SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, August 21, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Philippines to host US visa processing center for Afghan allies (The Hill)
The Hill [8/20/2024 10:40 AM, Laura Kelly, 18752K, Neutral]
The Philippines will allow a limited number of Afghan nationals to stay in the country while their resettlement visas for the United States are processed, according to an agreement reached between Washington and Manila.The agreement demonstrates how the Biden administration has deepened ties with the government of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The issue of hosting Afghan nationals had been drawn out for more than a year due to Marcos raising “many security issues.”The State Department announced the agreement Monday and said the U.S. would support necessary services for the Afghan nationals in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical needs, and transportation to complete visa processing. The Biden administration is continuing to try to process immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who worked alongside the U.S. over the two-decade war in Afghanistan but were left behind amid the Taliban’s lightning takeover of the country and the chaotic and deadly American exit in August 2021. The U.S. also works to allow refugee admission for Afghans considered vulnerable to violence and death under control of the Taliban.The State Department did not say how many Afghan nationals would transit through the Philippines. A senior Philippine official told The Associated Press that only 150 to 300 applicants would be accommodated in the Philippines under the “one-time” deal. The AP reported that the official, who had knowledge of the negotiations, agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to speak publicly.“The United States appreciates its long and positive history of bilateral cooperation with the Philippines and thanks the Philippine government for supporting Afghan allies of the United States,” the State Department said in a statement. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the agreement is “currently undergoing the final domestic procedures required for effectivity.” The agreement comes as President Biden has worked to deepen military and security ties with the Philippines in the face of increased provocations and clashes with China. In May 2023, the U.S. and Philippines agreed to new bilateral defense guidelines that increased cooperation on a number of fronts, including military and law enforcement cooperation and intelligence-sharing. Taliban bars UN human rights special rapporteur from Afghanistan (Reuters)
Reuters [8/21/2024 3:16 AM, Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Charlotte Greenfield, 5.2M, Negative]
The Taliban have barred United Nations-appointed special rapporteur Richard Bennett from entering Afghanistan, the administration’s spokesperson told local broadcaster Tolo, accusing the human rights watchdog of "spreading propaganda".
Bennett was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2022 to monitor Afghanistan’s human rights situation after the Taliban took over the previous year.
Bennett, who has previously said the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls could amount to a crime against humanity, is based outside Afghanistan but has visited several times to research the situation.
The U.N. Human Rights Council did not immediately respond to request for comment. Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Taliban administration’s foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi told Reuters Bennett "had been unable to acquire a travel visa to Afghanistan".
"Even after repeatedly requesting Mr. Bennett to adhere to professionalism during work ... it was decided that ... his reports are based on prejudices and anecdotes detrimental to interests of Afghanistan and the Afghan people," Balkhi said.
Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has previously said the Taliban respect women’s rights in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic law and local customs. He told Tolo that Bennett would not be allowed to come to Afghanistan, a rare public barring of an individual foreign official.
"Mr. Bennett’s travel to Afghanistan has been prohibited because he was assigned to spread propaganda in Afghanistan... He used to exaggerate minor issues and propagate them," Mujahid said, according to Tolo.
Three years into their rule after foreign forces withdrew, the Taliban have not been formally recognised by any foreign government.Foreign officials, including Washington, have said the path towards recognition is stuck until the Taliban changes course on women’s rights, having barred most girls over the age of 12 from schools and universities, banning women from parks, and stopping most long-distance travel by women without a male guardian.
Afghanistan’s central bank assets have been frozen and many senior Taliban officials are subject to U.N. travel restrictions that require them to seek exemptions to enter other countries.
The U.N. has been trying to find a unified international approach to dealing with the Taliban. In June, top U.N. officials and envoys from up to 25 countries met the Taliban in Qatar, receiving criticism from human rights groups for not including Afghan women and civil society representatives at the meeting.
The U.N. mission to Afghanistan also operates from Kabul and monitors and reports on human rights issues. UN Rights Expert Barred From Afghanistan: Diplomatic Source (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [8/20/2024 3:51 PM, Staff, 400K, Neutral]
The UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan has been barred from entering the country, a diplomatic source told AFP on Tuesday. "Richard Bennett was informed of the decision that he would not be welcome to return to Afghanistan several months ago," a diplomatic source confirmed to AFP after local media reported the ban, citing a Taliban government spokesman.Bennett marked two years in the role on May 1.Since returning to power in August 2021, Taliban authorities have enforced rules based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law.Women have borne the brunt of restrictions the United Nations has labelled "gender apartheid" which have pushed them from public life. They have been barred from secondary and higher education, as well as blocked from working in many jobs or entering public parks, gyms and travelling without a male relative.The Taliban government remains unrecognised by any other state, with its restrictions on women a key sticking point.Taliban authorities have systematically dismissed criticism of their policies from the UN and the international community.However, when the ban was apparently issued months ago, the Taliban government stressed that their issue was not with human rights monitoring and reporting, but with Bennett personally, according to diplomatic sources.Earlier Tuesday, Afghanistan’s Tolo News quoted chief Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying that Bennett had been banned "because he was appointed to Afghanistan to spread propaganda and he is not someone whose words we can trust"."He took small issues and exaggerated them for propaganda," he said.Strong statementsIn recent months, Bennett has issued strong statements on women’s rights in Afghanistan at moments when the country was in the international spotlight.Last week, as the Taliban authorities celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover of Afghanistan, Bennett joined 29 other UN experts in a statement urging the international community to "not normalise the de facto authorities or their appalling human rights violations", he said on X.In late June, Bennett condemned the decision to exclude rights issues from the agenda and Afghan women and civil society representatives from the table at UN-hosted talks in Qatar -- a condition of Taliban representatives’ attendance at the meetings with the international community."The cost is too high," he wrote in a New York Times opinion piece.In New York, Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, did not confirm or deny the ban Tuesday but said: "Special rapporteurs play a very critical part in the global human rights architecture. We encourage full cooperation with them."Special rapporteurs like Bennett are independent experts within the Special Procedures body of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) maintains a human rights monitoring and reporting function in the country. Taliban morality police dismiss over 280 men without beards from security forces (Reuters)
Reuters [8/20/2024 12:34 PM, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, 42991K, Neutral]
The Taliban’s morality ministry dismissed more than 280 members of the security force for failure to grow a beard and detained more than 13,000 people in Afghanistan for "immoral acts" in the past year, officials said on Tuesday.The Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue said in its annual operations update that around half of those detained had been let go after 24 hours. It did not break down the type of the alleged offences or gender of the detainees.Mohibullah Mokhlis, Director of Planning and Legislation at the ministry, told a press conference officials had destroyed 21,328 musical instruments in the past year and prevented thousands of computer operators from selling "immoral and unethical" films in markets.It had identified 281 security force members for not having a beard and they had been dismissed, he said, in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.The morality ministry, which took over the disbanded women’s ministry premises in Kabul after the Taliban took over in 2021, has been criticised by human rights organisations and the United Nations for restrictions on women and inhibiting freedom of expression.The United Nations’ mission to Afghanistan has reported cases of morality ministry officials stopping and detaining women, at times for a few hours, for not meeting their interpretation of Islamic dress.The Taliban has called the allegations of detentions "baseless" and say the rules apply their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan customs.The morality ministry did not provide figures in relation to policing of women’s attire or their travel without a male guardian, which authorities have also barred for longer distances. It said that a new plan was being worked on to ensure its Islamic dress rules were followed, overseen by the supreme spiritual leader who is based in the southern city of Kandahar."Based on the guidance of the Supreme Leader, the draft plan for observing women’s hijab (Islamic dress) has been formulated and approved," Mokhlis said.The morality ministry has previously said that women should cover their faces or wear an all-enveloping burqa and that enforcement would involve "encouragement" with women’s male family members being targeted rather than women directly.Most Afghan women covered their hair in public in the conservative country even before the Taliban takeover, but some, especially Kabul, did not usually cover their faces or wear a burqa.Mokhlis said they had prevented just over 200 cases of the sale of women and over 2,600 cases of violence against women. Taliban’s ‘reforms’ lead to 21,000 musical instruments destroyed in Afghanistan (VOA)
VOA [8/20/2024 2:24 PM, Ayaz Gul, 4032K, Neutral]
Taliban morality police in Afghanistan said Tuesday that they had "seized and destroyed" more than 21,000 musical instruments over the past year as part of a crackdown on what they called anti-Islam practices.Officials of the so-called Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice discussed their “annual performance” at a news conference in Kabul a day after Taliban authorities publicly staged a mass burning of hundreds of musical instruments in the nearby northern Parwan province.The provincial moral police department also urged residents not to use musical instruments at weddings and other celebrations.Speaking in the Afghan capital Tuesday, ministry officials claimed to have destroyed thousands of “immoral films” and blocked many more “from use on personal computers” nationwide “as part of societal reforms” being undertaken by the Taliban administration. They did not elaborate on the nature of the films.The ministry said without discussing specifics that it had “successfully implemented 90% of reforms across audio, visual, and print media” in Afghanistan.Free media advocacy groups and local journalists say that Taliban leaders have significantly curtailed press freedom and access to information in the country.The Islamist Taliban revived the Ministry of Vice and Virtue to police public morality after retaking control of the war-shattered, impoverished South Asian nation three years ago when all U.S.-led Western troops withdrew from Afghanistan after their involvement in the war for almost two decades.The Taliban ministry has introduced strict guidelines for local media professionals, binding female presenters and guests to comply with an “Islamic” dress code on air requiring that only their eyes be visible.Women are prohibited from working on national radio and television stations, and dramas featuring female performers are banned. De facto Afghan authorities have also enforced strict “gender-based segregation” in workplaces at large.Meanwhile, Hibatullah Akundzada, the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, convened a meeting Tuesday of governors of all 34 Afghan provinces in the southern city of Kandahar and asked them to “uphold sound Islamic governance,” his spokesman said in a post-meeting briefing.Strengthen the Islamic framework, enforce Sharia law, and reinvigorate divine ordinances,” Zabihullah Mujahid quoted Akhundzada as telling the meetingMohammad Khalid Hanafi, the minister of vice and virtue, was quoted by state media as saying on Monday that the Taliban “are determined to implement Islamic Sharia and no one’s pressure is acceptable in this regard.”The morality ministry reported Tuesday that it also had dismissed more than 280 security force members for failing to grow a beard in line with the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law.The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said last month that the Taliban’s morality police were contributing to “a climate of fear and intimidation” among the people and identified the ministry as the leading violator of human rights in the Taliban government, which is not recognized by any country.The U.N. report noted that the activities of the de facto ministry have had “negative impacts on the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms”… in Afghanistan, with a discriminatory and disproportionate impact on women.”The morality police department has banned women’s beauty salons, prohibited females from traveling without a male guardian beyond 78 kilometers from their home limits, and banned them from visiting parks, gyms, and public baths.The Taliban have also banned school education for girls beyond the sixth grade, and many women are not allowed to work in public as well as private organizations, including U.N agencies.The U.N. Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization said in its new report last week that Taliban authorities had “deliberately deprived” 1.4 million girls of schooling since returning to power, putting at risk the future of an entire generation and making Afghanistan the only country in the world to deny girls ages 12 and older access to education.Taliban officials dismiss criticism of their governance as interference in the country’s internal matters and defend their policies, saying they are aligned with Afghan culture and Islamic law.During the previous Taliban rule in Kabul from 1996 to 2001, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue garnered notoriety for its arbitrary abuses. Particularly, women and girls were banned entirely from education and employment at that time. Afghan women arrive in Edinburgh to finish medical degrees denied under Taliban (The Guardian)
The Guardian [8/20/2024 7:01 PM, Severin Carrell, 86157K, Neutral]
A group of trainee female doctors from Afghanistan have travelled to Edinburgh to complete their medical degrees after the Taliban forced them to quit studying.
The 19 women arrived in the UK on Tuesday after a three-year campaign by the parents of Linda Norgrove, the kidnapped Scottish charity worker who was killed during a botched rescue attempt by US special forces in 2010.
The Linda Norgrove Foundation, set up and run by her parents, John and Lorna, from their home in Uig, in the Western Isles, said the students had in effect been confined to their homes in fear for their lives since the Taliban regained power.
The foundation worked with UK and Scottish government officials to arrange safe passage and student visas for the women. They have been given places at four medical schools after Scottish ministers changed the law to treat them as home students eligible for free tuition.
It said significant effort had gone into negotiating legal and bureaucratic hurdles to bring them to the UK, including organising English language tests and arranging university interviews via Skype.
It then negotiated their travel to Pakistan to apply for UK visas, Pakistani visas, biometrics, student funding, UK bank accounts and student accommodation. All told, it spent about 360,000.
Many of the women were based in Kabul, but others came from remote provinces, including Bamyan, Wardak and Daykundi. They flew to the UK from Islamabad in Pakistan.
In a statement issued by the foundation, one of the students, Omulbanin Sultani, said the Norgroves and their assistant "had saved our lives in every sense of the word" by supporting them over the last three years.
"It fills me with immense pride and joy to stand here today on this beautiful day," she said. "But let me tell you, being here was not as easy as these words make it seem. We endured a thousand days of suffering to reach this point."
Another student, Zahra Hussaini, 19, who had completed her first year of medicine when the Taliban regained power, said it was a dream to arrive in the UK. She said she hoped that by the time she qualified, it would be safe to return home.
"Our journey here will be long enough, maybe for eight years, nine years, and I think during this time many alterations and changes will come to Afghanistan," she said. "I am hopeful that the situation won’t remain the same."
John Norgrove said it was heartening the UK and Scottish governments had collaborated so closely on the project.
"Finally these 19 incredibly talented young women get their future back with the opportunity of a tremendous education and a career. The alternative for them in Afghanistan wasn’t good," he said.
Linda Norgrove, then 36, was working for the US charity Development Alternatives Incorporated when she was kidnapped by Islamist militants in Kunar province in September 2010. Her death, apparently caused by a US fragmentation grenade thrown during the rescue attempt, caused consternation in the US and UK, and led to a joint inquiry by both governments. The Guardian view on Afghanistan’s gender apartheid: don’t embolden the Taliban (The Guardian – opinion)
The Guardian [8/20/2024 1:26 PM, Staff, 86157K, Negative]
Women barely feature in Hollywoodgate, the chilling and remarkable documentary on the Taliban currently showing in selected cinemas. Three years after their fighters marched back into Kabul in August 2021, this absence tells its own story of systematic marginalisation and subjugation.
The Taliban’s war against girls and women has intensified. Deprived of education, work and even the opportunity to walk in parks or visit public baths, half of Afghanistan’s population live especially shrunken and fearful lives. The Taliban’s rule is not merely a cruel and humiliating blow to their rights and dignity, but an existential threat. In a May report, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, quoted one woman: "I was the breadwinner and now [I] have no job, no income and my children are asking for food, I have no choice but to consider suicide."
The Taliban have already murdered lawyers, activists, students, police and other women, as well as subjecting them to torture and abuse. Concerns that they will resume public stonings persist. But there are many other ways to take women’s lives. Remove their livelihoods and they (and their children) starve. Force them into dependency on abusive men, with no escape, and they will be killed. Reduce access to healthcare and they die preventable deaths. Snatch away all hope and some will conclude that there is no way to go on.
Men and boys suffer too from the disappearance of household income, or the avoidable deaths of wives and mothers. Some are treated brutally by the Taliban for resisting the mistreatment of women or failing to police the conduct of female relatives. The punishments for failure to comply with Taliban instructions "are often arbitrary, severe and disproportionate", the UN mission in Afghanistan noted in July.
In his May report, Mr Bennett noted that the collective impact is not only profound but mounting: "With each generation, there will be fewer women with educational backgrounds enabling them to take up roles outside the home Afghanistan [is] losing more than its future health-care workers, with the concomitant risks to women and girls. The Taliban’s institutionalized gender oppression is depriving Afghanistan of its future women engineers, journalists, lawyers, biologists, politicians and poets." Online education programmes are a limited and wholly insufficient substitute for proper schooling, but nonetheless need better international support. Mr Bennett has also called for gender apartheid to be criminalised under international law. He should be heard.
It is all the more grim, then, that Afghanistan’s women and girls should not only be coerced by the Taliban, but let down by those who promised support. In the third round of UN talks on Afghanistan in Doha this summer, women’s and other human rights were off the agenda, and women and other civil society representatives were excluded from the table, to the fury of rights groups, campaigners, Mr Bennett and the UN’s own women’s rights committee. Fawzia Koofi, a former deputy speaker of the Afghan parliament and peace negotiator, wrote of women’s "despair, shock and disappointment". The decision emboldened the Taliban, with their chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid lecturing the west on the need to "remove the obstacles hindering the development of relations".
The international community does not face a choice between pursuing mutually exclusive aims of women’s rights and humanitarian needs, as some have suggested. Far from it: the two are intimately connected. Banning women from working in most roles in aid agencies means that many others cannot access help due to gender segregation. Afghan women demand representation when their country’s future is discussed. They must be heeded. Pakistan
Internet Slows to a Crawl in Pakistan, Stoking Fear of a Firewall (New York Times)
New York Times [8/20/2024 4:14 PM, Zia ur-Rehman and Christina Goldbaum, 831K, Neutral]
When Shafi Naeem noticed internet speeds slowing in Pakistan in recent days, he grew nervous. Then he panicked. The websites that the Karachi-based freelance software designer used to find work would not load. Those that he had built for clients were taking hours longer than usual to upload onto servers — if they uploaded at all.
Clients sent him WhatsApp voice notes and photos that would not download. An outline of a clock at the bottom right of every image — the symbol that it had not yet been sent — seemed to taunt him.“It’s not just bad for business; it’s devastating,” said Mr. Naeem, 39. He estimates he has already lost more than half of his roughly $4,000 monthly income. “Our work depends on fast, reliable internet.”Across Pakistan, internet speeds have ground to a crawl in recent days, stoking uproar and fueling claims that the government is secretly testing a new firewall-like system to better surveil and control the country’s internet. The government denies responsibility for the slowdown, which has affected millions of users and disrupted businesses across the country.
Internet speeds have slowed to half their usual rates, according to trade groups and business owners. Files that once were uploaded in minutes take hours. Online calls and video conferencing are plagued by frozen screens and delayed voices.
The Pakistan Software Houses Association, which represents software companies nationwide, said in a statement that it “unequivocally condemns the grave consequences of the hastily implemented national firewall,” warning that Pakistan’s economy could lose up to $300 million because of the disruptions.
The Pakistan Freelancers Association warned that continued issues could lead to Pakistan’s being downgraded on online freelancing platforms, damaging the nascent industry.
The Pakistani authorities said that they were upgrading their systems to improve cybersecurity but denied that government surveillance technology was behind the disruption. Instead, they blamed people’s use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, for straining the networks.“The internet has neither been shut down nor slowed by the state,” said Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the state minister for information technology and telecommunication, at a news conference on Sunday. Ms. Khawaja said the government was consulting with technical experts and service providers to address the problem.
But digital researchers and analysts attributed the slow speeds to the authorities’ efforts to control the country’s digital space, which, they warn, will curtail free speech and civil liberties in the country’s already fragile democracy.
They accuse the Pakistani authorities of deploying a new firewall-like system that is significantly more sophisticated than the web-monitoring system the government previously used to block certain websites.
The new technology, analysts say, allows the government to continue to block access to parts of the internet — like social media, websites and messenger platforms — as well as to better surveil, control and censor the digital space.
Usama Khilji, director of the Islamabad-based digital rights watchdog Bolo Bhi, said the new system appeared to allow the authorities to target and block specific components of mobile apps, such as voice notes, photos and videos on WhatsApp, while allowing text messages and voice calls.
Digital rights groups have warned that the system could eventually enable the authorities to trace messages posted online to the phone or computer where they originated, as well as to block specific content. Some rights groups suspect that the new technology is not configured correctly for Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, prompting the recent slowdown.The allegations of new internet restrictions come amid a broader government-led crackdown on supporters of the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I.
Mr. Khan, the famous cricketer turned populist politician, was ousted in 2022, after falling out with the generals, and then made a stunning political comeback. His triumphant return was fueled in large part by his party’s use of social media, which existed mostly outside the reach of the state’s age-old censorship machine.
With 20.8 million followers, he is among the most popular Pakistani figures on X, formerly known as Twitter. His party has produced campaign videos on social media slamming the military for playing a role in Mr. Khan’s ouster — an accusation the generals deny.
But the spread of that idea — shared in viral videos on TikTok and distributed via WhatsApp groups — stirred a political awakening for many young people who had never heard a politician so directly challenge the military and ignited his base of support. Mr. Khan remains in prison on what he calls politically motivated charges.
The authorities stormed the P.T.I.’s central office in Islamabad on July 22, arresting its main spokesman, Raoof Hasan, and other members of the party’s social media team. The Interior Ministry justified the raid in a statement by accusing P.T.I. of engaging in “anti-state propaganda” but provided no further details.
A 26-year-old P.T.I. social media volunteer named Muhammad was detained during the raid and released on the condition that he refrain from P.T.I. activities, he said.“The government is frustrated by its inability to counter Mr. Khan’s popularity,’” said Muhammad, who asked to be identified only by his first name for fear of retribution from the government. “Now, they’re also stifling the growing I.T. industry with internet shutdowns and firewalls.”
Military leaders have for decades arrested opposition leaders, thrown journalists in jail and, at times, temporarily shut down the country’s internet to stifle dissent, rights groups say.
Since general elections took place in February, Pakistanis have had only intermittent access to social media sites like X. The media and public relations wing of the military, Inter-Services Public Relations, added senior officers to its ranks in recent years to counter the flood of anti-military messages on social media.
Military officials have introduced the term “digital terrorism” in speeches and news releases since May, vowing to defeat so-called operatives who they say aim to sow discord in the country.
That rhetoric has raised concerns among human rights and other activists that the military plans to treat Pakistanis who post social media messages critical of the government as it does militant groups carrying out terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil.
This month, the army’s chief, Gen. Asim Munir, ramped up that rhetoric, suggesting in a speech that there were limits to free speech in Pakistan and accusing foreign powers of inciting “digital terrorism.”“Those who seek to create a rift between state institutions and the people of Pakistan will not succeed,” General Munir warned on Aug. 14 at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul.
Human rights groups and security analysts have warned against equating young political supporters of Mr. Khan with armed insurgent groups like the Islamic State affiliate in the region and the Pakistani Taliban, known as T.T.P.“It is typical of security states to exploit terrorism labels to target political opponents and weaponize counterterrorism laws against them,” said Abdul Basit, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. That erodes civil liberties and gives militant groups “propaganda material, portraying the state as misusing terrorism for political gain,” he added. Pakistan forces say they killed 3 insurgents involved in local administrator’s death (AP)
AP [8/20/2024 6:38 AM, Staff, 31180K, Negative]
Pakistani security forces shot and killed three insurgents who were involved in the recent killing of a senior government administrator in the country’s restive southwest, the military said Tuesday.
It said security forces conducted a raid in Mastung, a district in Baluchistan province where members of an outlawed separatist group ambushed a vehicle carrying regional Deputy Commissioner Zakir Baloch and killed him on Aug. 12.
The military said the slain men were members of the Baluch Liberation Army, which claimed responsibility for the attack on Baloch ahead of the country’s Independence Day. The men were also involved in other previous attacks, it said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for avenging the killing of Baloch. He said the war against terrorism would continue until all insurgents are eliminated from the country.
There was no immediate comment from the Baluch Liberation Army, which was expected to respond with more attacks.
Authorities say the insurgents have formed an alliance with the Pakistani Taliban, which also has a presence in Baluchistan, the scene of frequent militant attacks in a long-running insurgency by groups seeking independence for the mineral- and gas-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan.
Other Islamic militant groups also have a presence in the province. 3 Soldiers, 5 Suspected Militants Killed In Clash In Pakistan’s Northwest (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [8/20/2024 5:42 AM, Staff, 1530K, Negative]
Pakistan’s military says five suspected militants and three troops were killed in a firefight in the Bajaur tribal district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The public relations department of Pakistan’s Army said the clash occurred early on August 19 in Bajaur’s Mamondo area. The military said four other suspected militants were wounded. It did not say which militant group the suspects, who were attempting to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan, belonged to. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen an increase in deadly attacks that mostly remained unclaimed while some of them were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan. Bus carrying Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq crashes in Iran, killing at least 28 people (AP)
AP [8/21/2024 3:35 AM, Nasser Karimi, 456K, Negative]
A bus carrying Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq crashed in central Iran, killing at least 28 people, an official said Wednesday.
The crash happened Tuesday night in the central Iranian province of Yazd, said Mohammad Ali Malekzadeh, a local emergency official, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Another 23 people suffered injuries in the crash, 14 of them serious, he added. He said all the bus passengers hailed from Pakistan.
There were 51 people on board at the time of the crash outside of the city of Taft, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Iranian state television later broadcast images of the bus, turned upside down on the highway with its roof smashed in and all its doors open. Rescuers stepped gingerly through the broken glass and debris littering the road.
In the state TV report, Malekzadeh blamed the crash on the bus brakes failing and a lack of attention by its driver.
In Pakistan, authorities described those on the bus as coming from the city of Larkana in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened” by the crash and that diplomats were providing assistance to those affected.“My thoughts are with the bereaved families,” Sharif said on the social platform X.
Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records with some 17,000 deaths annually. The grave toll is blamed on wide disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services in its vast rural areas.
The pilgrims had been on their way to Iraq to commemorate Arbaeen.
Arbaeen — Arabic for the number 40 — marks the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, at the hands of the Muslim Umayyad forces in the Battle of Karbala, during the tumultuous first century of Islam’s history. Hussein was seen by his followers as the rightful heir of the prophet’s legacy. When he refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate, he was killed in the battle, cementing the schism between Sunni and Shiite Islam.Pilgrims gather in Karbala, Iraq, in what’s regarded as the largest annual public gathering in the world. The event draws tens of millions of people each year. Already, Iranian police said 3 million pilgrims had left the country’s borders for Karbala.
A separate bus crash early Wednesday in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province killed six people and injured 18, authorities said. 2 injured Russian climbers rescued after 6 days stranded on Pakistan peak (AP)
AP [8/21/2024 3:45 AM, Munir Ahmed, 456K, Neutral]
After six days of being stranded on a remote peak in Pakistan’s northeast, two injured Russian climbers were finally rescued, while another remains missing and is presumed dead, a mountaineering official said Wednesday.
The five-member climbing team, which began their expedition on one of Gasherbrum’s peaks to retrieve the body of a fellow climber who died there last year, was hit by a pile of ice on Friday, officials said. Rescuers airlifted two of the mountaineers Monday while more planning was needed to rescue the other two who were unable to move because of their injuries.
An army helicopter, backed by local volunteers, helped rescue the two injured on Tuesday, said Karrar Haidri, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, adding that the third climber fell into a crevasse and couldn’t be located
Haidri said Wednesday the two were moved from the peak to the base camp and were in stable condition. “A helicopter was set to transport them to the northern city of Skardu, but it could not fly due to bad weather,” he said, and that they were trying to find another way to get them to a hospital.
The Russian team, which was not accompanied by guides, took an unusual route on Gasherbrum.
While Haidri acknowledged that the climbers were hit by the ice formation while “ascending the mountain for a noble cause,” he still warned against such endeavors.“Climbers are fully aware of the dangers linked to such missions, but they still opt for dangerous and unexplored routes,” he said. “This is how climbers make records but also come across challenges.”
Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year, and accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes. This month, a Pakistani climber Murad Sadpara, 35, known for taking part in high-altitude rescue missions died during a descent from one of the country’s tallest mountains in the north. India
India’s Modi to ‘share perspectives’ on ending Ukraine war during Kyiv trip (Reuters)
Reuters [8/21/2024 3:29 AM, Sakshi Dayal and YP Rajesh, 5.2M, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will "share perspectives" on the peaceful resolution of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia during his visit to Kyiv this week, more than a month after he travelled to Moscow.
Modi departed for Poland on Wednesday and will visit Kyiv on Friday, the first trip to Ukraine by an Indian prime minister since diplomatic relations were established more than three decades back.
The trip follows Modi’s July 8-9 visit to Moscow which drew criticism from the U.S. and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as it coincided with a lethal Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Modi condemned the killing of innocent children in an implicit rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The short visit to Kyiv is seen by many Indian analysts as an attempt to control the damage from the Moscow trip and also a strategic balancing act at a time New Delhi has grown closer to the West, particularly Washington.
India’s diplomats reject that and say New Delhi’s ties with Russia and Ukraine are independent of each other and the trip builds on interactions between New Delhi and Kyiv across sectors.
"I look forward to the opportunity to ... share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict," Modi said in a statement on Wednesday before his departure. "As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region."
India and Russia have been close friends since the days of the Soviet Union and New Delhi has not condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, instead urging both sides to use dialogue and diplomacy to resolve their differences.
Russia became India’s top oil supplier since the war began as Indian refiners snapped up cheap Russian crude.
New Delhi has also remained engaged with Kyiv, with Modi meeting Zelenskiy on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Italy in June. They have also spoken several times by phone.
The prospect of India mediating to help end the war in Ukraine has been raised in diplomatic circles from time to time but New Delhi has appeared cagey, saying only that it is willing to offer any support to resolve the conflict peacefully.
"Contrary to widespread expectations, Modi’s visit to Warsaw and Kyiv may be less about a new Indian peace initiative on Ukraine," C Raja Mohan of the Singapore-based Institute of South Asian Studies wrote in Wednesday’s Indian Express newspaper.
"President Vladimir Putin knows how to reach out to the U.S., which has the most leverage in the Ukraine war, and open negotiations when he finds it appropriate," he wrote, adding that Modi’s trip was more about boosting New Delhi’s ties in Central Europe. Indian PM Modi Calls For ‘Peace’ Before Heading To Ukraine (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [8/21/2024 4:24 AM, Abhaya Srivastava, 1.4M, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a "return of peace" Wednesday as he left for Ukraine, weeks after Kyiv condemned him for hugging President Vladimir Putin during a visit to traditional ally Russia.
Modi, 73, will first visit Poland before travelling on to Ukraine on Friday.
"As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region", Modi said on social media.
The premier has trodden a delicate balance between maintaining India’s historically warm ties with Russia while courting closer security partnerships with Western nations as a bulwark against regional rival China.
His government has avoided explicit condemnations of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, instead urging both sides to resolve their differences through dialogue.
It will be Modi’s first visit to Ukraine, and he said he would discuss with President Volodymyr Zelensky "perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict", as well as the "deepening the India-Ukraine friendship".
Modi’s visit to Moscow in July came hours after a Russian barrage hit multiple cities across Ukraine, killing more than three dozen people and heavily damaging a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Modi was pictured hugging Putin at his country residence a day earlier, drawing condemnation from Zelensky.
India and Russia have maintained close links since the Cold War, which saw the Kremlin become a key arms provider to the South Asian country.
Russia has also become a major supplier of cut-price crude oil to India since the Ukraine conflict began, providing a much-needed export market after the imposition of Western sanctions.
That has dramatically reconfigured their economic ties, with India saving billions of dollars while bolstering Moscow’s war coffers.
However, Russia’s fight with Ukraine has also had a human cost for India.
New Delhi has pushed Moscow to return several of its citizens who signed up for "support jobs" with the Russian military but were later sent to fight on the frontlines in Ukraine.
At least five Indian soldiers have been killed in the conflict.
Western powers have cultivated stronger relations with India as a hedge against China, while also pressuring New Delhi to distance itself from Russia.India is part of the Quad grouping with the United States, Japan and Australia that positions itself against China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. India and Malaysia to upgrade ties after talks on trade, defense (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [8/20/2024 7:34 AM, Kiran Sharma and Norman Goh, 2042K, Positive]
India and Malaysia agreed Tuesday to elevate their ties as relations "pick up speed and energy," after leadership talks focused on boosting trade and defense cooperation.In his first visit to India as Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim met with counterpart Narendra Modi during a three-day trip to New Delhi."Our partnership has picked up a new speed and energy in the past two years," Modi said in Hindi during a joint press briefing, adding that Malaysia was an "important partner in the Indo-Pacific and among the 10-member ASEAN bloc. "Today we have decided to elevate our partnership to the comprehensive strategic partnership level."He did not give details about the upgrade, which comes nearly a decade after an enhanced strategic partnership was signed in 2015.Relations between the two countries soured in 2019 after remarks by Mahathir Mohamad, then the prime minister of Malaysia, which has a mostly Muslim population, against India stripping the autonomy of Kashmir, its only Muslim-majority region.The frictions dented India’s purchases of Malaysian palm oil. India is Malaysia’s largest importer of the commodity that is found in a wide range of products from cookies to cosmetics."We believe that there is still more potential in economic cooperation [and] bilateral trade and investment should be expanded," Modi said Tuesday. "We should increase cooperation in new technical areas such as semiconductors, fintech, the defense industry, (and) AI."The two sides would work to link India’s payment system UPI (Unified Payments Interface) with Malaysia’s PayNet, Modi said, adding that Malaysia’s investment in India reached $5 billion last year.The two leaders also discussed strengthening defense ties, including joint operations to safeguard their respective borders, as well as combating extremism and terrorism. Other areas of potential cooperation included digital investments and trade in construction, agriculture, education and research, Anwar said, adding that he also hoped to see companies from each country work together on energy transition, digitalization and food security.The two sides also signed several pacts, including on the recruitment, employment and repatriation of workers; cooperation in the fields of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine; digital technologies; tourism; youth and sports; public administration and governance reforms; and financial services."We have established understanding of a number of issues," Anwar said. "There are so many areas that we need to explore further."Modi also said that India prioritized ASEAN and its trading relationship with the bloc, which was worth $130 billion in 2023. "We have agreed that a review of the free trade agreement between India and ASEAN should be completed in a timely manner," he added.In what appeared to be a veiled reference to frictions in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Kuala Lumpur have overlapping claims, Modi said: "We are committed to the freedom of navigation and overflight according to international laws and are in favor of the resolution of all disputes peacefully." India to spend $300 million to mitigate floods, conserve water in big cities (Reuters)
Reuters [8/21/2024 3:31 AM, Krishna N. Das, 5.2M, Positive]
India will spend nearly $300 million in two years to expand water bodies like lakes and build drains in seven cities including Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru to mitigate floods and conserve water, a government official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Flooding, often fatal, is common in Indian cities every monsoon as rapid urbanisation devours city lakes and waste clogs drains. Such flooding has been preceded by severe water shortages in recent years, especially in Delhi and Bengaluru, where once-plenty water storage spaces have shrunk.
Ratings agency Moody’s warned in June that India’s growing water stress could affect its growth, which at a projected 7.2% this April-March fiscal year is the highest among major economies.
The federal government spending, the first flood control measure focused on water bodies, was approved recently and will also incorporate early-warning systems, said Krishna S. Vatsa, one of the three members of the National Disaster Management Authority.
"It could become one of the most significant approaches to flood mitigation in the cities," Vatsa said in an interview.
"While the importance of storm water drainage in reducing the runoff cannot be overlooked, they also need to be supplemented by some of the nature-based solutions such as increasing the capacity of rivers and lakes to carry rain water."
He said of the 25 billion rupees ($298 million), Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata would each receive 5 billion rupees, while Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune will get 2.5 billion rupees each. No allotment was made for the capital Delhi, since the cities were chosen based on the frequency of floods and an assessment of resulting losses there, Vatsa said.
However, he warned that longer-term measures were also needed, especially since the country was witnessing huge volumes of rain in a short span of time.
More than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain lashed India’s financial capital Mumbai in six hours early on July 8, authorities have said.
"Whenever a city receives 100 mm of rainfall, there is bound to be inundation," Vatsa said. "You need a certain level of investment continuously which is supported by a whole lot of governance measures so that the problem could be reduced." Murdered Indian doctor’s father speaks out: ‘All I can do now is get her justice’ (The Guardian)
The Guardian [8/20/2024 10:10 AM, Amrit Dhillon, 86157K, Neutral]
The father of the trainee doctor murdered during a rest break at a Kolkata hospital has spoken of his daughter’s love of medicine and the way her family had worked to support her vocation.
"We are a poor family and we raised her with a lot of hardship. She worked extremely hard to become a doctor. All she did was study, study, study," he told the Guardian by telephone.
"All our dreams have been shattered in one night. We sent her to work and the hospital gave us her body. It’s all finished for us.
"My daughter isn’t coming back. I’m never going to hear her voice or laugh. All I can do now is concentrate on getting her justice," he said.
The rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital in Kolkata on 9 August, and subsequent handling of the case by the authorities, has led to protests and strikes by doctors across India.
Her father, who cannot be named under an Indian law that protects the identity of the dead woman, said a career in medicine was all his only child had ever wanted. The 31-year-old had beaten the odds to qualify for one of approximately 107,000 places in India’s medical colleges, which more than a million aspiring doctors compete for every year.
She won a place at College of Medicine & JNM hospital in Kalyani in her home state of West Bengal. Her parents financed her dream with the precarious income her father earned as a tailor.
Remembering the day she confided in him she wanted to become a doctor, his voice broke. "She said: Papa, it’s a good thing to become a doctor and help others. What do you think?’ I said: OK, do it. We’ll help you.’ And look what happened," he said.
Her ambition drove him to expand his tailoring business and the family’s finances improved to the point where, when his daughter fretted about safety on the hour-long bus ride between the hospital and their home in a crowded Kolkata suburb, he was able to borrow the money to buy her a car.
"At first, she told me to wait, she said we couldn’t manage the EMIs [monthly instalments] and she didn’t want to overburden us. But then she found the bus ride so tiring after a long shift that she agreed to the car," said the father.
Although they remained in the same lower middle-class suburb where she grew up, and where everyone respected her as a local girl made good, her parents had recently renovated the house. The brass nameplate bore her name, not theirs, proudly prefixed by "Dr".
The sense of disbelief in the neighbourhood has not faded since the news spread from house to house that "their" doctor’s bright day was done.
The location of this attack in the hospital where the victim worked, which she and her family assumed was safe and her public service as a doctor working a 36-hour shift have added to the public outrage over the crime.
The father said: "Like all parents, we worried about her safety but only while she was travelling. The moment she reached the hospital, we relaxed. She was safe. It’s like when we used to drop her off at school once she was inside the gate, you feel she is safe," he said.
In a post on X, the head of the Indian Medical Association, Dr RV Asokan, expressed anguish at the murder, saying "we failed her in life but did not fail her in death" a reference to the protests, outcry and doctors’ strikes that have rocked the country since her body was discovered.
Her colleagues and neighbours describe a dedicated young doctor who wanted to pay off her parents’ debts and give them a comfortable life after their sacrifices to help her become a doctor.
One of her former teachers, Arnab Biswas, said that unlike many young people who chose medicine for its earning potential, she was "old school", treating it as a vocation.
Having witnessed Covid-19 patients gasping for breath, she selected respiratory medicine when it came to choosing a medical specialism.
Her parents are broken. "She was my only child. We worked hard to make her a doctor I will never be happy again," a neighbour said the mother told her.
Neighbours, who consulted her over every ailment and were proud of her achievements, recall her feeding stray animals and gardening when she had the time. They are yearning to help the family in some way.
"The girl has gone now," said one neighbour. "But we’ll stand by her parents so they don’t feel alone." NSB
Bangladesh’s Protesters Take Power and Find Governing Isn’t Easy (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal [8/21/2024 12:10 AM, Krishna Pokharel, Jon Emont, and Muktadir Rashid, 810K, Neutral]
Three months ago, 26-year-old Nahid Islam was airing his views in online posts about the war in Gaza and alerting followers to a book club discussion. Now the sociology student—who helped lead protests that toppled Bangladesh’s longtime leader, Sheikh Hasina—is the country’s technology and telecom minister, making decisions that affect 170 million people.
Islam and other student protesters lobbied the army to put Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Prize-winning, 84-year-old microlending pioneer, in charge of the interim government.
They got the leader they wanted, along with two seats in his cabinet.Islam was a natural choice for a post. While pursuing a master’s degree he had honed his organizing skills in university politics and became one of the most visible faces of the protests over weeks, gaining prominence after he was detained and beaten by the police in July.
His job hasn’t been easy, as the new government faces a flood of pent-up demands.“It is a very big responsibility on my shoulders,” said Islam, who had deep bags under his eyes and said he was working 16-hour days. “People are coming with their problems—so many.”
On a recent afternoon, cries of “One-point! One point!” wafted from the streets below up to Islam’s seventh-floor office at the technology ministry. It was a reference to the students’ successful rallying cry—their “one-point demand” for Hasina’s resignation.
Now other groups are repurposing the slogan for their own demands.
Islam sees the protests that just happened as a battle of generations—on one side, those who fought for independence from Pakistan in 1971 and their children, on the other, those born in the 1990s and later.“Now, a new generation representing the new middle class, rising middle class, people from rural areas, they want to come to power,” he said.
In her government’s final days, Hasina, who had ruled since 2009, shut off the internet and blocked the social-media platforms the students were using to organize protests, which began over an unpopular quota system for government jobs. Despite her efforts to repress the often violent protests, they grew into a broader uprising against her increasingly autocratic rule.
More than 500 people died after the demonstrations intensified in mid-July, though the situation has calmed in recent days.
From his new perch overseeing the country’s communications—he is in charge of broadcasting as well as the internet—Islam signaled that the new government would be different. Previously, police often used internet-communications laws to round up journalists and opposition figures on charges of defamation and spreading false information.“We will give topmost priority to freedom of speech and freedom of the press,” said Islam, who said his father is an opposition politician who was often detained before elections.
A fellow student leader, Asif Mahmud, also 26, is in charge of labor and employment, as well as the youth ministry.
Although many in Dhaka are hopeful about the prospects for a new Bangladesh, there are enormous challenges ahead. Neither Yunus nor his student backers have any experience governing.
In the days after Hasina’s Aug. 5 resignation, amid a power vacuum, police left their posts, afraid of retribution for shooting protesters. Looting spread, targeting former regime officials and buildings associated with the Hindu religious minority.
Students poured onto the streets to protect Hindu temples and conduct day-to-day governance responsibilities such as directing traffic. A number of students have become a first point of help for families of those hurt or killed in the protests.
Last week, Asad Bin Rony, a 28-year-old law student who worked closely with Islam and Mahmud coordinating the protests, was up past midnight negotiating on the phone with hospitals to get an intensive care bed for a student who had been injured in protests in early August.
Rony got a call in the early hours of Thursday from a leading Dhaka hospital after he directed the family there. He identified himself as part of the students’ main coordination group. “Please admit the patient,” he added.
A few minutes later the hospital called back to confirm the student had been admitted.
In recent days in Dhaka, police have returned to the streets, restoring some level of order. But governance challenges remain, in part because hundreds of mayors and other local officials affiliated with the old regime have vanished, amid fear of reprisals.
In other cases, the students have pushed for officials who held the most powerful posts—including the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the central bank governor and vice chancellors of top universities—to resign.
Yunus has defended some of the steps taken so far and said legal processes were followed.
There is uncertainty about how long the interim government can stay in power, and under what authority.
Major political parties are calling for quick elections, but student leaders say those shouldn’t be rushed. Legal questions hover over the constitutionality of the current government arrangement and some of the steps taken under it.
The students argue that the interim government is a government with power—unlike a caretaker government intended only to oversee elections. They want even more sweeping changes before elections happen.
The interim government must “reform many things, like our constitution, our law enforcement, our High Court, our Supreme Court, our education system, our economic system, our health system,” said Nusrat Tabassum, a 23-year-old master’s student of political science at Dhaka University who was a leading protest coordinator.
Few of Bangladesh’s enormous problems—not enough jobs, a legacy of government corruption—can be resolved quickly or through legal changes. Many problems are only now bubbling to the surface, as a new government, tolerant of dissent, takes charge.
In recent days, protesters outside government offices included candidates for state teaching jobs seeking the long-delayed results of their recruitment exams, and a disbanded paramilitary unit whose members were seeking to be reinstated.
Islam, the student leader, has been a member of government for all of two weeks, but his offices are already filled with petitioners asking for help.
Fazle Rabbi, 62, a retired teacher, waited outside his offices, saying he hoped to resolve a long-running salary dispute.
Abdul Munnaf, 27, an app developer, said he wanted to share ideas about getting youth involved in the information technology sector.
A group of student protesters asked Islam if he could fix the quality of rural internet. And could he also find a way to end the endemic corruption and extortion in Bangladesh? The students referred to him as brother, instead of the “sir” conventionally accorded government officials.
Islam, who dresses in a uniform of a button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves and trousers, hears each request patiently and often responds that he will look into the problem.
R.H.M. Alaol Kabir, Islam’s new private secretary, has served 14 years as a civil servant. He said reporting to a 26-year-old was a breath of fresh air compared with many politicians he has seen enter government. “In most of the cases we see that people are actually coming for their own personal interests,” said Kabir. “But the students are coming for the betterment of the country.” Blinded In Bangladesh Protests, Students Hope For Better Future (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [8/21/2024 2:22 AM, Arunabh Saikia, 1.4M, Neutral]
Bangladeshi student Omar Faruq believes the future of his country is bright but all he can see is darkness, after police trying to crush a student-led revolution blinded him with rubber pellets.
More than 450 people were killed -- many by police fire -- in the weeks of protests leading up to the ouster of ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 ending her 15-year autocratic rule.
But dozens of protesters were also robbed of their vision -- some in one eye, others entirely -- by the plastic or rubber grapeshot pellets police fired from shotguns.
Bangladeshi security forces are accused of having resorted to excessive force to quell the protests.
"I was bombarded with pellets all over... my nose, eyes, everywhere -- from close range," said 20-year-old Faruq.
He had hitchhiked 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the northern city of Bogura to attend the protests in the capital Dhaka.
Now he is getting treatment at the National Institute of Opthalmology and Hospital (NIOH), the country’s biggest specialised eye centre.Its records show nearly 600 people have lost at least some vision from shotgun pellets fired during the weeks of civil unrest against Hasina. Among those, 20 have been blinded completely.
Hundreds of others with pellet injuries in their eyes are undergoing treatment in smaller hospitals across Dhaka, according to local media reports.
"We were doing up to 10 surgeries at a time," said Mohammad Abdul Qadir, NIOH’s acting director. "We have never seen such a situation before."
Rights groups discourage the use of pellets for crowd control against unarmed protestors, calling the cluster clouds of shots indiscriminate.
US-based Physicians for Human Rights has called their use "inherently inaccurate", and potentially "lethal to humans at close range".
The United Nations last week said there were "strong indications" Bangladeshi security forces used "unnecessary and disproportionate force", with a team expected to visit Dhaka to investigate.
Those in the NIOH hospital, where ward after ward is filled with protesters with impaired vision, say they are witnesses to the violence.
Mohammad Abdul Alim, 34, lay writhing in pain in his bed at the hospital, several pellets still lodged in his body. His left eye was swollen and bloodshot.
"Sometimes I wish I could just cut off the left side of my face," said Alim, visibly anguished.
"I can’t even properly see how much rice there is on my plate when I eat."
Alim said the police gave him and his fellow protesters 20 seconds to disperse before raining them with pellets.
He said scores of people "immediately collapsed" after the shots.
Alim said he hoped the new authorities -- an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus -- would "take care" of his treatment.
Yunus’s government said Tuesday it was setting up a foundation to "take care of the wounded and the families of the dead and wounded" who took part in the protests.
"We can never forget the contributions of the students and people who sacrificed their lives and who were grievously wounded while participating in the protests against the dictatorship," Yunus said in a statement.
He vowed his government would do "whatever is needed to take good care of the wounded and families of the deceased" as soon as it could.
But, for now, the injured have only their families to fall back on.
In another ward at NIOH, Nazrul Islam stroked the hair of his younger brother Rahmatullah Sardar Shabbir, trying to comfort him.
Doctors had managed to extricate two of the three pellets that pierced the 26-year-old’s left eye on August 4 -- but failed to restore his vision.
"I cannot see anything with my left eye," said Shabbir, a law student.
But Shabbir -- and almost everyone else at NIOH who have lost their vision to pellets fired at them while participating in the protests -- said they had no regrets.
"It is a sacrifice for my country," he said, a Bangladeshi flag unfurled above his bed. "We have created a new Bangladesh." In Bangladesh, religious minorities targeted during political unrest (VOA)
VOA [8/20/2024 3:00 PM, Staff, 4032K, Negative]
Since student-led opposition protests led Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and flee Bangladesh on August 5, religious minorities say their communities have suffered violent attacks in the power vacuum.
Bangladesh is around 90% Muslim, with Christians and Buddhists making up most of the rest of the population. According to Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council head Oikya Parishad, four people who belonged to the minority community were killed between August 5 and 8, following the deposition of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Parishad’s group estimates there have been more than 200 incidents where temples, religious crematoriums and other places of worship have also been vandalized and attacked by mobs.
The Bangladesh interim government insists reports of violence against minorities are exaggerated and often fake. The interim government also says whatever violence is happening is political, not sectarian.
Widespread violence largely subsided following the swearing-in of the interim government on August 8, minorities say the fear of persecution still looms over them during this time of political unrest.
The motive of other attacks can be more difficult to discern. According to local media reports, on August 5 the house of a famous musician Rahul Anand in the capital Dhaka was attacked and vandalized. The assailants threw the family out, ransacked their home and set it on fire along with a large number of musical instruments that Rahul had made and collected.
However Rahul, his wife and his wife’s business partner later posted on Facebook that the attack on Rahul’s house was not motivated by religious or communal reasons.
For many, including Shravasti Bandopadhyay, a student of Mass communication and Journalism in Dhaka University, it has been difficult to tell who is out to hurt or help them.In a Facebook post shared by her teacher Kaberi Gayen at Dhaka University, Bandopadhyay wrote that she has had to abandon her home, staying with neighbors and sleeping in different places.
"I can’t make up my mind about what to think about my fellow countrymen as one the one hand, I’m dying in fear of death, because some of them had come to my house and threatened me , on the other hand there are others who took me to a safe place and still protecting me."
Finding justice for victims
Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of the interim government, last week met with minority community representatives and said the government is focused on providing justice for all people, regardless of their faith, in remarks published by the Bangladesh news agency.
"If there is justice, who will not get justice, tell me? Who of any religion, any caste, any community won’t get it? Does the law say that these communities will go to this court, those communities will go to another court? Who has the power to discriminate here?" he said.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised concerns over the reported attacks on minorities and said via a post on X last week that he had spoken to Yunus, who pledged "protection, safety and security" of minorities in the country.
The Indian government has set up a committee to monitor the India-Bangladesh border situation, reported Indian news media, NDTV. The committee will liaise with the authorities of Bangladesh regarding the security of the Indians staying there and the security of the minorities in Bangladesh.
Human rights activist Noor Khan Lytton told VOA that while it’s clear minorities have been under attack since the Sheikh Hasina government fell, political parties and social groups have stood up for targeted communities.
"We hope this kind of attack will not happen in the future again," he said.
The General Secretary of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Rana Dasgupta told VOA that although violence against minorities appears to have waned in recent days, there is still the matter of bringing those responsible to justice.
"In all the attacks on minorities in our country, we have seen a culture of impunity. Whether the new administration can come out of that culture of impunity remains to be seen" he said.
Dasgupta also said that people who had been displaced must also be given back the land they own. Bangladesh’s Democracy in Peril—Minority Persecution Amid Political Upheaval (Newsweek – opinion)
Newsweek [8/20/2024 8:25 AM, Suvra Dev Kar, 50452K, Negative]
As Bangladesh grapples with its most significant political crisis since independence, a dark shadow looms over its religious minorities. The nation, once founded on principles of unity and secularism, has become a battleground, where the flames of change have ignited a dangerous surge of communal violence.
In early July 2024, a student-led movement erupted, challenging job quotas and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. What began as a call for accountability quickly evolved into a powerful force exposing deep-rooted issues of corruption, mismanagement, and injustice within the country’s governance. The movement, dubbed "Bangladesh 2.0" or the "second independence," initially united citizens across religious lines in their quest for reform.
The situation took a dire turn on Aug. 5, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following a deadly crackdown by law enforcement that left hundreds dead. Her controversial 15-year rule came to an abrupt end, leaving a power vacuum that would soon be filled with chaos.
In the days following Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh descended into anarchy. At least 232 lives were lost in various attacks and clashes over just three days. Police stations and government buildings were torched nationwide, while protesters attempted to dismantle symbols of the old regime, including a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father and the nation’s independence leader.
Amid this turmoil, a sinister pattern emerged. Extremist groups, exploiting the breakdown of law and order, turned their fury on minority communities. The violence against Hindus and other religious minorities surged, with rioters setting fire to homes and shops, and vandalizing temples. The absence of a functioning government and the retreat of law enforcement in many areas left these vulnerable communities defenseless.
The scale of the attacks is staggering. Local reports painted a grim picture. In Bagerhat, a 65-year-old former teacher was killed in his home, with his family injured in the assault. Jashore saw 50 Hindu homes attacked, looted, and burned. In Noakhali, minority-owned homes and businesses were ransacked. Dhaka, Natore, and Dinajpur all reported similar incidents of vandalism, looting, and destruction of minority property. Even the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, itself a minority, saw its place of worship attacked in Rangpur.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported 205 incidents of persecution against minority communities across 52 districts since Hasina’s resignation. Thousands of Hindu families have been displaced, numerous temples destroyed, and women subjected to assault. The violence has claimed several lives, sparking fears of ethnic cleansing if immediate action is not taken. In view of the unfolding events, a comprehensive database of communal attacks on Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians nationwide is being compiled by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.
In response to this crisis, an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has pledged to restore order. Reports of local Muslim community members protecting minority homes and places of worship offer a glimmer of hope. However, the Hindu community’s recent protest in Dhaka, presenting a list of demands, underscored the urgent need for systemic change.
The path forward is clear but challenging. To secure the safety of minority communities and restore faith in Bangladesh’s democratic ideals, we must establish a Ministry of Minority Affairs and a Minority Protection Commission. Reserving parliamentary seats for minorities would ensure representation. Implementing immediate legal measures to halt ongoing attacks and persecution is crucial. A national reconciliation process to address the root causes of communal violence is also essential.
Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. The world is watching. Will we allow the dream of a secular, inclusive nation to be consumed by the fires of hatred, or will we rise from these ashes to build a truly united Bangladesh? The choice is ours, and the time to act is now. LGBTQ+ activists and supporters rally in Nepal’s capital during annual Pride parade (AP)
AP [8/20/2024 7:02 AM, Binaj Gurubacharya, 12885K, Positive]
Hundreds of LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rallied in Nepal’s capital Tuesday during the annual Pride parade, the first since gay couples were able to register same-sex marriages officially in the Himalayan nation following a Supreme Court order in Nov 2023.
The annual event brings together the sexual minority community and their supporters in Kathmandu during the Gai Jatra festival.
Tuesday’s rally was participated by a government minister, diplomats and officials, which began at the city’s tourist hub and went around its main streets.
"Gai Jatra festival is a festival that is a long tradition that has been carried for years and we all are here to help preserve and continue the tradition, and as a sexual minority are doing our part to save the tradition. We also celebrate the day as a pride parade," said Bhumika Shrestha, a gay rights activist who was at the parade.
The Gai Jatra festival is celebrated to remember family members who have passed away during the year but has long had colorful parades that brought in sexual minorities to join the parade.
After years of struggle, gay couples were able to register same-sex marriages for the first time in Nov 2023 following a Supreme Court order that directed the government to make arrangements for the registration of marriages for same-sex couples.
Sexual minority rights activists have long sought to amend laws to permit same-sex marriage and end provisions that limit marriage to heterosexual couples.
Nepal has undergone a transformation since a court decision in 2007 asked the government to make changes in favor of LGBTQ+ people. People who do not identify as female or male are now able to choose "third gender" on their passports and other government documents. The constitution, adopted in 2015, also explicitly states that there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Central Asia
3 Kazakh Activists Fined For Demanding Registration Of Opposition Party (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [8/20/2024 11:54 AM, Staff, 1530K, Negative]
A court in Kazakhstan has fined three activists over their participation in a rally in late May demanding the official registration of the opposition Algha, Qazaqstan (Forward, Kazakhstan) party. Aizhan Zholdasova and Ermek Qonyshbai were ordered on August 19 to pay 110,740 tenges ($230) each, while Azia Abieva was fined 77, 532 tenges ($161). All three pleaded not guilty before the court in the southern city of Shymkent, saying they have a right to express their political demands. In November, a court in Astana sentenced the chairman of Algha, Qazaqstan, Marat Zhylanbaev, to seven years in prison on extremism charges, which he also rejects as politically motivated. Committee To Protect Journalists Urges Tajik Authorities To Release Ahmad Ibrohim (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [8/20/2024 5:35 AM, Staff, 1530K, Negative]
The Committee to Protect Journalists on August 19 called on Tajik authorities to drop bribery charges against noted journalist Ahmad Ibrohim, who was arrested a week earlier."Following the wave of lengthy convictions against journalists in Tajikistan since 2022, the arrest of Ahmad Ibrohim is yet another reminder of how dangerous any form of critical journalism is in the country’s deeply repressive media environment," CPJ Europe and Central Asia program coordinator Gulnoza Said emphasized in the statement."Tajik authorities should release Ibrohim, along with seven other journalists currently incarcerated in retaliation for their work, and allow the media to operate freely," Said added.Several sources close to law enforcement in Tajikistan told RFE/RL over the weekend that police in the Central Asian nation’s southern city of Kulob had arrested the 62-year-old editor-in-chief of the Paik (Message) independent newspaper after he allegedly offered a bribe to an official in exchange for re-registration of his media outlet.According to some sources, Ibrohim’s arrest appeared to have been a setup.Authorities in Kulob have refused to extend Paik’s license to operate since March, the sources said, and a state security services officer who had spent several months cultivating a relationship with Ibrohim said he could help obtain a license for 2500 somoni ($235). After Ibrohim handed over the money, he was arrested.If convicted, Ibrohim could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.Tajik officials have yet to announce the arrest officially.In recent years, several Tajik journalists, rights activists, and opposition politicians have been handed lengthy prison terms on charges seen by rights groups as trumped-up and politically motivated.Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who has run the Central Asian nation for almost 30 years, has been criticized by international human rights groups over his administration’s alleged disregard for independent media, religious freedoms, civil society, and political pluralism. How Uzbekistan’s young generation is changing the face of its creative economy (CNN)
CNN [8/21/2024 4:15 AM, Hazel Pfeifer]
A landlocked country in the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan has long been fueled by agriculture and manufacturing. But a growing economy and younger population are leading to an expansion of the country’s creative industries.
The government has been investing heavily in a series of ambitious arts and architecture projects in recent years to promote Uzbek art on a world stage, with the new State Art Museum in Tashkent set to become Central Asia’s largest exhibition space.
Odil Mukhamedov, 26, saw an opportunity to help build the sector when he founded creative community Moc in 2019. It came about when he realized there were no local platforms to share ideas and advocate for artists.“We started to bring together every creative person we knew: artists, musicians, designers, architects,” he told CNN. “The community started to expand and then we started to understand that the potential of creative people in Uzbekistan is very huge.”“When there is no industry, it is very hard to work in this sphere. So for a young person, it is much easier to migrate,” he says. “And we started to think how … to find the motivation for [the] young generation so they can stay here and create their projects.”
A former Soviet republic, former President Islam Karimov led Uzbekistan to independence in 1991. The authoritarian leader remained in power for 25 years until his passing in 2016.
Since then, the most populous country in Central Asia has undertaken a series of political and economic reforms. They include include lowering trade barriers, making it easier for companies to do business and prying open the foreign exchange market. Government promotion of creative industries is seen as an extension of those goals.
The Moc collective runs independent arts festivals across Uzbekistan, including an electronic music festival in the Aral Sea desert region and a “festival of festivals” called Mocfest in the capital. This year’s Mocfest runs from August 23 to 25 and features work by young musicians, artists, chefs and environmentalists.“We see that the economy of the country is developing,” Mukhamedov said. “So it’s a time for young creatives to stand up and make their voices heard.”
With 40% of Uzbekistan’s population under the age of 25, young Uzbeks have been leveraging social media to reach global audiences with their content.
Former gymnast and social media superstar Asal Saparbaeva, known as Littos, has racked up hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and almost 15 millions followers on her social media channels worldwide with her unique brand of extreme sports and athletic Uzbek style.
Saparbaeva and her husband, Yaroslav Nikolenko, developed their social media company during the pandemic, uploading five to six videos a day across all available social networks. They found that making videos without language enabled access to a wider global audience.
Saparbaeva performs a mind-boggling array of acrobatics and stunts, often in the character of a “kelinka” or traditional Uzbek bride. It’s her rallying cry to women in Central Asia to engage in sports and continue doing what they love after marriage.
She feels that social media can offer young people opportunities for self-expression. “School forces you to do something, but on the internet, you can learn or create something for yourself,” she says. “I think that’s why the youth are captivated by all this. They see a future in it.”‘Still at the beginning’
In Tashkent, Human House Gallery has been a hub for local artists for over 20 years. Founder and director Lola Saifi says a lot has changed in the country over the past five years.“It has become much easier to do business in Uzbekistan,” Saifi says. “Many areas now see growth and a reduction in bureaucracy, which is very important. As for the creative economy, unfortunately, I think we are still at the beginning, and the state does not yet see the difference between the creative and non-creative economies.”
Local artists say that despite official backing for landmark projects, financial support on a grassroots level is difficult to access, even though the sector can be a valuable contributor to the economy.“It’s the same entrepreneurship, the same business as all the others. It too can pay taxes, it can give opportunities to people who live in remote areas of Uzbekistan,” she said.
There are signs the creative economy is gaining mainstream recognition. This year, the country will host the Fourth World Conference on Creative Economy in October, which aims to revitalize the creative sectors hit hard by the pandemic.
All this comes at a time of great change for the country, which started when President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power in 2016 following the death of Karimov. Since then, the country has opened up to foreign investment and tourism in ways unimaginable during previous regime and the Soviet era.
Freedom of expression remains a concern for many, but Mukhamedov is hopeful for the future of young creatives.“It’ll take some time, but we already see that a lot of things are changed and this change will continue to be a crucial point for the whole country to develop,” he says. “We really believe that creative economy and creators can bring the country to another economical level.” Indo-Pacific
India and Japan hold talks on Indo-Pacific security as they eye China’s activity in the region (AP)
AP [8/20/2024 12:11 PM, Staff, 85570K, Positive]
The foreign and defense ministers of India and Japan Tuesday held security talks in New Delhi, aiming to bolster their strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific as they seek to counter China’s increasingly assertive economic and military activities in the region.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with their Japanese counterparts in the two governments\u00b4 third so-called "two-plus-two" talks since their launch in 2019.
India and Japan said in a joint statement that the two sides reviewed their bilateral cooperation and had a "wide-ranging discussion on regional and global issues focusing on the shared Indo-Pacific region."
"As we both step forward into a more volatile and unpredictable world, there is a need for reliable partners with whom there are substantial convergences. As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other\u00b4s endeavours and comprehend each others\u00b4 objectives," Jaishankar said ahead of the talks.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a meeting with Japan\u00b4s foreign and defense ministers.
India and Japan, members of the Quad grouping that also includes the United States and Australia, have rapidly intensified bilateral ties as they watch China’s rise with concern.
In recent years, the two countries have also ramped up defense collaboration, including in the field of defense equipment and technology transfers.
Japan is only the second country after the U.S. with which India has used the "two-plus-two" dialogue format, which brings the foreign and defense ministers together for talks.
The last such meeting between the two countries was held in Tokyo in 2022.
India and Japan share strong economic ties, with bilateral trade valued at $20.57 billion in fiscal year 2021-2022.
Japan has been supporting infrastructure development in India, including a high-speed rail project. India, Japan agree to bolster defence and security ties (Reuters)
Reuters [8/20/2024 7:28 PM, Shavangi Acharya, 42991K, Positive]
India and Japan agreed on Tuesday to bolster defence and security ties and backed a "common strategic vision" of a free and open Indo-Pacific - a region where both countries have troubled relations with China.Foreign and defence ministers of both countries held talks under the so-called ‘India-Japan 2+2’ dialogue in New Delhi, the third such bilateral engagement in five years.The ministers discussed progress on the transfer of battleship communication antennas and related technology from Japan to India, according to a joint statement.The move would mark Japan’s first export of defence equipment and technology transfer to New Delhi under a 2015 pact, as Tokyo seeks to strengthen its defence industry.Economic and political ties between India and Japan have grown. The nations are part of the Quad security grouping with the United States and Australia, seen as a counter to China’s influence in the region.Last year, Japan and India, the world’s third and fifth largest economies respectively, launched a $600 million joint fund for low carbon emission projects. Bilateral trade was worth $22.85 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year. Japan and India hold third ‘2-plus-2’ security talks (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [8/20/2024 10:10 AM, Staff, 2042K, Positive]
The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and India held security talks in New Delhi on Tuesday, aiming to ramp up cooperation amid more assertive Chinese military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara met with their Indian counterparts Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, respectively, in the two governments’ third "two-plus-two" talks since their launch in November 2019.In recent years, Japan and India have boosted defense collaboration and shared the vision of realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, apparently with China’s increasingly provocative behavior in the region in mind.In the East China Sea, China Coast Guard vessels have repeatedly entered Japanese waters around the Tokyo-controlled uninhabited Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu, fraying Sino-Japanese ties.India also has a longtime territorial dispute with China in a Himalayan border area.As part of the latest efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, Tokyo has been considering exporting communication antennas for Indian warships similar to those installed on a new Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer, according to Japanese government officials.If realized, it would be the first export case under a Japan-India agreement on defense equipment and technology transfer signed in 2015.Japan and India also form the Quad framework along with the United States and Australia, and the four members have been stepping up defense cooperation such as conducting joint exercises involving their maritime forces.India is widely viewed as a leading power among emerging and developing economies, collectively dubbed the Global South, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government has emphasized relations with them.Meanwhile, India is a member of the BRICS forum also involving Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, and has maintained friendly relations with Moscow even after the launch of its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Twitter
Afghanistan
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[8/21/2024 12:35 AM, 62.8K followers, 13 retweets, 25 likes]
By banning @SR_Afghanistan the Taliban are giving up some of their last pretenses of wanting to look rights-respecting. Why not? They’re getting most of what they want from the international community anyway. The international dithering in the face of their abuses is shameful.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[8/21/2024 1:39 AM, 62.8K followers, 1 retweet, 4 likes]
Of course that doesn’t mean the work ends. The Taliban can ban whoever they want, but they can’t prevent Afghan people—especially women & girls—from raising their voices and holding the Taliban accountable. That will never stop, until there is justice, one day.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[8/21/2024 2:16 AM, 62.8K followers, 3 likes]
Lots of SRs—& human rights organizations—work on countries they don’t have physical access to. It’s hard and frustrating but totally feasible. And technology keeps helping more and more. The Taliban’s crimes are known and will be known no matter what, and consequences will come.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[8/20/2024 7:58 AM, 62.8K followers, 28 retweets, 58 likes]
Such a pleasure, as always, to talk with @sorayanelson about the painful third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and how devastating these years have been for women and girls. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fading-hopes-of-the-forgotten/id1642480567?i=1000665812240
Jahanzeb Wesa@JahanzebWesa
[8/20/2024 9:42 PM, 2.7K followers]
Dear @SR_Afghanistan, Taliban prevention you from entering Kabul is a failure of the UN to engage them. The UN’s have not listened to the voice of the Afghan people in the past three years, and now UN must either continue to pay ransom or take practical steps about Afghanistan.
Jahanzeb Wesa@JahanzebWesa
[8/20/2024 5:40 PM, 2.7K followers] Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has once again called on the Taliban to open schools and universities to women and girls as soon as possible. He stressed that freedom from foreign dependence and the country’s progress depend on the education of youth, especially girls.
Nilofar Ayoubi@NilofarAyoubi
[8/20/2024 6:22 PM, 66.9K followers, 11 retweets, 34 likes]
The #Panjshir Province has been hit by severe flash floods, resulting in widespread destruction and the closure of routes. Please keep the people of Panjshir in your thoughts and prayers! Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[8/20/2024 2:45 AM, 6.7M followers, 99 retweets, 299 likes]
Deeply saddened by the loss of lives at a bus accident of Pakistani Zaireen near Yazd in Iran. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. I have directed our Mission in Tehran to extend all possible assistance to the affected families.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[8/21/2024 2:01 AM, 3.1M followers, 2 retweets, 25 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a review meeting regarding countrywide anti-smuggling drive.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[8/20/2024 1:57 PM, 3.1M followers, 19 retweets, 80 likes]
A delegation of Meta calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, today in Islamabad.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan@ForeignOfficePk
[8/20/2024 10:00 AM, 480K followers, 17 retweets, 34 likes]
Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) @CICASecretariat, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay @KairatSarybay, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MishaqDar50 today. The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to CICA’s vision for a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia. He emphasized the need for conflict prevention; addressing the root causes of endemic disputes; and finding sustainable solutions for lasting peace and development in the CICA region. Secretary General Sarybay appreciated Pakistan’s active and constructive role in CICA and briefed the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on the ongoing activities and the future outlook of CICA
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[8/20/2024 12:57 PM, 73.5K followers, 4 retweets, 18 likes]
At least 28 Pakistani pilgrims have lost their lives while 18 others have been injured after a bus overturned at a checkpost in Iran’s Yazd. #Pakistan #Iran
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[8/20/2024 5:30 AM, 73.5K followers, 41 retweets, 163 likes]
Pakistan’s police have arrested a person named Farhan from Lahore’s defence area after what the police say that during investigations it was established that his ‘news website propagated fake news’, which also was part of the fake-news factory during the recent UK riots, he had been handed to FIA.
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[8/20/2024 9:17 AM, 8.5M followers, 1.2K retweets, 4.7K likes]
Daughter of poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz and famous artist Salima Hashmi today joined a protest in Lahore for the recovery of missing journalist #MudassarNarro who disappeared in 2018 after he posted a Punjabi poem against undeclared martial law on Facebook. #EndEnforcedDisappearnces
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[8/20/2024 6:23 AM, 8.5M followers, 39 retweets, 241 likes]
Islamabad High Court seeks responses from Government, PTA over journalist Hamid Mir’s plea against internet ‘firewall’ - Pakistan - http://DAWN.COM https://www.dawn.com/news/1853517 India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[8/21/2024 12:00 AM, 101.2K followers, 3.1K retweets, 22K likes]
I will be visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President @ZelenskyyUa. This visit will be an opportunity to build on the earlier discussions with him and deepening the India-Ukraine friendship. We will also share perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[8/20/2024 11:59 PM, 101.2K followers, 1.9K retweets, 10K likes]
Leaving for Warsaw. This visit to Poland comes at a special time- when we are marking 70 years of diplomatic ties between our nations. India cherishes the deep rooted friendship with Poland. This is further cemented by a commitment to democracy and pluralism. I will hold talks with President @AndrzejDuda and PM @donaldtusk. I will also be addressing the Indian community at a programme in Warsaw this evening. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2047124 Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[8/20/2024 1:06 PM, 3.2M followers, 214 retweets, 1.7K likes]
Co-chaired the 3rd India-Japan 2+2 meeting along with Raksha Mantri @rajnathsingh ji today in Delhi. Thank FM @Kamikawa_Yoko and Defense Minister @kihara_minoru for an extensive and productive discussion on our defense and security partnership. As we complete a decade of the India Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, our teams will prepare a new framework for security cooperation. India and Japan will continue to strive to build a better future for ourselves and for our shared region. : https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/38189/Press_Statement_by_EAM_Dr_S_Jaishankar_on_the_third_22_IndiaJapan_Ministerial_Meeting_20_August_2024 Richard Rossow@RichardRossow
[8/20/2024 9:55 AM, 29.6K followers, 6 retweets, 18 likes]
India’s monthly FDI inflow (new equity) crosses $5b in 3 consecutive months; first time in four years. NSB
Awami League@albd1971
[8/21/2024 12:21 AM, 645.4K followers, 24 retweets, 56 likes]
The gruesome grenade attack of #21stAugust on #AwamiLeague was conspired in the infamous Hawa Bhaban. It was the political office of @trahmanbnp, the eldest son of the then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia where he conspired with militants to kill #SheikhHasina
Awami League@albd1971
[8/20/2024 3:04 PM, 645.4K followers, 45 retweets, 155 likes]
#Bangladesh media is facing obstacles in disclosing the ongoing atrocities against religious minorities. A reporter of a private television @ekhon_tv has been terminated for documenting first-hand accounts of #communalviolence and looting. And the world is doing little to stand beside the minorities. #AlleyesonBangladesh #AllEyesonBangladeshHindus #SaveBangladesh #HumanRights
Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[8/20/2024 9:11 AM, 91K followers, 13 retweets, 57 likes]
Bangladesh: @amnesty and other rights groups write a joint letter requesting urgent action towards UN human rights monitoring and investigation in Bangladesh. https://amnesty.org/en/documents/asa13/8438/2024/en/ #Bangladesh
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[8/21/2024 1:40 AM, 99.6K followers, 4 likes]
The 6th Economic Development Board Meeting was convened today. We discussed ways to support domestic construction companies and facilitate partnership between Bhutanese businesses and businesses overseas.
Moosa Zameer@MoosaZameer
[8/20/2024 12:57 PM, 13.8K followers, 28 retweets, 44 likes]
I enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the Maldivians who are currently residing in Riyadh, which included students, professionals, and their families. I reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing opportunities for as many Maldivians as possible to excel in a variety of professions and further their education abroad.
Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[8/20/2024 6:34 AM, 91K followers, 7 retweets, 14 likes]
NEPAL: The recent transitional justice law adopted by the lower house includes many provisions that could advance justice for conflict-era crimes, but still has elements that could undermine a successful outcome, said @amnesty, @hrw and @ICJ_org https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/08/nepal-new-transitional-justice-law-a-flawed-step-forward/
Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[8/20/2024 6:41 AM, 91K followers]
To ensure the integrity of the process and bring the law into compliance with Nepali and international legal standards, serious accountability gaps need to be addressed by lawmakers.
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[8/21/2024 12:53 AM, 6.2K followers, 2 retweets, 4 likes]
Had a productive meeting with the U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer Littlejohn today. Discussed further measures to consolidate the partnership including in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change @USEmbSL @MFA_SriLanka
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[8/20/2024 5:47 AM, 6.2K followers, 20 retweets, 94 likes]
Constitutional Amendments!
As the presidential election approaches, there are renewed calls and pledges to abolish the executive presidency—a promise that has been made many times before but never fulfilled. Leaders like Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga postponed it until after their term ended, while Maithripala Sirisena cited the Supreme Court’s determination as a reason for not acting.
The reality is that abolishing the executive presidency directly impacts Articles 3 and 4 of our Constitution. The Supreme Court has made it clear that such a change cannot be made without a referendum. This is not a matter of political will alone; it’s a constitutional requirement.
So, if you’re serious about this promise, let’s talk about specifics. When will this referendum take place? Is this something you’re planning to address only after your term ends, as we’ve seen in the past? The people of Sri Lanka deserve clarity on the timeline and the process.
Our democracy thrives on transparency and honesty. If you truly intend to make this change, then it is your responsibility to provide the roadmap. If not, let’s not confuse the electorate with vague promises that lack a clear plan.
Namal Rajapaksa@RajapaksaNamal
[8/20/2024 7:22 AM, 437.5K followers, 6 retweets, 22 likes] Met with the GMOA today. The discussion was insightful, and we are dedicated to addressing key issues to support both professionals and the nation. #Namal2024 Central Asia
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[8/21/2024 3:06 AM, 197.2K followers, 2 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev attended the launch ceremony for the construction of wind farms, industrial facilities, and the commissioning of large-scale complexes in #Karakalpakstan. He symbolically pressed a button to begin the construction and operations of these new facilities, congratulating everyone involved and highlighting their significant importance to the country’s economy.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.