The assassination of the Russian ambassador inside the art gallery of Ankara might be far removed from India but it holds great importance for South Asia. The world is looking into the assassination from the lens of Aleppo and the Russian intransigence in the West Asia but for the sub-continent, it is the real and present danger of reverse indoctrination which creates a worrisome scenario for India which stands lonely in the region.

Despite the fact that political regimes have often been blamed and rightly do for the religious slant, India has been able to buffer it armed and civil-military institutions from religious bias. Of&nbsp;course, caste continues to be a reality but it has not led to any personal act of violence against a&nbsp;political opponent in India. The only time the military faced a similar challenge was after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi when Sikh resentment became a reality and cause of concern for both political and defence establishment.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are three countries where defence establishments have gone through the process of reverse indoctrination. The worst example is that of Pakistan where even the generals are afraid to fine tune the Army because pro-Taliban sentiment looms large amongst the middle contingent.

The assassination attempt on former president Pervez Musharraf from the armed services itself and the brutal assassination of Salman Taseer, former governor of Pakistan Punjab province by his own bodyguard are the two examples which elucidate this point. In both the cases perpetrators of brutal violence were mentally disturbed because they felt that religious underpinning of the state and their identity was being challenged. In Ankara, a Turk (who also happened to be a police officer) died for what happened in Aleppo erasing his national identity, sense of duty towards the organisation and responsibility towards civil society.

When the enemy becomes an organic and intimate part of the state whose job is to defend people as desired by the institutions of the state revolts often leads to a&nbsp;coup or a complete breakdown of the law and order machinery of the system. But it needs to be preceded by a subservient political establishment which gives in inch by inch to the radical elements which have been the case with Pakistan and now Turkey.

In France and Germany, the attacks were either by radicalised immigrants or terrorists who masqueraded as immigrants and attacked innocent people. What happened in Turkey resonated closely with Pakistan where public institutions have been subverted from inside and political executive is too weak to protest because they fear for their own life as the protector which the police and the Army have itself metamorphosed into a beast which feeds on its own people. The danger in Pakistan is higher as terror organisation run technical institutes are ambitious enough to aspire that their students one day will be part of the nuclear establishment so that fruit of their labour can be harvested in the time to come.

India doesn&rsquo;t suffer from similar problems but it should remain open to the possibility that it is not immune to it. But what makes it difficult for India is that it is surrounded by countries where civilian institutions aren&rsquo;t doing well and it needs to do much more so that when the US exits Afghanistan, it does not fall into the hands of Pakistan defined good Taliban as the consequences of it would be hard to fathom.

(WION)

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are 3 countries where the defence establishments have gone through the process of reverse indoctrination

The assassination of the Russian ambassador inside the art gallery of Ankara might be far removed from India but it holds great importance for South Asia. The world is looking into the assassination from the lens of Aleppo and the Russian intransigence in the West Asia but for the sub-continent, it is the real and present danger of reverse indoctrination which creates a worrisome scenario for India which stands lonely in the region. Despite the fact that political regimes have often been blamed and rightly do for the religious slant, India has been able to buffer it armed and civil-military institutions from religious bias. Of course, caste continues to be a reality but it has not led to any personal act of violence against a political opponent in India. The only time the military faced a similar challenge was after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi when Sikh resentment became a reality and cause of concern for both political and defence establishment. Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are three countries where defence establishments have gone through the process of reverse indoctrination. The worst example is that of Pakistan where even the generals are afraid to fine tune the Army because pro-Taliban sentiment looms large amongst the middle contingent. The assassination attempt on former president Pervez Musharraf from the armed services itself and the brutal assassination of Salman Taseer, former governor of Pakistan Punjab province by his own bodyguard are the two examples which elucidate this point. In both the cases perpetrators of brutal violence were mentally disturbed because they felt that religious underpinning of the state and their identity was being challenged. In Ankara, a Turk (who also happened to be a police officer) died for what happened in Aleppo erasing his national identity, sense of duty towards the organisation and responsibility towards civil society. When the enemy becomes an organic and intimate part of the state whose job is to defend people as desired by the institutions of the state revolts often leads to a coup or a complete breakdown of the law and order machinery of the system. But it needs to be preceded by a subservient political establishment which gives in inch by inch to the radical elements which have been the case with Pakistan and now Turkey. In France and Germany, the attacks were either by radicalised immigrants or terrorists who masqueraded as immigrants and attacked innocent people. What happened in Turkey resonated closely with Pakistan where public institutions have been subverted from inside and political executive is too weak to protest because they fear for their own life as the protector which the police and the Army have itself metamorphosed into a beast which feeds on its own people. The danger in Pakistan is higher as terror organisation run technical institutes are ambitious enough to aspire that their students one day will be part of the nuclear establishment so that fruit of their labour can be harvested in the time to come. India doesn’t suffer from similar problems but it should remain open to the possibility that it is not immune to it. But what makes it difficult for India is that it is surrounded by countries where civilian institutions aren’t doing well and it needs to do much more so that when the US exits Afghanistan, it does not fall into the hands of Pakistan defined good Taliban as the consequences of it would be hard to fathom. (WION)

Changing nature of global jihad and challenges before India, the enemy within

Pakistan said Donald Trump praised its prime minister as a &quot;terrific guy&quot; and offered support for a &quot;fantastic&quot; country, in an effusive phone call that baffled many after sharp criticisms in the past.

The Pakistani government released the candid account, complete with Trump`s trademark language, after Nawaz Sharif phoned the billionaire real estate mogul to congratulate him on his election victory.

The widely-circulated statement released late Wednesday caused surprise given the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the Trump campaign and the president-elect`s past description of Pakistan as &quot;not our friend&quot;.

It said Trump told the embattled Pakistani leader, currently embroiled in a corruption court case, that he has a &quot;very good reputation&quot;.

&quot;You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way. I am looking forward to see you soon. As I am talking to you prime minister, I feel I am talking to a person I have known for long,&quot; it quoted Trump as saying.

&quot;Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people,&quot; Trump said according to the statement, while also offering to help solve the nation`s many challenges which include a violent insurgency.

&quot;I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. It will be an honour and I will personally do it.&quot;

Trump has long been disdainful of Pakistan on social media.

On January 17, 2012, he tweeted: &quot;Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. We`ve given them billions and billions of dollars, and what did we get? Betrayal and disrespect - and much worse. #TimeToGetTough&quot;

Pakistanis have also been suspicious of his relationship with arch-rival India.Pakistan heavily relies on US aid and is likely to get around $1 billion in economic and security assistance in the 2017 financial year.

Relations plummeted after it emerged in 2011 that the US had carried out a raid to kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, found hiding in Pakistan, without Islamabad`s consent.

Trump`s election has met with concern over what it could mean for aid commitments and bumpy diplomatic relations.

However, the government statement said Trump urged Sharif to call him &quot;any time even before 20th January&quot; when he takes power.

Trump also responded to an invitation to visit Pakistan by saying he would &quot;love to come to a fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people&quot;, it said.

He would be the first US president to visit since George W. Bush during military leader Pervez Musharraf`s rule in 2006. &quot;His visit to Pakistan would be most welcome,&quot; a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday. Pakistan &quot;would like to strengthen ... the existing relationship further and we would like to continue working with the new administration when it takes over,&quot; he continued.

Some social media users appeared to welcome the phone call revelations.

&quot;Fantastic diplomacy&quot; wrote Pakistani journalist Waseem Abbasi, based in Washington, on Facebook. Some were more sceptical.

&quot;But Mr Trump do you know most Pakistanis are Muslim - how can they be `brilliant and exceptional` as well? Won`t you stop them entering?&quot; wrote journalist Omar Quraishi on Twitter.

Trump railed against Muslims during the campaign and vowed to ban them from entering the US.

&quot;I`m still trying to process that zany Trump-Sharif phone call. Who would have known that Trump would become a spokesman for #PakPositive?&quot; tweeted Michael Kugelman, an analyst at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.

Kugelman later warned not to read too much into the call, given how &quot;unpredictable&quot; Trump can be.

Trump`s transition team confirmed the call but gave a more toned-down account, saying the pair had a &quot;productive conversation about how the United States and Pakistan will have a strong working relationship in the future.&quot;

&quot;President-elect Trump also noted that he is looking forward to a lasting and strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Sharif,&quot; it said in a statement.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Nawaz Sharif's office released a statement quoting Trump fawning over the PM, and calling Pakistan a 'fantastic place of fantastic people'

Pakistan said Donald Trump praised its prime minister as a "terrific guy" and offered support for a "fantastic" country, in an effusive phone call that baffled many after sharp criticisms in the past. The Pakistani government released the candid account, complete with Trump`s trademark language, after Nawaz Sharif phoned the billionaire real estate mogul to congratulate him on his election victory. The widely-circulated statement released late Wednesday caused surprise given the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the Trump campaign and the president-elect`s past description of Pakistan as "not our friend". It said Trump told the embattled Pakistani leader, currently embroiled in a corruption court case, that he has a "very good reputation". "You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way. I am looking forward to see you soon. As I am talking to you prime minister, I feel I am talking to a person I have known for long," it quoted Trump as saying. "Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people," Trump said according to the statement, while also offering to help solve the nation`s many challenges which include a violent insurgency. "I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. It will be an honour and I will personally do it." Trump has long been disdainful of Pakistan on social media. On January 17, 2012, he tweeted: "Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. We`ve given them billions and billions of dollars, and what did we get? Betrayal and disrespect - and much worse. #TimeToGetTough" Pakistanis have also been suspicious of his relationship with arch-rival India.Pakistan heavily relies on US aid and is likely to get around $1 billion in economic and security assistance in the 2017 financial year. Relations plummeted after it emerged in 2011 that the US had carried out a raid to kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, found hiding in Pakistan, without Islamabad`s consent. Trump`s election has met with concern over what it could mean for aid commitments and bumpy diplomatic relations. However, the government statement said Trump urged Sharif to call him "any time even before 20th January" when he takes power. Trump also responded to an invitation to visit Pakistan by saying he would "love to come to a fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people", it said. He would be the first US president to visit since George W. Bush during military leader Pervez Musharraf`s rule in 2006. "His visit to Pakistan would be most welcome," a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday. Pakistan "would like to strengthen ... the existing relationship further and we would like to continue working with the new administration when it takes over," he continued. Some social media users appeared to welcome the phone call revelations. "Fantastic diplomacy" wrote Pakistani journalist Waseem Abbasi, based in Washington, on Facebook. Some were more sceptical. "But Mr Trump do you know most Pakistanis are Muslim - how can they be `brilliant and exceptional` as well? Won`t you stop them entering?" wrote journalist Omar Quraishi on Twitter. Trump railed against Muslims during the campaign and vowed to ban them from entering the US. "I`m still trying to process that zany Trump-Sharif phone call. Who would have known that Trump would become a spokesman for #PakPositive?" tweeted Michael Kugelman, an analyst at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. Kugelman later warned not to read too much into the call, given how "unpredictable" Trump can be. Trump`s transition team confirmed the call but gave a more toned-down account, saying the pair had a "productive conversation about how the United States and Pakistan will have a strong working relationship in the future." "President-elect Trump also noted that he is looking forward to a lasting and strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Sharif," it said in a statement. (AFP)

Trump willing to help Pakistan solve 'outstanding problems'

The power of&nbsp;Internet is such that if you have the talent and appeal, then it only takes a heartbeat to reach millions around the world.

This Children&#39;s Day, we bring some of South Asia&#39;s youngest online sensations:&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Afghanistan:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Murtaza Ahmadi, a&nbsp;five-year-old Afghan boy&nbsp;became an Internet star after photographs of him wearing a&nbsp;football jersey made using a plastic bag went viral. The jersey he was wearing carried Argentinian star Lionel Messi name. After the pictures went viral, Messi actually sent him a signed jersey.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bccye4BRKto" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Bangladesh:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

This little boy from Bangladesh made it big after he started singing a local song with a tourist in Cox&rsquo;s Bazar.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kafGknPD3nE" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Bhutan:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

While celebrating girl power on International Women&#39;s Day, a production house in Bhutan promoted its women&nbsp;hip-hop crew. The girls soon became an online sensation.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IgH-wDfrRUk" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>India:</li>
</ul>

Apoorva Mali from India is just 6 years old, but she can fool you with her magic tricks. Practicing around the country, she has won several accolades.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JgIOU59eH6o" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Pakistan:</li>
</ul>

15-year-old Saania and 13-year-old Muqqadas Tabaydar are popularly called&nbsp;&#39;Justin Bibis&#39; by their neighbours.&nbsp;The teenage sisters became an Internet sensation by singing Justin Bieber&#39;s song &#39;Baby&#39;, with their mother chiming in with music that she played using a pot.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NQMp-0tU7qk" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Nepal:</li>
</ul>

This kid from Nepal is a serious performer. His&nbsp;beatboxing skills have rocked him to online fame in South Asia.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YZX-yejNcD0" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Sri Lanka:</li>
</ul>

Stephanie from Kandy, Sri Lanka, does covers of popular Sinhala and English songs. That&#39;s helped her garner a&nbsp;sizable online fan following.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GmJJp81lQXA" width="970"></iframe>

&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

On Children's Day, here is a list of some of the youngest bundles of talent in South Asia

The power of Internet is such that if you have the talent and appeal, then it only takes a heartbeat to reach millions around the world. This Children's Day, we bring some of South Asia's youngest online sensations: Afghanistan: Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old Afghan boy became an Internet star after photographs of him wearing a football jersey made using a plastic bag went viral. The jersey he was wearing carried Argentinian star Lionel Messi name. After the pictures went viral, Messi actually sent him a signed jersey. Bangladesh: This little boy from Bangladesh made it big after he started singing a local song with a tourist in Cox’s Bazar. Bhutan: While celebrating girl power on International Women's Day, a production house in Bhutan promoted its women hip-hop crew. The girls soon became an online sensation. India: Apoorva Mali from India is just 6 years old, but she can fool you with her magic tricks. Practicing around the country, she has won several accolades. Pakistan: 15-year-old Saania and 13-year-old Muqqadas Tabaydar are popularly called 'Justin Bibis' by their neighbours. The teenage sisters became an Internet sensation by singing Justin Bieber's song 'Baby', with their mother chiming in with music that she played using a pot. Nepal: This kid from Nepal is a serious performer. His beatboxing skills have rocked him to online fame in South Asia. Sri Lanka: Stephanie from Kandy, Sri Lanka, does covers of popular Sinhala and English songs. That's helped her garner a sizable online fan following. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

These little online stars are sure to win your hearts

According to the World Bank, 59% world&rsquo;s trash is dumped in landfills- out of which almost half is comprised of organic waste. The world&rsquo;s population currently stands at 7.5 billion which adds on to the pressure of waste disposal systems, every year.&nbsp;

Tackling this issue, several countries have started rewarding its citizens for recycling the waste they produce. Some of the most cool ones are:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Australia</li>
</ul>

The city of Sydney launched a trial of two reverse vending machines that gives out rewards for recycling empty plastic bottles and cans. The rewards range from anything like a bus ticket, to a draw to receive passes to the New Year&rsquo;s Eve fireworks and so on.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Bangkok</li>
</ul>

The country&rsquo;s Bangkok Recycling Program (BRP) is an incentive-based program which brings together communities, local authorities and businesses to work towards a sustainable future. They have a performance tracking system for all recycling efforts.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Brazil</li>
</ul>

The city of Curitiba have a recycling plan called &lsquo;Garbage that is not garbage&rsquo;, which encourages its citizens to recycle their trash. It rewards citizens with food, books, bus tickets for separating their organic and non-organic waste for waste management systems.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Singapore</li>
</ul>

The country has an online recycling rewards programme called &lsquo;Grow Your Recycling Incentives Now&rsquo; which collects recyclable trash from flat and property owners in return for redemption points. Every kilogram of recyclable material collected can be used to redeem retail privileges or sponsored gifts. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/reco-20161027071800.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
PET bottle recycling in Singapore (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Sweden</li>
</ul>

Leading the charge for recycling its waste, Sweden&rsquo;s less than 1% household waste ends up in landfills. They follow a waste-to-energy process which utilises its waste by segregating into hazardous and recyclable type. It is then sent to waste management systems to produce energy. Sweden currently imports almost 800,000 tons of waste from neighbouring countries to process it into energy.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The United States</li>
</ul>

The program Cans for Cash organises a contest encouraging municipalities across the nation to promote recycling practices within communities. The program offers cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for communities with the best efforts.

<ul>
	<li>United Kingdom</li>
</ul>

Local governments help families recycle by offering incentives like cash prizes and shopping vouchers. In Dover and Shepway, they have introduced a &lsquo;reverse vending machine&rsquo; that distributes rewards in exchange for recycling.

&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Cash prizes, shopping vouchers and loyalty points are just some ways the countries have started rewarding its citizens for recycling trash

According to the World Bank, 59% world’s trash is dumped in landfills- out of which almost half is comprised of organic waste. The world’s population currently stands at 7.5 billion which adds on to the pressure of waste disposal systems, every year. Tackling this issue, several countries have started rewarding its citizens for recycling the waste they produce. Some of the most cool ones are: Australia The city of Sydney launched a trial of two reverse vending machines that gives out rewards for recycling empty plastic bottles and cans. The rewards range from anything like a bus ticket, to a draw to receive passes to the New Year’s Eve fireworks and so on. Bangkok The country’s Bangkok Recycling Program (BRP) is an incentive-based program which brings together communities, local authorities and businesses to work towards a sustainable future. They have a performance tracking system for all recycling efforts. Brazil The city of Curitiba have a recycling plan called ‘Garbage that is not garbage’, which encourages its citizens to recycle their trash. It rewards citizens with food, books, bus tickets for separating their organic and non-organic waste for waste management systems. Singapore The country has an online recycling rewards programme called ‘Grow Your Recycling Incentives Now’ which collects recyclable trash from flat and property owners in return for redemption points. Every kilogram of recyclable material collected can be used to redeem retail privileges or sponsored gifts. PET bottle recycling in Singapore (Others) × Sweden Leading the charge for recycling its waste, Sweden’s less than 1% household waste ends up in landfills. They follow a waste-to-energy process which utilises its waste by segregating into hazardous and recyclable type. It is then sent to waste management systems to produce energy. Sweden currently imports almost 800,000 tons of waste from neighbouring countries to process it into energy. The United States The program Cans for Cash organises a contest encouraging municipalities across the nation to promote recycling practices within communities. The program offers cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for communities with the best efforts. United Kingdom Local governments help families recycle by offering incentives like cash prizes and shopping vouchers. In Dover and Shepway, they have introduced a ‘reverse vending machine’ that distributes rewards in exchange for recycling. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

How countries around the world reward their citizens for recycling

Sri Lanka on Friday said that the prevailing conditions in South Asia were not conducive for holding the regional summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

&quot;Peace and security are essential elements for the success of meaningful regional cooperation for the benefit of the people of South Asia. As a founding member of SAARC, committed to regional cooperation, Sri Lanka hopes that the steps required to ensuring our region&rsquo;s peace and security will be taken to create an environment that is conducive for the pursuit of regional cooperation,&quot; read a statement issued by the ministry of foreign affairs in Colombo.

Sri Lanka thus expressed its unwillingness to attend the upcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad.

The country stressed on the need for a unanimous decision-making by the region at all levels.

Four other countries have earlier conveyed their decision to pull out of this year&rsquo;s summit - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan.

The countries wrote to Nepal, the current Chair of SAARC, stating rising terrorism in the region as the reason behind the withdrawal.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The ministry of foreign affairs stated rising terrorism in the region as the reason behind its reluctance to attend the summit

Sri Lanka on Friday said that the prevailing conditions in South Asia were not conducive for holding the regional summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). "Peace and security are essential elements for the success of meaningful regional cooperation for the benefit of the people of South Asia. As a founding member of SAARC, committed to regional cooperation, Sri Lanka hopes that the steps required to ensuring our region’s peace and security will be taken to create an environment that is conducive for the pursuit of regional cooperation," read a statement issued by the ministry of foreign affairs in Colombo. Sri Lanka thus expressed its unwillingness to attend the upcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad. The country stressed on the need for a unanimous decision-making by the region at all levels. Four other countries have earlier conveyed their decision to pull out of this year’s summit - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan. The countries wrote to Nepal, the current Chair of SAARC, stating rising terrorism in the region as the reason behind the withdrawal. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka expresses unwillingness to attend regional summit

Anniesa Hasibuan is the first Indonesian designer to showcase at the New York Fashion Week and the first one to be presenting an entire collection of hijab designs at the international platform. 
 
Her collection called D&rsquo;JAKARTA consisted of 48 looks: 38 ready-to-wear pieces and 10 evening gowns. The entire line-up has intricate details infused in the colours of rich gold, brown, peach and green shades with bespoke jewellery and shoes for the look. Anniesa received a standing ovation from the fashion world after the finale, which was a mix of contemporary designs and Indonesian flavour. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/newstyle-20160922124050.png" />
<div class="media-description">
Models showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
</div>
With a keen interest in fashion, Anniesa started working on it a year ago. Her work inspired by her home-country started gaining recognition from peers in the industry and the Indonesian government. Her collection is a step towards representing Muslim women in high fashion. Models walking the runway in embellished modest high fashion is a statement in itself. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/style4-20160922115034.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
</div>
She now wants to introduce Indonesia&rsquo;s name to the fashion world and make people aware of its diversity and culture.

<div class="media-description">
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/pinknew-20160923082301.png" />

<div class="media-description">
Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
</div>
</div>
New York Fashion Week 2016, like every year, offered a unique collection to the fashion lovers around the world, decoding new fashion trends for the season. 
 
(Contributed by&nbsp;Zeba Khan)

South Asian designs getting recognition on the world's fashion map

Anniesa Hasibuan is the first Indonesian designer to showcase at the New York Fashion Week and the first one to be presenting an entire collection of hijab designs at the international platform. Her collection called D’JAKARTA consisted of 48 looks: 38 ready-to-wear pieces and 10 evening gowns. The entire line-up has intricate details infused in the colours of rich gold, brown, peach and green shades with bespoke jewellery and shoes for the look. Anniesa received a standing ovation from the fashion world after the finale, which was a mix of contemporary designs and Indonesian flavour. Models showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. With a keen interest in fashion, Anniesa started working on it a year ago. Her work inspired by her home-country started gaining recognition from peers in the industry and the Indonesian government. Her collection is a step towards representing Muslim women in high fashion. Models walking the runway in embellished modest high fashion is a statement in itself. Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. She now wants to introduce Indonesia’s name to the fashion world and make people aware of its diversity and culture. Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. New York Fashion Week 2016, like every year, offered a unique collection to the fashion lovers around the world, decoding new fashion trends for the season. (Contributed by Zeba Khan)

#BeTheChange: The woman who made hijab fashionable

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

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

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

7 unique indigenous tribes of South Asia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trekking is an experience in itself: It only takes&nbsp;stamina, love for wilderness and a passion for travel. 
 
Home to the Himalayan Mountain Range, South Asia offers some of the world&rsquo;s best trekking routes&nbsp;for adventure lovers. These are top 12 treks&nbsp;that must feature in every adventure traveller&rsquo;s itinerary while exploring South Asia: 
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The Annapurna Circuit</li>
</ul>
Oldest trail on the Himalayas, &nbsp;Annapurna Circuit traverses through Nepal with Buddhist villages and Hindu holy sites in the background. &nbsp;Depending on the route taken, the trail can be completed in a span of 17 to 21 days. It&rsquo;s highlight is the Thorung La Pas, highest point on the trail at 17,769 ft (5,416m).&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
How to Prepare for the Annapurna Circuit via <a href="https://twitter.com/BeMyTravelMuse">@BeMyTravelMuse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/travel?src=hash">#travel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shabl?src=hash">#shabl</a> <a href="http://t.co/qCmBwQc2NZ">http://t.co/qCmBwQc2NZ</a>
&mdash; Rob (@Bloggeries) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bloggeries/status/530292373210025984">November 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>The Markha Valley Trek</li>
</ul>
Against the backdrop of Ladakh&rsquo;s barren landscape, the trail crosses two Himalayan Pass over 15,000 ft (4575 m). Stop to absorb the Buddhist culture with colourful Tibetan prayer flags adorning the route. It takes 9 to 12 days to complete it and the best camping site is at Hemis Monastery, after crossing an altitude of Kongmaru La Pass (5150 m).

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Panorama of the Week: Day 1 on Ladakh&#39;s Markha Valley Trek, Trekking Through Canyons - <a href="http://t.co/5RsZRRG1SL">http://t.co/5RsZRRG1SL</a>
&mdash; Dan &amp; Audrey (@umarket) <a href="https://twitter.com/umarket/status/373236035968565248">August 30, 2013</a></blockquote>
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>Everest Base Camp&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
View of the Everest and a trail lit by quaint tea houses, Everest Base Camp is typically for 11 days. The end point at Base Camp looks straight up at Khumbu Glacier towards peak of the the world&rsquo;s highest mountain, Mt. Everest. The camp is packed between three of the world&rsquo;s 10 tallest peaks and is perfect for spending time in solitude.&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The Journey to Everest Base Camp: Trip of a Lifetime <a href="https://t.co/1MWaYKfsW1">https://t.co/1MWaYKfsW1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Activeontheroad">@Activeontheroad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HikeNepalAgain?src=hash">#HikeNepalAgain</a> <a href="https://t.co/0WLr5w1Cff">pic.twitter.com/0WLr5w1Cff</a>
&mdash; triphackr (@Triphackr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Triphackr/status/679708088396574720">December 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>The Manaslu Circuit</li>
</ul>
Best getaway for solo trek lovers, Manaslu Circuit falls in the restricted zone of Nepal which requires a special permit and a guide to travel with. It creates a bit of a hassle at the start but the end result is a perfect moment of alone time amidst the mountains.&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Incredible amount of snow still in the Nepal Himalaya. This from Tsum 10 days ago. Just back yesterday. <a href="http://t.co/YR4KWQla7l">pic.twitter.com/YR4KWQla7l</a>
&mdash; Bradley Mayhew (@bradley_mayhew) <a href="https://twitter.com/bradley_mayhew/status/578136739799134208">March 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The Snowman Trek</li>
</ul>
Physically and emotionally draining, Snowman Trek &nbsp;is best suited for seasoned trekkers. It is considered one of the hardest routes in the region where not many can actually finish off at the summit. Passing through the remotest parts of Bhutan, it offers a journey through the Bhutanese culture. The trek follows 6 mountains above 23,000 feet and will take 24 days to complete.&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The Snowman Trek in Bhutan is the toughest trek in the world: 220 mi &amp; 25 days. <a href="http://t.co/eXXxv23x4g">http://t.co/eXXxv23x4g</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Wanderluster">@wanderluster</a> <a href="http://t.co/wKLGzf4xlL">pic.twitter.com/wKLGzf4xlL</a>
&mdash; Expedia (@Expedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Expedia/status/535866949570285568">November 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>The Gondogoro La Trek</li>
</ul>
Pakistan has some of the most picturesque trekking routes in the Karakorum region. Connecting the Gondogoro glacier and Baltoro glacier to the Shigar Valley, the route gives views of K-2, Broad Peak Masherbrum and others. It also has one of the highest mountain passes in the world, the Gondogoro Pass.

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The death trap, Gondogoro La on trek towards K2! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash">#Pakistan</a> <a href="http://t.co/j9MwLMObQN">pic.twitter.com/j9MwLMObQN</a>
&mdash; Farhan Khan Virk (@FarhanKVirk) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarhanKVirk/status/486146414037041155">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>K2 Base Camp Trek</li>
</ul>
Named after the second tallest mountains in the world, K2 Base Camp trek is made of every adventure traveller&rsquo;s dreams. While exploring the areas, keep a lookout for the majestic Nanga Parbat and Concordia, which is called the &lsquo;Throne Rooms of the Gods&rsquo; for it&#39;s expansiveness.&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trekking?src=hash">#Trekking</a> update: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/K2?src=hash">#K2</a> base camp, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Snowlake?src=hash">#Snowlake</a> trek and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RushLake?src=hash">#RushLake</a>, are places you should look up to in summer. <a href="http://t.co/STI7K0dFPZ">pic.twitter.com/STI7K0dFPZ</a>
&mdash; Northmen PK (@NorthmenPK) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthmenPK/status/597844180417712128">May 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<ul dir="ltr">
	<li>Stok Kangri</li>
</ul>
Only recommended for those who have trekked at high altitudes before, Stok Kangri is one of the most glamorous trails. At 20,500 ft, it is the highest trekkable summit in India. It changes weather within a couple of minutes turning from bright sunny to snow blizzards. Recommended to go prepared for adversity on-route!

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
On the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/summit?src=hash">#summit</a> ridge of Island Peak 6189m <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nepal?src=hash">#Nepal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/climbing?src=hash">#climbing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/expedition?src=hash">#expedition</a> now getting ready 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/climb?src=hash">#climb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StokKangri?src=hash">#StokKangri</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash">#India</a> <a href="https://t.co/7HMCMdhUzi">pic.twitter.com/7HMCMdhUzi</a>
&mdash; Tony Hodson (@Tony_Hodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tony_Hodson/status/753706779087867904">July 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The Chadar Trek</li>
</ul>
Chadar in Hindi language means a blanket and going by it&rsquo;s name, Chadar Trek literally looks like a blanket of ice that is accessible only during the coldest months of January and February. Closed for most part of the year, the trail takes 9 days to complete. Walking on the frozen Zanskar river in Ladakh is a major highlight of the trek.&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Got featured on Huff Post <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chadartrek?src=hash">#chadartrek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Himalayas?src=hash">#Himalayas</a> How I experienced life at -30 degrees? <a href="https://t.co/rX0ye7nzM0">https://t.co/rX0ye7nzM0</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPostBlog">@HuffPostBlog</a>
&mdash; Pashmina Binwani (@B_Pash) <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Pash/status/772101546687410176">September 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Roopkund&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Considered to be one of the most mysterious treks in Himalayas, Roopkund offers much more than just a mind blowing trail- it offers unique stories. Dense forests, perfect spots for camping and pristine snow makes the trek a must in the list. At the height of 16,500 ft, the trek also has the secluded Roopkund Lake, famous for its scurry of skeletons. &nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
All you want to know about Roopkund &amp; the trek to Skeleton Lake! <a href="http://t.co/qH4zsZjxRM">http://t.co/qH4zsZjxRM</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Himalayas?src=hash">#Himalayas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adventure?src=hash">#adventure</a> <a href="http://t.co/YFHfEaBlWV">pic.twitter.com/YFHfEaBlWV</a>
&mdash; Neelima Vallangi (@i_WanderingSoul) <a href="https://twitter.com/i_WanderingSoul/status/457131441013280768">April 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Valley of Flowers</li>
</ul>
Situated at a height of 12,000 ft, this moderate level trekking takes up 6 days to complete. Going by it&rsquo;s name, trekking ends at the entrance of a hidden valley of flowers in the lap of Himalayan Range in Uttarakhand, India.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Valley of Flowers (BBC video 4min) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash">#india</a> &gt; <a href="http://t.co/wuNs1dEgJr">http://t.co/wuNs1dEgJr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vof?src=hash">#vof</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/himalayas?src=hash">#himalayas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dehradun?src=hash">#dehradun</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/delhi?src=hash">#delhi</a> <a href="http://t.co/a4bJdx4mLJ">pic.twitter.com/a4bJdx4mLJ</a>
&mdash; Chris Collins (@CollChris) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollChris/status/508187135732502529">September 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Kashmir Great Lakes Trek</li>
</ul>
The northern state of India, Kashmir offers a Great Lakes trek for 8 days. At a height of 13,750 ft, the trek starts from Sonmarg in Kashmir and passes through four of the highest altitude lakes in the country. Thick snow, alpine forests and pristine beauty- it&#39;s a must try. &nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Stunning sight of the twin lakes of Gangbal &amp; Nundkhol on the Great Lakes Trek.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kashmir?src=hash">#Kashmir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/beautiful?src=hash">#beautiful</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hiking?src=hash">#hiking</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ttot?src=hash">#ttot</a> <a href="https://t.co/I0wKmwnZTj">pic.twitter.com/I0wKmwnZTj</a>
&mdash; Shubham Mansingka (@travelshoebum) <a href="https://twitter.com/travelshoebum/status/773810669443354624">September 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Contributed by: Zeba Khan

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Pick a trail, pack your essentials, select a guide and go wanderlusting in the mountains

Trekking is an experience in itself: It only takes stamina, love for wilderness and a passion for travel. Home to the Himalayan Mountain Range, South Asia offers some of the world’s best trekking routes for adventure lovers. These are top 12 treks that must feature in every adventure traveller’s itinerary while exploring South Asia: The Annapurna Circuit Oldest trail on the Himalayas, Annapurna Circuit traverses through Nepal with Buddhist villages and Hindu holy sites in the background. Depending on the route taken, the trail can be completed in a span of 17 to 21 days. It’s highlight is the Thorung La Pas, highest point on the trail at 17,769 ft (5,416m). How to Prepare for the Annapurna Circuit via @BeMyTravelMuse #travel #shabl http://t.co/qCmBwQc2NZ — Rob (@Bloggeries) November 6, 2014 The Markha Valley Trek Against the backdrop of Ladakh’s barren landscape, the trail crosses two Himalayan Pass over 15,000 ft (4575 m). Stop to absorb the Buddhist culture with colourful Tibetan prayer flags adorning the route. It takes 9 to 12 days to complete it and the best camping site is at Hemis Monastery, after crossing an altitude of Kongmaru La Pass (5150 m). Panorama of the Week: Day 1 on Ladakh's Markha Valley Trek, Trekking Through Canyons - http://t.co/5RsZRRG1SL — Dan & Audrey (@umarket) August 30, 2013 Everest Base Camp View of the Everest and a trail lit by quaint tea houses, Everest Base Camp is typically for 11 days. The end point at Base Camp looks straight up at Khumbu Glacier towards peak of the the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest. The camp is packed between three of the world’s 10 tallest peaks and is perfect for spending time in solitude. The Journey to Everest Base Camp: Trip of a Lifetime https://t.co/1MWaYKfsW1 @Activeontheroad #HikeNepalAgain pic.twitter.com/0WLr5w1Cff — triphackr (@Triphackr) December 23, 2015 The Manaslu Circuit Best getaway for solo trek lovers, Manaslu Circuit falls in the restricted zone of Nepal which requires a special permit and a guide to travel with. It creates a bit of a hassle at the start but the end result is a perfect moment of alone time amidst the mountains. Incredible amount of snow still in the Nepal Himalaya. This from Tsum 10 days ago. Just back yesterday. pic.twitter.com/YR4KWQla7l — Bradley Mayhew (@bradley_mayhew) March 18, 2015 The Snowman Trek Physically and emotionally draining, Snowman Trek is best suited for seasoned trekkers. It is considered one of the hardest routes in the region where not many can actually finish off at the summit. Passing through the remotest parts of Bhutan, it offers a journey through the Bhutanese culture. The trek follows 6 mountains above 23,000 feet and will take 24 days to complete. The Snowman Trek in Bhutan is the toughest trek in the world: 220 mi & 25 days. http://t.co/eXXxv23x4g @wanderluster pic.twitter.com/wKLGzf4xlL — Expedia (@Expedia) November 21, 2014 The Gondogoro La Trek Pakistan has some of the most picturesque trekking routes in the Karakorum region. Connecting the Gondogoro glacier and Baltoro glacier to the Shigar Valley, the route gives views of K-2, Broad Peak Masherbrum and others. It also has one of the highest mountain passes in the world, the Gondogoro Pass. The death trap, Gondogoro La on trek towards K2! #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/j9MwLMObQN — Farhan Khan Virk (@FarhanKVirk) July 7, 2014 K2 Base Camp Trek Named after the second tallest mountains in the world, K2 Base Camp trek is made of every adventure traveller’s dreams. While exploring the areas, keep a lookout for the majestic Nanga Parbat and Concordia, which is called the ‘Throne Rooms of the Gods’ for it's expansiveness. #Trekking update: #K2 base camp, #Snowlake trek and #RushLake, are places you should look up to in summer. pic.twitter.com/STI7K0dFPZ — Northmen PK (@NorthmenPK) May 11, 2015 Stok Kangri Only recommended for those who have trekked at high altitudes before, Stok Kangri is one of the most glamorous trails. At 20,500 ft, it is the highest trekkable summit in India. It changes weather within a couple of minutes turning from bright sunny to snow blizzards. Recommended to go prepared for adversity on-route! On the #summit ridge of Island Peak 6189m #Nepal #climbing #expedition now getting ready 2 #climb #StokKangri #India pic.twitter.com/7HMCMdhUzi — Tony Hodson (@Tony_Hodson) July 14, 2016 The Chadar Trek Chadar in Hindi language means a blanket and going by it’s name, Chadar Trek literally looks like a blanket of ice that is accessible only during the coldest months of January and February. Closed for most part of the year, the trail takes 9 days to complete. Walking on the frozen Zanskar river in Ladakh is a major highlight of the trek. Got featured on Huff Post #chadartrek #Himalayas How I experienced life at -30 degrees? https://t.co/rX0ye7nzM0 via @HuffPostBlog — Pashmina Binwani (@B_Pash) September 3, 2016 Roopkund Considered to be one of the most mysterious treks in Himalayas, Roopkund offers much more than just a mind blowing trail- it offers unique stories. Dense forests, perfect spots for camping and pristine snow makes the trek a must in the list. At the height of 16,500 ft, the trek also has the secluded Roopkund Lake, famous for its scurry of skeletons. All you want to know about Roopkund & the trek to Skeleton Lake! http://t.co/qH4zsZjxRM#Himalayas #adventure pic.twitter.com/YFHfEaBlWV — Neelima Vallangi (@i_WanderingSoul) April 18, 2014 Valley of Flowers Situated at a height of 12,000 ft, this moderate level trekking takes up 6 days to complete. Going by it’s name, trekking ends at the entrance of a hidden valley of flowers in the lap of Himalayan Range in Uttarakhand, India. Valley of Flowers (BBC video 4min) #india > http://t.co/wuNs1dEgJr #vof #himalayas #dehradun #delhi pic.twitter.com/a4bJdx4mLJ — Chris Collins (@CollChris) September 6, 2014 Kashmir Great Lakes Trek The northern state of India, Kashmir offers a Great Lakes trek for 8 days. At a height of 13,750 ft, the trek starts from Sonmarg in Kashmir and passes through four of the highest altitude lakes in the country. Thick snow, alpine forests and pristine beauty- it's a must try. Stunning sight of the twin lakes of Gangbal & Nundkhol on the Great Lakes Trek.#Kashmir #beautiful #hiking #ttot pic.twitter.com/I0wKmwnZTj — Shubham Mansingka (@travelshoebum) September 8, 2016 Contributed by: Zeba Khan

12 treks in South Asia that must be on your travel itinerary

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

A Bangladesh court today upheld the death sentence for six Islamist terrorists convicted over a suicide bombing in 2005 of a lawyer&#39;s office that killed eight people, a top prosecutor said. 
 
Bangladesh&#39;s judiciary is under pressure to fast track cases involving terorrists as the government faces mounting criticism to crackdown on Islamists over a series of recent deadly killings. A bench of two high court judges rejected appeals from the six convicted over the 2005 bombing, claimed by local extremist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). 
 
&quot;The court upheld the death orders against the six JMB extremists, as the charges against them were proved beyond any doubt,&quot; deputy attorney general Sheikh AKM Moniruzzaman told AFP. JMB has also been blamed for a siege this month by five gunmen on an upscale cafe in Dhaka that killed 20, mostly foreign hostages and two police officers. 
 
Police have rejected the Islamic State (IS) group&#39;s claim for the July 1 attack. The group posted gruesome images of the carnage before the military stormed the cafe.&nbsp; 
 
Moniruzzaman said the six convicted terrorists had conspired and assisted in the bombing of the lawyer&#39;s office, just north of Dhaka, part of JMB&#39;s then deadly campaign against the secular judiciary. 
 
&quot;Of the ten JMB extremists originally sentenced to death by the trial court in 2013, two were acquitted by the high court and two others were sentenced to life in prison,&quot; he added. The attack was one of a series of blasts the JMB carried out in 2005, then raising fears that the Muslim-majority nation would descend into Afghanistan-style Islamic militancy. 
 
Four lawyers and four litigants died in the attack. The suicide bomber was also killed. Authorities launched a crackdown on the JMB at the time, but it has regrouped in recent years under new leaders. According to experts, it has been actively recruiting young and highly educated young men to its ranks. 
 
Police have blamed the banned group for scores of gruesome murders of religious minorities, as well as of foreigners, since 2013. 
 
(AFP)

The six were convicted over the 2005 bombing, claimed by local extremist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh

A Bangladesh court today upheld the death sentence for six Islamist terrorists convicted over a suicide bombing in 2005 of a lawyer's office that killed eight people, a top prosecutor said. Bangladesh's judiciary is under pressure to fast track cases involving terorrists as the government faces mounting criticism to crackdown on Islamists over a series of recent deadly killings. A bench of two high court judges rejected appeals from the six convicted over the 2005 bombing, claimed by local extremist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). "The court upheld the death orders against the six JMB extremists, as the charges against them were proved beyond any doubt," deputy attorney general Sheikh AKM Moniruzzaman told AFP. JMB has also been blamed for a siege this month by five gunmen on an upscale cafe in Dhaka that killed 20, mostly foreign hostages and two police officers. Police have rejected the Islamic State (IS) group's claim for the July 1 attack. The group posted gruesome images of the carnage before the military stormed the cafe. Moniruzzaman said the six convicted terrorists had conspired and assisted in the bombing of the lawyer's office, just north of Dhaka, part of JMB's then deadly campaign against the secular judiciary. "Of the ten JMB extremists originally sentenced to death by the trial court in 2013, two were acquitted by the high court and two others were sentenced to life in prison," he added. The attack was one of a series of blasts the JMB carried out in 2005, then raising fears that the Muslim-majority nation would descend into Afghanistan-style Islamic militancy. Four lawyers and four litigants died in the attack. The suicide bomber was also killed. Authorities launched a crackdown on the JMB at the time, but it has regrouped in recent years under new leaders. According to experts, it has been actively recruiting young and highly educated young men to its ranks. Police have blamed the banned group for scores of gruesome murders of religious minorities, as well as of foreigners, since 2013. (AFP)

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for six terrorists

The nine militants that were killed in a special drive by joint forces in Dhaka were all very young and &#39;highly educated&#39; and they shouted &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; before attacking the law enforcers during the standoff, officials said.&nbsp; 
 
The militants were aged about 20, wore jeans and sneakers and were highly educated, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia and added that &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; inscribed black flags were recovered from the den. Thirteen handmade grenades, one sword, one pistol, seven magazines and were also recovered. 
 
SWAT, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch of police (DB) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) jointly carried out a one-hour operation &quot;Storm 26,&quot; at Jahaj Building in Dhaka&#39;s Kalyanpur area today. The militants had rented the apartment on June 20 and had gathered there to carry out terror attacks, said officials. 
 
The occupants of the building and adjacent ones were evacuated overnight to carry out the raid. A militant identified as Hassan, who was held alive during the drive, has reportedly confessed to be an operative of the Islamic State and was a student of Bogra&#39;s Government Shah Sultan College. However, the police suspects they are members of the banned militant outfit Jama&#39;atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who were trying to wield the emblem of the Islamic State. 
 
The DMP Commissioner added that police suspect these attackers belong to the same group that attacked the Gulshan cafe because similar kind of red handkerchiefs, black dresses and backpacks were found.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)

It is suspected millitants were members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, who were trying to wield the IS emblem

The nine militants that were killed in a special drive by joint forces in Dhaka were all very young and 'highly educated' and they shouted "Allahu Akbar" before attacking the law enforcers during the standoff, officials said. The militants were aged about 20, wore jeans and sneakers and were highly educated, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia and added that "Allahu Akbar" inscribed black flags were recovered from the den. Thirteen handmade grenades, one sword, one pistol, seven magazines and were also recovered. SWAT, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch of police (DB) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) jointly carried out a one-hour operation "Storm 26," at Jahaj Building in Dhaka's Kalyanpur area today. The militants had rented the apartment on June 20 and had gathered there to carry out terror attacks, said officials. The occupants of the building and adjacent ones were evacuated overnight to carry out the raid. A militant identified as Hassan, who was held alive during the drive, has reportedly confessed to be an operative of the Islamic State and was a student of Bogra's Government Shah Sultan College. However, the police suspects they are members of the banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who were trying to wield the emblem of the Islamic State. The DMP Commissioner added that police suspect these attackers belong to the same group that attacked the Gulshan cafe because similar kind of red handkerchiefs, black dresses and backpacks were found. (ANI)

Bangladesh raid: 'Slain militants were young and highly educated'

Hundreds in Nepal who had borrowed money to rebuild their lives after two earthquakes left them homeless are at risk of being trafficked or duped into selling their kidneys to pay off their debts, an international development organisation said. 
 
Nepal received $4.1 billion in pledges from donors for reconstruction after quakes last April and May killed 9,000 people, injured at least 22,000 and damaged or destroyed more than 900,000 houses in the Himalayan nation. 
 
More than a year on, reconstruction has been slow with unrest over a new constitution adding to the delays. Unable to find work, hundreds in Nepal are deep in debt, the Asia Foundation said today.&nbsp;&quot;Their ability to pay is very limited and indebtedness makes them more vulnerable to exploitation,&quot; said Nandita Baruah, Asia Foundation&#39;s deputy country representative in Kathmandu. 
 
&quot;Their desperation makes them take greater risks, such as sending their children away for what they think are better lives, or even selling their kidneys,&quot; she told.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re going to see an uptick in people moving out to earn money as their debts become due. Some of them will be trafficked,&quot; Baruah added. 
 
Nepal&#39;s economy is highly dependent on remittances sent back by its migrant workers, which make up about 30 percent of its gross domestic product.&nbsp;Following the earthquakes, hundreds of migrant workers returned to Nepal to help their families. Many are likely to have paid their employers to be allowed to return home, going without wages for several months while spending money on rebuilding, Baruah said. 
 
&quot;These are workers who pay 200,000-500,000 rupees ($1,850-$4,640) to go abroad in the first place and are very likely still paying off that debt,&quot; she said. &quot;The quakes exacerbated their indebtedness,&quot; she added. 
 
Activists say there are signs of an increase in the number of Nepali women and children being trafficked after last year&#39;s disaster. Anti-trafficking charity Maiti Nepal said it stopped 745 women and children, suspected victims of human trafficking, at the Nepal-India border in the three months following the earthquakes. 
 
That compares with 615 such interceptions in the three months before the quakes, their data showed. Nepal is both a source and a destination country for victims of human trafficking with some 8,500 Nepalis trafficked every year, according to the country&#39;s human rights commission. 
 
Women are typically trafficked for sex work, domestic work and forced marriages to India, the Middle East, China and South Korea, while men are made to work in construction, as drivers and in hotels in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. 
 
Some victims are duped into selling their kidneys and brought to India, where a chronic organ shortage has fuelled a black-market trade in illegal transplants, activists say. 
 
Nepal&#39;s economy is forecast by the Asian Development Bank to have grown only about 1.5 percent in the fiscal year to mid-July after reconstruction delays and trade disruptions. A recovery is dependent on the pace of reconstruction, it said. 
 
&quot;Now, the aid will also stop flowing. We&#39;re going to see more migration, more trafficking,&quot; said Baruah. &quot;Those who have taken on debt don&#39;t have options,&quot; she said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

More than a year after the earthquakes, reconstruction has been slow with unrest over a new constitution adding to the delays

Hundreds in Nepal who had borrowed money to rebuild their lives after two earthquakes left them homeless are at risk of being trafficked or duped into selling their kidneys to pay off their debts, an international development organisation said. Nepal received $4.1 billion in pledges from donors for reconstruction after quakes last April and May killed 9,000 people, injured at least 22,000 and damaged or destroyed more than 900,000 houses in the Himalayan nation. More than a year on, reconstruction has been slow with unrest over a new constitution adding to the delays. Unable to find work, hundreds in Nepal are deep in debt, the Asia Foundation said today. "Their ability to pay is very limited and indebtedness makes them more vulnerable to exploitation," said Nandita Baruah, Asia Foundation's deputy country representative in Kathmandu. "Their desperation makes them take greater risks, such as sending their children away for what they think are better lives, or even selling their kidneys," she told. "We're going to see an uptick in people moving out to earn money as their debts become due. Some of them will be trafficked," Baruah added. Nepal's economy is highly dependent on remittances sent back by its migrant workers, which make up about 30 percent of its gross domestic product. Following the earthquakes, hundreds of migrant workers returned to Nepal to help their families. Many are likely to have paid their employers to be allowed to return home, going without wages for several months while spending money on rebuilding, Baruah said. "These are workers who pay 200,000-500,000 rupees ($1,850-$4,640) to go abroad in the first place and are very likely still paying off that debt," she said. "The quakes exacerbated their indebtedness," she added. Activists say there are signs of an increase in the number of Nepali women and children being trafficked after last year's disaster. Anti-trafficking charity Maiti Nepal said it stopped 745 women and children, suspected victims of human trafficking, at the Nepal-India border in the three months following the earthquakes. That compares with 615 such interceptions in the three months before the quakes, their data showed. Nepal is both a source and a destination country for victims of human trafficking with some 8,500 Nepalis trafficked every year, according to the country's human rights commission. Women are typically trafficked for sex work, domestic work and forced marriages to India, the Middle East, China and South Korea, while men are made to work in construction, as drivers and in hotels in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Some victims are duped into selling their kidneys and brought to India, where a chronic organ shortage has fuelled a black-market trade in illegal transplants, activists say. Nepal's economy is forecast by the Asian Development Bank to have grown only about 1.5 percent in the fiscal year to mid-July after reconstruction delays and trade disruptions. A recovery is dependent on the pace of reconstruction, it said. "Now, the aid will also stop flowing. We're going to see more migration, more trafficking," said Baruah. "Those who have taken on debt don't have options," she said. (Reuters)

Nepal quake survivors struggle with debt, raising trafficking fears

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

Pokemon Go is the mobile game taking the world by storm. Busy gamers are seen Pokemon hunting everywhere. However, today disappointed Indian gamers started putting up complains on social media site Twitter about the game not working properly on their devices.&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pokemon?src=hash">#pokemon</a> go..game open without showing pokestop,pokemon or gym, no data,just empty map,happening all over india <a href="https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp">@PokemonGoApp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NianticLabs">@NianticLabs</a>
&mdash; Abhinav Raj (@piratekingRAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/piratekingRAJ/status/756357333521924096">July 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
 
According to one of the tweets, the game is opening without any data, and is not showing any map, gym or pokestop. But not all gamers from India are facing the trouble, as one comment read, &quot;It&#39;s not blocked, working fine in Mumbai and Delhi region. Kolkata and South not working&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Another user accused developers Niantic for deliberately stopping India from playing the game. Some suggested the server might be down. There has been no reply from Niantic&#39;s side yet. 
 
Niantic has earned huge profits from Pokemon GO. Today the much awaited game has finally launched in Japan. 
 
(WION)

A disappointed Indian gamer accused developer Niantic of deliberately stopping India from playing

Pokemon Go is the mobile game taking the world by storm. Busy gamers are seen Pokemon hunting everywhere. However, today disappointed Indian gamers started putting up complains on social media site Twitter about the game not working properly on their devices. #pokemon go..game open without showing pokestop,pokemon or gym, no data,just empty map,happening all over india @PokemonGoApp @NianticLabs — Abhinav Raj (@piratekingRAJ) July 22, 2016 According to one of the tweets, the game is opening without any data, and is not showing any map, gym or pokestop. But not all gamers from India are facing the trouble, as one comment read, "It's not blocked, working fine in Mumbai and Delhi region. Kolkata and South not working". Another user accused developers Niantic for deliberately stopping India from playing the game. Some suggested the server might be down. There has been no reply from Niantic's side yet. Niantic has earned huge profits from Pokemon GO. Today the much awaited game has finally launched in Japan. (WION)

Indians unable to play Pokemon Go as app removes pokemons, gyms and stops from map

Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed today said he had received a call from Asiya Andrabi, the founder of the Dukhtaran-e-Millat, seeking his help to resolve what she called the crisis in India&#39;s northern state of Kashmir. Addressing a rally here, Saeed said, &quot;The way Indian security forces are engaged in bloodshed in Kashmir, my sister Asiya Andrabi cried for 15 minutes and told me over phone that my brothers where are you?&quot; 
 
&quot;I am telling my sister Asiya that my sister, we are coming. This act of violence will come to end and nobody can stop Kashmir from becoming independent,&quot; he added. Saeed further said that he had also received a call from Burhan Wani (Hizbul Mujahideen militant), wherein he had said, &quot;His (Wanis) last wish was to talk to me (Saeed)&quot;. 
 
&quot;Few days before his death, Burhan Wani told me over a phone that it was my desire to talk with you. Now my desire has been fulfilled, and now, I am waiting for martyrdom,&quot; said Saeed in an event organized to express solidarity with both Andrabi and Wani. 
 
&quot;I want to assure the people of Kashmir that if you are in the field, we are also with you,&quot; said the Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader. He also warned India that this was its last chance to accept separatist Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani&#39;s four-point formula on Kashmir and to withdraw security forces from the valley, else the decision will be taken in battlefield. 
 
&quot;We have to give a message to India to stop and withdraw forces and accept Geelani&#39;s four-point formula immediately, because, this is the last chance, and hereafter, the matter will be decided in the battlefield,&quot; said Saeed. 
 
The Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader organised a procession from Lahore to Islamabad. It comprised of trucks and buses, stretched for several kilometers, and passed through many cities, including Gujaranwala, Jhelum and Gujarat. 
 
His rallies were attended by federal ministers and religious leaders of various organisations. The Pakistan Government&#39;s direct links with Hafiz Saeed has been further exposed by Islamabad allowing him to lead an anti-India rally on the Kashmir issue.&nbsp; 
 
Saeed led a Pakistan Government call to Observe July 19 as a Black Day, apparently to draw attention to the &quot;burning issue of Kashmir.&quot; The Obama Administration has been taken aback by this event. 
 
The US has designated both the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as foreign terrorist organisations. Saeed has also been listed by the UN Security Council&#39;s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.&nbsp; 
 
South Asia watchers in Washington say that by allowing a terrorist to take up a government sponsored cause the Pakistan Government has bared its selective approach towards terrorism. When banned outfits are allowed to openly hold rallies in Pakistan at the behest of the Government the allegations about Pakistan using terror as state policy appears to gain ground. 
 
Experts say had Pakistan banned Saeed from holding this rally and had instead placed someone else in charge of the July 19 protests then that would have been understandable.&nbsp;The question arises why Saeed, is it because he is a terror asset which the state cannot do without, wonder South Asia analysts. They question is Saeed so important that Islamabad is risking an important relationship with the United States. 
 
Pakistan&#39;s irrevocable links with Saeed have disappointed the Obama Administration but have not shocked officials. It was always known in Washington&#39;s South Asia circles that Hafiz Saeed is an asset that the Pakistani State will always protect not standing the fact that he is a designated global terrorist.&nbsp; 
 
The LeT remains active and open in Pakistan and just recently had the audacity to attack Medina in Saudi Arabia in which 12 of its suspected members were arrested. This connection was also highlighted by a European Parliament Report by Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki where he pointed out how the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a charity front of the LeT was radicalising the Pakistani Diaspora and the state was a mute spectator. 
 
The July 19 Kashmir Rally is certain to be brought up on Capitol Hill where proposals are afoot to cut financial aid to Pakistan in the absence of complete and verifiable de-linkage with terror groups. 
 
While the Obama Administration has been supporting Pakistan as an important ally in the war against terror, this July 19 rally, where a wanted terrorist has been given state patronage, is certain to raise questions and embarrass Washington. 
 
(ANI)

Addressing a rally in Pakistan, Saeed said he has assured Andrabi that nobody can stop Kashmir from becoming independent

Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed today said he had received a call from Asiya Andrabi, the founder of the Dukhtaran-e-Millat, seeking his help to resolve what she called the crisis in India's northern state of Kashmir. Addressing a rally here, Saeed said, "The way Indian security forces are engaged in bloodshed in Kashmir, my sister Asiya Andrabi cried for 15 minutes and told me over phone that my brothers where are you?" "I am telling my sister Asiya that my sister, we are coming. This act of violence will come to end and nobody can stop Kashmir from becoming independent," he added. Saeed further said that he had also received a call from Burhan Wani (Hizbul Mujahideen militant), wherein he had said, "His (Wanis) last wish was to talk to me (Saeed)". "Few days before his death, Burhan Wani told me over a phone that it was my desire to talk with you. Now my desire has been fulfilled, and now, I am waiting for martyrdom," said Saeed in an event organized to express solidarity with both Andrabi and Wani. "I want to assure the people of Kashmir that if you are in the field, we are also with you," said the Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader. He also warned India that this was its last chance to accept separatist Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's four-point formula on Kashmir and to withdraw security forces from the valley, else the decision will be taken in battlefield. "We have to give a message to India to stop and withdraw forces and accept Geelani's four-point formula immediately, because, this is the last chance, and hereafter, the matter will be decided in the battlefield," said Saeed. The Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader organised a procession from Lahore to Islamabad. It comprised of trucks and buses, stretched for several kilometers, and passed through many cities, including Gujaranwala, Jhelum and Gujarat. His rallies were attended by federal ministers and religious leaders of various organisations. The Pakistan Government's direct links with Hafiz Saeed has been further exposed by Islamabad allowing him to lead an anti-India rally on the Kashmir issue. Saeed led a Pakistan Government call to Observe July 19 as a Black Day, apparently to draw attention to the "burning issue of Kashmir." The Obama Administration has been taken aback by this event. The US has designated both the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as foreign terrorist organisations. Saeed has also been listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee. South Asia watchers in Washington say that by allowing a terrorist to take up a government sponsored cause the Pakistan Government has bared its selective approach towards terrorism. When banned outfits are allowed to openly hold rallies in Pakistan at the behest of the Government the allegations about Pakistan using terror as state policy appears to gain ground. Experts say had Pakistan banned Saeed from holding this rally and had instead placed someone else in charge of the July 19 protests then that would have been understandable. The question arises why Saeed, is it because he is a terror asset which the state cannot do without, wonder South Asia analysts. They question is Saeed so important that Islamabad is risking an important relationship with the United States. Pakistan's irrevocable links with Saeed have disappointed the Obama Administration but have not shocked officials. It was always known in Washington's South Asia circles that Hafiz Saeed is an asset that the Pakistani State will always protect not standing the fact that he is a designated global terrorist. The LeT remains active and open in Pakistan and just recently had the audacity to attack Medina in Saudi Arabia in which 12 of its suspected members were arrested. This connection was also highlighted by a European Parliament Report by Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki where he pointed out how the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a charity front of the LeT was radicalising the Pakistani Diaspora and the state was a mute spectator. The July 19 Kashmir Rally is certain to be brought up on Capitol Hill where proposals are afoot to cut financial aid to Pakistan in the absence of complete and verifiable de-linkage with terror groups. While the Obama Administration has been supporting Pakistan as an important ally in the war against terror, this July 19 rally, where a wanted terrorist has been given state patronage, is certain to raise questions and embarrass Washington. (ANI)

Hafiz Saeed assures help to 'sister' Asiya Andrabi

Bharatiya Janata Party&#39;s Uttar Pradesh vice president Dayashankar Singh has been relieved of all responsibilities with immediate effect for derogatory statement against Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, said BJP UP president Keshav Prasad Maurya. 
 
Singh stoked a major row by making derogatory remarks against BSP Chief Mayawati that drew severe condemnation from parties, while an embarrassed BJP expressed regret, but furore over the issue forced adjournment of Rajya Sabha for the day. 
 
&quot;Mayawati is breaking the dream of Kanshi Ram into pieces. Mayawati is selling tickets like...,&quot; BJP Vice President Dayashankar Singh told reporters in Mau. 
 
&quot;Mayawati gives tickets for Rs 1 crore and if there is someone who can give Rs 2 crore than she sells it for Rs 2 crore within an hour. If someone is ready to give Rs 3 crore by the evening, she gives the ticket to him,&quot; Singh alleged. 
 
&quot;She is even worse than....The BSP workers, who are in BSP since Kanshi Ram&#39;s days are deserting the party,&quot; said Singh, who was in Mau for the first time after becoming party vice president to meet party workers this morning. 
 
Singh&#39;s remarks drew severe flak from members in the Rajya Sabha, including women MPs, with Deputy Chairperson P J Kurien saying that the House wants the Government to ensure that stringent action is taken against the BJP leader, as per law, for his &quot;unforgivable&quot; comments. 
 
There was all-round condemnation of Singh for his remarks by MPs, including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam&#39;s Kanimozhi, Congress&#39; Kumari Selja and Renuka Chowdhury, TK Rangarajan of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Satish Chandra Mishra of BSP and demands were made for action against him. 
 
Leader of the House Arun Jaitley got up to offer regret on behalf of the party, and said the remarks were highly condemnable. 
 
&quot;It is highly condemnable that a political leader uses such words against a prominent woman leader. I regret the use of such words and will ensure that the matter is taken up by the concerned. I personally express regret to Mayawatiji and we are with you on the issue of protecting dignity,&quot; Jaitley said. 
 
A visibly agitated Mayawati, who was present in the House, thanked Jaitley and all other members for their condemnation of Singh&#39;s remarks, but demanded that BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah discuss the matter, expel Singh from the party and take action against him. 
 
She said mere expression of regret will not suffice and added, &quot;His (Singh&#39;s) remarks apply for his sister and daughter and not for me. The whole country will not forgive BJP. People will come on the streets.&quot; 
 
Mayawati said the remarks by the BJP leader reflected the &quot;capitalistic mindset&quot; and asserted that never in her political career had she used any derogatory or personal remarks against her adversaries or questioned their character, though there could be ideological differences. 
 
The BSP chief said she represented the most oppressed and exploited people of the country and had dedicated her whole life to them. She said the BSP always collected funds from the poor to carry forward the movement started by Kanshi Ram so that it does not have to rely on capitalists. 
 
&quot;On my birthday, I have told my supporters not to give me any expensive gifts like gold and jewellery, but make economic contributions to the party,&quot; she said. 
 
Mayawati attacked the BJP, saying it was jittery, and its anti-dalit mindset has been exposed as it has still not sacked a minister who had compared dalits to dogs, an apparent reference to Minister of State V K Singh.&nbsp;As the uproar over the issue continued, the Deputy Chairperson adjourned the House till tomorrow. 
 
BSP MP S C Mishra said that the party will carry forward the issue and take legal action against Singh for his utterances under the 
SC/ST Act, as they do not expect the government to take any action in this regard. &quot;We will drag him to court,&quot; he said outside Parliament. 
 
Later in Ballia, Dayashankar Singh sought to do damage control saying it was a slip of tongue. 
 
&quot;Mayawati is a big leader and came from a small family. I did not want to hurt anyone. I regret the slip of tongue. I never meant to hurt the dignity of anyone,&quot; he said. 
 
(PTI)

Singh stoked a major row by making derogatory remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati that drew severe condemnation from parties

Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttar Pradesh vice president Dayashankar Singh has been relieved of all responsibilities with immediate effect for derogatory statement against Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, said BJP UP president Keshav Prasad Maurya. Singh stoked a major row by making derogatory remarks against BSP Chief Mayawati that drew severe condemnation from parties, while an embarrassed BJP expressed regret, but furore over the issue forced adjournment of Rajya Sabha for the day. "Mayawati is breaking the dream of Kanshi Ram into pieces. Mayawati is selling tickets like...," BJP Vice President Dayashankar Singh told reporters in Mau. "Mayawati gives tickets for Rs 1 crore and if there is someone who can give Rs 2 crore than she sells it for Rs 2 crore within an hour. If someone is ready to give Rs 3 crore by the evening, she gives the ticket to him," Singh alleged. "She is even worse than....The BSP workers, who are in BSP since Kanshi Ram's days are deserting the party," said Singh, who was in Mau for the first time after becoming party vice president to meet party workers this morning. Singh's remarks drew severe flak from members in the Rajya Sabha, including women MPs, with Deputy Chairperson P J Kurien saying that the House wants the Government to ensure that stringent action is taken against the BJP leader, as per law, for his "unforgivable" comments. There was all-round condemnation of Singh for his remarks by MPs, including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's Kanimozhi, Congress' Kumari Selja and Renuka Chowdhury, TK Rangarajan of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Satish Chandra Mishra of BSP and demands were made for action against him. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley got up to offer regret on behalf of the party, and said the remarks were highly condemnable. "It is highly condemnable that a political leader uses such words against a prominent woman leader. I regret the use of such words and will ensure that the matter is taken up by the concerned. I personally express regret to Mayawatiji and we are with you on the issue of protecting dignity," Jaitley said. A visibly agitated Mayawati, who was present in the House, thanked Jaitley and all other members for their condemnation of Singh's remarks, but demanded that BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah discuss the matter, expel Singh from the party and take action against him. She said mere expression of regret will not suffice and added, "His (Singh's) remarks apply for his sister and daughter and not for me. The whole country will not forgive BJP. People will come on the streets." Mayawati said the remarks by the BJP leader reflected the "capitalistic mindset" and asserted that never in her political career had she used any derogatory or personal remarks against her adversaries or questioned their character, though there could be ideological differences. The BSP chief said she represented the most oppressed and exploited people of the country and had dedicated her whole life to them. She said the BSP always collected funds from the poor to carry forward the movement started by Kanshi Ram so that it does not have to rely on capitalists. "On my birthday, I have told my supporters not to give me any expensive gifts like gold and jewellery, but make economic contributions to the party," she said. Mayawati attacked the BJP, saying it was jittery, and its anti-dalit mindset has been exposed as it has still not sacked a minister who had compared dalits to dogs, an apparent reference to Minister of State V K Singh. As the uproar over the issue continued, the Deputy Chairperson adjourned the House till tomorrow. BSP MP S C Mishra said that the party will carry forward the issue and take legal action against Singh for his utterances under the SC/ST Act, as they do not expect the government to take any action in this regard. "We will drag him to court," he said outside Parliament. Later in Ballia, Dayashankar Singh sought to do damage control saying it was a slip of tongue. "Mayawati is a big leader and came from a small family. I did not want to hurt anyone. I regret the slip of tongue. I never meant to hurt the dignity of anyone," he said. (PTI)

Dayashankar Singh removed as Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttar Pradesh vice president

The Supreme Court of India will today begin its hearing in the appeals filed by the four accused in the landmark December 16 gang rape case which had rocked the nation. 
 
Twenty three-year-old Nirbhaya was brutally assaulted and gang-raped by six people in a moving bus in the capital city of New Delhi on the night of December 16, 2012 and thrown out of the vehicle. She died in a Singapore hospital on December 29. 
 
A special bench of the Indian apex court hearing the plea of convicts awarded death in the case has decided to sit two hours beyond its working time to ensure speedy disposal of the case that has been pending in the court for more than two years. 
 
The convicts Vinay Sharma (23), Akshay Thakur (31), Mukesh (29) and Pawan Gupta (22) were awarded death sentence by a trial court in September 2013 and six months later the Delhi High Court upheld their conviction and sentence. All the convicts then approached the Supreme Court which in 2014 had stayed their execution and the matter is pending in the top court since then. 
 
The Delhi High Court had upheld their conviction and award of death penalty by terming the offence as &#39;extremely fiendish&#39; and &#39;unparalleled in the history of criminal jurisprudence&#39; and said the exemplary punishment was the need of the hour. 
 
Though arguments started in April before a three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, arguments will have to be made afresh since the combination of judges in the bench has been changed. 
 
The bench comprises Justices Dipak Misra, C. Nagappan and Ms. R. Banumathi. 
 
(ANI)

Jyoti Singh Pandey (23) was assaulted and gang raped by six on December 16, 2012. She died on Dec 29

The Supreme Court of India will today begin its hearing in the appeals filed by the four accused in the landmark December 16 gang rape case which had rocked the nation. Twenty three-year-old Nirbhaya was brutally assaulted and gang-raped by six people in a moving bus in the capital city of New Delhi on the night of December 16, 2012 and thrown out of the vehicle. She died in a Singapore hospital on December 29. A special bench of the Indian apex court hearing the plea of convicts awarded death in the case has decided to sit two hours beyond its working time to ensure speedy disposal of the case that has been pending in the court for more than two years. The convicts Vinay Sharma (23), Akshay Thakur (31), Mukesh (29) and Pawan Gupta (22) were awarded death sentence by a trial court in September 2013 and six months later the Delhi High Court upheld their conviction and sentence. All the convicts then approached the Supreme Court which in 2014 had stayed their execution and the matter is pending in the top court since then. The Delhi High Court had upheld their conviction and award of death penalty by terming the offence as 'extremely fiendish' and 'unparalleled in the history of criminal jurisprudence' and said the exemplary punishment was the need of the hour. Though arguments started in April before a three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, arguments will have to be made afresh since the combination of judges in the bench has been changed. The bench comprises Justices Dipak Misra, C. Nagappan and Ms. R. Banumathi. (ANI)

Final hearing in India's landmark gang rape case to begin today

The first information report (FIR) registered against the &quot;killers&quot; of social media celebrity, Qandeel Baloch, was transformed into a non-compoundable FIR. This makes it impossible for Qandeels&#39;s family to pardon her killers, reported Pakistani daily, Dawn. 
 
Dawn quoted a senior police officer, involved with the investigation of the case, as saying that Sections 311 and 305 of the Pakistan Penal Code has been added to the FIR. 
 
&quot;Section 305 states that the &#39;wali&#39; will be the heirs of the victim, but will exclude the accused or convict in case of qatl-i-amd (wilful murder) if committed in the name or on the pretext of honour. According to Section 311, notwithstanding anything contained in Section 309 or Section 310... the court may, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, punish an offender against whom the right of qisas has been waived or compounded with death, or imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term of which may extend to fourteen years as ta&#39;zir,&quot; the newspaper explained the two sections of Pakistani law framed specifically to deal with &quot;honour killing&quot; cases. 
 
&ldquo;There cannot be an agreement (after this). These sections were created to end karo-kari (honour killing). Now that they have added them to the FIR, the victim&#39;s family cannot forgive the killers as the state has become a complainant. It will be taken as a murder against the state,&rdquo; Dawn quoted advocate Balak Shair Khosa.&nbsp; 
 
In some communities, especially tribal ones, after a murder there is a practice of demanding blood money or forgiving the murderer. In cases of honour killings, the murderer is generally pardoned. Thus, in this case, introduction of these two sections are very important. 
 
In the early hours of Saturday, Qandeel Baloch, who was a model and an actress, was strangled to death in her house in Multan&#39;s Karimabad area. Her father claimed that it was an honour killing by her younger brother, Waseem.&nbsp; 
 
In a press conference, where Waseem was accompanied by police, he confessed that he had drugged and strangled Qandeel. He tried to reason the murder by saying that &ldquo;she brought dishonour to the Baloch name&rdquo; by posting indecent videos and statements on social media. 
 
Pakistan police said today that they were investigating Mufti Abdul Qavi, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf religious wing&#39;s head, who was censured for appearing in &ldquo;selfie&rdquo; photographs with Qandeel. Qavi was suspended from Ruet-i-Hilal committee after the photographs were published. 
 
Azhar Ikram, the police chief in the town of Multan, where Baloch was killed, told Reuters: &quot;We have decided to widen the scope of the investigation and include Mufti Abdul Qavi in the probe.&quot; Although Qavi has denied any involvement in the murder, today he told Reuters he would present himself to police for questioning if summoned.&nbsp; 
 
Baloch&#39;s other brother, Mohammad Aslam, a junior army officer, is also being investigated by the police. After his daughter&#39;s death Qandeel&#39;s father, Mohammad Azeem, had filed a police report against both his sons. He had alleged that Aslam had encouraged Waseem to carry out the murder. 
 
Police have not commented on Aslam&#39;s role, and according to Dawn today he was unavailable for comment. 
 
(WION)

Qandeel's brother Waseem had confessed in a press conference that he had killed his sister to save his family from disgrace

The first information report (FIR) registered against the "killers" of social media celebrity, Qandeel Baloch, was transformed into a non-compoundable FIR. This makes it impossible for Qandeels's family to pardon her killers, reported Pakistani daily, Dawn. Dawn quoted a senior police officer, involved with the investigation of the case, as saying that Sections 311 and 305 of the Pakistan Penal Code has been added to the FIR. "Section 305 states that the 'wali' will be the heirs of the victim, but will exclude the accused or convict in case of qatl-i-amd (wilful murder) if committed in the name or on the pretext of honour. According to Section 311, notwithstanding anything contained in Section 309 or Section 310... the court may, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, punish an offender against whom the right of qisas has been waived or compounded with death, or imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term of which may extend to fourteen years as ta'zir," the newspaper explained the two sections of Pakistani law framed specifically to deal with "honour killing" cases. “There cannot be an agreement (after this). These sections were created to end karo-kari (honour killing). Now that they have added them to the FIR, the victim's family cannot forgive the killers as the state has become a complainant. It will be taken as a murder against the state,” Dawn quoted advocate Balak Shair Khosa. In some communities, especially tribal ones, after a murder there is a practice of demanding blood money or forgiving the murderer. In cases of honour killings, the murderer is generally pardoned. Thus, in this case, introduction of these two sections are very important. In the early hours of Saturday, Qandeel Baloch, who was a model and an actress, was strangled to death in her house in Multan's Karimabad area. Her father claimed that it was an honour killing by her younger brother, Waseem. In a press conference, where Waseem was accompanied by police, he confessed that he had drugged and strangled Qandeel. He tried to reason the murder by saying that “she brought dishonour to the Baloch name” by posting indecent videos and statements on social media. Pakistan police said today that they were investigating Mufti Abdul Qavi, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf religious wing's head, who was censured for appearing in “selfie” photographs with Qandeel. Qavi was suspended from Ruet-i-Hilal committee after the photographs were published. Azhar Ikram, the police chief in the town of Multan, where Baloch was killed, told Reuters: "We have decided to widen the scope of the investigation and include Mufti Abdul Qavi in the probe." Although Qavi has denied any involvement in the murder, today he told Reuters he would present himself to police for questioning if summoned. Baloch's other brother, Mohammad Aslam, a junior army officer, is also being investigated by the police. After his daughter's death Qandeel's father, Mohammad Azeem, had filed a police report against both his sons. He had alleged that Aslam had encouraged Waseem to carry out the murder. Police have not commented on Aslam's role, and according to Dawn today he was unavailable for comment. (WION)

State becomes complainant in Qandeel Baloch case, making it impossible for family to pardon murderer

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal washed dishes today at Golden Temple in north India&#39;s Punjab state as a mark of &#39;repentance&#39; after his party received flak for depicting the image of the reverred Sikh shrine with the party symbol, a broom, in their election manifesto. 
 
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), or the common man party, created controversy when they superimposed a broom&#39;s image on the cover of their youth manifesto for 2017 local elections alongside a picture of Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Golden Temple. 
 
AAP spokesperson Ashish Khetan added fuel to the fire when he compared the party manifesto to the Guru Granth Sahib, the prime Sikh religious scripture. 
 
Party chief Arvind Kejriwal offered voluntary service at the holy shrine to make up for the mistake. 
 
&quot;We made some mistakes while drafting our youth manifesto due to our ignorance. I have come here to apologise for them. We offered sewa (voluntary service offered by devotees in Gurudwaras) which gave us immense pleasure. Then we prayed before God,&quot; he said in Amritsar city. 
 
In its youth manifesto, AAP promised to free the region of corruption and end the widespread drug menace in Punjab. 
 
A three-way political contest is shaping up between the AAP, the ruling Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, which has ruled Punjab since 2007, and opposition Congress party. 
 
(Reuters)

His party had created controversy by printing a broom's image with a photo of Golden Temple, the most revered Sikh shrine

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal washed dishes today at Golden Temple in north India's Punjab state as a mark of 'repentance' after his party received flak for depicting the image of the reverred Sikh shrine with the party symbol, a broom, in their election manifesto. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), or the common man party, created controversy when they superimposed a broom's image on the cover of their youth manifesto for 2017 local elections alongside a picture of Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Golden Temple. AAP spokesperson Ashish Khetan added fuel to the fire when he compared the party manifesto to the Guru Granth Sahib, the prime Sikh religious scripture. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal offered voluntary service at the holy shrine to make up for the mistake. "We made some mistakes while drafting our youth manifesto due to our ignorance. I have come here to apologise for them. We offered sewa (voluntary service offered by devotees in Gurudwaras) which gave us immense pleasure. Then we prayed before God," he said in Amritsar city. In its youth manifesto, AAP promised to free the region of corruption and end the widespread drug menace in Punjab. A three-way political contest is shaping up between the AAP, the ruling Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, which has ruled Punjab since 2007, and opposition Congress party. (Reuters)

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal washes utensils in Golden Temple

Police in Dhaka on Saturday arrested three people, including a university professor, for failing to register information about tenants renting a property who later attacked a cafe in the city, killing 20 people. 
 
Earlier this year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued an order to all apartment owners to provide details of their tenants for a database to help police crack down on criminals and militants using rented accommodation as hideouts. 
 
Gias Uddin Ahsan, a professor at North South University in Dhaka, his nephew, and the manager of Ahsan&#39;s apartment were arrested by DMP for failing to comply with rules forcing landlords to register information about their tenants with the police, Mohammad Masudur Rahman, a senior police official told Reuters. 
 
The men will appear in court today, he said. 
 
Five militants who were killed by police after they stormed the cafe on July 1 had rented the apartment along with another person in a nearby residential area in May and started living there from June, Rahman said. 
 
&quot;From here they attacked the cafe. There were other militants also who fled after the attack,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We also found evidence that they kept grenades and other explosives in the apartment. If we had been informed they were living there, then that brutal killing would not have been possible and we could also have arrested the other militants who fled.&quot; 
 
Bangladesh has suffered a series of attacks on liberal and secular bloggers, LGBT rights activists, university teachers and members of religious minorities over the past year. The government says two domestic militant groups trying to replace secular democracy with Islamic sharia rule are responsible for the violence. 
 
Twenty people including 18 foreigners were killed before police stormed the cafe, rescued 13 hostages and shot five of the attackers dead. 
 
Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday that investigators had identified the masterminds of the attack and that the remaining perpetrators would soon be arrested. 
 
Some of the assailants had attended prestigious schools or universities and had been reported missing, according to the police. One was the son of a politician. 
 
(Reuters)

The landlords failed to register information about their tenants with police, a new law enacted earlier this year to help catch criminals

Police in Dhaka on Saturday arrested three people, including a university professor, for failing to register information about tenants renting a property who later attacked a cafe in the city, killing 20 people. Earlier this year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued an order to all apartment owners to provide details of their tenants for a database to help police crack down on criminals and militants using rented accommodation as hideouts. Gias Uddin Ahsan, a professor at North South University in Dhaka, his nephew, and the manager of Ahsan's apartment were arrested by DMP for failing to comply with rules forcing landlords to register information about their tenants with the police, Mohammad Masudur Rahman, a senior police official told Reuters. The men will appear in court today, he said. Five militants who were killed by police after they stormed the cafe on July 1 had rented the apartment along with another person in a nearby residential area in May and started living there from June, Rahman said. "From here they attacked the cafe. There were other militants also who fled after the attack," he said. "We also found evidence that they kept grenades and other explosives in the apartment. If we had been informed they were living there, then that brutal killing would not have been possible and we could also have arrested the other militants who fled." Bangladesh has suffered a series of attacks on liberal and secular bloggers, LGBT rights activists, university teachers and members of religious minorities over the past year. The government says two domestic militant groups trying to replace secular democracy with Islamic sharia rule are responsible for the violence. Twenty people including 18 foreigners were killed before police stormed the cafe, rescued 13 hostages and shot five of the attackers dead. Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday that investigators had identified the masterminds of the attack and that the remaining perpetrators would soon be arrested. Some of the assailants had attended prestigious schools or universities and had been reported missing, according to the police. One was the son of a politician. (Reuters)

Bangladesh police arrest three who rented property to cafe attackers

Whitbread Plc said today its Premier Inn hotel chain would withdraw from India and South East Asia, as part of efforts to focus on more profitable markets. 
 
Whitbread, which operates hotels, restaurants and coffee shops, said Premier Inn would continue to expand in the UK, Germany and the Middle East. 
 
The company said it did not consider cost of the withdrawal to be material. 
 
Whitbread said growth plans for its Costa Coffee chain remained unchanged. 
 
(Reuters)

The company said growth plans for its Costa Coffee chain remain unchanged

Whitbread Plc said today its Premier Inn hotel chain would withdraw from India and South East Asia, as part of efforts to focus on more profitable markets. Whitbread, which operates hotels, restaurants and coffee shops, said Premier Inn would continue to expand in the UK, Germany and the Middle East. The company said it did not consider cost of the withdrawal to be material. Whitbread said growth plans for its Costa Coffee chain remained unchanged. (Reuters)

Whitbread's Premier Inn to withdraw from India, South East Asia

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. 
 
About 137 million workers, or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. 
 
&quot;Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough,&quot; said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO&#39;s bureau for employers&#39; activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. 
 
Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. 
 
Of the nine million people working in the region&#39;s textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. 
 
Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. 
 
Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. 
 
The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. 
 
&quot;Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people,&quot; the ILO said. 
 
The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. 
 
In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. 
 
Southeast Asia&#39;s automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. 
 
Known as the &quot;Detroit of Southeast Asia&quot;, Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world&#39;s top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. 
 
(Reuters)

The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. About 137 million workers, or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. "Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough," said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO's bureau for employers' activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. Of the nine million people working in the region's textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. "Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people," the ILO said. The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. Southeast Asia's automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. Known as the "Detroit of Southeast Asia", Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world's top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. (Reuters)

Millions of Southeast Asian jobs may be lost to automation in next two decades

This year at the Oscars, A Girl in the River: Price of Forgiveness caught the world&rsquo;s attention. It was based on the true story of Saba Qaiser, an 18-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the face by her father and her uncle for eloping with a man she loved- but she survived. Nevertheless, her father was proud of his gruesome act, and felt strongly it earned him the respect of his community. The poignant tale narrated in this documentary is commonplace in South Asia in most cases such instances are treated with absolute impunity.

When &ldquo;male honour&rdquo; is accorded supreme status, punishing any perceived breach with something otherwise flagrantly criminal and perverse is permitted by society in many such instances. At a screening of the film in his own residence Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister, stated,&rdquo;there is no place for killing in the name of honour in Islam, and anyone who does it should be punished severely&rdquo;. He said there was an urgent need to amend the law.

In Pakistan, the law allows victims or their families to forgive the perpetrator. Sometimes the victim faces intense pressure to forgive the perpetrator, and if the victim is killed her family has the right to forgive on her behalf. If forgiven, the perpetrator can avoid punishment. With time, the practice has become associated with anti-modern cultures.

Recently, in the aftermath of the killing of a teenager, Zeenat Rafiq, who married against her family&rsquo;s wishes, an Islamic religious body in Pakistan condemned honour killing, termed it &ldquo;unethical&rdquo; and &ldquo;unjustifiable&rdquo;. The General Secretary Mufti Saeed Rizvi of The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) mentioned, &ldquo;women are free to marry whomever they choose, if consented&rdquo;. He further added the root cause of honour killing is &ldquo;illiteracy&rdquo; and not religion. Killing of women in the name of &ldquo;honour&rdquo; is &ldquo;un-islamic&rdquo;. Around 40 clerics issued fatwa against honour killing. The clerics requested the government to draft a new legislation and stated, &ldquo;those guilty should be punished within a week&rdquo;. This was the third reported incident of honour killing in Pakistan since April. Unfortunately, most cases of honour killing remain unreported due to the influence of society and culture on the rule of law. 
 
The saga across the border 
 
The prevalence of honour killing as a cultural practice is deeply pervasive in India as well. On March 13, 2016, in a small Indian village called Udumalaipett, a young Dalit man named Shankar was attacked by three unidentified men armed with sickles. He died en route to the hospital. Shankar was targeted for marrying an upper caste Hindu girl. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stated, &ldquo;the incident is a serious concern of safety especially for lower castes&rdquo;.

Tamil Nadu has seen 81 honour killings over the last three years. Unfortunately honour killings, though often reported, usually do not end up in conviction. The family who have perpetrated the honour killing tell authorities the victim committed suicide, so it isn&rsquo;t registered officially as a murder. The Tamil Nadu government has also dismissed the incident of honour killings. The state failed to submit its report on honour killings to the Supreme Court.

Around 80 per cent of honour killing victims are women. According to Mr. A Kathir, the managing director of Evidence, a Tamil Nadu-based NGO, &ldquo;84 per cent of Dalit women are into inter-caste marriage face humiliation due to marital discord&rdquo;. In 2007, there were 30 incidents of honour killing reported in just the western district of Tamil Nadu. Caste-based politics encourage a culture of mob violence. Such practices are only gaining in popularity, as the community considers this heinous crime heroic.

Religion also plays a pivotal role in rationalising honour killing. Therefore, it is imperative that a policy measure aiming to tackle the problem is premised on a multi-causal understanding of the problem and employs multi-pronged approaches towards solving this societal evil.

Women are at risk of being victims of honour-based crime wherever a woman&rsquo;s life means less than the locale&rsquo;s conception of honour. The Supreme Court in Lata Singh vs. State of UP &amp; Another observed, &ldquo;there is nothing honourable in honour killings. They are barbaric and brutal murders by bigoted, persons with feudal minds&rdquo;. The apex court further added, &ldquo;young couples fall in love to seek shelter in police lines or protection homes, to avoid the wrath of kangaroo courts&rdquo;. Despite the observation of the apex court, the practice remains unchecked to a large extent and the influence of such brutal &ldquo;kangaroo courts&rsquo; is being further emboldened.

International organisations&rsquo; opinion

The issue has received the attention of international community as well but measures taken thus far have remained ineffective to say the least. In 2001, the UN General Assembly urged for effective laws to fight honour killing in their first specific resolution on the topic. In 2002, the Special Rapporteur to UN reported the presence of honour killings in Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Yemen and other Persian Gulf countries. In the West, France, Germany and UK were listed, where the practice is prevalent among migrants. In 2010, UK police claimed that honour-related crime in Britain increased by 47 per cent. As many as 2283 cases were reported from cities with high immigrant populations.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), recognised honour killings as an extreme symptom of discrimination against women. The then Chief of UNHCHR, Navi Pillay, claimed that the state institutions fail them and that honour killing isn&rsquo;t featured prominently enough in the news. The General Assembly, in three resolutions (2001, 2003 and 2005), said that Member States should intensify legislative, educational, social reforms&nbsp;and work on other efforts to prevent and eliminate honour crimes. Despite a call for action more than 11,000 cases of honour killing were reported by UK police between 2010-2014.

India&rsquo;s legal position on honour-based crime

According to the UN, out of 5000 reported&nbsp;international cases, 1000 are from India. The Hindu Marriage Disabilities Removal Act, 1946, was enacted to validate marriages between Hindus belonging to the same &ldquo;gotra&rdquo;, &ldquo;pravara&rdquo;, or different subdivisions of the same caste. The Supreme Court, in a landmark case, Arumugam Servai vs. State of Tamil Nadu, states, &ldquo;caste system is a curse upon the nation and the sooner it is destroyed the better&rdquo;. The apex court added that honour killing is, &ldquo;taking law into your own hands and indulging in offensive activities and endangering the lives of the persons who are willing to marry as per their choice&rdquo;. The practice followed by khap panchayats to restore honour was strongly lambasted by the court.

There&rsquo;s been speculation on whether a separate law distinguishing honour killing from murder would help prevent honour-based crime. Unfortunately our respected lawmakers have failed to develop a nuanced understanding of the problem. P. Chidambaram, the then Indian home minister, said, &ldquo;the demand for a special law is one that has been made most eloquently...the answer is not to make another law. Whatever law we make, honour killing is murder&rdquo;.

There are two bills meant to deter honour-based crime that are still pending before the parliament and despite strong condemnation from select lawmakers and civil society, it is uncertain whether these bills would see the light of day anytime in the near future. In the purview of one of the bills ,Section 300 of Indian Penal Code should include &quot;honour&nbsp;killings&quot;&nbsp;and the burden of proof on the accused. Further, the Bills also focus on the &quot;unlawful assemblies&quot;&nbsp;held by caste panchayats to prevent marriage by choice.

The proposed Bills have been framed after careful deliberation. If we observe the pattern of honour killing, it is evident it has signs of gendered violence and the notion of shame and honour results in atrocious violence. Elements of honour crime also include status anxiety governed by social convention and honourable masculinity. As per the National Crime Statistics Bureau, from 2010-2014, 25 per cent of murders in the name of honour were reported from Madhya Pradesh.

There is an inherent fallacy in any notion that attributes &#39;Honour&#39; to an act of killing. However, mere legislative change may not be able to address this societal evil. Honour killing as a concept hinges on regressive cultural mindset, lack of education and exposure and access to speedy justice. Thus, law is only one part of a larger strategy that needs to be adopted to counter this societal evil. It must be complemented with education which focuses in reconceptualising the notion of honour. For this citizenry, civil society and the law and order apparatus need to take proactive measures in initiating programs which provide self sufficiency avenues to women define honour through awareness campaigns and undertake sensitisation of law enforcement forces. We must not sacrifice the integral notion of human rights at the altar of regressive societal norms lest we may travel back in time to an antediluvian era.

Honour killing as a concept hinges on regressive cultural mindset, lack of education and exposure and access to speedy justice

This year at the Oscars, A Girl in the River: Price of Forgiveness caught the world’s attention. It was based on the true story of Saba Qaiser, an 18-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the face by her father and her uncle for eloping with a man she loved- but she survived. Nevertheless, her father was proud of his gruesome act, and felt strongly it earned him the respect of his community. The poignant tale narrated in this documentary is commonplace in South Asia in most cases such instances are treated with absolute impunity. When “male honour” is accorded supreme status, punishing any perceived breach with something otherwise flagrantly criminal and perverse is permitted by society in many such instances. At a screening of the film in his own residence Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, stated,”there is no place for killing in the name of honour in Islam, and anyone who does it should be punished severely”. He said there was an urgent need to amend the law. In Pakistan, the law allows victims or their families to forgive the perpetrator. Sometimes the victim faces intense pressure to forgive the perpetrator, and if the victim is killed her family has the right to forgive on her behalf. If forgiven, the perpetrator can avoid punishment. With time, the practice has become associated with anti-modern cultures. Recently, in the aftermath of the killing of a teenager, Zeenat Rafiq, who married against her family’s wishes, an Islamic religious body in Pakistan condemned honour killing, termed it “unethical” and “unjustifiable”. The General Secretary Mufti Saeed Rizvi of The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) mentioned, “women are free to marry whomever they choose, if consented”. He further added the root cause of honour killing is “illiteracy” and not religion. Killing of women in the name of “honour” is “un-islamic”. Around 40 clerics issued fatwa against honour killing. The clerics requested the government to draft a new legislation and stated, “those guilty should be punished within a week”. This was the third reported incident of honour killing in Pakistan since April. Unfortunately, most cases of honour killing remain unreported due to the influence of society and culture on the rule of law. The saga across the border The prevalence of honour killing as a cultural practice is deeply pervasive in India as well. On March 13, 2016, in a small Indian village called Udumalaipett, a young Dalit man named Shankar was attacked by three unidentified men armed with sickles. He died en route to the hospital. Shankar was targeted for marrying an upper caste Hindu girl. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stated, “the incident is a serious concern of safety especially for lower castes”. Tamil Nadu has seen 81 honour killings over the last three years. Unfortunately honour killings, though often reported, usually do not end up in conviction. The family who have perpetrated the honour killing tell authorities the victim committed suicide, so it isn’t registered officially as a murder. The Tamil Nadu government has also dismissed the incident of honour killings. The state failed to submit its report on honour killings to the Supreme Court. Around 80 per cent of honour killing victims are women. According to Mr. A Kathir, the managing director of Evidence, a Tamil Nadu-based NGO, “84 per cent of Dalit women are into inter-caste marriage face humiliation due to marital discord”. In 2007, there were 30 incidents of honour killing reported in just the western district of Tamil Nadu. Caste-based politics encourage a culture of mob violence. Such practices are only gaining in popularity, as the community considers this heinous crime heroic. Religion also plays a pivotal role in rationalising honour killing. Therefore, it is imperative that a policy measure aiming to tackle the problem is premised on a multi-causal understanding of the problem and employs multi-pronged approaches towards solving this societal evil. Women are at risk of being victims of honour-based crime wherever a woman’s life means less than the locale’s conception of honour. The Supreme Court in Lata Singh vs. State of UP & Another observed, “there is nothing honourable in honour killings. They are barbaric and brutal murders by bigoted, persons with feudal minds”. The apex court further added, “young couples fall in love to seek shelter in police lines or protection homes, to avoid the wrath of kangaroo courts”. Despite the observation of the apex court, the practice remains unchecked to a large extent and the influence of such brutal “kangaroo courts’ is being further emboldened. International organisations’ opinion The issue has received the attention of international community as well but measures taken thus far have remained ineffective to say the least. In 2001, the UN General Assembly urged for effective laws to fight honour killing in their first specific resolution on the topic. In 2002, the Special Rapporteur to UN reported the presence of honour killings in Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Yemen and other Persian Gulf countries. In the West, France, Germany and UK were listed, where the practice is prevalent among migrants. In 2010, UK police claimed that honour-related crime in Britain increased by 47 per cent. As many as 2283 cases were reported from cities with high immigrant populations. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), recognised honour killings as an extreme symptom of discrimination against women. The then Chief of UNHCHR, Navi Pillay, claimed that the state institutions fail them and that honour killing isn’t featured prominently enough in the news. The General Assembly, in three resolutions (2001, 2003 and 2005), said that Member States should intensify legislative, educational, social reforms and work on other efforts to prevent and eliminate honour crimes. Despite a call for action more than 11,000 cases of honour killing were reported by UK police between 2010-2014. India’s legal position on honour-based crime According to the UN, out of 5000 reported international cases, 1000 are from India. The Hindu Marriage Disabilities Removal Act, 1946, was enacted to validate marriages between Hindus belonging to the same “gotra”, “pravara”, or different subdivisions of the same caste. The Supreme Court, in a landmark case, Arumugam Servai vs. State of Tamil Nadu, states, “caste system is a curse upon the nation and the sooner it is destroyed the better”. The apex court added that honour killing is, “taking law into your own hands and indulging in offensive activities and endangering the lives of the persons who are willing to marry as per their choice”. The practice followed by khap panchayats to restore honour was strongly lambasted by the court. There’s been speculation on whether a separate law distinguishing honour killing from murder would help prevent honour-based crime. Unfortunately our respected lawmakers have failed to develop a nuanced understanding of the problem. P. Chidambaram, the then Indian home minister, said, “the demand for a special law is one that has been made most eloquently...the answer is not to make another law. Whatever law we make, honour killing is murder”. There are two bills meant to deter honour-based crime that are still pending before the parliament and despite strong condemnation from select lawmakers and civil society, it is uncertain whether these bills would see the light of day anytime in the near future. In the purview of one of the bills ,Section 300 of Indian Penal Code should include "honour killings" and the burden of proof on the accused. Further, the Bills also focus on the "unlawful assemblies" held by caste panchayats to prevent marriage by choice. The proposed Bills have been framed after careful deliberation. If we observe the pattern of honour killing, it is evident it has signs of gendered violence and the notion of shame and honour results in atrocious violence. Elements of honour crime also include status anxiety governed by social convention and honourable masculinity. As per the National Crime Statistics Bureau, from 2010-2014, 25 per cent of murders in the name of honour were reported from Madhya Pradesh. There is an inherent fallacy in any notion that attributes 'Honour' to an act of killing. However, mere legislative change may not be able to address this societal evil. Honour killing as a concept hinges on regressive cultural mindset, lack of education and exposure and access to speedy justice. Thus, law is only one part of a larger strategy that needs to be adopted to counter this societal evil. It must be complemented with education which focuses in reconceptualising the notion of honour. For this citizenry, civil society and the law and order apparatus need to take proactive measures in initiating programs which provide self sufficiency avenues to women define honour through awareness campaigns and undertake sensitisation of law enforcement forces. We must not sacrifice the integral notion of human rights at the altar of regressive societal norms lest we may travel back in time to an antediluvian era.

An Honour Code for Tyranny

Thailand&#39;s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday he would not resign if Thais reject a military-backed draft constitution when they vote in a referendum in August. 
 
Prayuth heads the ruling junta, or National Council for Peace and Order, that took power after a bloodless coup toppled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra&#39;s elected government in a May 2014 coup. 
 
The military had justified the coup, saying it had acted to restore stability after months of street demonstrations in Bangkok had paralysed Yingluck&#39;s government. 
 
&quot;I won&#39;t resign. I am the one who lays out the rules for this country,&quot; Prayuth told reporters at Bangkok&#39;s Government House, insisting Thais should not compare him to British Prime Minister David Cameron who announced his resignation last week after Britain voted in a referendum to quit the European Union. 
 
The junta has said it would carry out political and economic reforms before a general election in 2017 that will start a transition back to democracy. 
 
The August 7 referendum will be the first national vote in Thailand since the coup and should provide a test of the junta&#39;s popularity, experts said. 
 
Groups of all political stripes have denounced the draft constitution as undemocratic, with one major political party urging supporters to vote &quot;no&quot;. 
 
The junta has banned criticism of the charter in the run-up to the vote and, in May, the Election Commission issued rules barring anyone from campaigning for either side ahead of the referendum. 
 
In the latest crackdown on dissidents, a Thai court jailed seven activists on Friday for campaigning against the draft charter, which critics say will enshrine military power and emasculate civilian politics. 
 
(Reuters)

'I am the one who lays out the rules for this country,' says Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday he would not resign if Thais reject a military-backed draft constitution when they vote in a referendum in August. Prayuth heads the ruling junta, or National Council for Peace and Order, that took power after a bloodless coup toppled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's elected government in a May 2014 coup. The military had justified the coup, saying it had acted to restore stability after months of street demonstrations in Bangkok had paralysed Yingluck's government. "I won't resign. I am the one who lays out the rules for this country," Prayuth told reporters at Bangkok's Government House, insisting Thais should not compare him to British Prime Minister David Cameron who announced his resignation last week after Britain voted in a referendum to quit the European Union. The junta has said it would carry out political and economic reforms before a general election in 2017 that will start a transition back to democracy. The August 7 referendum will be the first national vote in Thailand since the coup and should provide a test of the junta's popularity, experts said. Groups of all political stripes have denounced the draft constitution as undemocratic, with one major political party urging supporters to vote "no". The junta has banned criticism of the charter in the run-up to the vote and, in May, the Election Commission issued rules barring anyone from campaigning for either side ahead of the referendum. In the latest crackdown on dissidents, a Thai court jailed seven activists on Friday for campaigning against the draft charter, which critics say will enshrine military power and emasculate civilian politics. (Reuters)

Thai PM: Won't resign no matter what August referendum outcome is

A teenage suspected Islamist militant being held in custody in Bangladesh was shot dead on Saturday&nbsp;in a gunfight, police said, days after he allegedly hacked and critically wounded a Hindu lecturer. 
 
Golam Faizullah Fahim, 19, who was in custody for questioning, was killed when officers came under attack in a farmland area after taking him to a river in search of his Islamist associates. 
 
&quot;Miscreants fired at the police van as we came near a jute farm. A gunfight ensued. After the gunfight we saw Fahim was shot and wounded. He died after we brought him to a hospital,&quot; Sarwar Hossain, police chief of Madaripur where the shooting took place, told AFP. 
 
Locals in Madaripur caught Fahim&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;after he and two other suspected Islamists attacked and wounded 50-year-old mathematics lecturer Ripon Chakrabarti, a Hindu, police said. 
 
The attack was the latest in a wave of brutal assaults on secular activists, writers and religious minorities by suspected Islamist militants. 
 
Police later told reporters Fahim was a college student and was a member of banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. 
 
Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation) is an international group which wants to combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state. The group is outlawed in several countries, including Bangladesh. 
 
Six suspected Islamist militants have now been shot dead since Bangladesh launched a nationwide crackdown on local jihadist groups in the wake of a spike in murders of secular activists and religious minorities. 
 
The drive has seen more than 11,000 people including 194 militants arrested over the past week despite widespread criticism by local and international human rights groups. 
 
Rights activists also questioned the incidents of deaths in police custody, saying the militants were shot dead in &quot;cold blood&quot; in encounters staged by officers. 
 
Nearly 50 people have been killed over the last three years in a wave of gruesome murders targeting Hindus, Christians, Sufi Muslims, secular activists and foreigners, with most blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants. 
 
Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes. 
 
This month alone, an elderly Hindu priest was found nearly decapitated in a rice field and a Hindu monastery worker was hacked to death, while a Christian grocer was found murdered near a church. 
 
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Hindu priest&#39;s murder and other recent attacks. 
 
But authorities instead blame homegrown militant groups and say international groups IS and Al-Qaeda have no presence in Bangladesh. 
 
Although it is officially secular, around 90 per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s 160 million-strong population is Muslim. Some eight per cent of the population is Hindu. 
(AFP)

Teen was in police custody. Was killed when officers taking him to search for his associates came under attack

A teenage suspected Islamist militant being held in custody in Bangladesh was shot dead on Saturday in a gunfight, police said, days after he allegedly hacked and critically wounded a Hindu lecturer. Golam Faizullah Fahim, 19, who was in custody for questioning, was killed when officers came under attack in a farmland area after taking him to a river in search of his Islamist associates. "Miscreants fired at the police van as we came near a jute farm. A gunfight ensued. After the gunfight we saw Fahim was shot and wounded. He died after we brought him to a hospital," Sarwar Hossain, police chief of Madaripur where the shooting took place, told AFP. Locals in Madaripur caught Fahim on Wednesday after he and two other suspected Islamists attacked and wounded 50-year-old mathematics lecturer Ripon Chakrabarti, a Hindu, police said. The attack was the latest in a wave of brutal assaults on secular activists, writers and religious minorities by suspected Islamist militants. Police later told reporters Fahim was a college student and was a member of banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation) is an international group which wants to combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state. The group is outlawed in several countries, including Bangladesh. Six suspected Islamist militants have now been shot dead since Bangladesh launched a nationwide crackdown on local jihadist groups in the wake of a spike in murders of secular activists and religious minorities. The drive has seen more than 11,000 people including 194 militants arrested over the past week despite widespread criticism by local and international human rights groups. Rights activists also questioned the incidents of deaths in police custody, saying the militants were shot dead in "cold blood" in encounters staged by officers. Nearly 50 people have been killed over the last three years in a wave of gruesome murders targeting Hindus, Christians, Sufi Muslims, secular activists and foreigners, with most blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants. Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes. This month alone, an elderly Hindu priest was found nearly decapitated in a rice field and a Hindu monastery worker was hacked to death, while a Christian grocer was found murdered near a church. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Hindu priest's murder and other recent attacks. But authorities instead blame homegrown militant groups and say international groups IS and Al-Qaeda have no presence in Bangladesh. Although it is officially secular, around 90 per cent of Bangladesh's 160 million-strong population is Muslim. Some eight per cent of the population is Hindu. (AFP)

Teenage 'Islamist' shot dead in Bangladesh, had attacked Hindu lecturer few days earlier

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