident building measures must continue. Pak needs to change this policy of theirs.Imp to start dialogue,confident building measures b/w the 2 nations-J&K CM pic.twitter.com/9UOW92dend — ANI (@ANI_news) July 24, 2016 "It is unfortunately not for the first time that there is such an atmosphere here. Many civilians and police personnel have died. Confidence building measures started, but later it stopped. The best period was 2002 when Mufti Government was formed here and Vajpayee Government was formed in New Delhi," she said. Mufti further said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by visiting Lahore 'but unfortunately the dialogue process got stalled after Pathankot'. Authorities today lifted the ongoing curfew from four districts of Ganderbal, Badgam, Bandipora and Baramulla in the Kashmir valley as the law and order situation showed marginal improvement. (ANI)

Encouraging Kashmiri youth to take up arms reflects Pakistan's 'hypocrisy': Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti

pakistan-0

Pakistan, News on Pakistan, stories on Pakistan, articles on Pakistan, Pakistan stories at Wion, Pakistan news, Pakistan latest news

pakistan 0