SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Monday, June 17, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Taliban agree to attend UN-hosted 3rd Doha meeting on Afghanistan (VOA)
VOA [6/16/2024 10:33 AM, Ayaz Gul, 4032K, Neutral]
Afghanistan’s Taliban government said Sunday it will send a delegation to the two-day United Nations conference on Afghanistan, set to commence in Doha, Qatar, June 30.This will mark the first time the de facto Afghan rulers will attend a gathering of international envoys on Afghanistan since U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres started the process over a year ago, aimed at developing a coherent and unified world approach to engagement with the Taliban.Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesman, told an Afghan television channel Sunday that their government had held internal discussions on the agenda for the third Doha conference and agreed to participate.“We will announce the composition of the delegation later, God willing. We believe this will serve the interest of Afghanistan,” Mujahid said in his interview, aired by TOLO News.He defended the decision and did not mention any conditions from their government, saying they consider any meetings facilitating humanitarian aid and investment in Afghanistan to be crucial.The Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesman later said in a formal statement that the decision to participate in the upcoming Doha meeting had stemmed from their own two months of discussions with the U.N. on the agenda and the list of the participants.“If there are any changes to the agenda and participation, it would naturally affect our decision which we will share with all sides at that time,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi cautioned.The U.N. has stated that the third Doha meeting aims to increase international engagement with the Taliban and Afghanistan at large "in a more coherent, coordinated and structured manner.”Guterres did not invite the Taliban to the first Doha meeting in May 2023, and the Afghan rulers refused an invitation to the second this past February.The fundamentalist Taliban had asked the U.N. during the lead-up to the second Doha meeting to only recognize their delegates as the country’s official representatives. This meant that Afghan civil society leaders and women’s rights activists would not be allowed to be present. The Taliban authorities also sought a meeting between their delegation and the U.N. at “a very senior level.”U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres rejected the conditions. The international community does not recognize the Taliban government, as many of its top leaders remain under terrorism-related U.N. sanctions.Mujahid did not specify any conditions for their involvement in the forthcoming Doha conference.Curbs on womenSunday’s Taliban announcement comes amid persistent calls from Afghan and global rights monitors to ensure women’s representation at the table in the Doha meeting, with women’s and girls’ rights at the center of discussions.The hardline Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan almost three years ago, imposing sweeping curbs on women’s right to education and public life at large in line with their harsh interpretation of Islam.Afghan girls ages 12 and older are banned from attending secondary school, while women are prohibited from public and private workplaces, including the U.N., except for Afghan health care and a few other sectors.Women are not allowed to travel long distances by road or air unless accompanied by a close male relative and are banned from visiting public places such as parks, gyms, and bathhouses.The elusive Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has rejected international criticism of his governance, including restrictions on women, as an interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.The Taliban’s ban on educating girls reached 1,000 days last week, with UNICEF, denouncing it as a "sad and sobering milestone and demanding its immediate removal.“For 1.5 million girls, this systematic exclusion is not only a blatant violation of their right to education but also results in dwindling opportunities and deteriorating mental health," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 has led to the worsening of economic and humanitarian conditions in the impoverished nation of more than 40 million people, reeling from years of war and the devastation of natural disasters.The World Food Program estimates that more than a quarter of the population needs food assistance for survival. “More than 12 million people in Afghanistan do not know where their next meal will come from,” the U.N. agency stated. Afghan Taliban Govt Says To Attend Next Round Of UN Talks In Doha (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [6/16/2024 11:00 AM, Susannah Walden and Qubad Wali, 1530K, Positive]
Taliban authorities will attend the third round of United Nations-hosted talks on Afghanistan in the Qatari capital, a government spokesman said on Sunday, after snubbing an invitation to the previous round.The Taliban government’s participation in the conference of foreign special envoys to Afghanistan had been in doubt after it was not included in the first set of talks and then refused an invitation to the second round in February."A delegation of the Islamic Emirate will participate in the coming Doha conference. They will represent Afghanistan there and express Afghanistan’s position," Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP.The talks in Doha are scheduled for June 30 and July 1, and have already been criticised by women’s groups.Mujahid told Afghan media on Sunday that a delegation -- yet to be announced -- would attend because the talks’ agenda appeared "beneficial to Afghanistan".The agenda includes "topics such as aid for Afghanistan and creating opportunities for investors in Afghanistan, which are important", he said.However, foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi warned in a post on social media site X later on Sunday that "if there are any changes to the agenda and participation, it would naturally affect our decision" to attend.Launched by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in May 2023, the series of talks aim to "increase international engagement with Afghanistan in a more coherent, coordinated and structured manner", according to the UN.Civil society groups that included women were invited to the February talks but the Taliban government refused to participate unless its members could be the sole representatives of Afghanistan.It also requested to meet Guterres, who at the time said the set of conditions to participate "were not acceptable".In recent weeks, multiple UN representatives and international envoys have held meetings with the Taliban government on the next Doha talks, which Guterres will not attend.Diplomatic sources told AFP there were plans to consult with Afghan civil society groups before and after the next talks, but that they would not take part in meetings that include the Taliban authorities.The sources said the official meetings were due to cover finance and economic issues, as well as counternarcotics efforts.Several civil society groups have urged the UN to prioritise women’s rights and include Afghan women."The world must provide platforms for the people and women of Afghanistan to discuss the future of their country," Afghan women’s rights activist Hoda Khamosh, now based in Norway, told AFP."Still, they are not heard because the world is interacting anyway with the Taliban, even if they say they do not recognise them."The international community has wrestled with its approach to the Taliban government since it returned to power in 2021, still not officially recognised by any other state.The Taliban government has imposed a strict interpretation of Islam, with women subjected to laws characterised by the UN as "gender apartheid".Human Rights Watch’s Associate Women’s Rights Director, Heather Barr, said the Taliban should not have been allowed to make demands on the conditions of the meetings considering their policies targeting women."It is unthinkable that diplomats could gather to discuss Afghanistan in the middle of such a crisis and do so without women’s rights being the main issue on the agenda and Afghan women being full participants in the discussion," she told AFP.Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, extended Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi an advance invitation to the talks during a visit to Afghanistan in May, a statement said.A key element of the talks held in the Gulf state, which hosted the Taliban during years of peace talks with the United States, is a UN independent assessment on Afghanistan released late last year.The assessment, backed by Western nations, suggested recognition of the Taliban authorities be tied to the removal of restraints on women’s rights and access to education.It also recommends the appointment of a UN special envoy, which the Taliban government has rejected. Al-Qaeda invites anti-West ‘brothers’ to Afghanistan (The Telegraph)
The Telegraph [6/15/2024 2:20 PM, Akhtar Makoii, 29812K, Neutral]
Al-Qaeda has urged its supporters to go to Afghanistan and train for “special operations” against Israel and the West.Saif al-Adl, the leader of al-Qaeda, who is believed to be based in Iran, urged “brothers wherever they are” to strike Israelis “for their crimes in Palestine”.The terror group behind the September 11 attacks in New York in 2001 has long advocated an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine by violent means.In a 10-page pamphlet seen by The Telegraph, al-Adl said: “The loyal people of the Ummah [worldwide Muslims] interested in change must go to Afghanistan.“[They must] strike all Zionist interests both Western and Jewish in all Islamic lands” with “painful” attacks.The Taliban offered Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda sanctuary in Afghanistan for their operations in the mid-1990s.Since the Taliban was overthrown by the US in the invasion that shortly followed 9/11 and returned to power three years ago, it has attempted to distance itself from al-Qaeda, saying there is no evidence its members are in the country.However, al-Adr suggested his group would be welcome in the country, as he urged supporters to “migrate to Islamic lands, particularly Afghanistan”.The appropriate “reaction to our enemies’ crimes is with action, not with words”, he said in his address.Al-Adr, who became al-Qaeda’s third leader after Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a US drone strike in 2022, also praised and encouraged “sleeper cells” in Western countries, saying “they act as a deterrent force against further Western crimes”.Al-Adr’s message represents al-Qaeda’s most overt attempt to rebuild a substantial presence in Afghanistan since the Taliban retook power.A local official in western Herat city said the Taliban would welcome their “brothers”.“We welcome our brothers wherever they are to come to Afghanistan, we will train them to strike Israelis for their crimes in Palestine,” he told The Telegraph by phone.“Our leaders are just condemning the Israelis with words, Palestinians need military support, I will go there if God gives me this chance,” he added.However, a Taliban spokesman in Kabul said that authorities “are not allowed to talk about al-Qaeda to the media” and Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s government official spokesman, refused to answer questions on the presence of al-Qaeda supporters in Afghanistan. War Veterans and Family Testify at Al Qaeda Commander’s War Crimes Tribunal (New York Times)
New York Times [6/14/2024 4:14 PM, Carol Rosenberg, 831K, Neutral]
A U.S. Army veteran spoke about being left blind by a sniper’s bullet in wartime Afghanistan. A Florida father said he lost his best friend when a roadside charge killed his eldest son, a Green Beret. A former bomb squad member described two decades of trauma and anxiety from dismantling a car bomb that could have killed him.
The physical and emotional carnage of the early years of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan was on display Friday as prosecutors presented their case to an 11-member U.S. military jury hearing evidence in the sentencing trial of a prisoner called Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi.
Mr. Hadi, 63, sat silently alongside his American military and civilian lawyers, mostly with his head bowed, throughout the testimony. Next week he will address the jury about his own failing health and trauma from time in U.S. detention, starting with several months in C.I.A. custody after his capture in Turkey in 2006.
The case is an unusual one at the court, which has focused on terrorism cases, such as the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In an 18-page written plea, Mr. Hadi admitted that he served as a commander of Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan who had committed classic war crimes, including using civilian cover for attacks such as turning a taxi into a car bomb.
Friday’s testimony cast a spotlight on the invasion by an international coalition assembled by President George W. Bush after Sept. 11 to hunt down Osama bin Laden and dismantle the Taliban for providing safe haven to Al Qaeda. It was America’s longest war and ended in a withdrawal of U.S. forces in August 2021, 10 months before Mr. Hadi pleaded guilty.
Sgt. Douglas Van Tassel, an active duty Canadian paratrooper, donned his uniform including his jump boots to testify to the loss of a compatriot, Cpl. Jamie B. Murphy, 26, who was killed in 2004 when a suicide bomber attacked their two-jeep convoy as they drove near Kabul.
Sergeant Van Tassel mopped tears from his eyes as he described how fear and the hardship of his continuing service had harmed his family. “I’m going to do it until I can’t do it anymore,” he said, declaring himself “afraid of not being busy” once he retires from service.
Under the rules of the court, victims cannot recommend a sentence to the jury of U.S. officers from the Army, Air Force and Marines who will decide a sentencing range of 25 to 30 years. Instead, the witnesses told their stories of loss.
To Maris Lebid, a detective on the Cape Coral, Fla., police force, her big brother Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, was a leader and mentor to his six sisters and brothers by the time he and three other members of his Special Forces unit were killed by a land mine in Afghanistan in 2004.
She called him “the solid foundation in our family,” the big brother who “always knew the right thing to say, the right thing to do.”
Their father, Bill Eggers, a veteran of the Vietnam War, called his oldest son “my best friend and my son and my buddy,” a man he shared war stories with between his deployments to Afghanistan.After learning of his death, Mr. Eggers said, “my PTSD just went right through the roof.” It is a condition, he said, that has caused cognitive difficulties and for which he receives treatment at a Veterans Affairs facility in Florida.
Tears ran down the face of retired Master Sgt. Robert Stout, a former National Guard soldier, who struggled to describe the trauma he has experienced since March 2004. His six-vehicle convoy had been shadowed by a suspicious taxi in Jalalabad that the soldier realized was probably an improvised car bomb.
It failed to explode, but Sergeant Stout, who in civilian life served as a bomb disposal expert with a state police unit, later discovered about 500 pounds of explosives packed inside and dismantled it. The episode has haunted him ever since and forced his early retirement from public service.“I needed to get my calm back,” he said, describing himself in a state of constant hypervigilance. Even now, two decades later, he said, “I have a problem with crying over stupid stuff. It’s embarrassing as heck.”
Colin Rich, a retired sergeant major in the U.S. Army, was led to the witness stand by a prosecution team escort to describe how he had been shot through the head by an enemy bullet on Dec. 29, 2002. By then, Mr. Hadi “directed, organized, funded, supplied and oversaw Al Qaeda’s operations against U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan,” according to his guilty plea.
In time, Sergeant Major Rich lost all but 20 percent of his vision. “My door-kicking days were over,” he said, describing how he had continued to serve in an administrative capacity until he was medically retired five years later.“I haven’t driven in 20 years,” he said. “I have to have people run my errands. I stay at home most of the time, waiting for another seizure to happen.” Pakistan
Pakistan to Raise Power Prices in Key Move to Secure IMF Loan (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [6/16/2024 1:25 AM, Kamran Haider and Faseeh Mangi, 27296K, Neutral]
Pakistan is raising power prices by an average 20% to bolster its chances of securing a new loan from the International Monetary Fund.The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority will increase the power tariff by an average 5.72 rupees to 35.50 rupees per kilowatt-hour for Pakistan’s 10 power distribution companies for the next fiscal year starting from July 1, authority spokesman Sajid Akram said by phone on Saturday.Pakistan cut power tariffs for industrieson Friday to help make exports competitive. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government raised taxes in its budget last week to boost revenue as it engages in talks with the IMF for more emergency funding.The nation expects to securea staff-level deal for a program that will last minimum three years by July, according to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.“The power tariff hike is critical for securing the IMF program as it is a key part of stalling the ongoing rise in debt across the energy sector,” said Uzair Younus, a principal at The Asia Group’s South Asia Practice.The arrangement is part of a multiyear tariff regime, and any change will be applicable after the regulator decides on the government’s requests for a uniformed tariff for the state-owned power distribution companies and K-Electric. Pakistan’s tax-heavy budget likely to land IMF bailout, but stoke tensions (Reuters)
Reuters [6/14/2024 6:58 AM, Ariba Shahid, 5.2M, Neutral]
Pakistan’s plan to raise taxes in its 2024-25 budget and boost state revenues will help it win approval from the International Monetary Fund for a loan to stave off another economic meltdown, but could fuel public anger, a former finance official, experts and industrialists said.
The South Asian country has set a challenging tax revenue target of 13 trillion rupees ($47 billion) for the year starting July 1, a near-40% jump from the current year, and a sharp drop in its fiscal deficit to 5.9% of GDP from 7.4% for the current year.
Pakistan had to reduce its fiscal deficit as part of negotiations with the IMF, with which it is discussing a loan of $6-8 billion, as it seeks to avert a debt default for an economy growing at the slowest pace in the region.
"The budget is enough to get an IMF Programme, as long as ... the budget is passed in the way it is presented," former finance minister Miftah Ismail said. But he said the revenue targets will be challenging, as will the growth target of 3.6%.
"The two cannot happen simultaneously," said Ismail, who as then-finance minister successfully negotiated the revival of Pakistan’s last Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme in 2022.
Outside analysts largely concur. Emerging Market Watch’s Metodi Tzanov believes the budget in its current form should be acceptable to the IMF.
"The government ticked almost all the right boxes to comply with IMF conditions, including withdrawal of tax exemptions, raising corporate tax for exporters, increasing the personal income tax rate, tightening the noose around non-filers, and hiking fuel tax," he said.
But some said the IMF might baulk if it saw the tax target as unrealistic.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who presented the budget for the first time, said he expected to seal a Staff-Level Agreement with the IMF in July.The IMF did not immediately publicly comment on the budget and did not respond to questions sent by Reuters.
The big rise in the tax target is made up of a 48% increase in direct taxes and 35% hike in indirect taxes. Non-tax revenue, including petroleum levies, is seen increasing by a whopping 64%.
Taxes have notably been slapped on previously protected export-oriented sectors such as textiles, which consistently make up over half of Pakistan’s exports, and whose receipts keep a persistently high external account deficit in check.
The representative body for the sector, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, called for a review of the budget, terming it "extremely regressive" and one that "threatens the collapse of the textile sector and its exports".
It warned of "dire consequences for employment and external sector stability, as well as for overall economic and political stability and security".
The Pakistan Business Council also called for budgetary measures to be reconsidered.
"The budget prioritises securing another IMF EFF but lacks innovation for domestic economic growth," said Musadaq Zulqarnain, director at the Pakistan Textile Council and chairman of Interloop, one of Pakistan’s largest textile manufacturers.
The coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif does not have the luxury of a parliamentary majority to help it pass the budget smoothly.
Sticking to the reform measures will require it to resist pushback from key economic sectors as well as a broader public already angry at the prospect of further price rises.
Sharif’s party had to convince its largest ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), without whom it does not have a majority, to attend the budget session in parliamentary. PPP said it was not happy with some of the measures.
But analyst Yousaf Nazar, formerly of Citibank, believes the protestations are just political posturing. "(PPP) won’t rock the boat," he said.
With few options in the short term to support Pakistan’s recent stability, an IMF programme appears crucial.
Increasing the tax base in an economy where proper documentation is often lacking will require considerable time and effort. Pakistan’s undocumented parallel economy is huge and 44% of its nominal GDP does not contribute significantly towards direct tax revenue, according to the Tola Associates, a tax firm.
Traders and agriculturalists in particular, both politically influential, have resisted the government’s push to register themselves and document their sales."If the tax base is not going to increase, moving forward, the country’s tax revenues growth can drop further and it might end up as a dead weight loss to the economy," Tola Associates said in a note.
"The real challenge is that of implementation," said former central bank chief and Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Reza Baqir.
"For example, the budget targets an ambitious increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio. Many previous budgets have similarly targeted ambitious improvements. I would hope that the lessons from why those ambitions were not realised have been reflected in this budget." Pakistani Taliban announce a 3-day cease-fire with security forces on Eid al-Adha holiday (AP)
AP [6/16/2024 11:58 AM, Staff, 31180K, Neutral]
A key Pakistani militant group behind scores of gun and bomb attacks on Sunday announced a rare cease-fire with security forces during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in Pakistan on Monday amid a surge in violence.The cease-fire announcement would allow worshippers to attend Eid prayers at mosques and open areas without fear of attacks by militants.Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is a separate group from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, said in a statement it decided to announce a cease-fire on the demand from the Pakistani people.TTP said its fighters would defend themselves if acted by security forces. TTP has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021, when the U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from the country after 20 years.This is the second time that TTP has announced a cease-fire, after 2021. That cease-fire ended in 2022. Since then, the Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks, straining ties between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban’s government as Islamabad says most of the TTP leaders are hiding in Afghanistan.Pakistan also says TTP uses Afghan soil for attacks in Pakistan, a charge that TTP and Kabul deny. Ahmadis in Pakistan say intimidated ahead of Eid al-Adha feast (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [6/15/2024 11:02 AM, Kaneez Fatima, 85570K, Negative]
Pakistanis from the minority Ahmadi community say they are under increasing pressure from authorities and Islamist groups ahead of the Eid al-Adha celebrations on Monday.The Ahmadiyya sect, considered heretics by fundamentalist groups, has been persecuted for decades in Pakistan but threats and intimidation have risen in recent years."Eid is supposed to be a happy occasion, but it’s filled with trepidation and threats for us now," Naeem Aslam, an Ahmadi in Chakwal, told AFP.The Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, to be celebrated on Monday, is marked by the ritual sacrifice of animals often bought days in advance.Amir Mehmood, a spokesman for the community in the city of Chakwal in Punjab, said police earlier this week placed three senior representatives in "preventive detention" for 30 days, demanding a written order that they would not sacrifice animals.Mehmood told AFP that the men were released on Thursday following negotiations and pressure from rights groups, and a verbal commitment to perform the religious rites at their homes -- something he said Ahmadis already do."The law allows us to practice our faith in the four walls of our homes. But even that has become an issue recently," Mehmood said.The government’s deputy commissioner office in Punjab said the detention order was given to "maintain law and order" after public complaints."This opposition to our performing the sacrifice is something recent that we’ve seen happening in the last three or four years," Aslam said.But their belief that the movement’s founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the "mahdi" or messiah has marked them as blasphemous unbelievers, particularly in Pakistan. There are around 500,000 Amadis in Pakistan according to their community leadership.The constitution has branded them non-Muslims since 1974, and a 1984 law forbids them from claiming their faith as Islamic or openly practising Islamic rituals.In a report published last year, the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said there had been a surge in the persecution of Ahmadis in Punjab, adding that the rise of extremist religious groups in recent years had aggravated anti-Ahmadi sentiment.Pakistani police arrested a man last Sunday accused of killing two Ahmadis hours apart in separate attacks in the eastern Punjab province.Last month, a mob from the radical anti-blasphemy party Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) gathered outside an Ahmadi place of worship in Jhelum, Punjab, where a TLP leader threatened to hang any member who dared to perform the sacrifice.In videos of the incident shared on social media, the frenzied crowd can be seen chanting in support as the police look on."Ever since that day men, on motorcycles have been stationed outside the homes of Ahmadis in the area spying to see if we bring home an animal for sacrifice," an Ahmadi leader in the city who asked not to be named told AFP."All this intimidation is being done with the tacit approval of the authorities," he said. "This has only further emboldened the extremists."Ahmadis in the city have also been asked to give written assurances to police that they would "maintain law and order" after several residents registered complaints against them, he added.Fayyaz Ahmad -- not his real name -- had to hide on his rooftop when police raided his home in the industrial city of Faisalabad last year.A complaint had been filed against him after his neighbours saw his nephew distributing meat among relatives.According to Ahmad, police went through his refrigerator to look for evidence of the sacrifice."I’ve lived in this area for 27 years and this was the first time something like this happened," he said.A viral video last year from the same city showed police in Faisalabad raiding the house of an Ahmadi and recovering three goats."As much as I want to perform my religious duty this year, I have to hold back. I can see my neighbours peeping in to see if I have bought a goat," Ahmad said. 4 Killed In Roadside Bombing In Pakistan’s Restive Northwest (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [6/16/2024 6:42 AM, Staff, 1530K, Negative]
Four passengers were killed and two others wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in Pakistan’s northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on June 16. The incident occurred in the restive tribal district of Kurram. District emergency service officials told Radio Mashaal that all the victims were members of one family. The two wounded are being treated at a military hospital in Peshawar. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Kurram has a history of sectarian violence. India
US Lawmakers to Visit India to Strengthen Ties, Meet Dalai Lama (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [6/16/2024 12:51 AM, Anup Roy, 27296K, Neutral]
A bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, will visit India to strengthen bilateral ties and meet exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.The delegation including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi will meet with the 14th Dalai Lama, Indian officials and representatives of US businesses in the country, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Committee Friday, which doesn’t say when they’ll visit. Local media including ANI News reported the trip begins this week.“Tibetans are a democracy-loving people who wish to practice their religion freely. This visit should highlight the bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for Tibet to have a say in their own future,” the statement quoted McCaul as saying.Tibet has been an autonomous region of China since the People’s Liberation Army entered the country in 1950, leading to the eventual flight of the Dalai Lama to India nine years later. China opposes anyone who voices support for Tibet and the Tibetan spiritual leader.Diplomatic relationship between US and China nearly froze after then-House Speaker Pelosi visited Taiwan in late 2022, despite repeated warnings by the Chinese government against contact with the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own.McCaul and Pelosi are joined by House members Gregory W. Meeks, Jim McGovern and Ami Bera, and Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Nicole Malliotakis. Narendra Modi flashes his ‘multi-alignment’ diplomacy at G7 summit (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [6/15/2024 7:14 PM, Pranay Sharma, 400K, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his first trip abroad since his ruling party lost its outright majority to show that his "multi-alignment" foreign policy remains intact.At the G7 summit in Italy, Modi appeared to indicate that his electoral setback earlier this month will not sidetrack his diplomatic tightrope walk between Western influence and Russian supplies of arms and oil.Modi returned to New Delhi on Saturday after having held several bilateral meetings in Italy, including with Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.Modi shared India’s views on some of the pressing issues confronting the world and stressed the need to prioritize the concerns of the Global South, where most of the world’s poor live.But he skipped the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, which shares a border with Italy. He had been widely expected to attend."India’s stand is based on principled pragmatism," said Venkat Verma, India’s former ambassador to Russia. "But it has been a tough balancing act."Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit. He told Zelenskyy that "India continues to encourage peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, and reiterated that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution," according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs."India’s voice has been for peace even while recognizing that its bilateral relations with Russia are far too important in an evolving multipolar world," Verma said.India has neither criticized Putin nor imposed sanctions on Russia, and in March 2022 it abstained from voting on most anti-Russian resolutions at the United Nations."The world knows India’s stand on Ukraine," said Anil Wadhwa, a retired secretary of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. However, "it obviously cannot go against Russia because of its dependencies and to maintain strategic autonomy."Russia is India’s largest weapons supplier and a major energy source. The nations work closely in defense, security, space, nuclear energy, high-tech and other areas. As one of the U.N. Security Council’s five permanent members, Russia supports India in its ambition to take a seat at that table.Although Modi skipped the peace summit, India sent Pavan Kapoor, a former ambassador to Russia and a secretary at the External Affairs Ministry.The other BRICS nations of Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa boycotted the peace conference and had been surprised by India’s apparent willingness to attend.A former Indian diplomat who refused to be named saw a pro-Western tilt to India’s stand. "In a multilateral meeting it doesn’t matter if the participation is at the prime minister’s level or by an official. The country will be counted as" an attendee.Meanwhile, observers said Modi’s global standing has not been tarnished by his electoral setback."A diminished majority in parliament does not bother the world," said Wadhwa, who has also served as ambassador to Italy. "They see Modi’s return as continuity. India under a third term of Modi is seen as an oasis of stability and solid growth in a world of volatility. Countries across the world want to engage with India."The peace summit in Switzerland drew skepticism.Former Indian ambassador Verma called it "stillborn" and a desperate attempt by the West to impose peace terms on Russia and legitimize the appropriation of seized Russian assets."It was billed as a peace conference, but Modi’s absence renders this conference even less significant," said Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasian Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, an American think tank. "Most world leaders are unwilling to commit themselves as they know nothing will happen until the U.S. presidential election" in November. Indian national accused of murder-for-hire plot arrives in New York (Washington Post)
Washington Post [6/16/2024 5:38 PM, David Nakamura and Ellen Nakashima, 54755K, Negative]
An Indian citizen accused of attempting to kill a Sikh separatist in New York has been extradited to the U.S. ahead of an expected federal court appearance, people with knowledge of the situation confirmed.The defendant, Nikhil Gupta, has been charged with murder for hire linked to a foiled plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen who advocates for an independent Sikh state. Gupta, 52, is listed on the Board of Prisons inmate website as being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal administrative detention facility.Gupta’s lawyers have said he is a law-abiding businessman unjustly caught up in the escalating geopolitical “crossfire” between the United States and the Indian government.Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive legal proceedings. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country.Federal prosecutors say a senior Indian government intelligence employee ordered the assassination of Pannun in May and hired Gupta to arrange the hit. U.S. authorities broke up the plot last June before it could be carried out. Pannun works as general counsel for the New York-based Sikhs for Justice, a group that seeks to carve from India an independent Sikh state called Khalistan.Gupta’s attorney, Rohini Musa, wrote in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that her client is being unfairly prosecuted, saying there is “nothing on record to link the Petitioner to the massive alleged plot to assassinate the alleged victim.”Musa complained that Gupta received adverse legal advice from a Czech government-appointed attorney “under the undue influence of … U.S. Agencies” during the initial phase of his detention. She said India and the United States were “going back and forth to blame each other for their foreign policy.”Prosecutors said that hours after the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada on June 18, 2023, the unnamed Indian government agent sent Gupta a “video clip that showed Nijjar’s bloody body slumped in his vehicle.” Hours later, according to the indictment, the Indian government agent sent Gupta the street address of Pannun. The same person messaged Gupta two days later, saying that the assassination of Pannun was a “priority now.”In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” that agents of the Indian government were behind Nijjar’s killing. Indian suspect in plot to kill Sikh separatist extradited to US (Reuters)
Reuters [6/16/2024 11:42 PM, Kanishka Singh and Sarah N. Lynch, 42991K, Negative]
An Indian man suspected by the U.S. of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil has been extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons website and a source familiar with the matter.Nikhil Gupta has been accused by U.S. federal prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. resident who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state in northern India.Gupta traveled to Prague from India last June and was arrested by Czech authorities. Last month, a Czech court rejected his petition to avoid being sent to the U.S., clearing the way for the Czech justice minister to extradite him.An inmate search by name on the Bureau of Prisons website showed on Sunday that Gupta, 52, is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, a federal administrative detention facility. A source familiar with the matter, who did not want to be identified, separately confirmed Gupta’s extradition and his detention in Brooklyn.A U.S. Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. Gupta’s U.S.-based lawyer, attorney Jeffrey Chabrowe, had no immediate comment. There was also no immediate comment from Czech authorities.The discovery of assassination plots against Sikh separatists in the U.S. and Canada has tested relations with India, seen by Western nations as a counter to China’s rising global influence. India’s government denies involvement in the plots.Canada said in September its intelligence agencies were pursuing allegations linking India’s government to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 in Canada.In November, U.S. authorities said an Indian government official had directed the plot in the attempted murder of Pannun, who is a U.S. and Canadian citizen. Gupta is accused of involvement in that plot.Pannun told Reuters on Sunday that while the extradition was a welcome step, "Nikhil Gupta is just a foot soldier." He alleged that those who hired Gupta were senior members of the Indian government who act on the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.India’s government has dissociated itself from the plot against Pannun, saying it was against government policy. It has said it would formally investigate security concerns raised by Washington.New Delhi has long complained about Sikh separatist groups outside India, viewing them as security threats. The groups have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India.Last month, Washington said it was satisfied so far with India’s moves to ensure accountability in the alleged plots, but added that many steps still needed to be taken. India says novelist Arundhati Roy could be tried under antiterror law (Washington Post)
Washington Post [6/15/2024 12:59 PM, Gerry Shih, 54755K, Negative]
The Indian novelist Arundhati Roy could face serious charges over comments she made 14 years ago about Kashmir after an official from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday authorized her prosecution under a stringent anti-terrorism law.The decision to invoke India’s controversial terrorism provision against one of the ruling party’s most outspoken — and internationally renowned — critics comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third term, and it has been widely viewed as a signal of strength emanating from Modi’s camp.Although Modi was forced this week to form a new coalition government after a shock election result on June 4 reduced his seat count in Parliament, the Indian leader has projected an image of confidence as he kept his cabinet unchanged in key positions and vowed to double down in his fight against his political opponents, whom he called corrupt.The office of V.K. Saxena, the BJP lieutenant governor of New Delhi who sanctioned Roy’s anti-terrorism case, said investigative agencies had sought the use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Roy’s case and Saxena approved the request. It did not offer further comment. But several BJP spokespeople defended the move and portrayed Roy as a traitor backed by the opposition Congress party. On a prime-time debate show, BJP national spokesman Tuhin Sinha accused Roy of seeking to demoralize the Indian Army. Another BJP spokesman, Shehzad Poonawalla, compared the writer to convicted terrorists, in a video statement published on X.“Arundhati Roy said that Kashmir is not an integral part of India when the Congress was in power,” Poonawalla said in his post Saturday. “Congress and its ecosystem support people who want to break India into many pieces.”Roy, 62, first faced a criminal complaint after she told an audience at a conference in New Delhi that Kashmir was never part of India before it came under occupation by Indian troops. Roy’s comments sparked immediate protests by BJP supporters, but the criminal case faded away. It was resurrected 13 years later, in October, when Saxena sanctioned her prosecution on charges of promoting enmity between groups and threatening India’s national integrity.On Friday, Saxena allowed the case to be escalated by announcing that Roy could be prosecuted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a provision that allows terrorism suspects to be held preemptively without bail for many years before charges are brought. Crucially, the UAPA has no statute of limitations, allowing authorities to levy charges against Roy even though her alleged offenses took place in 2010.One of the most controversial parts of the Indian legal code, the UAPA has been invoked by the Modi government in recent years against student activists in New Delhi, journalists in Kashmir and the Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, who died in prison in 2021 while facing terrorism charges. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations human rights special rapporteur, has criticized Indian authorities of using the law to “criminalize human rights defenders.”Another speaker at the 2010 conference, Kashmiri law professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain will also face investigation under the UAPA, Saxena’s office announced.Roy’s lawyer, Rebecca John, called the case politically motivated.“If the Delhi police took 14 years to investigate a case, where the only charge against Ms. Roy is one of making a ‘speech,’ which admittedly did not lead to any violence or other ‘unlawful activity,’ I am afraid it speaks poorly of the investigating skills of the police force,” John said in a text message. “Clearly, the case against Ms. Roy is political in nature given her unfailing commitment to human rights.”After shooting to international prominence with her debut novel, “The God of Small Things,” in 1997, Roy has campaigned against a broad range of issues, including the Indian administration of Kashmir, the building of dams and U.S. foreign policy. Since Modi’s rise to national power in 2014, Roy has become one of his most visible critics in international forums by frequently writing essays in Western publications and delivering public speeches.On Saturday, politicians from several opposition parties accused the BJP of authoritarian behavior.“If by prosecuting Arundhati Roy under UAPA BJP trying to prove they’re back, well they’re not,” Mahua Moitra, member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress, said on X. “This kind of fascism is exactly what Indians have voted against.”Roy declined to comment. India: author Arundhati Roy to be prosecuted over 2010 Kashmir remarks (The Guardian)
The Guardian [6/15/2024 10:07 AM, Clea Skopeliti, 86157K, Negative]
Indian authorities have granted permission for the prosecution of the Booker prize-winning Indian novelist Arundhati Roy over comments she made about Kashmir at an event in 2010.The top official in the Delhi administration, VK Saxena, gave the go-ahead for legal action against Roy, whose novel The God of Small Things won the Booker prize in 1997, under anti-terrorism legislation, alongside a former university professor, Sheikh Showkat Hussain.The action against Roy and Hussain, a former professor at the Central University of Kashmir, is over allegedly making provocative speeches, the Press Trust of India reports, citing officials from Saxena’s office.Saxena, who is serving as the lieutenant governor, is a politician from prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP.While Roy, 62, is one of India’s most famous living authors, her activism and outspoken criticism of Modi’s government, including over laws targeting minorities, have made her a polarising figure in India.Friday’s development follows the news that Saxena had last October given approval for the case to proceed before the courts – more than a decade on from when a criminal complaint against Roy and several others was originally filed. The complaint concerned Roy’s comment that the disputed territory of Kashmir was not an “integral” part of India, and accused her and others of giving speeches advocating the secession of Kashmir from India.Roy’s home in Delhi was besieged by protesters in 2010 when her comments from the panel discussion were published, when about 150 members of the BJP women’s organisation demanded that she retract her statement or leave the country.The decision to prosecute was denounced by the Communist party of India (Marxist), which said in a statement: “Condemnable. The Delhi LG has granted permission to prosecute Arundhati Roy under the draconian UAPA [Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act] for a speech reportedly made 14 years ago – in 2010. Defies logic except the fascist kind. Timing is suspect since courts are on vacation, as are lawyers.”The UAPA – under which the prosecution has been granted – is unconstitutional and undemocratic, say critics. UAPA, ostensibly a terrorism prevention law, has been routinely used by the Modi government to try to silence government critics, including lawyers, activists, journalists, priests, poets, academics, civil society members, and Kashmiri civilians.In recent years, Roy has stood out as one of the most high-profile critics of Modi’s government, which has been accused by rights groups and others of targeting activists and the suppression of free speech.Roy was contacted for comment through her agency. Railway collision in eastern India kills 15, injures several (Reuters)
Reuters [6/17/2024 3:52 AM, Subrata Nag Choudhary and Sudipto Ganguly, 5.2M, Negative]
A freight train smashed into the rear of a stationary passenger train in India’s West Bengal state on Monday, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens, police said, in an accident that railway authorities blamed on a disregarded signal.
Media showed images of the pile-up, with containers from the goods train strewn nearby, and one carriage left nearly vertical after the accident, which comes just over a year after a signalling error caused one of India’s worst rail crashes.
At least 15 bodies have been pulled from the mangled carriages, Abhishek Roy, a senior police official in the eastern state’s district of Darjeeling, the site of the accident, told Reuters.
Nearly 30 people were injured and rescue teams from the police and national disaster response force were working with doctors and residents of the area to clear debris from the derailed carriages, Roy added.
The goods train hit the Kanchanjunga Express travelling to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, from the northeastern state of Tripura, driving three carriages of the passenger train off the rails.
It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on board at the time.
Rescuers used iron rods and ropes to work free one carriage of the passenger train that had been swept upwards to lodge on the roof of the freight train by the impact of the collision.
The dead included the driver of the freight train and a guard on the passenger train, Jaya Varma Sinha, the head of the railway board that runs the countrywide network, told reporters.
The accident happened after the driver of the freight train disregarded a signal and hit the rear end of the express train, Sinha added.
Rescue work has been completed, Sinha said, while authorities were working to restore traffic, although the damage had been less extensive than initially feared.
"The guard’s compartment in the passenger train was badly damaged," he added. "There were two parcel vans attached ahead of it which reduced the extent of damage to passengers."
Nearby residents heard a loud crash and saw the pile-up upon going to investigate, several told the ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake.Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences on the loss of life in the accident and said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was on his way to the site.
About 288 people died a year ago in the neighbouring state of Odisha, in India’s worst rail crash in more than two decades, caused by a signal failure. India calls for stronger protections for its overseas workers (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [6/17/2024 4:18 AM, Neeta Lal, 2M, Neutral]
Binu Nayar spent part of the past two decades talking to his brother, Murlidhar Nayar, by phone, listening to him describe the overcrowded living conditions he endured in Kuwait so he could remain employed and feed his family back home.
Murlidhar was a senior supervisor for NBTC Group, a Kuwaiti construction company run by an Indian from the southern coastal state of Kerala. He shared a two-bedroom flat with nine other workers.
"Despite the hardships, my brother continued working for the company for over 20 years as a senior supervisor because he couldn’t find another job back home," Binu told Nikkei Asia by phone. "He was supporting his family of four. He told me last month he was keen to retire and come home."
"Now, instead of welcoming him in person," Binu went on, starting to sob, "I’m going to collect his body from the airport tonight."
Murlidhar, 62, was one of 45 Indian laborers who died last week when flames engulfed their seven-story dormitory in Mangaf, 30 minutes by car from Kuwait City. The deaths sparked outrage across Murlidhar’s birth country where unemployment is so rampant Indians flock to labor-unfriendly countries as well as to conflict zones in the Middle East and the Ukraine-Russia region. Indian laborers are still enrolling to work at Israeli construction sites despite the raging war.
Most of the deaths were from smoke inhalation as the flames erupted early Wednesday morning while most residents were asleep, Kuwaiti officials have told Indian TV channels. Three Filipinos were among the dead, and preliminary investigations point to safety code violations.
Oil-rich Kuwait employs thousands of foreign workers, mostly Indians, who take jobs in construction, manufacturing and transportation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X called the fire "saddening" and said the Indian Embassy would monitor the situation closely and work with the authorities "to assist the affected." Next of kin will receive 200,000 rupees ($2,400), his office announced the same day.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s junior foreign minister, reached Kuwait on Thursday to help survivors and repatriate remains. "Some of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition, so DNA tests [are] underway to identify the victims," he told the media.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, are clamoring for the freshly sworn-in Modi government to introduce a law to protect migrant workers.
"This tragedy is a reminder of the terrible privations our migrant workers undergo in their efforts to support their families at home," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor posted on X. "When Indian workers are sent abroad, they must have contractual assurances of decent conditions of life, work, pay & residence before they leave our shores."
Most of the deceased Indians were working for NBTC Group.
Labor activists say inadequate legal protections make migrants vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, thousands of Indian laborers involved in constructing stadiums and other infrastructure were repatriated unceremoniously and without their wages having cleared following reports of abuse.
The Indian government was helpless to take up their cause, experts pointed out.
According to Renjimon Kuttappan, an Indian labor migration researcher and author of the book "Undocumented: Stories of Indian Migrants in the Arab World," the Kuwait tragedy is the result of a chronic indifference toward addressing migrant rights, safety and working conditions in destination countries.
"The migrants’ working and living conditions are still governed by the archaic [Indian] Emigration Act of 1984," he said, "despite migration patterns changing dramatically over the decades and the number of workers leaving for foreign shores surging manifold."
Kuttappan added that there was an attempt to update the act in 2019, but it failed to get parliamentary approval and not much has been done since.
In 1961, the International Labor Organization made certain recommendations to all countries to ensure that migrant workers were offered decent living and working conditions as well social protections. However, because these were not formalized into a convention, no country is legally bound to follow them, Kuttappan said.
"The lack of legal protections often results in low wages, poor working conditions and employee abuse for overseas workers," said Nodeep Kaur, an activist and member of Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, a pan-India organization fighting for workers’ rights. "Racial discrimination is also common."
She added that workers often invest substantial amounts in agent fees, visas, airfare and other necessities to secure employment abroad. Many end up selling their ancestral land and family heirlooms in their desperation to land a job, Kaur said.
According to Ministry of External Affairs data, nearly 8.8 million Indians live and work in the Persian Gulf region. They are recruited through what is known as the kafala system, a visa sponsorship program that binds them to employers. Fear of retribution or deportment prevents them from seeking better housing or occupational safety improvements, Kaur said.These conditions prevail while migrant workers send staggering amounts of money back home. According to the United Nations’ latest World Migration Report, India in 2022 was the highest recipient of remittances from abroad, at $111 billion, well ahead of Mexico, at $61 billion; China, at $51 billion; the Philippines, at $38 billion; and France, at $30 billion.
India is also the source of the largest number of international migrants, sending nearly 18 million people abroad. The diaspora is spread across the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, the report states.
Kuttappan says India is uniquely positioned to push for better living and working conditions for its workers given Modi’s proximity to Arab leaders. "But the country has failed to uphold the rights of these laborers toiling abroad," he said. "It should leverage its growing goodwill in the West Asian countries to guarantee the well-being of these workers. The PM should look into the matter before another tragedy strikes." Will India’s powerful Modi change his ways after the election setback? (Washington Post)
Washington Post [6/16/2024 3:00 AM, Gerry Shih and Karishma Mehrotra, 54755K, Neutral]
In 2016, Narendra Modi faced his first crisis as Indian prime minister.After he made a snap decision to remove large currency notes from circulation — a move aimed at reducing graft — India’s economy went into shock. Poor patients couldn’t pay doctors. Truck drivers, unable to pay tolls, clogged highways. Indians died while queuing outside banks, desperate to exchange bills.His opponents called for a public apology. Modi doubled down and hit back at them instead.“They may not spare me. They may ruin me because their loot of 70 years is in trouble, but it does not bother me,” Modi said in a national speech in which he attacked his critics as corrupt. “I promise, I will give you the India of your dreams.”Eight years on, Modi is again on the back foot after a humbling election result on June 4 forced him to form a coalition government for the first time in his career. But Modi’s imperious and unapologetic leadership style — the hallmark of one of the most powerful prime ministers in Indian history — will probably persist, those who have observed him say.Shortly after he was sworn in for a third term June 9, “Modi reasserted his authority,” said Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an author who interviewed the then-Gujarat state leader for a 2013 biography. “He is not somebody who expresses regret or says I’m sorry. It is in a situation of complete control when he is most happy.”How Modi governs will profoundly affect both policymaking and politics in India. Over the past decade, he has centralized power in the prime minister’s office, often bypassed parliamentary debates, and abruptly announced economic and military changes — such as the 2016 demonetization plan — that surprised experts and angered swaths of Indian society.In the political arena, he has hamstrung opposition leaders, tamed the media and even sidelined competing voices among the Indian right as he burnished his image as a beloved leader whose actions are inspired by God.Last week, Modi unveiled a new government that signaled continuity, not change. He included newcomers from his coalition partners, but the key portfolios of defense, finance and foreign affairs were all retained by loyalists from his Bharatiya Janata Party. He did not include a Muslim, a minority he has long demonized, in a 71-member council of ministers that was otherwise diverse in geographic origin and caste.He also retained Amit Shah, a close confidant and the BJP’s political strategist, to continue overseeing domestic agencies, including the investigative apparatus that opposition leaders and independent news outlets say has been wielded against them.In Parliament, Modi will continue to exercise significant power, even though he will govern alongside two coalition partners, Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, the respective leaders of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar states. While both Naidu and Kumar clashed with Modi in the past — Kumar famously compared Modi to Hitler during a falling-out in 2013 — neither has the ambition to challenge Modi in national politics today.Analysts say the Modi-led government would probably collapse only if Naidu and Kumar left simultaneously, and Modi could offer incentives, such as increased federal spending for poor northern Bihar or foreign supply chain contracts and investment for coastal Andhra, to keep them on.One area that could see potential change is the politics of religious polarization: Naidu and Kumar, who rule states with large Muslim populations, have both defended affirmative action programs for Muslims, which Modi has criticized, and their presence in the government may slow Modi’s Hindu nationalist agenda. But if the Indian opposition believes the two state leaders will check Modi’s power, they may be mistaken, analysts say.“If you can’t pull the government down, what can you do?” said Ruchi Gupta, a founder of the Future of India Foundation who has been affiliated with the opposition Congress party. “You will then bargain for whatever you can get at your own state level.”There have been some differences since the results were announced. In speeches since the election, Modi has made adjustments in tone, if not in substance. He has made fewer references to himself or to religiously charged issues, but he has still emphasized that Indian voters delivered a clear mandate for him to continue.He has also sharpened a familiar line of attack, calling the opposition alliance venal and vowing to crack down on corruption more forcefully.Outside the halls of government, however, the atmosphere in New Delhi has begun to shift, with mild criticism of Modi beginning to emerge from quarters that usually praise him.“Men who were treated like Gods … were eventually found to have feet of clay,” Aroon Purie, the media magnate who owns the India Today TV channel and magazine, two outlets that rarely stray from the official line, wrote in a widely read column last week.Days later, officials from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the powerful Hindu nationalist volunteer organization where Modi began his career, obliquely chided the “arrogance” of top BJP leaders. The comments seemed to confirm widespread reports of rifts between the RSS and its ideological partner, the BJP, that had emerged during the long and divisive election.“The election campaign was devoid of dignity,” Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS chief, said in a speech in which he reiterated the importance of respecting the opposition in a democracy. Bhagwat did not name any politicians, but his remarks sparked lively discussions of Modi’s leadership style on television networks that once avoided criticism of the prime minister.Ratan Sharda, an author and prominent RSS member, said Bhagwat was directing his comments at political leaders from all parties, not only Modi. In the third term, Sharda said, RSS members will continue to voice their views on what the Modi administration should do while giving the BJP the space to set priorities and govern, but he said he was confident that Modi was open to taking outside inputs into consideration.Sharda dismissed the notion that Modi would struggle with a coalition government or with building consensus.“He has his ears on the ground,” Sharda said. “If Modi-ji can manage world leaders, how can he not know how to negotiate with alliance partners?” he added, using an honorific to refer to Modi.The debates over Modi’s governing style point to a fundamental question facing India. As the election ramped up this year, some commentators argued that more centralized power for Modi — something like the China model — would lead to higher economic growth. Only Modi’s firm hand, the thinking went, could unravel socialist-era labor and land policies, privatize stagnant public enterprises, boost the country’s image and attract foreign investment.The business sector seemed to agree and on the day the election results were announced showing Modi had lost his parliamentary majority, the stock market tumbled.But Arvind Subramanian, a former chief economic adviser to Modi, argued that if the prime minister softened his style, his government might actually prove more effective.In 2017, less than a year after the chaos of his demonetization announcement, Modi introduced another controversial economic policy, a goods and services tax. Before its introduction, however, the tax was primed by extensive consultations with the various Indian states, and while it drew complaints, it succeeded, Subramanian said.But several years later, Modi abruptly unveiled another plan — agricultural revision bills — this time with little consultation. The bills met with massive resistance from farmers and extensive protests. BJP leaders lashed out, accusing the protesting farmers of being backed by Pakistan and a Sikh separatist movement, exacerbating grievances and ultimately resulting in violent protests. Modi eventually backed down and issued a rare apology.“The notion that you need someone tough to ram things through isn’t borne out,” Subramanian said. “When you’re inclusive, when you allay concerns and get buy-in, you make things easier to do.” Will India’s Modi break the ice with Pakistan in his third term? (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [6/17/2024 4:35 AM, Abid Hussain, 20.9M, Neutral]
As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third time as his country’s leader on June 9, seven counterparts from neighbouring nations joined a very select audience in marking the moment.
The setting — a summer evening, with an orangish dusk sky, and handpicked leaders from the region in attendance — carried echoes of Modi’s first oath-taking ceremony as India’s premier in 2014, which was repeated in 2019.
But there was one big difference from 2014: Missing from the lineup of visiting leaders was the prime minister of Pakistan.
A decade ago, images of Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif clasping Modi’s hands during his visit to attend the swearing-in event signalled a fresh hope for long-tortured India-Pakistan relations — hope that subsequent setbacks to ties have all but extinguished. Now, as Modi begins his third term in office, with a sharply reduced mandate that has left him dependent on coalition allies to stay in power, analysts expect the Indian leader to pursue a tough posture towards Pakistan, with little incentive to seek any easing in tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.“Modi will reach out to regional neighbours, all of whom were invited to his swearing-in. But not Pakistan,” said Maleeha Lodhi, former Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations, United States and the United Kingdom. “His government is likely to continue its hard line towards Pakistan with which he has shown no interest to engage for the past five years. This is unlikely to change.”
And early signs appear to vindicate Lodhi’s assessment.
A message and an attack
On the very day that Modi took oath, at least nine people were killed and more than 30 injured when a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in the Reasi district of Indian-administered Kashmir fell in a gorge after it was targeted by gunmen.
This was followed by three more incidents within a week in different areas of Indian-administered Kashmir in which security forces engaged with attackers, killing three while seven security personnel were injured.
Indian security agencies have blamed Pakistani involvement. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch rejected the allegations on Thursday, and accused Indian authorities of a “habit of making such irresponsible statements”.“No one takes these allegations seriously,” Baloch said.
Still, a day after the attack in Reasi, former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif tried to rekindle his past bonhomie with Modi.“My warm felicitations to Modi Ji (@narendramodi) on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” the three-time prime minister, and currently a member of the Pakistani parliament, wrote on June 10.
The Indian premier, too, responded in kind, acknowledging the message by his former counterpart.“Appreciate your message @NawazSharifMNS. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority,” he wrote on X.
By contrast, the congratulatory message from Pakistan’s current prime minister, Nawaz’s younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, was far more restrained.“Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India,” Sharif wrote from his account.
Security concerns
After the attack in Reasi on June 9, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah — widely seen as Modi’s deputy — pledged that those behind the attack would not be spared.
India has long viewed Pakistan primarily through the prism of its security concerns. India accuses its neighbour of fomenting trouble in Indian-administered Kashmir, as well as of masterminding numerous violent attacks on Indian territory, charges which Islamabad has denied.
Ajay Darshan Behera, a scholar of international studies at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, says that India’s policy towards Pakistan hinges on the issue of “terrorism”.“The previous Modi regime aimed to raise the costs for Pakistan for supporting terrorism. If there is no major terrorist attack in Kashmir, this Modi regime will likely maintain a policy of indifference towards Pakistan. It is doubtful that Prime Minister Modi will unilaterally initiate any re-engagement with Pakistan,” he told Al Jazeera.
Shaping that approach is the spectre of violence that has always hovered over the relationship when the two sides have attempted peace overtures.
In late 2015, Modi paid a daylong surprise visit to Pakistan to attend the wedding of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s granddaughter near Lahore.
The visit resulted in hopes that the two countries might be forging a path of reconciliation but merely a week later, a group of attackers entered an Indian Air Force base, killing at least eight Indians, including security personnel. India blamed Pakistan for the incident and demanded that it arrest the perpetrators of the attack.India’s hardened stance towards Pakistan since then, said Lodhi, the former ambassador, had reaped “rich electoral dividends” for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — especially during the 2019 Indian elections.“Their Pakistan-bashing makes chances of any India-Pakistan thaw very slim,” she added.
Salman Bashir, another senior diplomat and a former Pakistani high commissioner to India, said that India’s current position on Pakistan — effectively, a refusal to talk until its security concerns are addressed — is a relatively cost-free option for Modi, though he added that it might be premature to speculate on the Indian premier’s next steps.“There are no compulsions for Modi to try to mend relations with Pakistan. India stands to gain by continuing its adversarial policy towards Pakistan,” Bashir told Al Jazeera.
2019 turning point
When Modi won the second term in the 2019 elections, the election campaign was marked by anti-Pakistan jingoism fuelled by a sharp escalation in tensions that left the neighbours on the verge of war.
Months before the elections, an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir saw more than 40 Indian soldiers killed. The Indian government blamed Pakistan for orchestrating the attack and launched a strike inside Pakistani territory, saying it targeted fighters’ training camps.
Pakistan responded by sending its fighter jets into Indian airspace the next day and in the ensuing chase, an Indian Air Force jet was shot down and the pilot captured. The tense standoff only calmed down after Pakistan returned the pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, two days after his arrest.
Riding the anti-Pakistan wave, as well as his own popularity, Modi’s BJP managed to win more than 300 seats and returned to power.
Five years later, things appear to have changed, at least domestically for Modi.
For long stretches of the seven-phase election campaigning, Pakistan’s mention as an electoral theme was almost negligible, and the country only became a talking point during the later stages.
Defying exit polls that had projected a landslide majority for the BJP and its allies, Modi’s party fell short of the halfway mark (272 seats) in parliament, winning 242 seats. It is the first time in a quarter century as a chief executive — first in charge of the state of Gujarat and then, since 2014, of India — that Modi has had to depend on allies to keep his government in place.
Irfan Nooruddin, a professor of Indian politics at Georgetown University in Washington, said that the “relatively poor performance” of the BJP in the 2024 general election might mean that the immediate focus of the Indian government is more “inward-looking” as the “party introspects on its losses and tries to avoid a repeat in the state elections”. Several key states are expected to vote for their legislatures in the next few months, including Maharashtra, India’s second-largest state.“I doubt we’ll see any significant foreign policy announcements other than those that allow PM Modi to showcase his close personal partnership with Western leaders,” Nooruddin told Al Jazeera.“Foreign policy tends not to be an electoral issue and the coalition partners on whom PM Modi’s government relies do not have strong foreign policy preferences,” Nooruddin added.
Diplomatic deadlock
Meanwhile, Sharat Sabharwal, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, said he does not foresee any major change in the foreign policy of the new Modi government compared to the previous one.“I think India would respond positively to improve relations with Pakistan provided it sees a constructive and pragmatic approach from the Pakistani side,” he told Al Jazeera.
The former diplomat said that while it is a given that better relations will help benefit both countries, he added that holding an antagonistic stance exacts more of a cost on Pakistan.“Pakistan’s adversarial posture towards India, a country with an economy 10 times bigger, imposes a heavy burden on its economy. Suspension of trade with India also hurts Pakistan’s economy much more than the Indian economy,” he added.
India, with a population of more than 1.4 billion people, is the world’s fifth-largest economy.
It is becoming an increasingly assertive voice on the global front, hosting G20 summits, and joining various multilateral forums like the Quad. Modi’s first overseas trip after taking oath was to attend the G7 leadership meeting in Italy.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, a country with 241 million people, is seeking its 24th loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 1958, to shore up its faltering economy amid a volatile political and security landscape.“Both India and Pakistan’s economies would benefit from a more rational relationship, and given India’s relative economic strength vis-a-vis Pakistan, one could even argue that India would gain more,” Nooruddin said. “So, I do think it’s in India’s long-term interest to make its Pakistan posture less adversarial.”
Behera of Jamila Millia University said that improved bilateral ties could prove beneficial to traders and farmers on both sides who have lost business opportunities due to the stalemate.“However, neither country can take the initiative to improve ties, as both have conditions for re-engagement. India demands a commitment from Pakistan to stop supporting terrorist groups, while Pakistan seeks the restoration of Article 370,” he added, referring to India’s 2019 decision to scrap the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir that gave it some autonomy.
Nooruddin said that both sides needed to do more to restore ties to a semblance of normalcy — but that New Delhi ought to take more responsibility.“I’d argue it’s a shared onus. But India, which wishes to be seen as a global player and as the regional hegemon, should act first so that it can fulfil its global ambitions,” he said. NSB
Maldives weighs ban of Israeli passports but fears for tourism sector (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [6/15/2024 5:32 AM, Marwaan Macan-Markar, 2042K, Negative]
The Maldives is eyeing a ban on Israeli passport holders despite concerns for its tourism-dependent economy as public anger mounts in the Muslim-majority nation over the situation in Gaza.A Maldivian parliamentary committee is reviewing a bill on the matter. Political insiders in Male, the capital, expect lawmakers on the security and services committee to echo the sentiments that emerged on Monday, when parliamentarians from across the divide spoke in favor of amending the country’s immigration act during the preliminary debate. This rare show of bipartisanship was further mirrored by 88 lawmakers who voted unanimously to support the bill tabled by Meekail Naseem, a member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party.The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago famed for its luxury resorts, put Israeli holidaymakers on notice earlier this month when the government of President Mohamed Muizzu announced a plan for a passport ban in response to widespread public anger in the nation over the mounting death toll in Gaza. "We’re exploring the fastest legal route to this," Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan told local media. "Our objective is ... to amend the laws in order to stop the entry into Maldives with Israeli passports."Soon after, U.S. news outlet Axios reported that U.S. Democrat Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a staunch ally of Israel, began seeking bipartisan support to draft legislation in response to the Maldives’ move. The legislation will be called the Protecting Allied Travel Here (PATH) Act, according to Axios.A legislative showdown with a powerful adversary is unlikely to precipitate a sea change in the heavily tourism-dependent country, senior political figures told Nikkei Asia. The government and parliament, they added, have been under public pressure for months to respond to Israel’s war in Gaza, which erupted with a Hamas attack on Israelis in early October.Large billboards expressing solidarity with the beleaguered Palestinians went up in some places late last year. In other corners, protests have been held to amplify pro-Palestinian messages. The president’s office has also been the target of protests held to decry the government’s delay in passing the Israeli passport ban."It was actually pressure from the public that prompted the president and the cabinet to act," former foreign minister Dunya Maumoon told Nikkei. "The parliamentarians also do not have a choice in this matter anymore, given the feelings among the Maldivian public towards the people of Gaza."Such a national consensus underscores a country’s "sovereign right to decide which nationals should be permitted to enter its borders," she added. "I definitely think we have the moral high ground and also are with the international opinions against what is happening in Israel."But there have been some voices of caution, according to Male-based diplomatic sources, pointing to influential figures in the money-spinning tourism sector. "Certainly the resort industry is concerned about the economic implications, recognizing the potential domino effect of others boycotting the Maldives," one diplomat told Nikkei.Last year, the country attracted a record 1.8 million holidaymakers, including 11,000 Israelis. This year through April, the islands have attracted 886,000 tourists, including 528 Israelis, most of whom were young surfers visiting the Thulusdhoo atoll north of Male.These numbers show Israelis already seem hesitant to travel to the Muslim-majority country. In October, the month of the Hamas attack, Israeli arrivals declined to 518 from 1,776 in September. For the next three months, Israeli arrivals to the Maldives were in the double digits.The numbers also show the Maldives is enjoying a tourism boom. Overall arrivals for the first five months of this year are on a pace to exceed the record set in 2023.Tourism is the country’s main economic driver, contributing about 30% of gross domestic product and generating over 60% of foreign currency earnings.The $5 billion economy, however, is under pressure. The International Monetary Fund early this year put the Maldives on notice about "debt distress" risks.This month, the Maldives Monetary Authority, the central bank, revealed that in April its usable foreign currency reserves had shrunk to an estimated $114 million, down from $151 million a year earlier. This indicates the country has barely enough to cover two months of imports -- less than the threshold of at least three months that is thought to lessen financial risks and economic instability.Elected in September, Muizzu began his term in mid-November with debt alarms sounding. The country has had to service an average of $300 million in foreign debt every year since 2022. Next year that figure will go up to $363 million, according to Fitch Ratings, the global ratings agency.Not surprisingly, the government is banking on tourism to keep its fragile economy afloat, but the move to ban Israeli passport holders could be at odds with this drive.A government source said the international mix of tourist arrivals should cushion any immediate impact from the proposed ban. So too should the return of Chinese tourists, who this year have topped all arrivals to the Maldives. The Maldives’ second largest source of tourists is Russia, followed by the U.K., Italy and Germany. The U.S. was the Maldives’ eighth largest source of tourists. Central Asia
Kyrgyz Activists Protesting Border Deal With Uzbekistan Acquitted (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [6/14/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Neutral]
A court in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, has acquitted all members of a group facing 20 years in prison for protesting a border deal with Uzbekistan. The judge ruled on June 14 that were was insufficient evidence to convict the 27 activists. Earlier this week, prosecutors asked for lengthy sentences for each member of the group for protesting a deal that saw Kyrgyzstan hand over the Kempir-Abad reservoir to Uzbekistan. On June 12, several international rights groups demanded the immediate release of the protesters and said the request for lengthy sentences for each activist "compounds an already shocking miscarriage of justice." In Kyrgyzstan, Kempir-Abad Case Ends in Acquittal (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [6/14/2024 9:00 PM, Catherine Putz, 1156K, Neutral]
On June 14, a court in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, acquitted all defendants in the Kempir-Abad case, citing insufficient evidence.The ruling came just days after prosecutors wrapped up criminal proceedings and asked the court to convict the group of more than 20 people on charges of plotting “mass riots,” “forcible seizure of power” and “public calls for a violent seizure of power.” Prosecutors had sought 20-year sentences for all involved.It was a surprising outcome to a long saga that has come to encapsulate Kyrgyzstan’s repressive turn.The roots of the Kempir-Abad case (although government figures did not like that phrasing) was a historic border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan involving the Kempir-Abad Reservoir, which sits along the border — and the arguably small but vocal opposition to the deal.Kyrgyzstan’s longest border is with Uzbekistan, running 1,314 kilometers around the edges of the famed Fergana Valley. Although the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border has been less volatile in recent years than Kyrgyzstan’s border with Tajikistan, it has not been without disputes or incidents in the 30 years since the Soviet Union’s collapse made it an international boundary. The 2016 death of Uzbek President Islam Karimov marked a sea-change in relations, however, with new President Shavkat Mirziyoyev much more invested in finalizing the border and broadening regional cooperation.By 2017, around 85 percent of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border had been formally described and agreed to, but the remaining sections, including the Kempir-Abad reservoir (known in Uzbekistan as the Andijan reservoir), presented a greater challenge.In March 2021, Chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS or GKNB) Kamchybek Tashiev somewhat prematurely celebrated the complete settling of the border issue. He said after a trip to Tashkent that “[i]ssues around the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border have been resolved 100 percent. We have tackled this difficult task. There is not a single patch of disputed territory left.” He mentioned a number of land swaps that would settle the deal, triggering some frustration and small protests in Osh.The following year the two sides made more decisive steps toward an agreement, engaging in successive rounds of negotiation. By the end of 2022 the two governments announced an agreement and signed it, respectively, into law.The agreements, as outlined by Kun.uz at the time, included a land swap, which saw Uzbekistan receive the 4,957 hectares on which the Kempir-Abad reservoir sits as well as an additional 19.5 hectares “for the maintenance and protection of the dam.” In turn, Kyrgyzstan received 1,019 hectares of pasture land plus 12,849 hectares in a separate section of the border as compensation. An additional agreement related to the joint management of the reservoir’s water, which Uzbekistan has been the primary user of since the reservoir’s creation in 1983.There was opposition to the deal in Kyrgyzstan locally and nationally. When Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov traveled in early October 2022 to Uzgen, a town in Osh Region near the reservoir, he was faced with villagers holding signs reading “It is better to give life than land!” When the draft deal was released, and included land swaps, local dissent expanded into wider political and activist circles in the country.On October 22, Kyrgyz politician Ravshan Jeenbekov announced the formation of a committee “in defense of Kempir-Abad” and announced a rally would be held on October 24 in Bishkek.The Kyrgyz government moved swiftly to respond, detaining more than 20 people — politicians and activists, but also a former Constitutional Court judge and a journalist — on October 23, initially on charges of plotting mass unrest. Seizure of power allegations were tacked on later, in January 2023, and the case was classified.For many of those detained, the initial two-month pretrial detention period was extended repeatedly. According to RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service, Radio Azattyk, eight defendants remained in detention as of June 2024 ahead of the surprising acquittal; the remainder had been released to house arrest, most in April 2023. A trio of the initial defendants’ cases were separated from the main case and dropped earlier in 2024. A few others were separated and released to house arrest on account of health issues.On June 12, following the news that prosecutors were seeking 20-year sentences, an array of eight human rights organizations urged Kyrgyzstan to drop “the politically motivated charges and immediately release the group, who were arrested arbitrarily, and some of whom have already spent up to 19 months in pretrial detention.” Human rights activists pointed to myriad violations of Kyrgyz and international law throughout the case, including the reading of the indictment aloud to only some of the defendants, hearings that took place without defense lawyers present, the repeated extension of the pre-trial detention of some of the defendants, and the classification of the case.In a press release the human rights groups said, “The defendants in the Kempir-Abad case were arbitrarily arrested, their extended detention was unjustified, and they should never have been charged or prosecuted for any crime, far less the serious ones the authorities pursued… The authorities are blatantly retaliating against the activists’ peaceful and legitimate criticism and civic engagement against the transfer of the Kempir-Abad dam.”Since Japarov came to power following the October 2020 revolution, Kyrgyzstan’s international reputation as an “island of democracy” has deteriorated. Kyrgyzstan dropped from “partly free” to “not free” after 2020 in Freedom House’s annual Freedom in the World ranking. Bishkek has been also criticized for the passage of a “foreign representatives” law and a crackdown on journalists.The June 14 verdict was read in a closed court, with Radio Azattyk reporting that even the relatives of the defendants were not allowed to attend the proceeding and awaited news in the hallway while supporters gathered outside. The crowd chanted “our heroes” and “well done” as the defendants left the court, engaging in tearful embraces with loved ones and expressing their joy and surprise to journalists recording the scene. Prominent Tajik Lawmaker Detained For Allegedly Plotting To Overthrow Government (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [6/14/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Negative]
Saidjafar Usmonzoda, a prominent member of the Tajik parliament, was detained on June 14 for allegedly “plotting to overthrow the government.”
Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon accused Usmonzoda of collaborating with the foreign-based opposition group National Pact of Tajikistan and of speaking with its leader, the self-exiled Sharofiddin Gadoev.
Gadoev fled Tajikistan in the early 2010s and established the Movement for Reforms and Development of Tajikistan and co-founded the National Alliance, a coalition of opposition groups abroad.
Parliament on June 14 stripped Usmonzoda of his immunity as a lawmaker.
A member of parliament since 2015, Usmonzoda was one of handful of lawmakers accessible to the media and frequently took part in programs by Radio Ozodi, as RFE/RL’s Tajik Service is locally known.
Neither Usmonzoda nor people close to him have commented on his detention. It is unclear if he has legal representation.
A former chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, Usmonzoda was expelled from the party last month for his perceived “unsatisfactory” performance as a party member.
Shaboz Abror, who had led the party conference that resulted in Usmonzoda’s expulsion, was recognized as the party’s new chairman on May 31 by the Ministry of Justice.
However, Usmonzoda maintained in an interview with Radio Ozodi earlier this month that he was the legitimate leader of the party.
Founded in 1990, the Democratic Party of Tajikistan has experienced divisions and scandals since its inception.
In 2013, the party split into two factions, with Masoud Sobirov and Rahmatullo Valiev claiming leadership positions. However, the Ministry of Justice recognized Usmonzoda as the party’s leader.
In the 2013 presidential election, Usmonzoda ran against Emomali Rahmon, the longtime president who has since consolidated his grip on power.
Rahmon, who has run the Central Asian nation since 1992, has been criticized by international human rights groups over his administration’s alleged disregard for independent media, religious freedoms, civil society, and political pluralism. Germany Mulls Migration Pact With Uzbekistan to Deport Afghans (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [6/16/2024 7:32 AM, Michael Nienaber, 27296K, Neutral]
Germany is in talks with Uzbekistan over a migration pact that could include the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers so that Berlin does not have to make any direct deals with the Taliban, according to people familiar with the plan.Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed a tougher stance on migration, including the deportation of criminal asylum seekers to Afghanistan and Syria. The push follows a recent series of violent attacks and the rise of the populist far-right in Germany.Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a senior member of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, sent officials to the Uzbek capital Tashkent at the end of May to negotiate a migration and deportation pact, the people said on condition of anonymity as the talks are not concluded yet.Under the proposed plan, the Uzbek government would take a limited number of Afghan asylum seekers rejected and deported from Germany and then send them onwards to neighboring Afghanistan with the help of a private airline offering flights to Kabul.The Uzbek government is looking at the idea but wants any migration pact to also include bilateral rules that would allow legal migration of skilled workers from Uzbekistan to Germany, the people added.The German government’s special representative for migration agreements, Joachim Stamp, will travel to Uzbekistan soon for further talks on such an agreement, the people said.An Interior Ministry spokeswoman declined to comment on the plan that was also reported by Der Spiegel magazine and DPA news agency.Following a fatal knife attack by an Afghan asylum seeker on a German policeman, Scholz announced in a law and order speech to parliament on June 6 that his government would enable deportation of criminals to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Syria.“Serious criminals and terrorist threats have no place here,” Scholz told lawmakers, adding that the interior ministry was working on the practical implementation and was already in talks with countries bordering Afghanistan. Germany had completely halted deportations to Afghanistan shortly before the Taliban came back to power in the summer of 2021. Notorious Uzbek ‘Thief-in-Law’ On Trial As Tashkent Targets Powerful Crime Bosses (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [6/14/2024 5:50 PM, Farangis Najibullah, 235K, Neutral]
Notorious Uzbek criminal kingpin Bakhtiyor Qudratullaev (aka Bakhti Tashkentsky) and 36 others are on trial in Tashkent in what Uzbekistan says is a campaign against organized crime and street gangs.
The charges against Qudratullaev, 52, include inflicting serious bodily harm resulting in death, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and organizing a criminal group. Among the defendants in the Shaykhontohur district court are his brother, Shuhrat, and his son, Ikhtiyor.
The trial -- which is being held openly and widely followed by the public -- comes nearly three months after a Tashkent court sentenced powerful businessman Salim Abduvaliev, described in a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable as a "Tashkent mafia chieftain," to six years in prison for weapons trafficking.
Qudratullaev, once an influential figure in the Uzbek criminal underworld, had been in and out for prison for decades on various criminal charges ranging from illegal weapons possession and drug trafficking.
He was known as a so-called thief-in-law (vor v zakone in Russian), a term used in Soviet times for underworld bosses who followed certain criminal codes and enjoyed a certain clout within their organized crime groups or in prison culture.
Qudratullaev was last freed from prison in December 2014 for health reasons. Several months ahead of his release, Qudratullaev was transferred from the notorious Zhaslik facility to a prison hospital.
Qudratullaev kept a relatively low profile for a few years until it was reported in 2018 that he had organized a gathering of thieves-in-law and other high-ranking crime bosses from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
The gathering, brazenly hosted at a villa in Tashkent, was described as the first of its kind in Uzbekistan in more than 20 years.
On The President’s Order?
More than 200 people were arrested across Uzbekistan during the police campaign against organized crime and street gangs in November and December 2023.
The campaign climaxed with the March trial of 73-year-old Abduvaliev in a Tashkent district court.
A former wrestler turned wealthy businessman, Abduvaliev had been serving as vice president of Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee and head of the Uzbekistan Wrestling Association.
Known locally as Salimboy or Salim the Rich, Abduvaliev was widely believed to be one of the most powerful figures in the Uzbek criminal underworld.
According to a U.S. diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks in 2011, Abduvaliev had close connections with the Uzbek government that enabled him to "sell" high-ranking state posts or help companies of his choice secure profitable government contracts.
After his arrest in December -- a move that surprised many Uzbeks -- Tashkent deputy police chief Doniyor Toshkhojaev said law enforcement agencies had been investigating Abduvaliev for "months and years." It’s not known why Abduvaliev had fallen out of favor with the Uzbek officials who finally moved to prosecute him.
Other high-profile crime bosses arrested in the raids were Saidaziz Saidaliev (aka Saidaziz Medgorodok), Lutfullo Umarov, and Abbos Khojaev.
Saidaliev -- whose charges include extortion, organizing a criminal group, and threatening murder -- went on trial on June 11 in Tashkent’s Yunusobod district court with 28 other defendants.
Qudratullaev’s 28-year-old son, Ikhtiyor, was taken into custody in December on suspicion of "large-scale extortion committed by a criminal group."
Multiple sources in Tashkent told RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service that the arrests of Abduvaliev and other crime bosses were ordered by President Shavkat Mirziyoev as Tashkent sought to rein in the criminal underworld.
Speaking at an official gathering in Tashkent in late December, Mirziyoev said Uzbekistan’s "streets and neighborhoods" must be "peaceful, clean, and free from crime."
He vowed that in the "new Uzbekistan" under his rule "the law will prevail" and crimes will not go unpunished.
That speech came just two years after Mirziyoev bestowed crime boss Abduvaliev with the prestigious title of Honored Sports Coach. Twitter
Afghanistan
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[6/16/2024 8:32 AM, 241K followers, 28 retweets, 164 likes]
The agenda and participation list of the upcoming Doha meeting shared with the Islamic Emirate after two months of discussions with the UN, it was decided in principle to participate in the said meeting.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[6/16/2024 8:32 AM, 241K followers, 8 retweets, 26 likes]
If there are any changes to the agenda and participation, it would naturally affect our decision which we will share with all sides at that time.
Zhao Xing@ChinaEmbKabul
[6/16/2024 12:45 AM, 28.5K followers, 2 retweets, 26 likes]
Great pleasure to meet with DSRSG for Afghanistan Markus Potzel and exchange views on strengthening China and United Nations’ cooperation in Afghanistan and the third meeting of Special Envoys and Special Representatives on Afghanistan.
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[6/16/2024 12:52 PM, 79.7K followers, 165 retweets, 515 likes]
Afghan girls have been banned from school for over 1000 days. That’s over 3 billion hours of classroom time. I reflect on this message from a girl named Tahmina, who urged me to share her message with the world. https://x.com/i/status/1802383713583481340
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[6/14/2024 1:42 PM, 79.7K followers, 161 retweets, 401 likes]
The Taliban has announced a new “woman” pay bracket for government employees. Regardless of age, education or employment level, women will get a maximum monthly salary of 70 dollars. 70 dollars. Just because you’re a woman.
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[6/14/2024 1:44 PM, 79.7K followers, 28 retweets, 84 likes]
If you’re wondering: “wait, so women *can* work?” Not in the way you’re thinking. It’s because the Taliban is forced to have women employees for policing (house raids, pat-downs), women’s healthcare, etc. The only way women can work is when the Taliban has no choice.
Jahanzeb Wesa@JahanzebWesa
[6/15/2024 6:15 AM, 2.5K followers, 2 retweets, 4 likes]
After the Taliban restricted Afghan women’s ability to work, learn and go out in public, some women initially defied these new rules, taking to the streets to protest. Protesters tell the BBC they were beaten, abused, jailed and even threatened with death: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9xxklr0070o Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[6/16/2024 11:35 AM, 6.7M followers, 201 retweets, 886 likes]
I extend heartfelt felicitations to my countrymen and all Muslims on the joyous and blessed occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. May we all embrace the true essence of this auspicious day, fostering unity and embodying the spirit of sacrifice. Eid Mubarak
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz[6/16/2024 10:54 AM, 6.7M followers, 145 retweets, 452 likes]
Had a warm telephone conversation with Acting President of Iran, H.E. Mohammad Mokhber on Eid-ul-Adha. I conveyed warm greetings to the Government and brotherly people of Iran. Reiterated my commitment to work with total resolve to achieve all objectives as we had jointly agreed during the visit of late Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan. Conveyed my sincere wishes for successful holding of upcoming Presidential elections in Iran.
Imran Khan@ImranKhanPTI
[6/14/2024 11:15 AM, 20.7M followers, 14K retweets, 27K likes] “It is unfortunate how policemen and our soldiers are being targeted by terrorists as we witness casualties on a daily basis. But the military intelligence agencies, instead of doing their job of timely intelligence gathering about terrorists presence & movement, are being illegally used to pressurise and harass Judges adjudicating PTI related cases (IHC judges, ATC judges); while journalists alongside political workers & social media activists & their relatives are being abducted or "arrested” on fake charges. The latest letter by ATC Judge Sargodha to the CJ LHC and before that the letter by 6 Judges of IHC to the CJP have revealed the massive level of involvement of ISI in judicial matters; to date this continues with impunity. By abducting family members of Overseas PTI supporters, leaders & of our social media team, the colonial tactic of collective punishment is being used by our military intel agencies similar to what the Indian army is practising in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.All this is causing an increasing uncertainty and leading the country into chaos. The absence of rule of law is directly affecting the economy and discouraging investment. Pakistan needs investment and Overseas Pakistanis are our biggest assests for this, but they are being treated as enemies. Therefore, I request the Superior Judiciary especially the Supreme Court to look into the matter and, in light of the observations of the Chief Justice Lahore High Court and Judges of Islamabad High Court, save the justice system by curtailing the ISI and the Establishment’s intrusion in the judicial system. This is also tarnishing the image of our armed forces. Unless legal action is taken to restore the independence of the judiciary, the country’s economy will also suffer further irreparable loss.” - Founding Chairman PTI Imran Khan (14-06-2024)
Madiha Afzal@MadihaAfzal
[6/15/2024 5:08 PM, 42.8K followers, 3 retweets, 31 likes]
If Pakistan’s govt is serious about economic reform, it should give real power and autonomy to the finance minister to enact change. There’s power politics on display and clear there are attempts to overshadow the current finance minister’s authority. Doesn’t bode well.
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[6/15/2024 11:49 PM, 8.5M followers, 24 retweets, 162 likes]
Taskforce formed to monitor investigation into journalists’ murders in Pakistan - thanks to @freepressunltd nd Centre for Excellence in Journalism Karachi. https://www.dawn.com/news/1839906 India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi[6/16/2024 11:03 PM, 98.9M followers, 3.1K retweets, 30K likes]
Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha! May this special occasion further cement the bonds of harmony and togetherness in our society. May everyone be happy and healthy.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/15/2024 12:25 AM, 98.9M followers, 16K retweets, 111K likes]
An important G7 Summit, where I presented India’s perspective at the world stage. Here are highlights. https://x.com/i/status/1801833288039911728
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 4:46 PM, 98.9M followers, 3.5K retweets, 24K likes]
Had a very productive day at the G7 Summit in Apulia. Interacted with world leaders and discussed various subjects. Together, we aim to create impactful solutions that benefit the global community and create a better world for future generations. I thank the people and government of Italy for their warm hospitality.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 1:39 PM, 98.9M followers, 9.5K retweets, 86K likes]
It’s always a pleasure to meet @POTUS @JoeBiden. India and USA will keep working together to further global good.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 1:26 PM, 98.9M followers, 5K retweets, 55K likes]
Pleased to meet @UN Secretary General, Mr. @antonioguterres in Italy.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 12:34 PM, 98.9M followers, 11K retweets, 66K likes]
Spoke at the G7 Outreach Session on AI and Energy, Africa and Mediterranean. Highlighted a wide range of subjects, notably, the wide scale usage of technology for human progress. The rise of technology in various aspects of human life has also reaffirmed the importance of cyber security. Spoke about how India is leveraging AI for its development journey. It is important that AI remain transparent, secure, accessible and responsible. https://mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/37873/Prime_Minister_participates_in_the_Outreach_session_on_Artificial_Intelligence_and_Energy_Africa_and_the_Mediterranean_at_the_G7_Summit Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 12:34 PM, 98.9M followers, 1.4K retweets, 5.6K likes]
As far as energy is concerned, India’s approach is based on availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability. We are working to fulfil our CoP commitments before the designated time period. India is working to usher in a Green Era, based on the principles of Mission LiFE. Also highlighted the campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम” to make our planet more sustainable.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[6/14/2024 12:34 PM, 98.9M followers, 1.4K retweets, 5.3K likes]
Reiterated India’s commitment to speak about the well-being of the Global South, which is ironically a major sufferer during any global uncertainty. India will also continue working closely with Africa, a glimpse of which was seen during last year’s G20 Summit when African Union became a permanent member of the forum and that too during India’s Presidency.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[6/14/2024 11:11 AM, 25M followers, 593 retweets, 4.7K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu attended the celebrations of Raja Parb, an agricultural festival of Odisha in Rashtrapati Bhavan. She also witnessed cultural programme in which Raja Geet and Mayurbhanj Chhau, Sambalpuri and Karma dance performances were presented.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[6/15/2024 11:05 AM, 3.1M followers, 276 retweets, 2.2K likes]
A proud moment for Gujarat and the whole nation as Smritivan in Kutch becomes part of the World Selection for the Prix Versailles Museums 2024. A symbol of resilience, this museum also showcases Indian commitment towards building global disaster resilience as envisioned in the @cdri_world initiative.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[6/16/2024 12:24 PM, 210.4K followers, 27 retweets, 146 likes]
I understand Delhi’s reasoning for sending a lower-level diplomat to the Ukraine conf. But not much would’ve been lost by sending the EAM, thereby signaling the importance of a summit focused on the goal--working toward peace--that Delhi has long publicly espoused about the war.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[6/16/2024 8:08 AM, 210.4K followers, 26 retweets, 247 likes]
The G-7 summit-a prestigious forum comprising some of India’s closest friends-came at the perfect moment for Modi. It gave him an immediate opportunity to push back on claims that his reduced mandate at home might affect his standing abroad. The optics speak for themselves.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[6/16/2024 8:27 AM, 210.4K followers, 5 retweets, 34 likes]
Yes this is ultimately about India’s global standing more than Modi’s. The G-7 leaders think it has an important role to play in the world, which it does. But that of course works to Modi’s advantage. NSB
Awami League@albd1971[6/16/2024 11:11 AM, 638.6K followers, 50 retweets, 190 likes]
HPM #SheikhHasina has greeted the countrymen on the eve of the Holy #EidUlAdha. #Bangladesh #AwamiLeague https://x.com/i/status/1802358287385739741
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[6/16/2024 12:16 AM, 108.7K followers, 138 retweets, 172 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu attends Eid al-Adha prayers and exchanges greetings with the public. On Friday, the President extended his felicitations to the people of the Maldives and the Islamic ummah on this year’s Day of Arafah. In his message on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the President advised people to uphold Islamic values and principles while celebrating Eid by remembering Allah’s blessings and avoiding mixing cultural and Islamic traditions.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[6/15/2024 9:08 AM, 108.7K followers, 102 retweets, 141 likes]
The Chinese Ambassador pays a courtesy call on the President https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31031
PMO Nepal@PM_nepal_
[6/16/2024 10:55 AM, 714.2K followers, 12 retweets, 46 likes]
H.E. Mr. Bater, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, paid a courtesy call on the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister @cmprachanda at Singhadurbar. Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries.
MOFA of Nepal@MofaNepal
[6/15/2024 7:16 AM, 258.1K followers, 6 retweets, 27 likes]
H.E. Mr. Bater, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of China paid a courtesy call on Hon. Mr. Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs in his office this afternoon.
MOFA of Nepal@MofaNepal
[6/15/2024 7:16 AM, 258.1K followers, 1 retweet, 1 like]
During the occasion, matters relating to further enhancing bilateral relations; economic and development cooperation, and people-to-people relations were discussed.
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[6/14/2024 9:07 AM, 38.2K followers, 4 retweets, 3 likes]
Secretary General of SAARC Golam Sarwar successfully concluded his visit to Sri Lanka from 10-14 June 2024. As a founding member of SAARC, Sri Lanka assured its fullest cooperation for the SAARC process. More: https://mfa.gov.lk/visit-of-sg-of-saarc-to-sl/ #DiplomacyLK #lka
Namal Rajapaksa@RajapaksaNamal
[6/16/2024 8:27 AM, 436.7K followers, 4 retweets, 13 likes]
Participated in the "Women’s Voice" program in Biyagama. A truly inspiring event celebrating the strength and contributions of women. #SLPP
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[6/15/2024 3:12 AM, 5.7K followers, 13 retweets, 62 likes]
Sri Lanka’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) accelerated to 5.3% in the first quarter of 2024, up from 4.5% in the final quarter of 2023. This growth reflects the economy’s increasing momentum, supported by declining interest rates and robust foreign currency inflows.
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[6/14/2024 7:41 AM, 5.7K followers, 7 retweets, 33 likes]
Today, I had the privilege of meeting the new recruits of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service @MFA_SriLanka. I emphasized the vital role of professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment needed to achieve our foreign policy priorities. These young diplomats stand at the threshold of an exciting journey, ready to prove themselves and make Sri Lanka proud. Together, with passion and purpose, we are determined to elevate our nation on the global stage! Central Asia
MFA Tajikistan@MOFA_Tajikistan
[6/15/2024 5:49 AM, 4.8K followers, 6 retweets, 7 likes]
The African Water Forum was held in Dushanbe https://mfa.tj/en/main/view/15231/the-african-water-forum-was-held-in-dushanbe Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[6/15/2024 1:52 AM, 23.4K followers, 1 retweet, 3 likes]
Good reporting @KunUzNews but it’s one of those instances when Western officials, such as US and EU, sound like Uzbek or other Central Asian officials when questioned on policies in countries. Tashkent … Astana effect. Intl org reps based in capitals are almost always like that but those just visiting are also quickly under the host influence. https://kun.uz/13934977{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.