SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS

epubdos : Afghanistan

Prepared for the U.S. Department of State

Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

By TechMIS
www.TechMIS.com

Mobile User Copy

TO:	SCA & Staff
DATE:	Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:30 AM ET

Afghanistan

Reprieve for Afghan women students facing forced return after US aid cuts (BBC)

BBC [3/19/2025 12:13 PM, Yogita Limaye, 69901K]
More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman on US-funded scholarships - terminated last month due to Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to foreign aid - have received a temporary reprieve.

A US State Department spokesperson has told the BBC that funding will continue until 30 June, 2025.

"This is great news, and we are very grateful," one student told the BBC, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals. "But I hope there will be a permanent solution.".

The women fled Taliban ruled Afghanistan to continue their studies abroad, but the abrupt freeze on US Agency for International Development (USAID) funds put them at risk of being sent back.

Since regaining power in Afghanistan nearly four years ago, the Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on women, including banning them from universities.

The students in Oman were pursuing graduate and post-graduate degrees under the Women’s Scholarship Endowment (WSE), a USAID program launched in 2018 to fund studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

On 28 February, they were informed their scholarships were ending and that they would be sent back to Afghanistan within two weeks, prompting "shock and tears".

"We are relieved now, but we are still deeply concerned about our future," a student said. "If the scholarship is not renewed, we will be left with no option but to return to Afghanistan, where we cannot study, and our safety could be under threat as well.".

The US government has not responded to the BBC’s inquiries on when a final decision will be made.

The BBC has also contacted the government of Oman to find out whether it is seeking alternative funding.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government says it has been trying to resolve the issue of women’s education, but has also defended its supreme leader’s diktats, saying they are "in accordance with Islamic Sharia law".

It has cracked down on women protesting for education and work, with many activists beaten, detained and threatened.

Women in Afghanistan describe themselves as "dead bodies moving around" under the regime’s policies.

Before the funding extension, a WSE staff member had told the BBC they were urgently "searching for alternative funding sources". Calling the situation "dangerous and devastating", the staff member warned that the students could face persecution and forced marriages upon return to Afghanistan.

The women, mostly in their 20s, qualified for scholarships in 2021 before the Taliban seized Afghanistan. Many continued their studies in Afghan universities until December 2022, when the Taliban banned higher education for women.

After 18 months in limbo, they said they fled to Pakistan last September.

USAID then facilitated their visas to Oman, where they arrived between October and November 2024.

The decision to slash American aid funding has come under the Trump administration, and been implemented by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Afghan ambassador to Spain stripped of status after sexual assault claims (The Telegraph)

The Telegraph [3/19/2025 10:30 AM, James Badcock, 29116K]
Mohammad Rahim Peerzada, who has been stripped of his diplomatic status, denies the allegations Credit: CHP

Afghanistan’s ambassador to Spain has been stripped of his diplomatic status amid accusations of serious sexual assaults.

His accusers say Mohammad Rahim Peerzada abused his position of trust to approach them and, in one alleged case, commit rape after using a powerful drug.

But Madrid’s provincial court ruled in September it could not investigate Mr Peerzada as he enjoyed diplomatic immunity. He took over as ambassador at the Afghan Embassy in Madrid when the Taliban came to power in Kabul in 2021.

After complaints from members of the Afghan community, Spain’s government has reacted by stripping Mr Peerzada of his diplomatic status.

“This person does not represent any official delegation, is not accredited in Spain and does not enjoy diplomatic immunity in our country,” Spain’s foreign ministry said in a statement it shared with The Telegraph.

One woman reported Mr Peerzada to the public prosecution office in Madrid last summer for alleged sexual assault.

‘I felt very weak, my vision was blurred’

According to the account by the woman, a refugee from the Taliban given the pseudonym Anis, Mr Peerzada met her at an embassy party to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 2022, and promised to help her get a job in the mission.

They went to a shisha bar to discuss the proposal and there, Anis claimed, her Coca-Cola was spiked and the next thing she remembered was him raping her in a Madrid hotel before driving her to a railway station.

“I felt very weak, my vision was blurred and I urgently needed to sleep,” Anis told the German newspaper Die Welt, describing how she felt on finishing her drink after visiting the bar’s toilet for a minute.

Mr Peerzada was appointed as Afghanistan’s consul in Madrid in Feb 2021, months before then-president Ashraf Ghani’s pro-Western government collapsed. When the ambassador left, he became the de facto head of the diplomatic mission.

The Telegraph has contacted the Afghan Embassy in Madrid to request a response to the allegations.

It is not clear whether Madrid’s provincial court will now take up the case again or if more accusations have been presented against Mr Peerzada.

‘I was terrified but tried not to show it’

Die Welt spoke to the woman identified as Anis and several others who said they had been victims of abuse or attempted assaults by the ambassador. Germany’s police force has reportedly opened an investigation into the claims.

Another Afghan woman residing in Spain told El País how she met Mr Peerzada in a restaurant to discuss how to improve the situation of the 4,000 Afghanis who live in Spain.

The woman said she had accompanied the ambassador to his apartment to smoke a shisha. There, she said he had pushed her onto the bed while supposedly showing her around a home she described as “luxurious”.

“I thought he was going to rape me. I was terrified but tried not to show it. I pushed him away and said, ‘I didn’t come here to have sex with you’,” the woman told the Spanish newspaper using the assumed name Simin.

Mr Peerzada has denied the allegations.

Barred From Studying By Taliban, Afghan Woman Uses Tech Skills To Keep Power Running (Radio Free Europe)

Radio Free Europe [3/19/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K]
Under the Taliban, Afghan women can’t study at universities or work in most jobs.

But 22-year-old Zahra Ali has created a small business that brings in an income and provides a much-needed resource to her neighbors.

At her home workshop in Kabul, she builds rechargeable battery packs that help compensate for the country’s unreliable power grid.

"I produce a lot. I can’t keep up with all the orders. It’s because Afghanistan faces frequent power shortages," she explains next to a work bench full of batteries, soldering irons, and electrometers.

Customers who buy the battery packs charge them when the electricity is flowing and then use them when power from the grid is intermittent or is cut off.

Before the Taliban returned to power in 2021, she studied at the Herat Institute of Technology.

Since then girls and women have been barred from secondary and higher education, and there are few places where they can work.

The Taliban has allowed limited exceptions in the health and education sectors, but these jobs come with severe restrictions and the number of women in the workforce continues to fall, according to the United Nations.

Women must also be accompanied by a male relative when traveling longer distance from their homes and can face harassment and checks even when close to home.

"It’s not easy to work in the current situation. It takes a lot of effort and courage," says Ali. "I have faced many obstacles, but eventually I decided to build this workshop to generate an income, so I won’t have to rely on my family and friends."

She says there were few women working in science and technology even before the Taliban resumed power, but she remains undeterred.

"Producing power banks is not a job only for men. I mean that women can do it too, but we need to work hard and be committed."

Pakistan

Pakistan Plans to Legalize Crypto in Bid for Foreign Investment (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg [3/20/2025 12:16 AM, Faseeh Mangi, 5.5M]
Pakistan plans to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in a bid to lure international investment.

The country aims to devise a clear regulatory framework for governing digital-asset activities to boost the local ecosystem, said Bilal bin Saqib, chief executive officer at Pakistan Crypto Council, in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

Crypto trading is already popular in the South Asian nation — the world’s fifth largest by population — despite central bank warnings over the risks posed by the industry. Pakistan ranks ninth globally in terms of crypto adoption, according to Chainalysis. There are about 15 million to 20 million crypto users in Pakistan, Saqib said in the interview.

“Pakistan is done sitting on the sidelines,” said Saqib. “We want to attract international investment because Pakistan is a low-cost high-growth market with 60% of the population under 30. We have a Web3 native workforce ready to build.”

The legalization plan comes after the appointment of Saqib as chief advisor to the finance minister for the management of digital assets earlier this month. He will also be advising on exploring the use of artificial intelligence to enhance government efficiency, optimize decision-making processes and drive innovation in public sector operations.

Lawmakers in some of Asia’s key digital-assets markets are warming to the industry, spurred on by Donald Trump’s pro-crypto agenda in the US.

“Trump is making crypto a national priority and every country including Pakistan will have to follow suit,” Saqib said.

In A Pakistan Desert Town, Holi And Ramadan Come Together (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [3/19/2025 9:02 PM, Zain Zaman Janjua, 913K]
In a desert town in Pakistan, Hindus prepare meals for fasting Muslims, who in turn gather to welcome a Holi procession, a rare moment of religious solidarity in the Islamic nation.

Discrimination against minorities runs deep in Muslim-majority Pakistan, but those tensions are not to be found in Mithi, an affluent city of rolling sand dunes and mud-brick homes in southern Sindh province.

"All the traditions and rituals here are celebrated together," Raj Kumar, a 30-year-old Hindu businessman told AFP.

"You will see that on Holi, Hindu youth are joined by Muslim youth, celebrating together and applying colours on each other," he added.

"Even at the end of the Muslim call for prayer, the imam says, ‘Peace to Hindus and Muslims.’"

This year, the Hindu festival of Holi and the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan fell together. Both events move each year according to the lunar calendar.

Holi, the festival of colour, has for centuries marked the arrival of spring and raucous crowds playfully throw coloured powder and water over each other.

Last week hundreds of Hindus held a procession through the streets of Mithi, one of the few towns where they form the majority, to be warmly welcomed at the city square by their Muslim neighbours.

"We have learnt to live together since childhood. This has come to us through generations, and we are following it too," said local Mohan Lal Mali, 53, after arranging a meal for Muslims to break their fast.

Cows, considered sacred in Hinduism, roam freely through the streets of Mithi, while women wear traditional embroidered sarees embellished with mirror work.

There is no beef shop in town, as its meat is prohibited in Hinduism, and Muslims only sacrifice goats during festivals.

Mithi, a city of around 60,000 people, is predominantly Hindu -- in a country where 96 percent of its 240 million people are Muslim and two percent are Hindu.

Fozia Haseeb, a Christian woman, travelled from the port city of Karachi, around 320 kilometres (200 miles) away, to witness the blended occasions.

"People following three religions are here: Christians, Hindus and Muslims," she said.

"We wanted to see for ourselves whether this was correct, and there is no doubt it is."

Ramadan is a month of peaceful prayer and reflection in Islam, and Hindus respected their Muslim neighbours would not join Holi celebrations with the usual fervour due to religious observance.

"Today, you might not see colours on me, but in the past, they would drench me in colours," said Muslim cleric Babu Aslam Qaimkhani while applying powder to the face of local Hindu MP Mahesh Kumar Malani.

"If a Hindu runs for office, Muslims also vote for them, and vice versa," said Malani, the only elected minority MP in the country’s national assembly.

As Hindus celebrated with processions and visits to temples, there was no armed security -- a stark contrast to other parts of Pakistan.

Freedom of religion or belief remains under constant threat in the country, with religiously motivated violence and discrimination increasing yearly, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

State authorities, often using religious unrest for political gain, have failed to address this crisis, the commission said.

But in Mithi, 19-year-old Muslim labourer Amaan Ullah told AFP: "There are no divisions among us. We all are humans, and we all are equal."

Local police and administration officials said the city has a low crime rate, with "no major security challenges", allowing them to easily make arrangements for the major religious festivals.

"Their businesses, their daily lives, and their interactions have been together for centuries and they are still standing strong," said local official Abdul Haleem Jagirani.

Locals say Mithi’s peaceful existence can be traced back to its remote location, emerging from the sand dunes of the Tharparkar desert, which borders the modern Indian state of Rajasthan.

With infertile soil and limited water access, it was spared from centuries of looting and wars, and the bloody Partition violence of 1947 when India and Pakistan were created, and many Hindus fled across the new border.

But several residents told AFP that in recent years the prosperous city has seen a rise in newcomers as a result of its growing infrastructure.

A major coal project nearby has brought labourers from other provinces to the city, and with it, supporters of a radical Islamist party.

On the city’s central square, a large banner hangs for Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which put the explosive issue of blasphemy as its central concern.

"People coming from outside the city are causing some doubt and a slight sense of fear," Padma Lodha, a 52-year-old Hindu headmistress at a local girls school, told AFP.

"But overall, things are still well-controlled and peaceful."

Pakistan’s ‘war on terror’ approach is dangerous (Al Jazeera – opinion)

Al Jazeera [3/19/2025 4:14 PM, Obaidullah Baheer, 18.2M]
On March 11, fighters from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked a Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar. After a 36-hour standoff, the Pakistani security forces were able to kill the BLA operatives and release hundreds of hostages. According to the government, at least eight civilians lost their lives during the operation.

Pakistani officials were quick to blame Afghanistan and India for what they called a “terrorist incident”. This is the latest example of how the Pakistani authorities increasingly deflect responsibility and frame Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan in the language of “war on terror”.

Almost three months before the train hijacking, Pakistani fighter jets bombarded Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktika provinces, killing at least 46 people, including women and children. Many of the casualties were displaced people from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

Pakistan justified its violation of Afghan sovereignty and international law by claiming that it is targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters hiding on Afghan territory. Over the past two years, Islamabad has been accusing Kabul of harbouring “terrorists” who have carried out attacks on Pakistani territory.

This is the same logic the United States employed to conduct air raids, kidnappings, targeted killings, etc throughout the Muslim world during its so-called “war on terror”. In doing so, the US trampled over all the conventions the world had endorsed affirming state sovereignty, the distinction between civilians and combatants, proportionate response and the rights of prisoners of war.

The US army and intelligence saw civilians as active combatants or “collateral damage” that was inevitable when a “high-value target” was pursued. Whole countries and civilian populations paid the price for “terrorist” strikes conducted by armed groups – and they still do. That is because the US may have withdrawn from Afghanistan and Iraq, but the legacy of its practices remains and is readily embraced by governments in the region. Pakistan’s government is one of them.

Throughout the 20-year US occupation of Afghanistan, Pakistan refused to see the Afghan Taliban as “terrorists” and continued sheltering and supporting the group. Yet today, the Pakistani authorities label the TTP and BLA as “terrorist” groups and the Afghan Taliban government as sponsors of “terrorism”.

They refuse to see these local insurgencies as politically motivated rational actors who could be reasoned with or whose grievances should be heard.

How Pakistan chooses to deal with these groups is an internal matter, but there are a few lessons from the recent American adventurism that ought to be heeded.

The US cast a wide definition of “terrorism” in which Muslims at home and abroad became suspect. In Afghanistan, it lumped its enemy al-Qaeda with the Taliban and at times Afghan civilians.

The imprisonment and torture of alleged Taliban members only fed the fervour of Taliban fighters and led to an escalation in violence. Indiscriminate drone strikes on civilian communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan not only violated sovereignty, but also encouraged young men to join the Afghan Taliban and TTP.

Several attempts by the Taliban to negotiate with the US did not bear fruit until 2021, when, exhausted by a two-decade occupation and war, Washington decided to withdraw, basically accepting defeat.

It is easy to dismiss movements as “terrorist” and refuse to see any path of reconciliation. But as the American example shows, this approach does not end well.

Instead of trying to drag the US into another war on “terror” – as US media outlet Drop Site has reported – the Pakistani authorities should learn from the American experience. They cannot feign ignorance about groups like TTP and BLA; they are dealing with their own citizens, who have clear grievances.

The Pakistani government has to hear the demands of these groups and find a way to negotiate with them. It has to recognise the suffering of the civilian populations in the regions where BLA and TTP operate. It also needs to put an end to violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty and scapegoating the Taliban government for their own security failures under the guise of “war on terror”.

If the Pakistani military decides not to learn from recent history and follows in the footsteps of the United States, it is quite likely it is to meet its fate.

India

Trump Says India Won’t Avoid Being Hit by Tariffs on April 2 (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg [3/20/2025 12:36 AM, Ruchi Bhatia, 5.5M]
US President Donald Trump said India will be hit by like-for-like duties from April 2, even as officials in New Delhi scurry to appease Washington by reducing trade barriers.

India is “one of the highest tariffing nations in the world,” Trump said on Wednesday in an interview with conservative media outlet Breitbart News. “I believe they’re going to probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us.”

While Trump has repeatedly indicated that the South Asian nation won’t be spared on April 2, Indian officials have been striking a more optimistic tone. Piyush Goyal, the country’s commerce minister, visited the US earlier this month and said he had a “forward looking discussion” with Trump officials on a trade deal that the two sides are hoping to seal by fall.

In the recent weeks, India has lowered duties on imports of bourbon and high-end motorcycles, and also agreed to buy more energy and weapons from the US. Officials in New Delhi have been discussing reducing duties for a range of other products as well, including automobiles, some agricultural products and chemicals, Bloomberg News has reported.

The South Asian nation has also been banking on the friendly ties Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump have cultivated over the years. The Indian prime minister was among the first foreign leaders to visit Trump after his return to the White House, and lavished praises on the US president in a recent interview.

In the Breitbart News interview, Trump said he has a “very good relationship” with India, but stressed his “problem” with the country’s tariff structure.

Trump says he believes India will be lowering tariffs on US, Breitbart reports (Reuters)

Reuters [3/19/2025 10:52 PM, Costas Pitas, 126906K]
U.S. President Donald Trump told Breitbart News in an interview on Wednesday that he believes India will probably be lowering the tariffs it imposes on American goods.

"I believe they’re going to probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us," he was quoted as saying.

Will Trump’s tariff war spark big-bang reforms in India? (BBC)

BBC [3/19/2025 6:48 PM, Soutik Biswas, 126906K]
India has usually turned to economic reforms in times of distress, with the most famous example being 1991, when the country embraced liberalisation in the face of a deep financial crisis.

Now, with US President Donald Trump’s tit-for-tat tariff wars and the global trade upheaval that has followed, many believe that India finds itself at another crossroad.

Could this be a major opportunity for the world’s fifth largest economy to shed its protectionism and further open up its economy? Will India seize the moment, just as it did more than three decades ago, or will it retreat further?

Trump has repeatedly branded India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties. The problem is that India’s trade-weighted import duties - the average duty rate per imported product - are among the highest in the world. The US average tariff is 2.2%, China’s is 3% and Japan’s is 1.7%. India’s stands at a whopping 12%, according to data from the World Trade Organization.

High tariffs increase costs for companies dependent on global value chains, hindering their ability to compete in international markets. They also mean that Indians pay more on imported goods than foreign consumers. Despite growing exports - primarily driven by services - India runs a significant trade deficit. However, with India’s share of global exports at a mere 1.5%, the challenge becomes even more urgent.

The jury is out on whether Trump’s tariff war will help India break free or double down on protectionism. Narendra Modi’s government, often criticised for its protectionist stance, seems to have shifted gears in recent years.

Last month, ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with Trump in Washington, India unilaterally lowered tariffs on Bourbon whiskey, motorcycles and some other US products.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has made two trips to the US to discuss a potential trade deal, following Trump’s threatened retaliatory tariffs, looming on 2 April. (Citi Research analysts estimate India could lose up to $7bn annually from reciprocal tariffs, primarily affecting sectors like metals, chemicals and jewellery, with pharmaceuticals, automobiles and food products also at risk.).

Last week, Goyal urged Indian exporters to "come out of their protectionist mindset and encouraged them to be bold and ready to deal with the world from a position of strength and self-confidence", according to a statement from his ministry.

India is also actively pursuing free trade deals with several countries, including the UK and New Zealand, and the European Union.

In an interesting turn of events, homegrown telecoms giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have teamed up with Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellite internet services via Starlink in India. The move surprised analysts, especially after Musk’s recent clashes with both companies, and came as US and Indian officials negotiate the trade deal.

India’s rapid growth from the late 1990s to the 2000s - 8.1% between 2004-2009 and 7.46% from 2009-2014 - was in large part driven by its gradual integration into global markets, particularly in pharmaceuticals, software, autos, textiles and garments, alongside a steady reduction in tariffs. Since then, India has turned inwards.

Many economists believe that protectionist policies over the past decade have undermined Modi’s Make in India initiative, which prioritised capital- and technology-intensive sectors over labour-intensive ones like textiles. As a result, it has struggled to boost manufacturing and exports.

High tariffs have also fostered protectionism in several Indian industries, discouraging investments in efficiency, according to Viral Acharya, a professor of economics at New York University Stern School of Business.

This has allowed "cosy incumbents" to gain market power by consolidating their positions without facing much competition. As Mr Acharya, a former central banker, noted in a paper by Brookings Institution, restoring industrial balance in India requires "reducing tariffs to increase the country’s share of global goods trade and reduce protectionism".

With India’s tariffs already higher than those of most countries, further increases could be especially damaging.

"We need to boost exports and a tit-for-tat tariff war won’t help us. China can afford this strategy due to its massive export base, but we can’t, as we hold only a small share of the global market, Rajeshwari Sengupta, an associate professor of economics at Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, said. A trade conflict could hurt us more than others," she added.

In light of this, India finds itself at a crossroad. As the world undergoes a major shift, India has a "unique opportunity to shape a new vision" for global trade, says Aseema Sinha, a trade expert at Claremont McKenna College.

By lowering protectionist barriers in South Asia and strengthening ties with Southeast Asia and the Middle East, India has the chance to lead in shaping a new trade vision, positioning itself as a key player in a "re-globalised" world, Ms Sinha, author of Globalising India, says.

"By reducing tariffs, India could become the regional and cross-regional magnet for trade and economic activity, drawing in varied powers in its orbit," she adds.

That could help India create the jobs it desperately needs at home. Agriculture, which makes up 15% of its GDP, accounts for a whopping 40% of employment, reflecting extremely low productivity. Construction remains the second-largest employer, absorbing casual daily workers.

India’s challenge isn’t in expanding its thriving service sector, which already makes up nearly half of total exports, but in dealing with the large pool of unskilled workers who lack the basic skills needed for service jobs.

"While high-end services are thriving, the majority of the workforce remains uneducated and underemployed, often relegated to construction or informal jobs. To provide meaningful employment to millions entering the workforce each year, India must ramp up its manufacturing exports, as relying solely on services won’t address the needs of the unskilled labour force," says Ms Sengupta.

One concern is that reducing tariffs could lead to dumping, where foreign companies flood the market with cheap goods, potentially harming domestic industries.

According to Ms Sengupta, India’s ideal approach to trade would involve a "universal reduction" in import tariffs, as it currently has some of the highest tariffs among its trading partners.

However, there is a caveat: China’s trade struggles, particularly with the US due to the ongoing trade war, could lead to Chinese dumping in India in the "short run".

"To protect against this, India can use non-tariff barriers against China but only against this one country and only in cases of proven dumping. Barring that, it is in India’s interest to do a wholesale slashing of tariffs," she says.

There’s also a growing concern that India may be overcompensating in its efforts to flatter the US.

Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), believes that India’s tendency to soften trade policies "based on rhetoric rather than economic pressure" shows a lack of assertiveness in global trade talks.

If this trend continues, he says, India may end up making even more compromises in its trade deal with the US, further "eroding its bargaining power".

"In comparison to other major economies, India’s pre-emptive surrender on multiple trade fronts - without the US imposing a single country-specific tariff - makes it appear exceptionally vulnerable to pressure tactics.".

The broader consensus seems to be that India should capitalise on what could be the unintended consequences of Trump’s tariff wars. Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC, believes that "potential US tariffs may have become a catalyst for reforms.".

"If supply chains are rejigged again during the second Trump presidency due to higher tariffs on large exporters, and the world looks for new producers, India may get a second chance," she writes.

Creating jobs that manufacture goods for the world won’t be easy. India has largely missed the bus on low-end, unskilled factory work - jobs China dominated for decades. Automation is taking over. Without deeper reforms, India risks being left behind.

US aims to bolster India ties as global alliances shift (Deutsche Welle)

Deutsche Welle [3/19/2025 4:14 PM, Wesley Rahn, 13.3M]
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard capped off a two-day visit to India praising the "huge opportunities" for US-India ties, even as President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy sets off alarm bells among Washington’s partners around the world.

Gabbard, the first high-level official from Trump’s second administration to visit India, told a security conference in New Delhi this week that Trump’s "commitment" to ensuring peace and security is rooted in "realism" and "pragmatism."

Speaking at the annual Raisina Dialogue, Gabbard said that like Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also committed to putting his country "first."

"But this should not be misunderstood to mean that America first is America alone," Gabbard said, using one of Trump’s most-popular slogans. "The relationships we build together are critical to advance our mutual interests."

Trump’s recent moves calling NATO security commitments into question, while embracing Russian narratives on Ukraine, have alienated Washington’s traditional allies in Europe. In Asia, allies wonder if they can count on Washington in a conflict with China.

Gabbard, who is at the head of 18 US intelligence agencies, told the strategic conference that achieving peace "requires leaders who challenge the established view, or, the way things have always been done."

Is Modi really Trump’s best friend in Asia?
During her remarks, Gabbard referred to Modi and Trump as "great friends." The leaders met last month in Washington for talks including trade and defense ties. After meeting Gabbard, Modi said in a statement that he looked forward to welcoming Trump to India later this year. Modi also joined Trump’s social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday.

Commenting on Trump’s threat to introduce more tariffs in early April, which would also affect India, Gabbard told the Indian news agency ANI there was "direct dialogue at the very top," and that Trump and Modi were working on solutions that take the economic interests of both countries into account.

In an online post, Modi said he and Gabbard discussed sharing commitments to "combating terrorism and enhancing maritime and cyber security cooperation."

Chietigj Bajpaee, senior fellow for South Asia at the London-based foreign policy think tank Chatham House, told DW that Gabbard’s visit "indicates the priority that Washington is attaching to its relationship with India."

"While this is not new, the India-US relationship has acquired renewed momentum under Trump as he places less value on traditional partners while seeking to forge a coalition of like-minded countries," Bajpaee said.

The challenge of the Indo-Pacific
The US maintains a network of alliances in the Indo-Pacific, a strategic mega-region comprising the Indian Ocean around India, the South China Sea, and the western Pacific Ocean.

Gabbard is a former congresswoman from Hawaii who was born on the island of American Samoa. The US security chief is a practicing Hindu who has maintained ties with India, including as a member of the House India Caucus during her time in Congress. She has also faced criticism for her alleged support of the "Hindutva," or Hindu nationalist movement.

On Tuesday, she told reporters in New Delhi that the Indo-Pacific is the "geopolitical center of gravity for the 21st century."

"Ensuring peace and stability here is essential to our collective security, our objective of economic prosperity. We must tackle these challenges together," she said.

So far, language on the Indo-Pacific used by the Trump administration has remained consistent with that of the previous administration, with the State Department emphasizing the need to maintain a "free and open" region.

The elephant in the room, which the US and its partners see as threatening this "free and open" Indo-Pacific, is China.

Under President Xi Jinping, China has built the world’s largest navy by number of ships. Beijing also claims most of the South China Sea — a vital chokepoint for global trade — as China’s territory.

Washington’s long-term strategic priority is to keep Beijing from completely dominating the Indo-Pacific and maintain the free flow of international trade.

The US needs allies in the region but Trump is not known to value traditional multilateral alliance structures. His return to office has drawn attention as to whether Washington’s alliances with Japan and South Korea are on stable ground.

Trump has also remained ambiguous on US commitments to defending Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province, even as Beijing increases pressure on the self-ruled island following the election of President Lai Ching-te.

In an interview with Bloomberg before the US election, Trump, in his typical transactional style, criticized Taiwan for not paying enough on defense to deter China.

India and US: Partnership with no strings attached?
Although India is not formally allied with the US, it does share an interest in containing China.

"India is neither an official US ally [like Japan or South Korea], nor is it a US adversary [like China]. As such, it neither faces allegations of ‘not pulling its weight’ that US allies are, nor does it pose an existential threat to the US’ global power like China," Chatham House analyst Chietigj Bajpaee said.

This is reflected in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or "Quad," which comprises Australia and Japan along with the US and India. The platform allows for informal coordination of strategic approaches in the Indo-Pacific, without the binding commitments that come along with alliances.

"It appears that there is a renewed commitment to the Quad under the Trump administration, as indicated by the meeting of Quad foreign ministers shortly after Trump’s inauguration," said Bajpaee.

"If anything, looser groupings like the Quad are preferred by the Trump administration over official alliance commitments such as NATO. There are some signs that the Trump administration may be seeking to pivot the Quad towards a greater focus on its security dimensions, but it is definitely not downgrading its engagement," he added.

Ahead of the strategy conference, Gabbard met with Modi and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh for what the minister described as "wide ranging talks that included cooperation on defense and intelligence."

During his talks with Gabbard, Defense Minister Singh also requested that the US label a Sikh separatist group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), as a terrorist organization. In 2023, the US said Indian intelligence officers were behind a plot to assassinate an SFJ leader on US soil. India has denied involvement.

Trump administration is seeking to deport Indian student at Georgetown as part of State Department crackdown (The Independent)

The Independent [3/20/2025 12:19 AM, Josh Marcus, 44.8M]
The Trump administration is reportedly attempting to deport an Indian post-doctoral fellow from Georgetown University, using the same obscure section of immigration law cited in the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia grad and pro-Palestine protest leader.

The provision the government allegedly cites allows the Secretary of State to determine non-citizens are eligible for fast-track deportations if they threaten U.S. foreign policy interests.

Masked Department of Homeland Security agents arrived outside the Rosslyn, Virginia, home of Badar Khan Suri on Monday and told him his student visa had been revoked.

In a still-sealed habeas corpus petition filed Tuesday, Suri’s lawyer said the fellow appeared to be in the process of being punished for the Palestinian heritage and political views of his wife Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen.

“We’re trying to speak with him. That hasn’t happened yet,” his attorney, Hassan Ahmad, told Politico, which first reported on the arrest and obtained physical copies of the filing.

“This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil,” he added.

The Independent has contacted the State Department and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for comment.

A 2018 article in the Hindustan Times describes Saleh’s father Ahmed Yousef as a “senior political advisor to the Hamas leadership.”

Georgetown said Dr. Khan Suri “was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peace-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent.

“We support our community members’ rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly,” the spokesperson added.

Khalil, the Columbia student, has also challenged his detention, arguing his First Amendment political speech and Fifth Amendment due process rights were violated by the arrest.

The Immigration and Nationality Act provision that has been cited by the State Department as providing it with deportation authority in such cases has rarely been tested in court.

However, Donald Trump’s sister, a federal judge, ruled in a case in 1996 involving a wanted Mexican diplomat that the provision was unconstitutional and a “breathtaking departure” from the principles that deportations and extraditions are based on clearly defined offenses and involve a process allowing migrants to hear and challenge the basis of their removal.

“‘Foreign policy’ cannot serve as the talisman behind which Congress may abdicate its responsibility to pass only sufficiently clear and definite laws,” she wrote at the time, though her ruling was overturned in an appeals court on procedural grounds.

International students at Columbia told The Independent after Khalil’s arrest that a climate of fear has descended over the campus.

“Given the magnitude of statements made by the president and his administration, I feel I am not safe,” one international student said.

Ava Lyon-Sereno, a student involved in campus activism surrounding the Israel-Hamas war, said the mood is now “tense and fearful.”

“International students that haven’t been involved in protests at all are scared and anxious, and the university isn’t taking any sort of hard stance about not cooperating with ICE,” she told The Independent, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

India detains hundreds of farmers as police bulldoze protest sites (Reuters)

Reuters [3/20/2025 4:01 AM, Tanvi Mehta, 5.2M]
Police in India’s northern state of Punjab detained hundreds of farmers and used bulldozers to tear down their temporary camps in a border area where they had protested for more than a year to demand better crop prices.

The farmers had camped on the border with adjoining Haryana since last February, when security forces halted their march toward the capital, New Delhi, to press for legally-backed guarantees of more state support for crops.

"We did not need to use any force because there was no resistance," Nanak Singh, a senior police officer, told the ANI news agency about Wednesday night’s clearance action. "The farmers cooperated well and they sat in buses themselves."

The farmers had been given prior notice, he added.

Television images showed police using bulldozers to demolish tents and stages, while escorting farmers carrying personal items to vehicles.

Media said among the hundreds detained were farmers’ leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the latter carried away in an ambulance as he had been on an indefinite protest fast for months.

"On one hand the government is negotiating with the farmer organisations and on the other hand it is arresting them," Rakesh Tikait, a spokesperson for farmer group Bhartiya Kisan Union said on X.

Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which authorised the eviction, said it stood by the farmers in their demands, but asked them to take up their grievances with the federal government.

"Let’s work together to safeguard Punjab’s interests," said the party’s vice president in the state, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, adding that the blockage of key roads had hurt the state’s economy. "Closing highways is not the solution."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was forced to repeal some farm laws in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers when they camped outside Delhi for months.

Federal government officials met the farmers’ leaders on Wednesday, said Fatehjung Singh Bajwa, the vice president of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab.

"It is clear that this arrest is a deliberate attempt to disrupt the ongoing dialogue between farmers and BJP leadership," he added in a post on X.

Reuters has a minority stake in ANI.

India’s proposed steel import tax smaller than hoped, but ‘better than nothing’, steelmakers say (Reuters)

Reuters [3/19/2025 7:04 AM, Neha Arora, 126906K]
India’s proposed 12% tax on steel imports was less than the industry had expected, but will give some relief from an influx of cheap Chinese imports, executives said on Wednesday.

Despite being the world’s second-biggest crude steel producer, India shipped in record quantities of steel from China, South Korea and Japan in the first 10 months of the financial year that started in April.

Its Directorate General of Trade Remedies, part of the federal trade ministry, said late on Tuesday it had proposed a 12% safeguard duty on steel imports for 200 days to "eliminate the serious injury and threat thereof to the domestic industry".

With Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy saying last month the country could impose a 15%-25% tax on steel from China because of the "serious challenge" to domestic producers from cheap imports, that missed industry expectations.

"The industry was hoping that it would be more than 15%," one executive at a leading steelmaker, who declined to be named, said. "But at least the government has decided to move in the direction of acting on imports.".

India is yet to formally decide on the imposition of the tax, but the steel industry is hopeful the measure will rein in unbridled imports.

"This proposed duty is half of what we were expecting, but something is better than nothing," said a senior executive at a major mill, also declining to be named.

India became a net importer of finished steel in the fiscal year ending March 2024, and shipments from China have steadily risen since then.

Some of India’s smaller mills have had to scale down operations and consider job cuts as a result of the import surge, Reuters reported in December.

The new tax will help producers of long steel products to raise prices by 2-3%, said Nitin Kabra, director of marketing at Maharashtra-based producer Bhagyalaxmi Rolling Mill.

The DGTR said the measures would be at a level adequate to ward off trade diversion following the imposition of import barriers from the U.S. and other countries.

"This safeguard duty, if implemented, will bring some relief from imports and help us be competitive," said Adarsh Garg, chairman and managing director at northern Indian state Punjab’s Jogindra Group.

Philippines eyes expansion of Squad group to India, South Korea (Reuters)

Reuters [3/19/2025 8:53 AM, Shivam Patel, 5.2M]
The Philippines and its allies are trying to expand the Squad grouping of nations to include India and South Korea to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region, the Philippines’ Armed Forces chief General Romeo S. Brawner said on Wednesday.

The Squad is an informal multilateral grouping made up of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States, whose defence forces have conducted joint maritime activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea since last year.

Brawner’s remarks at the Raisina Dialogue security forum in New Delhi come at a time when Manila and Beijing have had a series of escalating confrontations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the strategic waterway - through which $3 trillion in commerce moves annually - disregarding sovereignty claims by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim but Beijing does not recognise the decision.

Brawner said his country was making efforts to enhance its deterrence capabilities, including by working with partners in the Squad, which he said was an informal collaboration between the four nations on military aspects, intelligence sharing, and joint exercises and operations.

"Together with Japan and our partners we are trying to expand the squad to include India and probably South Korea," Brawner said during a panel discussion that included his counterpart from Japan, the chief of the Indian Navy, the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Australia’s chief of Joint Operations.

Spokespersons of the Indian defence ministry and the embassies of South Korea and China did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"We find commonality with India because we have a common enemy. And I’m not afraid to say that China is our common enemy. So, it’s important that we collaborate together, maybe exchange intelligence," Brawner later told reporters, adding that his country already had a partnership with the Indian military and defence industry.

He said that he will "open up" the potential for India’s Squad membership later in the day in a meeting with India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

A senior Indian defence officer said the meeting had happened, but it was not immediately clear if the matter was discussed.

At a press conference on March 7, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the Philippines’ actions in the South China Sea were not independent but part of a "screenplay written by external forces," to smear China.

Trump Organization Announces New India Office Project (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [3/20/2025 1:33 AM, Staff, 913K]
The Trump Organization and its local real estate partners have announced a new commercial tower project in India as the US president’s family business seeks to tap demand in the world’s most populous country.

India is already home to four Trump-branded residential complexes, making it the largest market outside America for his family business, with more projects on the slate.

Indian partner Tribeca Developers announced on Wednesday that it would develop a new "Trump World Center" in the western Indian city of Pune in partnership with real estate firm Kundan Spaces.

The project, expected to generate sales exceeding $289.6 million, will span more than 1.6 million square feet and feature "two iconic glass towers with over 27 floors of office space", a statement said.

"This new development marks The Trump Organization’s first foray into commercial real estate in India and will join the extensive portfolio of Trump residential properties in the region," it said.

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and the US president’s second son, said in the statement that India had "embraced the Trump brand" with "remarkable enthusiasm".

"After our successful collaboration on several iconic residential projects, we are proud to launch our first commercial development in India," he said.

The US president is not involved in managing the family company but the Trump Organization’s foreign business dealings have prompted criticism of possible conflicts of interest.

Eldest son Donald Trump Junior visited India in 2018, when the Trump Organization’s local partners promised dinner with him to anyone who bought into a luxury development outside the capital New Delhi.

India’s office market saw robust growth in 2024, with leasing activity across the top seven cities seeing a nearly 23 percent year-on-year increase, according to estimates by real estate management firm JLL.

Elon Musk firms up India entry plans as trade talks make headway (Nikkei Asia)

Nikkei Asia [3/19/2025 11:32 PM, Sayan Chakraborty, 1191K]
Elon Musk is speeding up the India entries of satellite internet service Starlink and electric carmaker Tesla now that the Donald Trump ally and New Delhi are finding ways around trade hurdles that earlier dissuaded the American billionaire.

Analysts say Musk is likely to benefit from his growing clout in Washington as India and the U.S. negotiate a trade deal.

Last week, India’s top two telecom operators, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, announced separate partnerships to help Starlink’s entry into India. "We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorization from the Government of India to provide more people, organizations and businesses with access to Starlink’s highspeed internet services," said Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, in a press release with Reliance Jio.

Regulatory uncertainties over spectrum allocation have impeded Starlink’s entry into India, where data consumption is skyrocketing.

Jio and Airtel, which together held 74% of India’s internet service market as of December, had opposed the government’s decision to follow global norms of allocating satellite spectrum at pre-determined prices. They preferred auctions, the method used to distribute terrestrial spectrum, used for mobile communications, hoping that high-stakes bidding would raise the bar for Starlink’s entry.

Both companies were wary of a new competitor after spending billions of dollars to buy terrestrial spectrum and surviving a cutthroat price war that resulted in at least 10 telecoms winding up. Both companies are also readying their own satellite communication services, Airtel through a partnership with French company Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio through a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES Satellites.

But their partnership with Starlink signals that the government is unlikely to budge, prompting Airtel and Jio to go to Plan B.

"I would call it a truce," said Neil Shah, co-founder at Counterpoint Research. "The pie will have to be shared."

As for Tesla, Musk’s signature company last month signed a five-year lease on a 370 square meter showroom in a tony Mumbai neighborhood at a monthly rate of 3.5 million rupees (about $40,500), according to documents sourced by CRE Matrix, a real estate data analytics company. The electric car pioneer has also advertised two dozen sales and customer support jobs for India.

Tesla CEO Musk had said India’s high import tariffs deterred him from selling his electric cars in the world’s third largest auto market, behind China and the U.S.

The South Asian nation levies tariffs of 70% on imported vehicles priced up to $40,000 and 100% for more expensive models. Last March, India said companies would only have to pay a 15% customs duty on electric cars costing more than $35,000 if they invest at least $500 million to start local manufacturing in three years.

The U.S. is insisting that India scrap import duties altogether, say people aware of the talks, but India remains steadfast.

The U.S. demand poses a challenge to local carmakers like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra that have committed to invest at least $2 billion to develop battery-powered vehicles.

"Elon Musk’s association with [U.S. President] Trump may make his proposals more influential in India and elsewhere," said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a New Delhi-based think tank.

India is under pressure from Trump to buy more American products, including oil and gas, to reduce the U.S.’s trade deficit.

The U.S. has emerged as a crucial trade partner, importing Indian goods worth $87.4 billion, more than double American exports to India. Additional tariffs, similar to those imposed by Trump on Mexico and Canada, could hurt Indian pharmaceuticals, electronics manufacturers and other companies.

Richard Rossow, chair of India and Emerging Asia Economics at the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the U.S. is negotiating the tariffs "from a position of relative strength."

"American negotiators may be pushing at a door that is easier to open than they initially expected," Rossow said.

Initiatives that could benefit Musk are in contrast to Modi’s previous positions.

For instance, India in 2019 implemented rules that do not allow foreign-owned e-commerce companies to sell directly to consumers. Instead, foreign online retailers can operate marketplaces that connect sellers and buyers. The regulation was designed to protect small businesses that suffered when big e-commerce players lured customers with deep discounts. It forced Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart to overhaul their business models.

In July 2022, social media company Twitter, which was later renamed X after being bought by Musk, launched a legal battle against the Indian government over censorship rules. A local court imposed a $61,000 penalty on the company but dismissed the case the following year.

Starlink’s and Tesla’s pending entries, however, come as a shot in the arm to the government’s efforts to position India as a lucrative market for multinationals. New Delhi is now betting that big investments from Musk, Apple and other global players will attract additional investments.

The GTRI’s Srivastava said policies deemed to benefit particular companies could "send the wrong signal to future investors" and encourage them to export rather than set up local manufacturing.

"India’s policy should focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing," he said, "rather than offering special treatment to foreign firms."

Years of Coal Backlash Undermine India’s Energy Security Push (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg [3/19/2025 8:21 PM, Rajesh Kumar Singh, 1187K]
India’s plan to expand one of the world’s largest coal power fleets in order to meet its growing energy needs is being undone by a shortage of companies able and willing to help build new plants.

Out of the 15 gigawatts of thermal power the government aimed to add in the year to March 2025, the country is likely to bring online only about half, according to officials interviewed by Bloomberg News. India also missed its target in the previous two years.

In part, trouble stems from the global pushback against coal over the past decade, a movement that dried up financing and investor enthusiasm, and left India with only a couple of suppliers for plant machinery. That’s resulted in a shortage of vital equipment, the officials said. At risk is New Delhi’s effort to meet the power needs of industries and households, especially in the hottest months when demand surges and blackouts are rampant.

India has seen a dramatic boom in renewable energy installations — but that’s not been enough to supply increasing power needs, prompting the government to also double down on coal power. A 2023 plan sought to add nearly 90 gigawatts of capacity over the next decade.

Today, there are currently only two viable suppliers of key equipment like boilers, turbines and generators: state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., known as BHEL, and engineering giant Larsen & Toubro Ltd. Having already begun to distance itself from coal, L&T had to be persuaded by the government to keep bidding for projects, according to officials aware of the matter.

Major overseas providers, like General Electric Co. and Toshiba Corp., have also stopped taking new orders on coal plants.

L&T’s president for energy, Subramanian Sarma, said the company could help India meet its goals. "If there is a sound forward-looking plan and good visibility on how the market is going to evolve, then we can always match the required demand," he said.

BHEL and the power ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Still, the lack of competition has already pushed up costs. The going rate for a new power plant has risen to about 130 million rupees ($1.5 million) per megawatt in recent tenders by India’s largest power firm NTPC Ltd., the officials said — more than 50% higher than estimates in 2023.

At such price tags, developers are hesitant to place orders. Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Co. is among those pushing back, beginning talks with BHEL to cut the price of a project it plans to build near the town of Amarkantak, according to one of the officials with knowledge of the matter. BHEL was the only bidder and quoted well above the generation company’s comfort level, he said.

Import Curbs

Another factor behind today’s woes is history. Sluggish power demand almost a decade ago, at a time of slower economic growth, forced many domestic suppliers to exit the business. Then came the pandemic, prolonging a drought of orders.

A post-Covid jump in power needs put official attention back on coal plants — but the picture by then was complicated by rising tensions with Beijing. A deadly border clash between the two neighbors in 2020 prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to halt import of power equipment from China. Until this point, the country was among large overseas suppliers of not just power machinery, such as boilers and turbines, but also of loans to finance the facilities.

Since then, India has shifted to other nations for critical power plant parts. For example, specialized pipes and ducts used in boilers are now being shipped from Germany and Italy, a change that adds to delivery time and freight costs.

Infrastructure outside the main plant faces even greater challenges. Water connectivity, cooling towers, coal and ash handling units, plus pollution control scrubbers, are all becoming tougher to build due to a lack of contractors.

The good news for the climate is that rising costs could accelerate the green energy transition, said Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at New Delhi-based environment advocacy firm EnviroCatalysts. Coal begins to look like a far riskier investment.

If coal projects are built at these prices, “there’s a very high likelihood that we’d see a new wave of stranded assets in the power generation sector,” Dahiya said in a telephone interview. “When the economics don’t support a form of energy, that’s when a drastic shift happens. We are at that moment now.”

NSB

Armed Rohingya Group’s Leader Is Arrested in Bangladesh (New York Times)

New York Times [3/19/2025 4:14 PM, Hannah Beech, 831K]
The leader of an armed group representing a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar was arrested in a raid in neighboring Bangladesh this week and charged under an antiterrorism law.

Ataullah, an ethnic Rohingya and the commander of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, was arrested on Monday, the Bangladeshi police said in a statement. He was captured in Narayanganj District, on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, according to a local police officer. Nine other suspected members of ARSA were also nabbed in raids.

The 10 suspected insurgents were charged under an antiterrorism law at a court in Narayanganj and are now in police custody, Shahinur Alam, the officer in charge at the Siddhirganj Police Station in Narayanganj, said on Wednesday.

Coordinated attacks by ARSA insurgents on security outposts in 2016 and 2017 were used as a pretext for the Myanmar military to launch a scorched-earth campaign of arson, mass rape and killing against the Rohingya minority. Dozens of Rohingya villages were wiped from the map in what the Myanmar military called “security operations.” The United States has labeled the expulsion of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh, which propelled the fastest outflow of refugees in recent history, a genocide.

Today, more than a million Rohingya are confined to a series of tent settlements in neighboring Bangladesh, one of which is the largest refugee camp in the world. Gun battles in the camps between rival militant groups, including ARSA, have added yet another layer of trauma to Rohingya life and radicalized a generation of desperate youth.

ARSA and other insurgent groups have assassinated camp leaders, including those working toward a return of Rohingya to Myanmar. Militants have forcibly recruited boys and young men into their ranks. They have also directed smuggling rings that deposit young Rohingya in the sex and servant trades, according to camp elders and human rights groups.

Mr. Ataullah, the ARSA commander, was born to an exiled Rohingya family in Pakistan and raised in Saudi Arabia, where he received religious instruction. The group was largely unknown until thousands of its fighters besieged the Myanmar security outposts, killing about 20 police and military personnel in the 2017 attacks, according to the Myanmar government. Dressed in black, ARSA insurgents were trained to rally themselves with the battle cry “Speak loudly, Allah is the greatest,” according to the group’s members.

Mr. Ataullah, who was identified by the Bangladeshi police as Ataullah abu Ammar Jununi, secretly recruited among Rohingya in Myanmar, both young and old, arguing that only an armed rebellion could counter the decades of persecution faced by the Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority country.

But in recent years, ARSA has become better known for gangland-style turf battles in the refugee camps in Bangladesh, fighting with other armed groups, including the Rohingya Solidarity Organization. Insurgent leaders, human rights watchdogs say, have indulged in drug and human trafficking.

“Ataullah’s role in orchestrating egregious violations against civilians is undeniable,” said John Quinley, director of Fortify Rights, a human rights group that on Tuesday released a 78-page report on Rohingya militant activity in Bangladesh. “He directly oversaw horrific acts of violence, including killings, abductions and the torture of Rohingya civilians in both Myanmar and Bangladesh.”

The actions of Mr. Ataullah and other insurgents, Mr. Quinley added, may constitute war crimes.

There is little hope that the Rohingya can return to Myanmar anytime soon. Even before the Myanmar military staged a coup four years ago, plunging the Southeast Asian country into civil war, the Rohingya bore the brunt of the military’s ethnic chauvinism. Waves of Rohingya fled home, finding refuge and menial jobs in Asia and the Middle East. There are now far more Rohingya living outside of Myanmar than in their homeland.

Cuts in American aid in recent weeks have added more pain to Rohingya life in the Bangladesh camps, as clinics and other essential services have ceased.

Militant groups that claim to be fighting on behalf of the Rohingya have formed over the decades in Rakhine State, their home in western Myanmar. Some Rohingya armed organizations have called for autonomy, others merely a halt to the apartheidlike conditions inflicted on the minority by the Myanmar military, which is dominated by the Buddhist Bamar ethnic group. The pogroms against the Rohingya in 2016 and 2017 were abetted by yet another ethnic minority, the Buddhist Rakhine, who populate the same strip of western Myanmar as the Rohingya.

Today, an ethnic Rakhine insurgency called the Arakan Army has wrested control of much of Rakhine State from the Myanmar military, including the northern part of the state where the Rohingya are clustered. The changed battlefield has led to an unusual alliance. Some Rohingya militant groups have kidnapped boys and young men from the refugee camps in Bangladesh and dispatched them to Myanmar to fight on the side of the Myanmar military. Many Rohingya believe the Arakan Army commits far worse atrocities against them than does the Myanmar military.

The Myanmar military’s ethnic cleansing campaigns have targeted multiple minority groups of multiple faiths. But the violence directed toward the Rohingya has been the most extreme. Both military and civilian governments in Myanmar have dismissed the Rohingya as foreign interlopers from Bangladesh and refuse to even use the name “Rohingya,” lest it legitimize the ethnic minority’s existence. Most Rohingya have been essentially stripped of their citizenship, despite their leaders’ having once served in Parliament and in other august positions.

Tulip Siddiq attacks ‘false’ Bangladesh corruption allegations (BBC)

BBC [3/19/2025 9:13 AM, Brian Wheeler, 69901K]
Former Labour minister Tulip Siddiq has accused the Bangladeshi authorities of mounting a "targeted and baseless" campaign against her.

In a letter to Bangladesh’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), the MP’s lawyers say allegations of corruption are "false and vexatious" and have never been formally put to her by investigators, despite being briefed to the media.

Siddiq resigned as economic secretary to the Treasury, with responsibility for tackling corruption in the UK’s financial markets, in January.

The Hampstead and Highgate MP insisted at the time she had done nothing wrong but that she did not want to be a "distraction" to the government.

ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen told the BBC the allegations "are by no means ‘targeted and baseless’" and its investigation was "based on documentary evidence of corruption".

"Ms Tulip Siddiq must not shy away from the court proceedings in Bangladesh.

"I would welcome Ms. Siddiq come and defend her case and with the best possible legal support accompanying her," he added.

He also rejected her lawyer’s claims that the ACC was interfering in UK politics, adding: "ACC briefing to the media is a regular phenomenon, it is delivered professionally and with all accuracy."

Siddiq had referred herself to the PM’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus when the corruption allegations first surfaced in January.

Sir Laurie said in his report that he had "not identified evidence of improprieties".

But he added it was "regrettable" that Siddiq had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of the ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh and leader of Awami League party.

In a letter accepting her resignation, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, a close friend of Siddiq who represents a neighbouring constituency in North London, said the "door remains open" to her return.

The ACC is examining claims Sheikh Hasina and her family embezzled up to £3.9bn from infrastructure spending in Bangladesh.

The investigation is based on a series of allegations made by Bobby Hajjaj, a political opponent of Hasina.

Court documents seen by the BBC show Hajjaj has accused Siddiq of helping to broker a deal with Russia in 2013 that overinflated the price of a new nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

In its letter to the ACC, Siddiq’s lawyers, Stephenson Harwood, repeat her claim that she was not involved in the nuclear plant deal in any way, despite being pictured at a signing ceremony in the Kremlin in 2013, with Sheikh Hasina and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

"It is not uncommon for family members to be invited to accompany Heads of State on state visits," the letter says, adding that she had no knowledge of any alleged financial irregularities.

It says claims that a £700,000 flat in London King’s Cross gifted to Siddiq in 2004 was "in some way the fruits of embezzlement" were "absurd" and "cannot be true" because it was 10 years before the nuclear deal.

In his investigation into the allegations, Sir Laurie Magnus said that "over an extended period, she was unaware of the origins of her ownership of her flat in Kings Cross, despite having signed a Land Registry transfer form relating to the gift at the time".

She "remained under the impression that her parents had bought the property for her", Sir Laurie added, but had to correct the record when she became a government minister.

He describes this as an "unfortunate misunderstanding" which meant the public had been "inadvertently misled about the identity of the donor of this gift".

In their letter to the ACC, Siddiq’s lawyers confirm that the King’s Cross flat was given to her by Abdul Motalif, who is described as "an Iman and a very close family friend, akin to Ms Siddiq’s godfather".

The letter also contains a detailed rebuttal of allegations made by the ACC to the media that Siddiq was involved in the appropriation of land in Dhaka.

It describes ACC briefings to the media as an "unacceptable attempt to interfere with UK politics".

"At no point have any allegations been put to her fairly, properly and transparently, or indeed at all, by the ACC or anyone else with proper authority on behalf of the Bangladeshi government, " the letter says.

"We require that you immediately stop manufacturing false and vexatious allegations against Ms Siddiq and further media briefings and public comments designed to harm her reputation."

The letter says the ACC must put questions to Siddiq "promptly" and "in any event by no later than 25 March 2025" or " we shall presume that there are no legitimate questions to answer".

The ACC say they have written a response to Siddiq’s lawyers.

In the letter, which has been seen by the BBC, a spokesman for the ACC claims Siddiq had "spent most of her adult life residing in homes owned by cronies of the notoriously venal Awami League" and that this was evidence she had benefitted from the party’s corruption.

The MP’s "claims to have been unaware of the nature of the Hasina regime" strained credulity, the spokesman added, and the ACC would be in touch with her lawyers "in due course".

Tulip Siddiq hit with court-ordered travel ban (The Telegraphh)

The Telegraph [3/19/2025 3:59 PM, Samaan Lateef, 126906K]
A Bangladeshi court has issued a travel ban on Tulip Siddiq, the former Treasury minister.

The former Treasury minister, who is currently living in the UK, would not be allowed to leave Bangladesh if she entered the country.

The court also ordered the seizure of a flat in Dhaka previously owned by the Labour MP before she transferred it to her sister.

The court order comes as part of an investigation into alleged corruption involving Sheikh Hasina, Ms Siddiq’s aunt and a former prime minister of Bangladesh.

It has been alleged that Ms Hasina and her family misappropriated billions of pounds of state money, something they deny.

Ms Siddiq, who resigned from the UK Government in January amid scrutiny of her links to Ms Hasina, has been named in three Bangladeshi enquiries.

The most serious accuses Ms Hasina and family members, including Ms Siddiq, of involvement in the embezzlement of £4 billion from a nuclear power plant deal with Russia.

On Tuesday, however, Ms Siddiq accused the Bangladeshi government of a "targeted and baseless" campaign against her and asked why it had briefed the media but not put its allegations to her directly.

In a letter, she accused Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of an "unacceptable attempt to interfere with UK politics".

A spokesman for Ms Siddiq told The Telegraph: "If any legitimate authority in Bangladesh has any credible allegations against Ms Siddiq, they should contact her lawyers, not talk to the press.".

The ACC petitioned the Bangladeshi courts on March 10, asking for a travel ban to be imposed on Ms Hasina, Ms Siddiq and other family members.

It also requested the seizure of Ms Siddiq’s former flat on the second floor of a building in Gulshan Residential Model Town, which she transferred to her sister in June 2015.

Zakir Hossain Galib, a Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge, issued the order to seize it.

"The petition was allowed in the interest of the fair investigation and the immovable assets described in the petition have been attached," said Mr Galib in his order, a copy of which The Telegraph has obtained.

The court order tells the city’s deputy commissioner that the "attached immovable property cannot be transferred/exchanged under any circumstances while the attachment order is in force".

The ACC accused Ms Siddiq of illegally acquiring the 2,436 sq ft flat and then using forged signatures in an attempt to transfer it to her sister, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti.

It alleges that Ms Siddiq’s sister took possession of the flat without formally assuming ownership, meaning both sisters could become eligible for a 10-katha (7,260 sq ft) plot in the Purbachal New Town Project. Both obtained plots, it is understood.

The MP denies owning property in Bangladesh and maintains that the property was transferred legally to her sister when she became an MP in 2015.

"The transfer was done in accordance with all legal requirements in Bangladesh, and Tulip has all the necessary documents to that effect," a spokesman for Ms Siddiq said.

Under Bangladesh’s Allotment of Land rules, applicants for the scheme must not own any residential property or land in Dhaka.

Seeking to have the flat seized, the ACC argued that members of Ms Hasina’s family, including Ms Siddiq, were attempting to transfer or conceal their assets.

Monirul Islam, the ACC deputy director, told the court: "The accused individuals were seeking to transfer, relocate, or misappropriate their immovable assets. To ensure a fair investigation, it is necessary to prevent them from disposing of these properties until the inquiry is completed.".

The ACC filed a separate petition saying a travel ban on Ms Siddiq and family members, including Ms Hasina, was "absolutely necessary" for a fair investigation of the allegations, and the court directed police to ensure that such a ban was imposed.

An ACC official told The Telegraph that Ms Siddiq would not be allowed to leave Bangladesh if she entered the country.

A spokesman for Ms Siddiq said: "Following a series of false, vexatious and uncorroborated allegations fed to the media, Tulip Siddiq’s lawyers have told the relevant authorities in Bangladesh to stop manufacturing baseless claims against her and to make direct contact with her lawyers if they have any legitimate questions for Ms Siddiq.".

When Ms Siddiq resigned in January, she referred herself to Sir Laurie Magnus, Sir Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser, who said in his report that he had "not identified evidence of improprieties".

He added it was "regrettable" that the MP had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of her ties to her aunt.

Ms Hasina, 77, the longest-serving prime minister of Bangladesh, is now in India, having been ousted last August following a brutal response to protests. It is alleged that opponents were attacked, arrested and secretly imprisoned as the regime carried out extrajudicial killings during her premiership.

Fugitive Sri Lanka Police Chief Surrenders After Weeks On The Run (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [3/19/2025 6:21 AM, Staff, 913K]
Sri Lanka’s fugitive police chief surrendered to authorities and was remanded in custody Wednesday, weeks after his arrest was ordered over a botched raid that killed a fellow officer.

A magistrate in the southern town of Matara ordered Inspector-General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon to be held in custody until Thursday, when his bail application will be considered.

Tennakoon stands accused of authorising an ill-fated drug bust in 2023, allegedly against internal regulations, that sparked a gun battle between competing police units.

He surrendered after police raided his private home on Tuesday, and seized over 1,000 bottles of liquor, his service revolver, and two phones.

The Court of Appeal had on Monday rejected Tennakoon’s petition to quash an arrest warrant issued against him over an officer’s death during the drug raid in the southern coastal resort town of Weligama.

Another officer was critically wounded in the incident, and no drugs were found.

The Court of Appeal said Monday that the failure to locate the police chief for nearly three weeks had undermined public confidence in both the police and the criminal justice system.

"How did he manage to evade arrest and stealthily enter this court house?" prosecutor Dileepa Peeris asked during Wednesday’s proceedings.

The state prosecutor told the court that evidence had emerged of Tennakoon operating a paramilitary hit squad to carry out illegal activities.

A lawyer representing Tennakoon, Anuththara Samararaja, said they secured an order from the magistrate to ensure security for her client in the remand prison.

"We expect a decision tomorrow, let’s see," she told reporters outside the court.

Tennakoon was appointed police chief in November 2023, but the move was challenged in the Supreme Court, which suspended him last July pending the outcome of a separate case.

Tennakoon was given the top job despite Sri Lanka’s highest court ruling that he had tortured a suspect in custody by rubbing menthol balm on his genitals.

The Supreme Court told Tennakoon to pay half a million rupees ($1,600) to the victim in compensation, but the government at the time ignored judicial orders to take disciplinary action against him.

Central Asia

Rights watchdog documents forced mobilization of Central Asian labor migrants in Russian military (EurasiaNet)

EurasiaNet [3/19/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
Central Asian labor migrants in Russia have long been subjected to harassment and abuse at the hands of authorities and ultra-nationalist groups. But over the past year, rights watchdogs have identified a new phenomenon experienced by labor migrants, coerced mobilization to fight in Ukraine.

Strongarmed induction into the Russian army is among the many abuses documented in a report released by Human Rights Watch, titled Living in Fear and Humiliation. The report was compiled with the help of experts, local media and rights activists, augmented by interviews with labor migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

“What we are seeing today is a continuity in the instrumentalization of migrants as a human resource that could be repurposed not just for labor purposes but also for the areas the Russian government needs, including coerced mobilization to war against Ukraine,” the report quotes Nodira Kholmatova, a sociologist and expert on the history of labor migration.

The report notes that the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow almost a year ago, in which Tajik Islamic militants killed 144 people and wounded hundreds more, “precipitated an escalation of xenophobia and violence against Central Asian migrants and other non-Slavic looking individuals in Russia.”

Citizenship has been an instrument manipulated by the Russian government to help fill the army’s ranks in Ukraine. A law that took effect in August 2024 enables Russian authorities to strip naturalized citizens of their citizenship for failing to register for military service. Subsequently, about one-third of the 30,000 Central Asians who had become Russian citizens and registered for service found themselves pressed into the army and sent to Ukraine, the report states. “Law enforcement conducted mass raids throughout the year to force recruitment of recently naturalized citizens,” it adds.

Just months after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian legislators approved a streamlined naturalization process for foreign nationals, aimed primarily at Central Asians, who served in the military for at least a year. In some cases, according to the HRW report, individuals seeking to naturalize were pressured into signing military contracts before they could submit their applications for citizenship.

Central Asians who had been imprisoned, or who were out on parole for criminal offenses committed in Russia, have also been pressed into service; other convicts have been enticed to volunteer by the prospect of having their criminal record cleared. “Once forcibly or voluntarily recruited, ex-prisoners are often deployed to the front lines with minimal training. Central Asian migrants who found themselves in this situation reported being treated as expendable and sent to the most dangerous combat zones,” the report states.

Meanwhile, some non-citizen migrants report being deceived, having signed contracts for construction jobs or other services in what they believed to be safe areas, only to find themselves sent into combat zones. “There were cases of recruiters telling the prospective migrants about construction work assignments and that there would be very high salaries, but then they would take them to Mariupol and other occupied areas – and then they [labor migrants] would be sent to dig trenches at the frontline,” the report quotes a Kyrgyz lawyer as saying.

Kazakhstan copper producer pauses some operations after deadly accidents (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [3/19/2025 12:52 PM, Staff, 52868K]
Kazakhstan’s largest copper producer Kazakhmys said Wednesday it was temporarily halting some of its operations due to the "growing number" of industrial accidents at its production facilities.

Eight people have died at the group’s sites since February, seven of whom were killed when a cooper mine in the Central Asian country partially collapsed.

"Kazakhmys Group is temporarily suspending production at potentially hazardous sites and is reinforcing safety measures across the board," the company said in a statement.

It said it would carry out inspections at its sites and would only reopen them when once "all violations have been rectified".

Kazakhmys says it is the world’s 20th largest producer of copper concentrate, a processed form of copper ore that has been refined to boost its cooper content.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev last month ordered his government to take measures to rectify workplace safety, describing recent industrial accidents as "unacceptable" and accusing companies of not investing enough.

In October 2023, a fire at an ArcelorMittal mine in the Karaganda region killed 46 people in the worst mining disaster in Kazakhstan’s history.

Tajik leader tightens grip with no-choice elections (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [3/19/2025 11:45 AM, Staff, 62527K]
With no political opponents, no independent observers and no critical media, parliamentary elections in Central Asia’s Tajikistan this month have predictably been won by the ruling party of long-time President Emomali Rakhmon.

Tajikistan is a mountainous, impoverished ex-Soviet country sandwiched between Afghanistan, China, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan that has been ruled by Rakhmon for more than three decades.

The vote took place after nine opposition politicians and journalists were sentenced last month to up to 27 years in prison for plotting a "coup" -- a case seen by observers as the latest example of growing repression in the country.

Rakhmon has been at the helm since 1992 and there was little surprise that his People’s Democratic Party has won an overwhelming majority in parliament.

The new parliament held its first session on Wednesday, with 49 out of 63 seats going to the ruling party, according to an official from the ruling.

There will be four other parties in parliament but they are all loyal to Rakhmon, who is officially referred to as the "founder of peace and national unity".

The authorities declared the vote "open, free and transparent".

Russia and China, both key allies, and Tajikistan’s Central Asian neighbours have endorsed the vote.

But the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe refused to send an observer mission because of a lack of "formal guarantees" that the observers could carry out their work.

The OSCE said there had been "a clear deterioration in respect for the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly".

Citing administrative problems, the Electoral Commission did not accredit the rare media not affiliated with the Tajik government like the local branch of Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty or Asia-Plus.

Tajiks who spoke to AFP in the streets of the capital Dushanbe said they were not bothered about the election, following a monotonous campaign featuring little-known parties with almost identical programmes.

Matlouba, a 23-year-old technology teacher, said she could not understand why the authorities "spend so much on it since we already know who will be elected and everything is known in advance".

Others seemed frustrated like Alisher, a 40-year-old construction worker.

"I don’t see the point in voting for lawmakers who will not support vulnerable groups in the population," he said.

Tajikistan is the poorest of the former Soviet republics despite a recent increase in average salaries to around 200 euros a month.

Many in the tightly-controlled country worry about speaking out.

Sayora Numonova, a doctor, said she wanted newly-elected lawmakers to "open schools and training centres to ensure education and employment for young people" and stop them emigrating to Russia.

The parliamentary elections were the last national election before a presidential vote in 2027 in which Rakhmon, who is 72, could pass on power to his son Rustam Emomali.

The 37-year-old already has several official posts as speaker of the upper house of parliament, mayor of Dushanbe and even president of the Central Asian football federation.

Some observers say the prospect of a handover to his son is encouraging Rakhmon to tighten his grip on power to ensure everything goes smoothly in a country still marked by a civil war that raged between 1992 and 1997.

A Tajik expert who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals, said elections "have never been transparent or fair since independence. But the situation is getting worse over time.

"Until now, the authorities have tried to imitate a democratic process... but what is happening now is beyond all limits," he said.

The expert said that "in a country where executive power has subjugated all the other powers, parliament cannot play a significant role, lawmakers will continue their function of legitimating the decisions of the government".

A 2025 report by Freedom House, a non-governmental organisation, said Tajikistan had seen one of the sharpest declines in the world in civil and political liberties.

The organisation lists Tajikistan as the "worst of the worst" alongside Afghanistan and North Korea.

Uzbekistan introduces duties on raw goods exports ahead of joining WTO (Reuters)

Reuters [3/19/2025 8:18 AM, Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov, 62527K]
Uzbekistan will introduce export duties on 86 types of raw materials, including natural gas, cotton fibre, silk, copper and wheat, ahead of its bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Uzbek Tax Committee said. The new measure, effective from July 1, is designed to improve Uzbekistan’s export regulations as well as to encourage local producers to process more raw materials domestically, the committee and the Uzbek president´s special representative for WTO affairs, Azizbek Urunov, said on Tuesday.

Uzbekistan has been considering joining the WTO for almost three decades, but in recent years the Uzbek government has intensified negotiations and now plans to join the trade body in 2026.

According to the decree posted on the government portal, 20% export duties will be introduced on natural gas, 100% for cotton lint, 10% for copper, 100% for scrap metal and 10% for polymers.

For some goods, export duties will be increased in several stages - from July 1, 2025, from January 1, 2026 and from January 1, 2028.

Export duties will replace the export fees and export permits that currently apply for Uzbekistan’s producers to export their goods.

Indo-Pacific

Trade resumes as Pakistan and Afghanistan reopen key Torkham border crossing after nearly a month (AP)

AP [3/19/2025 7:31 AM, Staff, 126906K]
Trade between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan resumed on Wednesday at a key border post following a dispute that turned into exchanges of gunfire, officials and local elders said.

The northwestern Torkham border crossing — just one of two main trade routes between the neighbors — had been shut for nearly a month because of the dispute over Afghanistan’s construction of a border post.

The Torkham crossing is in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Pakistani Taliban militants frequently target security forces. It has been closed a number of times in recent years, mainly following clashes between security forces for reasons including Pakistan’s repairs of the border fence.

Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the resumption of bilateral trade.

He said he hoped the movement of people would resume this week.

Ghulam Ali, another Pakistani businessman, said the closure of the Torkham border had caused losses of millions of dollars for importers and exporters as some items perished. He thanked local tribal elders for facilitating the reopening.

Pakistan, Afghanistan open main border crossing, closed for nearly a month (Reuters)

Reuters [3/19/2025 8:45 AM, Mushtaq Ali, 126906K]
Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday reopened their main border crossing after clashes between the security forces of both sides led to its closure for nearly a month, officials from the two governments said.

The Torkham border crossing, the main artery for travel and trade between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan, will be initially opened for trade, Pakistan government official Riaz Khan Mehsud told Reuters, and people would be allowed to cross on foot from Friday onwards.

Qureshi Badlon, head of the media department for the Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, said the two sides had agreed to reopen the crossing and resume transit trade.

The crossing has been closed since February 21 after clashes erupted. In the skirmishes, the two sides used mortars and rocket fire after Afghan forces objected to Pakistan’s construction of a border outpost.

Since the closure, the crossing been clogged with truckloads of supplies, mainly to Afghanistan, which faces a humanitarian and hunger crisis and relies heavily on food imports from Pakistan.

Trade between the countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.

Twitter

Afghanistan

Shawn VanDiver
@shawnjvandiver
[3/19/2025 11:28 AM, 32.6K followers, 41 retweets, 204 likes]
Trump’s funding freeze is leaving Afghan allies—who fought alongside the U.S.—struggling for food & housing. We made a promise. America must keep it. #AfghanEvac is stepping up, but we need action. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/03/18/trumps-funding-freeze-leaves-us-allied-afghan-refugees-struggling-basics.html

Jahanzeb Wesa
@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/19/2025 2:53 PM, 5.7K followers, 42 retweets, 64 likes]
In less than four years, the Taliban have systematically erased Afghan women from society. Now, they are even banned from hearing one another’s voices. This isn’t just oppression—it’s the silencing of an entire gender. A brutal reality unfolding before the world’s eyes.

Jahanzeb Wesa
@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/19/2025 2:58 PM, 5.7K followers, 30 retweets, 60 likes]
Going to school is a basic human right, but in Afghanistan, it has become an unattainable dream for girls and women. Depriving them of education is a crime against their future and the future of the nation. The world must not stay silent! #LetAfghanGirlsLearn #EducationIsARight

Jahanzeb Wesa
@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[3/19/2025 9:01 AM, 5.7K followers, 5 retweets, 12 likes]
DW reports: Thousands of Afghans with humanitarian visa applications for Australia, the U.S., and other countries are stuck. Kaiwan, 15, has waited 3 years for U.S., but Trump’s refugee ban shut the door. Now, Pakistan warns of deportations. Their lives and futures are at risk!

Lina Rozbih
@LinaRozbih
[3/19/2025 1:10 PM, 427.4K followers, 8 likes]
Tomorrow, another school year will start in Afghanistan, but for the fourth year in a row, girls are not allowed to attend middle and high school. The basic right of girls to education has been demolished by the Taliban government. Girls’ middle schools and high schools have been closed by the Taliban since 2021. #taliban #Afghanistan #education

Pakistan

Shehbaz Sharif
@CMShehbaz
[3/19/2025 10:59 PM, 6.7M followers, 55 retweets, 189 likes]
Wishing a joyous #Nowruz to all those celebrating this festival in Pakistan and around the world! As millions of people come together to enjoy Nowruz festivities, they cherish their loved ones, reflect on the blessings they enjoy, and welcome new beginnings with hope and optimism. May this ancient tradition bring joy, prosperity, and peace to all who observe it. Happy Nowruz!

Government of Pakistan
@GovtofPakistan
[3/19/2025 5:29 AM, 3.1M followers, 4 retweets, 18 likes]
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addressed the inaugural ceremony of the Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2025 earlier today. Considering the benefits of the plantation drive in all aspects, the Prime Minister urged the entire nation, especially the youth and farmers, to actively participate in the initiative.

Government of Pakistan
@GovtofPakistan
[3/19/2025 4:24 AM, 3.1M followers, 3 retweets, 11 likes]
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif launched 2025 Spring Tree Plantation Drive by planting a Chir Pine sapling on the lawn of the Prime Minister’s House as part of the Up-Scaling of Green Pakistan Program. The campaign aims to plant 41.7 million saplings nationwide.

Imran Khan
@ImranKhanPTI
[3/19/2025 2:27 PM, 21.1M followers, 6.9K retweets, 11K likes]
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Conversation with his Lawyers and Family Members in Adiala Jail - March 19, 2025 "The scourge of terrorism in the country is out of control. The tragic incident of the Jafar Express is deeply saddening and condemnable. Such organized terrorist attacks raise serious questions about any country’s security. No one can feel the pain of losing precious military and civilian lives to terrorism as profoundly as we do, because PTI is the only political party with majority support across all provinces. Unfortunately, all agencies are focused on eliminating PTI instead of preventing terrorism. PTI’s decision to boycott the National Security Committee meeting is absolutely justified. I was neither invited to the meeting nor was my opinion sought, and even the representatives of Balochistan were excluded. They would have first consulted with members of my party if they genuinely intended to address this issue. PTI is currently the only political party in Pakistan with support across all federal units, whereas PPP and PML-N are confined to specific regions of Sindh and Punjab. How can national consensus be achieved while excluding the leader of the country’s largest political party and the true symbol of the federation?

The subservient [to the military establishment] government’s foreign and domestic policies are proving to be disastrous for the country. The issue of terrorism can only be resolved through a political solution that aligns with the people’s will. Terrorism cannot be eradicated solely through kinetic military operations. Our foreign policy regarding neighboring countries must be independent and sovereign. Issues with Afghanistan should also be resolved through dialogue. Since the regime change, their lack of seriousness is evident from the fact that Bilawal toured the entire world but did not visit Afghanistan even once. Military operations have never been the solution— even major wars have ultimately ended through negotiations and sincere efforts for peace and stability.

The country can only remain united and strong if the public mandate is respected, political parties are allowed to function freely, and the establishment refrains from interfering in politics. In 1971, a political party was sidelined, and history has not forgotten what followed. The country would not have been divided back then had fair opportunities been given to political parties. Today, once again, the people’s voices are being suppressed, and political parties representing them are being strangled. The same oppressive model has been imposed in Balochistan, which is why the situation there has spiraled out of control. Until representative governments of the people are given power, these issues will persist and worsen.

The imposed regime is using all unlawful tactics to pressure me. My wife has been unjustly imprisoned. Yahya Khan did not jail Mujibur Rahman’s wife, neither did General Zia imprison Bhutto’s wife, nor did Musharraf incarcerate Kulsoom Nawaz. But this establishment has reached the lowest level of moral decline by imprisoning my wife in fabricated cases.

My communication has been severely restricted for nearly a week. To keep me uninformed about current affairs, television access has been banned, and newspapers and books are not being delivered. I have been denied contact with my children. Despite repeated reminders, the standard provision of a 72-hour meeting within 90 days with my wife has not been granted. My personal doctor is not allowed to meet me, nor is my dentist. My party leaders have also been barred from visiting me. I have been kept in complete isolation to prevent me from learning about the All Parties Conference (APC). 1/2

Imran Khan
@ImranKhanPTI
[3/19/2025 2:27 PM, 21.1M followers, 1.7K retweets, 2.4K likes]
No matter what they do, I will neither bow before their fascism nor will I surrender. I have always stood for Pakistan’s genuine sovereignty just as I stand for it now, and will continue to do so. Even if I have to spend my entire life in prison, I will, God willing, strive for the sovereignty of my nation until my very last breath." 2/2

Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office
@amnestysasia
[3/19/2025 6:47 AM, 97.1K followers, 3.3K retweets, 6.3K likes]
PAKISTAN: Today’s early morning raid on journalist Ahmad Noorani’s house in Islamabad and the enforced disappearance of his two brothers is a sign of relentless repression of dissent in the country. The absurd hounding of family members for the critical work of a journalist based overseas is a brazen attack on the right to freedom of expression. This comes days after a case was registered against Noorani under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act on charges of cyberterrorism and spreading false information for allegations of defaming state institutions. Amnesty International urges Pakistani authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of Noorani’s two brothers and ensure their safe return. Further, the government must conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into their disappearance and hold those responsible to account through fair trials. Pakistan must immediately stop the repeated attacks and intimidation of journalists, activists, opposition parties and their family members.

India

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 12:44 AM, 105.9M followers, 1.4K retweets, 9.9K likes]
Navroz Mubarak! May this special day bring abundance of happiness, prosperity and good health to all. May the coming year be marked by success and progress, and may the bonds of harmony be strengthened. Wishing a joyful and fulfilling year ahead!

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 8:57 AM, 105.9M followers, 3.9K retweets, 24K likes]
Today, the Union Cabinet has approved an important infrastructure related project, the construction of 6- lane access controlled Greenfield Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra. This is in line with our vision of PM Gatishakti and ensuring quicker connectivity to and from our ports. This project will add momentum to the growth of the regions around Mumbai and Pune. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112781

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 8:56 AM, 105.9M followers, 2.7K retweets, 15K likes]
The incentive scheme on promoting low value UPI transactions, which has been approved by the Cabinet today will encourage digital payments and further ‘Ease of Living.’ https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112771

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 8:55 AM, 105.9M followers, 2.7K retweets, 15K likes]
The Cabinet’s approval for a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex at BVFCL, Namrup, Assam will enhance domestic urea production, benefit farmers in the Northeast & Eastern India and create new employment opportunities. It will also strengthen our vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat by ensuring fertilizer security and promoting energy-efficient production. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112775

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 8:54 AM, 105.9M followers, 2.1K retweets, 10K likes]
The Cabinet’s decision relating to the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) will boost milk production, improve indigenous breeds and empower several dairy farmers. It is a major effort towards self-reliance in the livestock sector. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112788

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[3/19/2025 8:53 AM, 105.9M followers, 2.3K retweets, 11K likes]
A major boost for India’s dairy sector! The Cabinet’s approval for the revised National Programme for Dairy Development will contribute to the sector’s transformation, ensuring better pricing for farmers, job creation and more. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112791

President of India
@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/19/2025 10:32 AM, 26.5M followers, 189 retweets, 1.2K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu presented the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in New Delhi. The President said that AI is disrupting the world, creating new opportunities as well as new challenges in many sectors including journalism. She stressed on the urgent need to sensitise all citizens about the hazard of deep fakes and other misuses of artificial intelligence.

President of India
@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/19/2025 9:00 AM, 26.5M followers, 143 retweets, 552 likes]
LIVE: President Droupadi Murmu’s address at the presentation of 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards for the year 2024-25 in New Delhi

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[3/19/2025 1:52 AM, 3.4M followers, 41 retweets, 244 likes]
Addressed the 10th CII-India LAC Conclave today in New Delhi. Highlighted potential for collaboration in health, food and energy security. Also emphasised importance of mining, infrastructure and defence as domains to be further explored. Innovation and startups can help build more bridges. Our development partnerships with the LAC region will continue to deliver. #CIIIndiaLACConclave #ConnectingNations

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[3/19/2025 11:35 AM, 3.4M followers, 53 retweets, 242 likes]
The approval of Incentive scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions is a significant decision of Cabinet promoting convenient, secure, faster cash flow and seamless payment facilities to the common citizens. #CabinetDecisions

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[3/19/2025 11:35 AM, 3.4M followers, 56 retweets, 283 likes]
Today’s Cabinet approvals of Revised National Program for Dairy Development and Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission will help farmers gain better market access, ensure supply chain efficiency and result in higher incomes for the dairy sector. #CabinetDecisions

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[3/19/2025 9:06 AM, 3.4M followers, 296 retweets, 3.4K likes]
A thoughtful conversation with @BillGates on the sidelines of #Raisina2025. Discussed development challenges, the promise of innovation and the relevance of India.

Derek J. Grossman
@DerekJGrossman
[3/20/2025 1:19 AM, 96.4K followers, 9 retweets, 38 likes]
India-China rapprochement coming? Modi’s comments lately have been quite revealing. https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/19/india-china-modi-comments-border-security-trump/

NSB

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[3/20/2025 2:24 AM, 101.6K followers, 7 likes]
Proud to announce the Bhutan-Australia Article 6 Expert Working Group at the Climate Investor Forum 2025 in Melbourne. This initiative strengthens carbon cooperation through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and laying the foundation for a bilateral carbon market.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[3/20/2025 2:24 AM, 101.6K followers, 1 like]
Our inaugural meeting sparked insightful discussions on impactful carbon projects and real climate solutions. International collaboration is key to accelerating global climate action, and I am confident this initiative will drive meaningful progress.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[3/20/2025 2:20 AM, 101.6K followers, 1 retweet, 24 likes]
Honored to deliver the keynote at the #ClimateInvestorForum Gala Dinner in Melbourne yesterday. I shared Bhutan’s journey as the world’s only carbon-negative country - a testament to our visionary leadership and deep-rooted conservation values.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[3/20/2025 2:20 AM, 101.6K followers, 1 like]
Despite being a net carbon sink, Bhutan faces the harsh realities of climate change. I urged global leaders to act boldly—climate action cannot wait. Together, we must rise to this challenge for future generations. Photo courtesy @eventphotosau

Abdulla Khaleel
@abkhaleel
[3/19/2025 12:45 PM, 33.8K followers, 20 retweets, 25 likes]
In a world often divided, the Commonwealth stands as a beacon of hope, binding us together – regardless of size, of geographical distance, or might - demonstrating that our unity is our greatest strength. The Maldives is proud to be part of this family. It was an honour to host an iftar together with the resident High Commissions in Maldives, to mark this year’s Commonwealth Day. Look forward to strengthening the friendships we have built, the partnerships we have nurtured over the years, and the future we are shaping together now. @commonwealthsec

Abdulla Khaleel
@abkhaleel
[3/19/2025 5:47 AM, 33.8K followers, 18 retweets, 28 likes]
Concluded a successful visit to #India. Had productive meetings with @DrSJaishankar, and other senior dignitaries attending RaisinaDialogue2025. I also participated at the panel discussion on “Climate Cataclysm: The Adaptation Agenda is Gasping” at #RaisinaDialogue2025. @DrSJaishankar @raisinadialogue @MEAIndia

Anura Kumara Dissanayake
@anuradisanayake
[3/19/2025 12:23 PM, 146.4K followers, 4 retweets, 59 likes]
Today (19), I met with the Association of Medical Specialists to discuss key concerns in the healthcare sector. I emphasized that this year’s budget is data-driven, scientifically implemented and strategically planned. Our government will not engage in unstructured borrowing but will prioritize long-term economic sustainability.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake
@anuradisanayake
[3/19/2025 12:20 PM, 146.4K followers, 3 retweets, 64 likes]
Today (19), I engaged in a discussion with the Public Services United Nurses Union at the Presidential Secretariat. I reiterated that healthcare strikes are unjustifiable, especially after our government implemented the highest salary increase in history, without union demands. Our budget prioritizes public sector salaries to improve efficiency and attract talent.

Harsha de Silva
@HarshadeSilvaMP
[3/20/2025 2:10 AM, 360.8K followers, 3 retweets, 15 likes]
Challenged Govts contradictory economic policies in @ParliamentLK. They claim to want high-value exports & join RCEP while fighting Econ Transformation bill in SC. Our innovators like Vega E-tuk tuks struggle w/ tariff barriers. I urge Govt to rethink policies for #lka betterment

Central Asia

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[3/19/2025 12:36 PM, 214.2K followers, 6 retweets, 25 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with Suma Chakrabarti, advisor on economic development, governance and international cooperation. They discussed promoting #Uzbekistan’s investment potential internationally, completing its @wto accession, and improving civil servants’ qualifications in leading foreign educational institutions.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[3/19/2025 11:58 AM, 214.2K followers, 2 retweets, 16 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with small and medium-sized business representatives. A comprehensive program, prepared with international experts, will allocate $10 billion this year. To encourage entrepreneurship, preferential resources and venture financing will be expanded for startups and innovative businesses. Plans include auctioning attractive sites for entrepreneurs and leasing over 5,000 hectares for agriculture, with an additional 30,000 hectares this year. Project offices for #SMEs will open in 20 districts, along with "first opportunity" principle allowing small businesses to correct administrative offenses without fines, and a three-year moratorium placed on new regulations for SMEs.

Saida Mirziyoyeva
@SMirziyoyeva
[3/19/2025 9:13 AM, 21.8K followers, 7 retweets, 41 likes]
Had a warm meeting with @RepCarolMiller a member of the Congressional Caucus on Cooperation with Uzbekistan. We discussed strengthening UZ-US ties, education reforms, women’s empowerment & collaboration with Congress. Grateful for the inspiring conversation & support!

{End of Report}

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