60 Cows, Oxen Killed for Money in MP to Create Communal Frenzy, 24 Held, Conspiracy Hatched in Nagpur: Police
New Age Islam News Bureau
29 Jun 2024
A large number of cows at a cowshed near Bhopal.
File.
-------------
·
60 Cows, Oxen Killed for Money in MP to Create
Communal Frenzy, 24 Held, Conspiracy Hatched in Nagpur: Police
·
Three Pigs' Throats Slit at Site Set for Major
Migrant Camp in Sick Bid to Keep Muslims Out
·
Jeddah University Develops Artificial
Intelligence Device That Detects Preterm Births
·
Number of California Hate Crimes Drop, But More
Target Jews, Muslims and LGBTQ Communities
·
International Police(EUROPOL) Crack Down On
Islamic State Online Platforms
India
·
SC Guidelines Violated During the Scientific
Study of The 11th-Century Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque, Alleges Muslim Cleric,
`Shahar Qazi'
·
Weaponising Law and A Lie to Attack
Indo-Islamic Heritage, Jannat-ul-Firdaus Mosque, Sunehri Bagh Masjid, Akhonji
Masjid
·
BJP alleges Muslim woman stripped, beaten for
supporting party in Bengal: ‘Sandeshkhali in every village’
·
NIA searches premises in Gujarat, Maharashtra
in Pakistan spying case
------
Europe
·
Reform activist filmed making slur about Sunak
denies being racist because he has ‘had Muslim girlfriends’
·
Islamic Development Bank to provide $2 bln for
infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan
·
Orthodox Islamic institutions and individual
income: evidence from Pakistan
·
Labour's new Red Wall? Can the party recover
from a decline in trust from Muslim voters?
-----
Arab World
·
Saudi Arabia Takes Part in Session of The UN
Committee for Peaceful Use of Outer Space
·
Saudi minister meets White House officials on
Saudi-US partnerships
·
How Saudi Arabia is creating a buzz around
beekeeping and the honey making industry
·
Al-Ahsa representative secures deputy head
position at UNESCO Creative Cities Network
·
Prophet’s Mosque improves services for elderly,
disabled
--------
North America
·
US Admits Allied Kurdish-Led SDF Militants
‘Forcibly’ Recruit Child Soldiers In Syria
·
Trump Criticized for ‘Palestinian’ Insult in
Debate with Biden
·
Goldie Ghamari Ousted from PC Caucus After
Meeting with Anti-Islam Campaigner
·
KHAN: Bigotry increases fears of violence
amongst Canadian Muslims
--------
Africa
·
No plan to demolish Ilesa Central Mosque – Osun
gov
·
14 die as trailer rams into Kano mosque
·
No plan to demolish Ilesa Central Mosque,
Adeleke assures Muslims
·
Nairobi mosque holds funeral of a teen shot
during anti-tax protest
-----
South Asia
·
US State Dept Report: Religious Minorities in
Afghanistan Face Extensive Violence And Discrimination
·
Muslim Council of Elders to join Secretariat
meeting of Congress of World and Traditional Religions' Leaders
·
HRW Slams UN for Courting Taliban in Doha Talks
While Blocking Women’s Attendance
·
Increasing exports of Afghan carpets to foreign
countries
·
Sending back home, Iran police still
mistreating Afghan migrants
·
Pakistani Defence Minister defends travel ban
without visa at Afghanistan border
·
Chinese President vows continued role in
resolving Afghanistan issues
--------
Pakistan
·
Top Religious Scholar’s Effort for Imran Khan-Establishment
Rapprochement Didn’t Work
·
Blasphemy Accused, of Burning Sacred Papers, Including
Pages of the Holy Quran, Sentenced to Life in Prison in Lahore
·
In Majority Vote, NA Dismisses US Resolution As
‘Interference’
·
No military offensive on cards, insists Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa govt
·
PTI’s top brass backs Ayub to continue as
secretary general
·
PTI urges govt to refrain from 'cross-border
attacks inside Afghanistan'
·
DC asks people to refrain from making insulting
or offensive speeches in mosques, Imambargahs
--------
Mideast
·
Khamenei Protégé,Massoud Pezeshkian, Sole
Moderate Neck and Neck in Iran Presidential Race
·
Lebanon's Islamic Resistance targets Birkat
Risha site
·
Unidentified gunmen attack election vehicle in
Iran- state media
·
US has sent Israel thousands of 2,000-pound
bombs since Oct. 7
·
Houthis claim attacks on 4 ships in Red Sea and
Mediterranean; US military says it shot down 7 hostile drones
·
Turkish President Erdogan opens door to
restoration of ties with Syria
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Unity Govt Protects, Not Neglect the Position of
Islam - Asyraf Wajdi
·
PM Anwar pledges to continue Karpal’s legacy,
vision in defending Malaysians’ rights
·
Brahim’s Serves Halal In-Flight Catering to
Seven Leading Airlines
·
PM Anwar meets Indian superstar Kamal Haasan,
discusses film industry, anti-graft stance
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
60 Cows,
Oxen Killed for Money in MP to Create Communal Frenzy, 24 Held, Conspiracy
Hatched in Nagpur: Police
A large
number of cows at a cowshed near Bhopal. File.
---------------
June 28,
2024 - BHOPAL
PTI
Madhya
Pradesh police have arrested 24 persons in connection with the killing of more
than 60 bovine animals, including cows, in Seoni district last week.
Eight of
the arrested accused are from Nagpur, where the conspiracy to kill these
animals was hatched to whip up communal frenzy, the police said on Friday.
Carcasses
of 18 cows with their necks slit were found in Vainganga river near Pindrai
village in Seoni, while those of 28 cows and oxen were found in Kakartala
forest area under Dhuma police station limits in the district on June 19 and
20. More such carcasses were found in the district later.
"Police
have so far arrested a total of 24 persons in this connection. The accused
persons were assigned the job of killing the bovine animals in return for money
and local residents [of Seoni] were also found to be involved in the
crime," a police official said.
"The
police headquarters in Bhopal was also monitoring the case as the incident was
aimed at disrupting the communal harmony, and it had directed its personnel to
ensure the arrest of those involved in this inhuman act," the official
added.
Initially,
a case was registered against the unidentified accused under the Madhya Pradesh
Govansh Vadh Pratishedh Adhiniyam, 2004 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act, 1960 in this regard, he said, adding that the police first arrested Wahid
Khan and his six associates based on the leads.
During
their interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that Mr. Khan made
arrangements for the killing of bovine animals on the instructions of one
Nagpur-based Israr Ahmed in exchange for a hefty amount of money, the official
said.
Mr.
Israr and his associates reached Seoni on June 17 and then they roped in
Sana-ur-Rehman, Abdul Karim and Rafiq Khan also for the job by offering them
money, he said.
Inspector
General of Police (Jabalpur zone) Anil Singh Kushwaha earlier said a total of
62 bovine animals — 19 cows and 43 oxen — were killed in Seoni.
The
investigation suggested that slaughtering of these animals was aimed at whipping
up communal frenzy, he said.
The
police probe has revealed that Mr. Israr, a resident ofNagpur, had paid ₹30,000
as advance amount to the main accused Mr. Khan, 28, against whom provisions of
the National Security Act (NSA) have been invoked for gathering the bovine animals in Seoni,
according to the senior police officer.
The
police arrested Mr. Israr and during his questioning, he told them that he had
chalked out the plan to kill cows with the help of his associates.
After
the carcasses of cows and oxen were found last week, it was suspected that
these domestic animals were killed by smugglers amid stern action being taken
by the police to curb the menace of cow smuggling in the district.
Seoni
shares its border with Nagpur in Maharashtra where cow slaughter is forbidden
by law like in Madhya Pradesh.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/24-held-for-killing-cows-and-oxen-in-madhya-pradesh-police-say-conspiracy-to-slaughter-them-hatched-in-nagpur/article68345546.ece
-----
Three
Pigs' Throats Slit at Site Set for Major Migrant Camp in Sick Bid to Keep Muslims
Out
29 JUN 2024
The
Thornton Hall site in Dublin (stock pic)
--------------
Three
pigs had their throats slit at the site of the State’s first major migrant camp
in what is believed to be an attempt to keep Muslims out.
The
three animals were left to bleed out near the site at Thornton Hall in North
Dublin but they did not die outright and were later put down by a vet. Gardai
confirmed they are investigating the incident which took place last Wednesday
evening.
Similar
incidents have occurred in the UK and Europe and are used to prevent people of
the Islamic faith from an area as they consider pigs unclean.
A source
told the Irish Mirror that there is little doubt that this was the intention of
those involved in this incident.
He said:
“The three pigs were left on the Thornton Hall site and there’s no doubt that
it was to keep Muslims off the land.
“These
animals were butchered….well half butchered…they had to be put down later.
“They
were left cut up and bleeding out but alive…it was shocking to look at. It’s
not being reported but this has been escalating for weeks with numerous
incidents of trespassing and criminal damage and nothing has been done about
it.” It is understood that Thornton Hall, which was originally the site of a
proposed “super prison” will be the first of the State's first major migrant camps.
It is
believed that up to 1,000 migrants and asylum seekers will be accommodated
there in the coming weeks. Taoiseach Simon Harris is on record as saying that
using Thornton Hall would be “logical” and “the best thing to do is to secure
some state land”.
But
residents near Thornton Hall have said they received “no public consultation”
ahead of plans to bring asylum seekers to the area.
They
point out that there are no services that would help asylum seekers living
there with one resident saying there is nothing there but a few sheds and a
septic tank.
There
have been a number of protests by local people in recent weeks which were
monitored by gardai. Yesterday gardai confirmed that the incident involving the
pigs took place during the week. A garda spokesman stated: “Gardaí were called
out to a premises in Killsallaghan, Co. Dublin on Wednesday evening, 26th June
2024 at approximately 5.30pm.
“Two
animals discovered at the location with injuries were attended to by a vet and
subsequently euthanised. A third animal was taken into care. Shortly
afterwards, a man (30s) was arrested and detained at a North Dublin Garda
Station for an alleged offence under the Criminal Justice, Public Order Act,
1994.
“He has
since been charged and will appear before Swords District Court on Tuesday,
16th July 2024. Investigations are ongoing.
“An
Garda Síochána would appeal to any person with any information on this incident
to contact investigating Gardaí at Swords Garda station 01-6664700 or the Garda
Confidential Phone number 1800 666 111.”
Source: irishmirror.ie
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/three-pigs-throats-slit-site-33130853
--------
Jeddah
University Develops Artificial Intelligence Device That Detects Preterm Births
June 28,
2024
The
innovation identifies potential problems in the fetus at an early stage,
allowing timely medical interventions. (SPA)
--------------
JEDDAH:
The University of Jeddah has developed a device that can detect preterm births
using artificial intelligence technologies combined with the internet,
according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The
device calculates the percentage of amniotic fluid inside the fetal sac and
identifies potential problems at an early stage, the SPA reported on Wednesday.
This
allows for timely medical interventions to help promote fetal lung development
and placental health.
The
innovation was achieved by Dr. Qamar Nayteh and Dr. Youssef Al-Sohafi from the
university’s College of Computer Science and Engineering.
The two
doctors received a gold medal and an international award at Romania’s recent
International Exhibition of Inventions, Innovations and Technology.
“This
demonstrates the efficiency of Saudi innovations and their ability to compete
on the global level,” the report stated.
“It uses
the advanced technologies of ultrasonic sensors and AI to ensure high accuracy,
avoiding false alarms, and the ability to monitor remotely,” it stated.
It also
allows health professionals to follow up on a patient’s condition via mobile
phone applications, which reduces the need for frequent hospital visits.
It has a
user-friendly interface that allows pregnant women to monitor amniotic fluid
levels at home, the report stated.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539086/saudi-arabia
--------
Number
of California hate crimes drop, but more target Jews, Muslims and LGBTQ
communities
California
Attorney General Rob Bonta (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
------------
June 28,
2024
Loading
your audio article
Reported
hate crime events in California decreased by 7.1% in 2023 compared to the
previous year, with such crimes based on sexual orientation rising by 4.1% and
those against Black residents decreasing by 20.6%, according to a report
released today in Los Angeles by California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“While
it is heartening to see an overall decrease in hate crimes in 2023, some of our
communities, including our LGBTQ+, Jewish and Muslim communities, continue to
be targeted and endangered by hate at alarming rates,” Bonta said in a
statement.
Bonta
said that in conjunction with the report’s release, he issued an updated bulletin
to law enforcement agencies throughout the state with a revised summary of
state laws targeting hate crimes and hate-motivated acts.
“The
California Department of Justice has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to
hate and will continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders and
community organizations across the state to keep our communities safe through
education, prevention, and enforcement,” he said.
“An
attack against one of us is an attack against all of us — there is no place for
hate in California,” Bonta added.
According
to the report, the overall number of reported hate crime events in the state
decreased from 2,474 in 2022 to 2,303 last year. Black people were the most
commonly targeted group, despite a decrease from 652 reported crimes in 2022 to
518 in 2023, the report said.
Sexual-orientation-based
hate crime events increased from 391 in 2022 to 405 last year. Anti-transgender
bias events increased by 10.2% from 59 reported crimes in 2022 to 65 in 2023,
and anti-LGBTQ+ bias events increased by 86.4% last year from 2022, according
to the report.
Source: dailybreeze.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2024/06/28/number-of-california-hate-crimes-drop-but-more-target-jews-muslims-and-lgbtq-communities/
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International
Police(EUROPOL) Crack Down On Islamic State Online Platforms
June 28,
2024
Credit:
Yuri Samoilov
--------------
The
European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) announced on 14 June
the dismantling of “critical online infrastructure” used by Islamic State (IS)
for “propaganda, recruitment, and radicalization.” This was through joint
operations since 2022 conducted by EUROPOL itself, Spain’s Guardia Civil, and
the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The operations are the
likely cause of the greatly reduced number of IS Telegram channels in recent
months, the most accessible way for people to access and share IS content
related to the conflict in northern Mozambique and elsewhere.
The
operation conducted by the Guardia Civil, in cooperation with the FBI, targeted
the IS-affiliated Ilham Foundation. This is the brand of a network of websites
that acted as “a node and archive” to disseminate IS incident claims,
newsletters, and videos through social media and messaging apps. They also had
links through which contributions could be made to cryptocurrency accounts.
Within Spain, the operation led to arrests in Andalucia, Catalonia, and the
Canary Islands. The operation, dubbed Operation Almuasasa, targeted “dozens” of
servers and web hosting providers in the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia,
Romania, Iceland, and the US.
The
operation has significant implications for ISM. The group has been able to
demonstrate its affiliation to IS and, by implication, its access to financial
and technical support by being featured in IS media channels. Perhaps more
damagingly, the management of public communications by IS media operations has
meant that perceptions of the conflict have been shaped by IS imperatives
rather than those of its local leadership. Typically, the IS Telegram channels
that have been removed had less than 10 members each. Popular dissemination depended
on content being shared by others through open platforms such as X, formerly
known as Twitter, or large Mozambican discussion groups hosted on apps such as
WhatsApp and Telegram. In taking down the IS Telegram channels, the potential
for mass distribution to a Mozambican audience has been greatly reduced.
It is
not yet clear that Telegram will continue to keep IS off its platform. The
company is in talks with the European Union on whether or not it is covered by
the bloc’s Digital Services Act of 2022. If Telegram submits to coverage under
the act, IS activity will remain constrained. In the meantime, IS content
remains available online through sites available on the Tor browser.
Source: zitamar.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.zitamar.com/international-police-crack-down-on-islamic-state-online-platforms/
--------
India
SC
Guidelines Violated During the Scientific Study of The 11th-Century
Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque, Alleges Muslim Cleric, `Shahar Qazi'
28 June
2024
Dhar:
Guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court were not followed during the
scientific study of the 11th-century Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in
Dhar district, a Muslim leader claimed on Friday.
A local
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official said he could not comment on the
issue.
The site
is claimed by both Hindus and Muslims, leading to a dispute about its nature.
The
Muslim community on Friday offered Namaz at the complex, a day after the ASI
wrapped up its 98-day scientific study of the area as directed by the High
Court.
Waqar
Sadiq, `Shahar Qazi'or head cleric of Dhar city, alleged while talking to
reporters that the SC guidelines were "grossly violated by the ASI
team".
The high
court had said that no damage should be caused and there should be no
excavation without the collector's permission, but these directives were
ignored, he claimed after attending the namaz.
When
contacted, ASI's local conservation assistant Prashant Patankar said he was not
authorised to comment on the issue.
On March
11, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the ASI to
conduct a scientific survey of the medieval-era Bhojshala structure in the Dhar
district.
On April
1, the Supreme Court refused to stay the survey while hearing a plea of Muslim
petitioners, but said no action should be taken without its permission on the
outcome of the ASI study.
As per
an April 7, 2003 order of the ASI, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the
Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at
the site on Fridays.
Hindus
believe Bhojshala to be a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the
Muslim community claims that it has always been a mosque.
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/madhya-pradesh/sc-guidelines-violated-during-bhojshala-survey-alleges-muslim-cleric-3085375
--------
Weaponising
Law and A Lie to Attack Indo-Islamic Heritage, Jannat-ul-Firdaus Mosque,
Sunehri Bagh Masjid, Akhonji Masjid
By Fahad
Zuberi
Jun 28,
2024
On June
21, Jannat-ul-Firdaus Mosque in Delhi was demolished citing legal violations.
Sunehri Bagh Masjid and a madrasa in Sarai Kale Khan also face demolition, and
earlier this year, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished Akhonji
Masjid in Mehrauli. These demolitions have happened despite DDA’s assurance to
the Delhi High Court in September 2023, that it will not demolish any mosque or
legitimate Waqf properties in Delhi. The submission came in response to a
petition filed by the Waqf Board fearing that such demolitions would take place
in the name of removing encroachments. How does DDA destroy Indo-Islamic
heritage with such impunity?
The
destruction is achieved through first, a lie: The lie that this architecture
does not belong to the people of India and is not their heritage. This popular
consciousness is achieved by redefining “Indian Heritage”. Over the last
decade, we see extensive and exclusive promotion of temples and occasional
Buddhist and Jain shrines as Indian heritage. Even temples that are constructed
recently or are still under construction get comfortably narrativised as
heritage. Everything else – the buildings built by Muslim monarchs and by the
British -- is, by exclusion, defined as heritage that is not Indian. Out of
this undesirable category, colonial structures are appropriated – renamed and
redeveloped – in a language of decolonisation. This appropriation allows
colonial infrastructure to be used while furthering a partisan politics of
anti-colonial reclamation.
Language
plays a key role in this othering. The RSS has promoted the idea that Muslim
monarchs of South Asia were invaders who disrupted and destroyed a thriving
“Indian” civilisation. Therefore, to reclaim the glory of India, the markers of
their presence and their culture must be erased. The land of India must be
purified so that a new era of Hindu-led development can be ushered in. This
language features in the speeches of elected politicians as well as in
mainstream discourse whereby Indo-Islamic monuments are often called “tombs of
invaders”. While temples are promoted as desirable catalysts of development by
reconfiguring them into hubs of tourism and universal spirituality,
Indo-Islamic architecture is painted as an undesirable memento to a victimised
past. This undesirability is then exploited to demolish architecture with
impunity and legitimacy.
To enact
and legalise destruction, the law is weaponised. In case of the demolition of
Akhonji Mosque in Mehrauli, for example, DDA referred to a 1994 notification
under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 that marked the extents of a notified reserve
forest in the region. Similar municipal laws and building by-laws have been
used to destroy other gravesites, mazars and mosques in a language of
encroachment and illegality. This instrumentalisation of law allows destruction
of Indo-Islamic heritage by law, not despite it. The bulldozer is, today, a
political symbol in India – explicitly signifying a politics of erasure and
hatred.
The use
of law also allows for an argument of “the necessity of violence”. In this
logic, violence is justified to achieve a greater good. Once particular
settlements have been painted as unwanted, they can make way for the
development of a “pristine forest reserve”, as DDA claims in the stated cases,
or cleaner cities, as municipal bodies have justified while demolishing mosques
in the name of removing encroachments. The proposal to demolish the Sunehri
Bagh Masjid in New Delhi for better flow of traffic follows a similar logic.
Scholarship has shown that such laws were used to demolish architecture of the
“natives” by the British as well – including in the aftermath of the rebellion
of 1857 when neighbourhoods in Old Delhi were flattened in the name of public
hygiene and sanitation. The State of India seems to be repeating this colonial
doctrine and its processes - only this time, against its own citizens and to
destroy its own heritage.
Architecture
is our easiest access to history and the site of our future imaginations.
Archeology allows for an interpretation of the past and construction provides a
canvas for the future. Hence, architecture becomes the subject of some of the
most violent political conflicts. It was precisely to safeguard heritage from
such political conflicts that the UNESCO World Heritage Sites category was
developed and adopted between 1965 and 1972 by the United Nations. The idea of
World Heritage recognises that contemporary politics decides the preservation
or destruction of heritage, and that it can be done “legally” by sovereign
nations at their will, and therefore, needs universal protection. India has
adhered to the convention and its norms, is a member State, and enjoys great
capital-flow and soft power from its 42 World Heritage sites.
The
truth is that the architecture built by the Muslim monarchs in India –
Indo-Islamic architecture – is our collective heritage as South Asian people
and as members of a collective humanity. We do not find Sultanate or Mughal architecture
anywhere in the world but in the Indian subcontinent. However, politics that
seeks supremacy of an identity and erasure of the other will first assign a
past – an unwanted one– to the other and then erase it in a spectacular display
of violence and destruction. Let us not forget that it was the destruction of a
mosque that generated decades of political propulsion in India.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/weaponising-law-and-a-lie-to-attack-indo-islamic-heritage-101719588721620.html
--------
BJP
alleges Muslim woman stripped, beaten for supporting party in Bengal:
‘Sandeshkhali in every village’
Jun 28,
2024
The BJP,
on Thursday, alleged that a Muslim woman - Rosonara Khatun, has been stripped
and beaten in Coochbehar district, West Bengal, for supporting their party. BJP
IT Cell Head Amit Malviya posted on X that there is a “Sandeshkhali in every
village in Bengal”.
Malviya
said that the incident took place at the Ramthenga Market in the Mathabhanga
Assembly of Coochbehar district.
He
posted on X, “Rosonara Khatun, a member of the BJP's Minority Morcha, was
dragged by her hair and subjected to severe physical assault. This brutal
incident has shocked the Muslim community. Since the announcement of the
election results, she had been in a state of panic and avoided leaving her
home. Currently, she is admitted to the hospital.”
He also
added that, "There is a #Sandeshkhali in every village of Bengal. The
incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice. Concerns over
political violence and safety of women under Mamata Banerjee remains a huge
concern".
The
National Commission for Women took note of the alleged attack and demanded a
detailed action report on the incident within 3 days, according to news agency
PTI.
The NCW
has condemned the incident and instructed the police to apply relevant
provisions of the Indian Penal Code in the FIR.
In a
post on X, the NCW stated, “The accused must be arrested promptly, and the
victim provided free medical treatment. A fair, time-bound investigation is
required, with a detailed action taken report to be submitted to the Commission
within 3 days.”
Sandeshkhali,
a village in North 24 Parganas district, west Bengal, had been the centre of
controversy after women in the village accused Sheikh Shahjahan, a member of
the ruling TMC party, of seizing land and sexually assaulting women with his
aides.
Shahjahan
was suspended from the TMC for a period of six years before being arrested. He
was arrested by the CBI in connection with attack on ED officials probing in
the village in January. The Sandeshkhali case was a huge issue during the 2024
Lok Sabha elections.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-alleges-muslim-woman-stripped-beaten-for-supporting-party-in-bengal-sandeshkhali-in-every-village-101719565611490.html
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NIA
searches premises in Gujarat, Maharashtra in Pakistan spying case
June 28,
2024
The
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday conducted searches in Gujarat and
Maharashtra on the premises of those suspected to have received money from
Pakistan to spy on Indian defence establishments.
The
searches were conducted in a case registered by the NIA in June last year.
The
agency filed a charge sheet in July 2023 against two accused including an
absconding Pakistani national. This was followed by two more charge sheets
against three others, including a Pakistani national, a statement issued by the
NIA said.
NIA
investigations have revealed that Pakistani nationals had collaborated with the
arrested accused in the espionage racket, in which sensitive/vital information
pertaining to the Indian Navy was being leaked as part of a conspiracy to
unleash terrorist violence in India, it said.
“Cracking
down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani ISI espionage
case relating to leakage of classified defence information, the NIA on Friday
conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra,”
the statement said.
The
residences of the suspects, believed to have received money from Pakistan to
spy on Indian defence establishments, were thoroughly searched by the NIA teams
at three locations. Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones
and documents, were seized during the searches.
The NIA
is examining the seized materials to identify more linkages in the case,
originally filed by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh, on January
12, 2021, under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-searches-premises-gujarat-maharashtra-pakistan-spying-case-9421213/
--------
Europe
Reform
activist filmed making slur about Sunak denies being racist because he has ‘had
Muslim girlfriends’
28-06-24
A Reform
UK activist filmed making a racial slur about prime minister Rishi Sunak claims
he cannot be racist as “he has had Muslim girlfriends”.
Andrew
Parker was recorded by a Channel 4 undercover reporter saying army recruits
should use migrants arriving by small boats in Kent as “target practice”, and
labelling Islam a “disgusting cult” in widely condemned comments.
Referring
to Mr Sunak, who is of Indian descent, he said: “I’ve always been a Tory voter.
But what annoys me is that f****** p*** we’ve got in. What good is he? You tell
me, you know. He’s just wet. F****** useless.”
Speaking
on Friday, Mr Parker claimed he had made the comments in “the heat of the
moment” because he was being “goaded on” and said they were “off-the-cuff”.
“Of
course I regret what I said,” he added. “Christ, I’m not a racist. I’ve had
Muslim girlfriends. It was typical chaps-down-the-pub talk.”
Asked
whether he would like to apologise, he said: “Of course I’m sorry. They were
off-the-cuff things that everyone says.”
Mr
Parker said he had “a lot of Pakistani friends” and “Muslim friends”, and that
he was “sick to death” of being asked about the footage, which was only
released on Thursday.
Both
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer condemned the comments and said Mr Farage had
questions to answer over another racism row involving his party.
The
Prime Minister said the slur “hurts and it makes me angry”, adding: “My two
daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage
calling me an effing p****.
“I don’t
repeat those words lightly. I do so deliberately, because this is too important
not to call out clearly for what it is.”
Sir Keir
said he was “shocked” by the “clearly racist” footage and that the Reform UK
leader faced a “test of leadership”.
The
Labour leader told BBC Breakfast: “You have to ask the question why so many
people who are supporting Reform seem to be exposed in this particular way.
“It’s
for a leader to change his or her party, to make sure the culture is right, and
the standards are understood by everybody within the party.”
On
Friday Mr Farage and Reform supporters tried to suggest the incident was a ‘set
up’ after it emerged Mr Parker was an actor. The party leader said he was
“dismayed” by the racist comments, describing them as “appalling sentiments”,
but claimed “the whole episode does not add up”.
But Mr
Parker rejected the suggestion of conspiracy, and said he had become involved
with Reform UK by contacting the party himself and volunteering to do
leafletting because he believes in its message.
Channel
4 News also shot down any criticism of its reporting when it exposed Mr
Parker’s comments during an undercover operation.
“We
strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for
itself,” a spokesperson said. “We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK
party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.
“We did
not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was
not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.”
Source: independent.co.uk
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the text of the original Story
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-racism-andrew-parker-channel-four-b2570615.html
--------
Islamic
Development Bank to provide $2 bln for infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan
28 Jun
2024
ALMATY.
June 28 (Interfax) - The Islamic Development Bank will provide up to $2 billion
to finance water and transport infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan, the
Kazakh prime minister's press service said.
The
government of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Development Bank have signed the
relevant frame agreement.
"The
document incorporated the earlier reached agreements on long-term investment in
infrastructure projects this year in the water management and transport
sectors. To this end, the Islamic Development Bank will provide up to $2
billion," the press service said.
The
Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry has announced 16 projects that can be
financed this year, including construction and modernization of water
reservoirs, dams, irrigation canals, compensation reservoirs and related
infrastructure. The Ministry of Transport proposed four projects for
modernization and construction of national highways of over 500 km in length.
Source: interfax.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/103829/
--------
Orthodox
Islamic institutions and individual income: evidence from Pakistan
28 June
2024
Abstract
Religiosity
and income have a multifaceted, complex relationship. Theories have different
courses by which religion defines income, positively or negatively. However,
religion and income can be influenced by many factors and vary between cultures
and religious factions. This study aims to contribute to developing that
understanding by focusing on Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country. In this
regard, we examine the impact of affiliation with orthodox Islamic institutions
on an individual’s income. This study utilizes data from the Pakistan Social
and Living Standard Survey (PSLM) conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of
Statistics, spanning three time cohorts (2010–2011, 2014–2015, and 2019–2020)
with sample sizes of 76,546, 78,635, and 195,000 households, respectively. we
find that individual income varies significantly positively based on
religiosity. Similarly, minority and minority interaction with religiosity
significantly positively impact lone income in the studied context. These
findings emphasize the need for nuanced understanding and consideration of
cultural and religious factors when exploring the dynamics between religiosity
and economic outcomes.
Introduction
The
economics of religiosity is a growing field of study and is a promising area of
academic inquiry since most of the world’s population is religious. Religion
and economic behavior have been the subject of increasing study, but much
remains unknown. Religion’s impact on economic conduct and commitment to
materialistic wealth is especially crucial in developing countries, where the
average incomes of impoverished and lower-middle-class households are growing.
The extent to which these households become religious as they get wealthier
will influence how their societies evolve (Beck and Gundersen, 2016). Religion
plays a vital role in developing and implementing private institutions, such as
family traditions and attitudes toward work and thrift, as well as state
institutions, such as blue laws, prohibitions, and usury laws (Heath et al.
1995). This paper aims to investigate whether religiosity influences individual
income in Pakistan.Footnote1
Religion
is integral to most people in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. According to
government projections, Pakistan’s total population is estimated to be 234.4
million (PBS, 2020). As per the preliminary results of the most recent national
census, 96 percent of the population is Sunni or Shia Muslim. According to
government data, the remaining 4 percent include Ahmadi (who are not recognized
as Muslims by national law); Hindus; Christians, including Roman Catholics,
Anglicans, and Protestants; Parsis/Zoroastrians; Baha’is; Sikhs; Buddhists;
Kalash; Kihals and Jains (PBS, 2020). Hence, it is believed that 4 percent of
Pakistanis are members of a religious minority that are not Muslim. Therefore,
this study emphasizes Islam as the studied religious denomination.
Behavioral
economists make efforts to examine the causal relationship between religion and
people’s economic behavior. Some notable scripts amongst them are: Buser (2015)
examines the effect of income on religiousness in Ecuador; Lipford and Tollison
(2003) investigate the bi-directional causal relationship between income and
religious participation during 1971, 1980, and 1990 in USA; The bi–causal relationship
between income and religion was scrutinized by Bettendorf and Dijkgraaf (2005)
using data of 27,908 Dutch households in the Netherlands; Silveus and Stoddard
(2020) identify the impact of income on religiosity with the moderating factor
of Earned Income Taxed Credit in USA; Heath et al. (1995) scrutinize the causal
relationship of religion and economic welfare in USA during the studied span of
1952, 1971, and 1980; Meredith (2012) examines the relationship between labor
income and religiosity through survey data collected in USA from 1996 to 2004;
Beck and Gundersen (2016) draw an analysis between earned income and religion
in Ghana; Bettendorf and Dijkgraaf (2009) post examining income and religion,
investigate religion and income: heterogeneity between twenty five western
countries.
Empirical
studies investigating the phenomenon have reached mixed conclusions. Bettendorf
and Dijkgraaf (2005) found that religion positively affects income in the
Netherlands. Specifically, they found that people who attend religious services
regularly earn more than those who do not. Beck and Gundersen (2016) found that
religious affiliation does not significantly affect income, but religiosity
(i.e., the degree to which people practice their religion) does. In particular,
their research revealed that individuals who engage in religious practices more
frequently tend to have higher earnings compared to those who practice less
frequently. Heath et al. (1995) found that religious affiliation positively
affects income in the United States. Lipford and Tollison (2003) identified a
direct association between religiosity and income within the studied US
population, highlighting that individuals who exhibit higher church attendance
tend to have higher earnings compared to those with lower attendance. Silveus
and Stoddard (2020) discovered that religion has a positive impact on income in
the United States, but this effect is limited to specific religious groups.
Notably, Mormons and Jews tend to have higher earnings compared to non-religious
individuals, whereas Protestants and Catholics do not exhibit a significant
income advantage. The researchers further noted that disparities in education
levels among religious groups contribute to the income advantage observed among
Mormons and Jews. Lastly, Buser (2015) found that the relationship between
religion and income varies across countries. While certain countries exhibit a
positive correlation between religiosity and income, others demonstrate a
negative correlation. Additionally, Buser found that differences in education
levels across religious groups partly explain the relationship between religion
and income.
Nonetheless,
income inequality has always been challenging for developing economies, and
Pakistan is no exception (Nielsen and Alderson, 1995). Income inequality has
risen since 1970 in Pakistan (Kruijk and Leeuwen, 1985). Different studies have
used standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and GINI coefficient to
study income inequality in Pakistan. The studies show that income inequality
has increased in rural and urban factions of Pakistan since the 1970s (Kemal,
1994; Awan and Hussain, 2007; and Cheema and Sial, 2012). In such an unbalanced
situation, ethnic minorities usually suffer more from income inequality. What is
the situation in Pakistan? Is there considerable income inequality between
ethnic minorities and Punjabis (ethnic majority) in Pakistan? Does the role of
religiosity in shaping lone income changes when interacting with ethnic
minorities?
This
research investigates the causal association between religion and income in a
new context and with a different set of factors than earlier studies. Unlike
previous studies on the subject, this study uses affiliation with deeni
madrassa (orthodox Islamic institutions) as a surrogate measure of religiosity.
As a result, we strive to offer insight into how being a part of a religious
ecosystem impacts the economic well-being of individuals in the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan. Based on the Pakistan Standard and Living Measurement
Survey conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2010–11, 2014–15, and
2019–20, this study uses data from three cohorts of respondents.
This
study utilizes pooled OLS (with Huber—White estimator) and structural equation
models to conclude that being associated with orthodox Islamic institutions
(deeni madrassas) has a favorable influence on individual income, regardless of
interaction with ethnic minorities in Pakistan. More precisely, after
controlling for demographic characteristics and time cohorts, the study finds
that affiliates of orthodox Islamic institutions in Pakistan earn significantly
more than the other factions of the society. We interpret this finding as
evidence that the role of these orthodox Islamic institutions is more of a
social club rather than a mere education institute. They have built a robust
ecosystem that provides their affiliates with free education and boarding and
assists them in ensuring sustainable income throughout life. Moreover,
religiosity, when interacting with ethnic minorities, has a significant
positive impact on shaping lone income in Pakistan. We explain this as the
network of these orthodox Islamic institutions is more established in the
realms where ethnic minorities live.
We
organize this paper as follows. “Literature Review and Hypotheses” examines
different theoretical considerations and empirical literature supporting a
causal relationship between religion and income. “Empirical Methodology and
Data” discusses data, empirical models, summary statistics, and the estimation
strategy. “Results and Discussion” debates the discussion of the results of
religiosity shaping lone income. “Conclusion” provides concluding remarks.
Literature
review and hypotheses
Religiosity
and income have a multifaceted, complex relationship. Religion is related to
income in several ways, depending on the context. Religion may indirectly
stimulate individual wages through social networks, education, and job market
experiences, all of which differ for members of religious groups (Lehrer, 1999;
Keister and Sherkat, 2014). Religion may also directly impact income through
beliefs and religious teachings related to a person’s income and financial
prosperity (Bartkowski, 2014). In numerous contexts, religiosity and income
share a positive correlation.
Theories
have identified several paths by which religion defines income favorably or
adversely Iannaccone (1992). Azzi and Ehrenberg (1975) were pioneers in
deploying the neoclassical framework to elucidate the distribution of time
between earning and religious activities. They suggested a utility model that
includes consumption during one’s lifetime and after death. Religious
activities (service attendance, monetary offerings, and so forth) are inputs to
the afterlife production function. This model generates several testable and
allegedly legitimate predictions, such as increased religious behavior later in
life and increased religious engagement for people with lower opportunity
costs. According to the concept, religious engagement should rise as non-wage
income rises if afterlife consumption is a typical benefit.
A second
theoretical paradigm considers religion a type of social insurance (Glaeser and
Sacerdote, 2008; Gruber, 2005). Iannaccone (1992) established the classic
economic model of religion, which analyzes religion as a clubhouse product with
positive returns to “participatory crowding.” In this paradigm, more registered
participants equate to a higher value for the club’s good. Religious
organizations are incentivized to prevent free riding since the value of the
good rises only with engaged participation. Efforts to combat free riding are
used to justify rules such as dietary and dress restrictions, prohibitions on
specific activities, and Sabbath observances. Religious groups’ insurance
functions are widely established, and the optimal model of religiously provided
social insurance suggests religious organizations will require a commitment to
solving the free-rider problem (Buser, 2015). Individuals will respond to
economic misery by indicating loyalty to religious groups if the insurance is
provided ex-post (after some information about the risk has been revealed).
Chen (2010) reveals evidence of this practice in Indonesian Muslim groups.
According
to Chetty et al. (2014), religiosity is strongly positively correlated with
upward mobility. Inclining upward mobility indicates a healthy economy, and job
advancement is one of the key factors driving this economic advancement. This
new research supports Iannaccone’s (1998) assertion that “religion is not the
exclusive domain of the poor and uninformed”. One explanation is that
religiosity boosts income by improving job networks, academic achievement,
mental and physical stability, lower substance abuse, and a low divorce rate
(Montgomery, 1991; Lim and Putnam, 2010; Hummer et al. 1999; Fruehwirth et al.
2019; Gruber and Hungerman, 2008; Gruber, 2005).
Disentangling
the link between income and religion is complicated further by the fact that,
in some instances, religion and income have a negative relationship rather than
the positive one mentioned above. This negative link is found in cross-country
scenarios where religious involvement and per capita GDP have a well-documented
inverse relationship (Barro and McCleary, 2003; McCleary and Barro, 2006).
According to Lipford and Tollison (2003), higher wages result in higher
opportunity costs of attending religious services, thus resulting in less
religious involvement. This argument is expanded and reinforced by Gruber and
Hungerman (2008) and Hungerman (2014), who demonstrate that activities such as
shopping or gaming are economical alternatives for religious service attendance
and that service attendance decreases as opportunity costs increase. Other
research suggests that formal religious ties may provide a social welfare
system—informal insurance—against unfavorable economic circumstances. Dehejia
et al. (2007) provide empirical evidence that individuals who donate to
religious organizations report lower consumption declines after suffering
adverse income shocks than those who do not donate. Chen (2010) investigates
the impact of the 1997 Indonesian financial crisis and finds that consumption
shocks promote religious intensity through Quran study and attendance at
Islamic schools. Shaw et al. (2016) find evidence of increased church
membership in counties that suffered damage during the Great Mississippi Flood
of 1927. They attribute the rise to increased demand for social insurance.
Religion appears to have an impact on salaries (Chiswick, 1983), education
enrollment (Freeman, 2013), healthcare (Ellison, 1991), and criminal behavior
(Ellison, 1991; Evans et al. 1995).
Some
scholars have also investigated the issue by examining the effect of income on
religiosity. Buser (2015) examined the religious practices of impoverished
families in Ecuador after a change in eligibility criteria for a government
cash transfer in 2010 and found that more social payments through the
government’s cash transfer program were associated with a higher level of
religious attendance. Similarly, Azzi and Ehrenberg (1975) argue that if
afterlife consumption is typically considered beneficial, church attendance and
financial donations to religious activities should increase as the non-wage
income rises.
It is
important to note that while this literature is thoughtful and valuable, it has
some shortcomings. Firstly, the causality of the association between religion
and income cannot always be determined with certainty due to endogeneity
issues. Secondly, the literature is in general constrained to limited context
(mostly developed countries) as shown in Table 1 below. Consequently, they
cannot be extrapolated to other nations. Finally, the literature typically
concentrates on the relationship between religion and outcomes. However,
outcomes are not only influenced by attitudes but also by the surrounding
environment. For example, in the United States, Catholics enjoy higher incomes
(not as much as Jews, but higher than other religions). However, their success
is widely linked to the high standard of their educational system. Thus, the
interplay between the educational system and Catholic Church institutions in
the United States, rather than Catholicism per se, could make people more
successful in life. In Latin America, for example, it may not necessarily be
true that Catholicism improves individual welfare (Guiso et al. 2003).
Table 1
Overview of the empirical literature on religion and income.
Full
size table
Furthermore,
the relationship between affiliation with orthodox Islamic institutions and
individual income takes on a positive connotation when considering its
interaction with ethnic minority status. While orthodox Islamic institutions
traditionally function as vital social and economic networks, fostering support
and opportunities for their members, this positive influence is magnified for
individuals belonging to ethnic minority groups. In the face of obstacles
confronting ethnic minorities in Pakistan, aligning with orthodox Islamic
institutions emerges as a potent alleviating element, effectively mitigating
the social and economic marginalization experienced by these minority groups
(Shehzad, 2011; Sheikh and Gillani, 2023). This affiliation may play a crucial
role in enhancing economic prospects for ethnic minorities, providing them with
a sense of community, support, and increased access to mainstream
opportunities. This positive synergy challenges existing notions of social
stratification (Iannacone, 1998; Buser, 2015), suggesting that affiliation with
orthodox Islamic institutions contributes positively to individual income,
especially within the unique dynamics of the Pakistani context. Further
empirical exploration is essential to comprehensively understand and validate
these positive associations, shedding light on the mechanisms that facilitate
improved economic outcomes for ethnic minorities within this context.
The
present study effectively addresses the issue of endogeneity by employing an
alternative proxy to gauge religiosity, namely, the educational affiliation
with orthodox Islamic institutions (deeni madrassa), which individuals
undertake prior to entering their professional endeavors. Additionally, the
research centers its investigation on Pakistan, a nation belonging to the
low-to-middle-income group, which has been overlooked in prior scholarly works.
Furthermore, this study emphasizes Islam as the focus religious denomination,
which has not been addressed in previous empirical studies. Through addressing
these overlooked aspects, the study aims to contribute to the existing
literature by providing a more comprehensive examination of the phenomenon. By
focusing on the overlooked aspects, this study aims to fill the gaps left by
previous research in understanding the phenomenon.
Building
upon insights from empirical literature and theoretical discourse, the study
posits, on balance, the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis
1 (H1): Active membership in orthodox Islamic institutions is expected to exert
a significant positive impact on individual income.
Hypothesis
2 (H2): The synergistic effect of being affiliated with orthodox Islamic
institutions and belonging to an ethnic minority is hypothesized to
significantly enhance individual income in a positive manner.
Empirical
methodology and data
This
section discusses data, specifies the empirical model, summary statistics, and
motivates the estimation strategy.
Data
The data
for this study is pooled from the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Survey
(PSLM) conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The data was
collected for three-time cohorts: 2010–2011, 2014–2015, and 2019–2020. The PSLM
survey in 2010–2011, 2014–2015, and 2019–2020 included a sample size of 76,546,
78,635, and 195,000 households, respectively, and provided information on a
variety of demographic characteristics, including gender, age, ethnicity,
employment, education, income, and regional distributions. These surveys were
conducted through tablets based on android software with GIS for monitoring
built by the data processing center, ensuring reliable and accurate data (PBS,
2020). This survey also pooled data for our focus independent variable
religiosity, proxied by enrollment in deeni madrassas (orthodox Islamic
institutions) in response to the survey question Sec C Q7 “What type of
education institution was last attended?” with the following answer options:
government, private, deeni madrassa, other qualifications, non-formal
education, and NGO education.
The
population for this study was the whole census population included in the PSLM
surveys under consideration. However, the sample used for the analysis is
restricted by the applicable exclusions. Initially, the study established an
age floor of 14 years to exclude juveniles legally prohibited from working
under the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s constitution, as similar exclusions
were made by Campos et al. (2016) in their study in China. Following that,
observations with missing reporting incomes were excluded from each study
cohort, accounting for 13.50% of the survey population, as Beck and Gundersen
(2016) did in their study of the same phenomenon in Ghana and as Bettendorf and
Dijkgraaf (2009) did in their study of 25 Western countries. Finally, 11%
(47,250 individual subjects) of the remaining population (using convenience
quota sampling) opted for conducting the analysis, which is also an empirically
well–supported practice in scholarly circles when studying a census population.
Descriptive
statistics
Table 2
summarizes the summary statistics for the study’s sample. The average age in
the analyzed sample was found to be 24 years old. The gender distribution of
the analyzed sample shows 47% female representation. The rural population,
which accounts for 27.77% of the sample, resides in villages and rural
vicinities. 67.46% of the sample represents the country’s minority ethnicities,
which include Pashtun, Sindhi, Muhajir, Baluchi, Kashmiri, and Saraiki. 81.5%
of the studied population are associated with paid employment and businesses
while 18.5% of the population belongs to the strata of unpaid family workers.
40.2% of the research respondents were drawn from cohort I (2019–2020), 25.71%
were drawn from cohort II (2014–2015), and 34.09% were drawn from cohort III
(2010–2011). A total of 27.61% of the sample is drawn from the population of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 36.81% is taken from the Punjab province, 27.11% from
Sindh, and 8.47% comes from Baluchistan, the least populated province in
Pakistan. The independent focus variable, 17.33% of the selected sample,
attained their last education from an orthodox Islamic institution (deeni
madrassa) in Pakistan. Finally, the average monthly per capita income observed
for the studied cohorts was 59,205.85 PKR (equivalent to 367 USD as of the end
of 2020).
Table 2
Summary statistics for demographic and focus variables.
Full
size table
Empirical
model
For the
purpose of this study, a baseline equation and an extended equation are
formulated. The equation(s) are stated below: The equations are as follows:
(i)Baseline
Equation
(ii)Extended
Equation
Where
LNINCO represents the natural logarithm of the monthly per capita income. LNAGE
embodies the natural logarithm of the age of the research subjects. GENDER
denotes 1 if the respondent is female and 0 otherwise. REGION encapsulates 1 if
the respondent is a resident of a rural setting and 0 if vice versa. MINORITY
condenses 1 for research subjects from ethnic minority factions and 0 for
residents of the Punjabi bloc, the majority ethnic group in Pakistan. EMPLOY
represents 1 for all paid employments and business while 0 denotes unpaid
family workers. RELEDU designates 1 to individuals affiliated with an Orthodox
Islamic Institution (deeni madrassa) and 0 for adults from other educational
factions of the society, including government, private, deeni madrassa, other
qualifications, non-formal education, and NGO education. TDI labels 1 as the
first-time dummy variable representing the last studied cohort (2019–2020) and
0 otherwise. TDII tags 1 as the second time dummy variable that reflects the
second last studied cohort (2014–2015) and 0 for the other time cohorts. PDI
denotes 1 as the residents of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and 0 otherwise.
PDII indicates 1 for the residents of the Punjab province and 0 for vice versa.
PDIII specifies 1 as the residents of the Sindh province and 0 for the
remaining three studied provinces. ε denotes the random error term, assumed to
be typically and independently distributed. Furthermore, equation (ii) extends
equation (i) with RELEDU x MINORITY, which represents the interaction of being
a member of orthodox Islamic education (deeni madrassa) and belonging to a
faction of ethnic minorities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The
estimation of both equations is conducted using robust standard errors to
alleviate the possibility of heteroscedasticity. The data used for this study
are not affected by multicollinearity. The correlation table will be made
available on request.
This
study investigates whether the variable of interest RELEDU (captured by
affiliation with orthodox Islamic institutions) determines per capita income. A
handful of empirical studies have examined the relationship between religiosity
and income or another related variable, such as wages. Some notable scripts
amongst them are Lipford and Tollison (2003) investigate the bi–directional
impact of religiosity and income. The study found that religiosity has an
insignificant negative impact on income. Bettendorf and Dijkgraaf (2005)
analyze the impact of religion on income in 27,908 Dutch households. They found
a significant negative impact of religious membership and participation on
household income. Similar results were concluded in another study by Bettendorf
and Dijkgraaf (2009), where they scrutinized the role of religiosity in shaping
individual income in 25 western countries (mostly European countries, including
New Zealand, Canada, and the USA). They found a significant negative influence
of church membership on income. Iannaccone (1992) examines General Social
Survey (GSS) data from 1983 to 1987 and discovers no link between family income
and religious attendance frequency. Brañas-Garza and Neuman (2004) found no
association using data from the Center for Sociological Research on Catholics
in Spain from 1998. According to Iannaconne (1998), while wealth highly
predicts religious donations, it is a poor predictor of other measures of
religious engagement, such as church attendance, membership, and religious
belief. Brown (2000), on the other hand, shows a statistically significant
negative association between salaries and the frequency of religious attendance
using GSS data from 1996 to 2004. However, the empirical findings were
inconclusive because of the contextual limitation of focusing only on developed
nations.
A
distinctive feature of this study is that it examines affiliation with orthodox
Islamic institutions (deeni madrassa) as a proxy for religiosity in the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan context. According to Blanchard (2008), madrassas are the
leading Islamic institutions and a prominent measure of religious affiliation
in the Muslim world. Madrassa institutions are famous in Pakistan for providing
free education, lodging, and board to their affiliates, appealing to
impoverished families and individuals to join this dense religious
infrastructure. Therefore, it is expected that taking care of the basic needs
of these Islamic institutions makes affiliated households less efficient at
earning income. On the other hand, Cockcroft et al. (2009) advocate that the
financial and social support madrassas provide to their members makes them save
more and makes them able to create passive income-producing assets that
eventually result in increasing income. This paper sheds some light on which of
these two effects is dominant.
Additionally,
the rationale behind adopting affiliation with orthodox Islamic institutions as
a proxy for quantifying religiosity in this study is congruent with established
conventions in empirical literature that have employed church membership as a
comparable indicator of religiosity (Buser, 2015; Heath et al. 1995; Bettendorf
and Dijkgraaf, 2005; Lipford and Tollison, 2003). Within the framework of our
exploration into Deeni Madrassas (Orthodox Islamic Institutions) in Pakistan, we
draw parallels to the utilization of church membership, as these institutions
function as educational and societal focal points, addressing financial,
social, and spiritual needs akin to the communal roles of a church.
Moreover,
we contend that the heightened religiosity discerned in individuals affiliated
with orthodox Islamic institutions in Pakistan, relative to other societal
segments, substantiates the appropriateness of this surrogate for our research
objectives. It is acknowledged that, although the selected surrogate may lack
perfection, it remains a widely accepted metric within the empirical
literature.
Results
and discussion
In
Tables 3 and 4, this study presents the baseline and extended equation
estimation results, respectively. In light of the inherent characteristics of
the available data, we opt for employing Pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) as
the estimation technique, supplemented by the Huber-White estimator to account
for heteroscedasticity. This decision is primarily influenced by the
unavailability of a time-based trajectory for each research subject, which
consequently precludes the incorporation of individual fixed effects.
Notwithstanding this limitation, our efforts are directed towards mitigating
potential unobserved heterogeneity to the best of our capability. This is
achieved through the integration of controls for cohort fixed effects, region
fixed effects, provincial fixed effects, and ethnic fixed effects.
Table 3
Pooled OLS (with Huber—White Estimator) and structural equation modeling
regression results—baseline equation.
Additionally,
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is employed to replicate the analysis and
tackle measurement error in the latent construct of religiosity (RELEDU). SEM
captures the data’s underlying theoretical structure, assesses direct and
indirect effects, and examines latent constructs. It takes advantage of a
larger sample size resulting from data pooling, making it suitable for
investigating complex relationships across diverse groups and time points. All
variables, including RELEDU, were allowed to correlate in line with SEM
conventions. The use of SEM in our study aligns with similar approaches taken
by Lin (2019) and Becerra et al. (2013), strengthening the methodological
foundation and providing additional support for our approach.
Non-focus
independent variables
Apart
from AGE and GENDER, all other factors are likely to substantially influence
income in the examined sample during the analyzed cohorts. The variable REGION
has a significant negative impact in determining income. This finding implies
that people living in urban regions earn more in Pakistan than their
counterparts living in rural areas. Like other developing countries, Pakistan
has faced similar patterns of income disparity among regions (Khan and Sasaki,
2003). Like the urban areas of Pakistan, rural regions have also contributed to
the nation’s growth during the past decades. However, gaps in income and
education have contributed to this unequal regional prosperity in the country,
as cited by Khan et al. (2015) and Khan and Idrees, 2014 in their studies.
Moreover, since much of the rural population in Pakistan is associated with
agriculture-related businesses, the consistent deprivation of the agricultural
sector urges the population to migrate to urban centers in search of earning
opportunities.
Furthermore,
the variable MINORITY has a significant positive impact on income. This finding
denotes that minority ethnicities, including Pashtun, Sindhi, Balochi, Saraiki,
Kashmiri, and Muhajir, earn significantly more than the Punjabis, the ethnic
majority of the country. Punjabis are mainly populated in the central and
northern parts of the Punjab province. The northern and central parts of the
province have heavily relied on agriculture-related businesses as their primary
source of income (Farooq et al. 1999). Since the agriculture sector of Pakistan
has been struggling for the last two decades, it directly impacts their
residents’ income. Inadequate infrastructure, scarce supply of agricultural
inputs due to depleting economic conditions, climate change, political
instability, and shortage of agricultural finance are some mainstream reasons
for poor agricultural output and eventually declining real income of the
Punjabi ethnicities (Syed et al. 2022; Ahmed and Javed, 2016; Ullah et al.
2020; Chandio et al. 2018).
Additionally,
EMPLOY has a significant negative impact on income. The finding encapsulates
that unpaid family works earn more than paid employees and business employers
during the studied cohorts in Pakistan. This advocates that Pakistan is a
collectivist society where majority of the population lives in highly knitted
family structures (Abbasi et al. 2015). Therefore, this is one reason that
unpaid family workers may receive non-monetary benefits such as free housing,
food, and other perks that can supplement their income. In some cases, these
benefits are quite valuable, particularly in areas where housing and food costs
are high. Since these benefits are not included in their income, it can make
their earnings appear higher in comparison to other workers who do not receive
such benefits (Khan, 2009). The findings of Shahnaz et al. (2008) study align
with this perspective, asserting that the substantial rise in the prevalence of
unpaid family labor, nearly doubling the overall employment rate in Pakistan,
underscores significant concerns regarding the labor market characterized by
pervasive underemployment and low-wage occupations. This trend prompts
individuals to seek involvement in family-based agricultural enterprises, where
they benefit from improved provisions such as food and lodging, ultimately
contributing to an augmentation of overall household income. Furthermore, Felt
and Sinclair (1992) posited analogous assertions in their research, suggesting
that individuals facing unemployment or earning low incomes are more inclined
to engage in the informal economy, exemplified by unpaid family work. This
inclination arises from their challenges in securing essential living resources
through wage labor, thereby leading them towards informal arrangements within
family contexts to meet their needs.
Moreover,
the time cohorts show a significant positive impact on shaping income.
Comparing the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) of Pakistan (2019/20
& 2014/15) to the benchmark cohort HIES (2010–11), a clear incline in per
capita individual income has been reported during the last decade (PBS, 2020).
Industrial development, expansion of the services sector, easier accessibility
of funds, and increasing human capital have significantly contributed to
bringing this inclining income trend to reality for the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan, as cited by Akhtar et al. (2017); Afzal et al. (2020) & Rehman et
al. (2022) in their studies.
Lastly,
the province dummies PDI, PDII, and PDIII represent Punjab, KPK, and Sindh.
They are benchmarked against the fourth province of the country, Baluchistan.
The results show that residents of Baluchistan earn comparatively more than the
other three provinces. According to the latest PSLM Survey (2018–2019),
household income in Baluchistan is growing faster than in any other province.
The average household income in Baluchistan had grown by 21% since 2014, when
the last survey was published (PBS, 2020). According to The World Bank (2003),
the vulnerable households of Baluchistan have widely benefited from improved
learning and better healthcare facilities. With $36 million of funds, the
Baluchistan Human Capital Investment Project has meaningfully improved the
province’s human capital, which eventually translated into higher incomes over
the last decade (World Bank Group, 2020). Moreover, Baluchistan is
characterized by a primarily non-agricultural society. Most of the population
is associated with the rising services sector or mining industry which saves
them from the adverse effect of the suffering agricultural sector of the
country (Huda et al. 2015; Kalim et al. 2018).
Variable
of interest
Being an
affiliate of orthodox deeni madrassas significantly positively impacts earned
individual income (Table 3), even when interacting with the minority group
variable (Table 4). Orthodox deeni madrassas are an embedded part of Pakistan’s
educational and social ecosystem (Rahman, 2009; Tahir, 2022). One must realize
that being an affiliate of a deeni madrassa has been one of the energized parts
of social progress for the lower occupational strata and artisans in the rural
population of Pakistan (Andrabi et al. 2005). Apart from the occupational
background of their associates, after completing their academic tenure with the
madrassa, they are sure to take a step forward to be part of the pecking order
of social stratification, including income and social status (Ahmad, 2004).
Unlike
other available educational options on the Pakistani scholastic canvas, the
importance of deeni madrassas lies not only in their pedagogy of imparting
religious education to a broad range of their learners but also ensures their
immediate access to employment after graduation (Hamida et al. 2022). It has
been noted that Pakistan has experienced extensive unemployment among the
Generation Z educated in Westernized schools, colleges, and universities, as
cited by Arslan and Zaman (2014), while the graduates of deeni madrassas have
not encountered such issues and generally find employment that is in line with
their education and training. Based on a survey conducted in 1979 of graduates
of the two mainstream madrassas in Karachi and KPK, Ahmad (2004) reports that
only 6% of the 1978 graduates were unemployed by the second quarter of 1979.
Furthermore,
the drastic enlargement of the economy during the last decade has accommodated
Ulema (clergy managing madrassas) to tap new and broader sources of income for
their institutions. This diminished the shocks of economic crises on the
religious establishments and mitigated their dependence on feudal lords, which
were earlier the only source of funds for them (Ahmad, 2004). The new financing
fraternity comprises market merchants, SME businesses, commission agents,
wholesalers, and extensive business groups (Chandran, 2003). Therefore, this
bureaucratization of orthodox Islamic institutions, including the restructuring
and expansion of its financial net base by bringing the business community into
their management structures, was later found to be an effective means for providing
employment opportunities to the madrassa associates and ensuring lower
unemployment in their social spectrum (Shafiq et al. 2019).
Additionally,
as per PBS (2020), 96% of the population in Pakistan are Muslims, and the
mainstream source of funding for deeni madrassas is Zakat (obligatory charity),
Waqf, and Sadaqat (optional charity) (Rabbi and Habib, 2019). Therefore, this
equation ensures an uninterrupted supply of funds to support the madrassa
ecosystem. Communities pay charities (obligatory and optional), which the
administration uses efficiently in supporting their needful associates and
helping them by raising income-generating opportunities (Rahman, 2009). Since
this funding source is tied to sacred responsibility, it ensures an unhindered
flow of these cycles and thereby boosts the incomes of madrassa associates.
Therefore, in light of the empirical findings, H1 is accepted.
The
regression results for the extended equation show a similar significant
positive impact of religious education on income as the baseline equation. The
results denote the deeni madrassa affiliates from the minority pockets
(Pashtun, Sindhi, Balochi, Saraiki, Kashmiri, and Muhajir) of the country earn
more than their majority counterparts (Punjabis). The ethnic minority compartments
of the country are home to mainstream business centers, such as Karachi, the
nation’s economic capital (Hasan and Mohib, 2003). While the Punjabi populated
areas are not business-intensive units, most of the population is related to
agriculture-related employment (Farooq et al. 1999). The mainstream funds
channeled to the madrassas are from feudal lords who in no way compete with the
opportunities and infrastructure provided by the country’s business centers
(Ahmad, 2004). At the same time, these minority localities are home to a more
organized network of deeni madrassas compared to the sections where most
Punjabis are located. Karachi and KPK are home to all the big orthodox Islamic
institutions that came into existence just after the nation’s birth. A few
notable institutions are Darul–Uloom Karachi, Jamiyah Binoria, Darul–Uloom
Haqqania, and Jamia Farooqiyah (Ahmad, 2004 & Rahman, 2009). Hence, this
nexus of rich business vicinities and well-organized madrassa networks results
in more employment and income opportunities for madrasa affiliates.
Accordingly, the empirical findings support the acceptance of H2.
Conclusion
This
paper emphasizes estimating the impact of religiosity on individual income
using sizeable microdata for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The affiliation
with orthodox Islamic institutions called “deeni madrasas” in the Muslim World
signifies religiosity in this study. We are unaware of any study that
scrutinizes the studied dilemma using the affiliation of deeni madrassa as a proxy
for religiosity. The study formulates a basic and extended equation that
interacts with the independent focus variable (RELEDU) with MINORITY. The
results of both baseline and extended equations indicate a significant positive
impact of religiosity on individual income during the study cohorts. The
results of the estimations advocate the critical standing of deeni madrassas on
the social and economic canvas of Pakistan, a strategically crucial Muslim
nation globally. The developed ecosystem of these orthodox Islamic
institutions, along with their affiliates, has been able to absorb the
vulnerable economic shocks the country has experienced in the last decade,
whether it was unemployment, floods, defaults, pandemics, and political
instability. As the other sections of society struggle to keep pace with the
rising inflation rate, the affiliates of madrassas maintain a stable growth
trajectory with the solid financial and social support this ecosystem provides.
The
findings presented in this paper significantly contribute to the literature
examining the relationship between religion and economics. This paper
contextually analyzes an average established Muslim country, Pakistan.
Therefore, discussing the highest and lowest per capita income in Muslim
countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Somalia, Niger, and Afghanistan,
respectively, represents an exciting area for researchers to consider in the
future.
The
practical implications of this study are significant for policymakers,
educators, and employers in Pakistan and beyond. The findings suggest that
promoting access to orthodox Islamic education through religious institutions
could be a viable strategy to positively impact individual incomes.
Policymakers may consider incorporating religious education into educational
policies, while employers and workforce development agencies might recognize
its value in hiring and skill development. Additionally, the study highlights
the positive influence of minority engagement with orthodox religious
institutions on income, emphasizing the importance of social integration. This
implies a need for culturally sensitive approaches in development programs and
a reevaluation of the role of religious education in workforce dynamics.
Individuals, too, might consider investing in orthodox religious education, as
the study indicates potential economic benefits. Overall, the practical
implications advocate for a nuanced understanding of the relationship between
religiosity, education, and income, guiding the development of effective
policies and strategies that align with the cultural context.
Source: nature.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03161-8
--------
Labour's
new Red Wall? Can the party recover from a decline in trust from Muslim voters?
Friday
28 June 2024
Jess
Phillips was sitting with her team in the Labour Party office on Yardley Road
in Birmingham discussing the new shape of her constituency, including the
proportion of Muslim voters increasing from 25 to almost 40%.
In
theory the boundary changes had doubled her ‘notional’ Labour majority from
10,000 to 20,000. But Phillips, like many other Labour candidates in seats with
similar demographics, is facing another challenge.
While
Labour majorities are looking likely to increase dramatically in many
constituencies across the country, in some of the party’s safest seats, there
is a worry that they will be squeezed to a sliver (or even overturned).
Labour
has taken a serious hit when it comes to the trust of Muslim voters, in a story
that is far more complicated and nuanced than often reported.
While it
is true that Keir Starmer’s early response to the war in Gaza has turbo-boosted
the disillusionment many Muslim voters feel about Labour, this is a shift in
sentiment that far long pre-dates October 7, 2023 and in which we found the
cost of living as likely to be raised as the Middle East.
There
are some who see this as a new ‘Red Wall’ for Labour.
After
all, while trend is unlikely to sway the overall outcome of next week’s
national vote, it once again represents a loss of trust among a group of voters
long considered part of Labour’s base - like white working class voters in the
north and Midlands before them, and Scottish voters before that.
Sources
say that alongside the group of seats marked down as ‘core battleground’ in
this election, Labour HQ has identified around a dozen where the party is
worrying about the result because of the backlash to the messaging around it's
Gaza policy, which is now to call for an immediate ceasefire.
There is
no question that for many of these voters foreign policy plays a big part in
how they feel about Labour. But Phillips is clear - and we see plenty of
evidence of this - that there are plenty of other domestic issues just as
pressing.
"The
absolute truth is that the Muslim community, just like every other part of my
constituency, every other community that I represent, they care about the
country that they live in," says Phillips.
"They
care about the NHS and they care about their streets and their
neighbourhoods... Just like everybody else, most people's most pressing concern
is the things they can see out of their window."
She's
worried about the way Muslim communities have been depicted this election and
previously.
"I
have seen their genuine upset and grievance be exploited by actors to make out
like all Muslims are the same, that all Muslims feel the same way about things,
that they're angry and aggressive," she said. "And I've found it
horrendous actually - to make out like they only care about one thing or that
they are all the same."
Phillips
argued that these hard working, lower income voters in urban areas had been
some of the worst hit by austerity. She said that although the party could
argue that it was down to Tory policies, the communities saw that they had
voted Labour nationally and locally for years without enough improvement.
She said
rebuilding trust is the "single most important thing" the party needs
to work on after the election and if Labour win - as many polls suggest they
could - they mustn't "just rest on the laurels".
She said
she was suspicious of opinion polls suggesting a huge Labour majority, but said
that if the party does go into government next week it "is going to have
to rule with consensus and make sure that in heartland places like this one
that we don't ignore what happened because, do you know what, we ignored it
when it happened in Scotland.
"I'm
not sure we quite understood what was happening in the Red Wall and there are
many, many frontiers. It isn't about pandering to particular views - it is
about serving the people of our country and making sure they feel served by
you. So that is going to be vitally important.
"And
I think that there were a few canaries in the mine that potentially have been
missed over the years."
Phillips
is not the only one facing a tough fight from independents focused on Labour’s
Middle East policy. Next door, the shadow justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood,
is being challenged by Akhmed Wakoob - whose almost 70,000 votes in the West
Midlands mayoralty almost stopped Labour from beating the Tory, Andy Street.
The same
trend features in other Birmingham seats, in Tower Hamlets in London, Oldham,
Burnley and in Rochdale, where George Galloway won a recent by-election for the
Worker’s Party of Britain.
We
travelled to other Birmingham seats to speak to voters and found a more
complicated story where there was a backlash over Gaza, but where questions
about policies to tackle poverty were as likely to be raised.
These
are seats where the party leaders’ tour will not stop, because Starmer’s
presence is unlikely to help. The Labour leader infuriated Muslim voters (and
many others on the left) with an LBC interview in the weeks after the horrific
October 7 Hamas attack, in which he appeared to back Israel’s right to withhold
water and food from families in Gaza. Despite a massive shift in Labour’s
position to support an immediate ceasefire and recognise a Palestinian state
(as part of a peace process), those initial comments continue to haunt the
party.
Nila
Iqbal, who will be voting in a different constituency to Phillips but where
there is a similar trend, told us she was so excited to vote for Labour that
she would volunteer to help the party.
"Labour
has done a lot for the economy in the past," she says. "They made a
lot of positive changes such as launching Universal Credit and in a lot of
areas in terms of regeneration in the past. There have been changes."
But
Iqbal admitted that for friends there had been a loss of trust, over Gaza but
also domestic issues like anti-poverty policies.
Then she
took her phone out of her pocket and showed us two viral videos she had just
received. One was a clip of Starmer from a recent Sun Newspaper debate in which
he spoke about his determination to return people who arrived illegally by boat
to their country of origin. Starmer then gives the example of Bangladesh.
The
original clip in itself has caused offence in the Bangladeshi community. But
the one Iqbal had been sent had been edited to imply that Starmer was going
further and suggesting British Bangladeshis should be deported. Moreover, she
had been sent a second video of an independent candidate standing against
Labour in London claiming Starmer had suggested Bangladeshis had largely come
illegally.
Labour
say the editing distorts the clip and is misleading. There are claims it was
created by political opponents. But watching it played back to us on this
Birmingham street it was immediately clear how much cut-through it had quickly
achieved.
This
dissemination of media (including at times fake news) via WhatsApp, or over
TikTok, is being used in a powerful way against Labour. And at a time when
senior sources in the party admitted to us that trust is rock bottom.
In this
case, Starmer’s initial comments were controversial in themselves, but not
nearly as bad as later presented. (Following the backlash, Starmer said he
"wasn't intending to cause any concern or offence" and "values
the incredible contribution" of British Bangladeshis.)
As for
the domestic issues, Iqbal talked about people’s struggles to pay for childcare
or get enough via universal credit. She also said there was a desire among
Muslim friends (many politically on the left) to see the two child benefit cap
lifted.
That
policy was also raised by Parwez Hussain, who works to support Muslim charities.
He told us that he had previously voted for Labour, the Conservative Party,
Greens, Independents, had once been a ‘card-carrying Lib Dem’ but had voted for
UKIP because he wanted to leave the EU.
He
argued that his time round he would back the Greens or an Independent because
he felt that Starmer’s past as a human rights lawyer should have led him to a
different conclusion about Gaza.
"It
goes down to competence," Hussain says. "If he's unable to articulate
whether something is a war crime or something is genocide, and if he's shy
about getting in those conversations - when I really can't think of who has
more knowledge in that area than anybody else - he is somebody I'd expect to
say this is my stance, this is my standard... on issues like this."
He questions:
"At his core what are his values? You are there not just as a prime
minister, you have a background and your background's in human rights. Your
background is what is right and wrong."
But he
also argued that for many Muslims it was about other issues too, suggesting
that the party had moved away from some of the leftwing policies he wanted to
support.
Hussain
adds: "It's not just about Gaza, it's about domestic issues - but Gaza is
like a trigger."
Source: itv.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.itv.com/news/2024-06-28/new-red-wall-can-labour-recover-from-decline-in-trust-from-muslim-voters
--------
Arab World
Saudi
Arabia takes part in session of the UN committee for peaceful use of outer
space
June 28,
2024
RIYADH:
A Saudi delegation concluded its participation in the 67th session of the UN
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, held in Vienna, Austria, from
June 19 to 28.
The
committee meets annually in Vienna to discuss questions relating to current and
future activities in space.
This
activity confirms Saudi Arabia’s commitment to promoting international
cooperation for the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space and highlights
its efforts in developing the global space industry, the Saudi Press Agency
reported.
On the
sidelines of the conference, the Saudi delegation hosted a meeting titled “The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Towards Space: Stimulating the Space Sector.”
Attended
by more than 80 space leaders and experts, the meeting targeted promising
opportunities to steer the global space industry to new heights.
The
meeting was opened by the Kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN and
other international organizations in Vienna, Dr. Abdullah bin Khaled Toula.
He
mentioned the need for support of the space sector, noting the role of
international cooperation and coordination in the continued growth and
sustainability of space activities around the world.
The
Saudi delegation highlighted the significant progress achieved in developing
the space sector in the Kingdom, including the country’s achievements to
enhance space sustainability through initiatives such as the Space Debris
Conference held last February.
The
committee was set up by the UN General Assembly in 1959 to govern the exploration
and use of space for the benefit of all humanity: for peace, security and
development.
The
committee was given the responsibility of reviewing international cooperation
in the peaceful uses of outer space, studying space-related activities that could
be undertaken by the UN, encouraging space research programmes, and studying
legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539616/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
minister meets White House officials on Saudi-US partnerships
June 28,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi minister Abdullah Al-Swaha met White House officials in Washington on a
visit to the US, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Swaha,
who heads the Communications and Information Technology ministry, discussed
ways to enhance and expand the strategic partnership between the Saudi Arabia
and US and ways to stimulate innovation in the Kingdom’s space industry.
The
meetings were attended by Saudi Ambassador Princess Reema bint Bandar and
Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham Al-Ohali.
Al-Swaha
met with Anne Neuberger, the US deputy national security advisor for cyber and
emerging technology, to discuss enhancing partnerships in the fifth- and
sixth-generation technologies and the ORAN RAN technologies, according to SPA.
The
minister also met Amos Hochstein, presidential advisor for Energy and
Investment, and Brett McGurk, deputy assistant to the president and coordinator
for the MENA.
In a
meeting with Chirag Parikh, deputy assistant to the president and executive
secretary, Al-Swaha discussed joint investments in space economies and
technologies and developing national talents.
Al-Swaha
also met US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
The two
discussed ways of strengthening the partnership between the Kingdom and the US
in the digital economy sector.
The
meetings are part of Al-Swaha’s visit to the US that is intended to strengthen
relations and support the growth of Saudi’s digital economy.
The
visit includes meetings in several states with leaders of major tech companies
to boost technology investments, stimulate venture capital, support
entrepreneurship, and create cooperation opportunities among private sector
companies.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539346/saudi-arabia
--------
How
Saudi Arabia is creating a buzz around beekeeping and the honey making industry
June 28,
2024
RIYADH:
Honey has long held a special place in Saudi culture, cultivated by beekeepers
across the region for its medicinal and culinary uses. Now, with added
government support, its true economic potential and environmental benefits are
being realized.
Last
year, more than 100 licenses were granted to beekeepers to produce this liquid
gold on land administered by the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve
Development Authority, predominantly in the Rawdat Khuraim oasis.
Here,
beekeepers have been producing the finest types of natural honey, such as Najdi
acacia honey, spring flower honey, wild sidr, salam honey, and shafalah —
boosting the local economy with sales of highly prized products.
Aside
from honey, the other products of bees are beeswax and natural substances that
have several uses, such as making sealants, lubricants, construction material
and medications. (Supplied)
“Natural
honey is a product that is in high demand in the Kingdom,” a spokesperson for
the authority told Arab News. “At the reserve, we have natural pastures
characterized by honey plants, ensuring that the breeder obtains sufficient
nectar to produce honey.”
Saudi
Arabia is immensely proud of its honeymaking heritage, attested by events like
the Jazan Honey Festival and the Honey and Agricultural Products Festival in
the Tabuk region, and weekly auctions in Taif to sell honey and other bee
products.
To
promote the ancient craft of beekeeping, the reserve recently hosted an
integrated “bee basics” training program, offering a new generation the
opportunity to earn qualifications and practical experience in honey making.
Honeybees
in the higher reaches of Saudi Arabia are drawing crowds and making the native
juniper-covered Soudah mountains one of the most interesting models for
sustainable tourism in the Middle East. (Supplied)
“Now,
the trainees have finished the program and the next honey harvest season will
allow us to see the fruits of the program’s labor,” the spokesperson added.
Honey production
is one of the most beneficial activities for supporting local plant species and
agricultural crops. Bees are pollinating insects. As they visit plants seeking
nectar, pollen catches on their bodies and passes between plants, thereby
fertilizing them.
DID
YOUKNOW?
• Bees
play a crucial role in pollinating date palms, a popular and profitable
agricultural crop in the region.
•
Beekeepers often move their hives to date palm orchards when in bloom to
enhance pollination and increase fruit yield.
• Saudi
Arabia is known for producing unique and high-quality honey varieties like
sidr, sourced from the nectar of the sidr tree.
The
authority has a specialized team devoted to issuing licenses for apiaries
within the confines of the reserve, providing sufficient space between each
apiary to ensure the bees avoid mingling with other hives, keeping the
resulting honey pure.
“Environmental
control teams carry out monitoring tours as part of their work, to ensure the
health of the environment surrounding the apiaries, which is reflected in the
proper nutrition of the bees,” the authority spokesperson said.
Various
government entities have launched programs designed to boost economic
development and promote local products, while empowering young people and other
underrepresented groups through training and job creation.
Saudis
participate in a summer beekeeping training in Al-Baha province. (SPA file
photo)
Through
the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program, chartered by the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization and the Kingdom’s Ministry of Environment,
Water and Agriculture, more than 100 local beekeepers were recently trained on
honeybee queen-rearing techniques, prompted by the declining number of honeybee
colonies.
Just
five years ago, Norah Shawi Al-Shimmari was the only woman known to be working
in the beekeeping industry in Saudi Arabia. Now, thanks to training schemes
like these, many more women are taking up the craft and prospering as a result.
It has
not been without its obstacles, however. “My biggest challenge is getting from
one place to another and needing someone to drive me to faraway places,”
Al-Shimmari told Arab News.
“I need
a guardian and a car and someone to carry things with me as well. My work the
past period has been without help. I myself am lifting, housing the bees and
sorting the honey, which is very difficult.”
At
first, Al-Shimmari would only produce honey under the brand name Al-Shawi
Apiaries, named after her late father. After some training to utilize beeswax
for beauty, nutritional and medicinal items, she soon expanded her line of
projects and made the brand her own.
This led
her to suggest ways to work with other beekeepers to create a sustainable
economic ecosystem for honey products, like collecting leftover wax and using
it to create other products instead of leaving it to waste.
Through
perseverance, self-taught Al-Shimmari became the first female beekeeper in the
north of the Kingdom and the only woman among 33 beekeepers who took part in
the 2021 Hail Honey Festival in early November, where she was dubbed the
“Beekeeper of the North.”
Since
launching her beekeeping career four years ago, Norah Shawi Al-Shimmari has
found sweet success and been dubbed the “Beekeeper of the North.” (Supplied)
Seeing
her work, the emir of Hail Region arranged for a training workshop to take
place. More than 40 women have since graduated from this program to become
beekeepers themselves. “Now, the Hail region hosts 43 female beekeepers,” said
Al-Shimmari.
“Some of
them left the field, and some faced impediments or situations that wouldn’t
allow them to continue, but some of them are still persevering … my advice for
any woman who sees themselves in the field is to pursue the profession.”
There
are similar stories across the Kingdom. Hailing from Jeddah, Saudi couple Ahmed
Badghaish and Nada Khaled Malaika began their beekeeping journey two decades
ago with nothing more than a passion for nature and an innate curiosity about
the world of bees.
A group
of beekeeping enthusiasts learn to make hive boxes during a workshop in Jeddah,
conducted by honey entrepreneur Ahmed Badgahish. (Instagram @beewaysaudi)
Over the
years, they have transformed a modest business into a thriving apiary named Bee
Ways that houses 1,200 beehives, and their products have won multiple
international awards.
For
small, local producers like Al-Shimmari, however, the profession is a true
labor of love.
“After a
long seasonal journey, production and transportation, the big achievement after
sorting the honey and seeing the product is such a pleasure. This is what
drives me to continue improving and thriving in this field,” she said.
“My
biggest supporter, after God and my family, was the Ministry of Environment,
Water and Agriculture. They stood behind me and opened up opportunities in
festivals. I’m always the first to get their invitations.”
Despite
the challenges, the honey and beekeeping industry is on a steady rise with
continuous support from government entities.
Since
2020, about SR140 million ($37.3 million) in funding has been distributed to
10,584 beneficiaries through the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development
Program — Saudi Reef — according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The
Honey and Agricultural Products Festival in Saudi Arabia's northwestern
province of Tabuk puts the focus firmly on the role of beekeepers. (X:
@MEWA_KSA)
On World
Bee Day, marked each year on May 20, the Ministry of Environment, Water and
Agriculture announced that honey production had reached 5,000 tons annually. It
aims to increase this to 7,500 tons by 2026 and achieve self-sufficiency.
There
are now more than 20,000 ministry-registered beekeepers across the Kingdom.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539786/business-economy
--------
Al-Ahsa
representative secures deputy head position at UNESCO Creative Cities Network
June 28,
2024
RIYADH:
Al-Ahsa representative Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shabaith secured the deputy head position
at the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in crafts and folk arts.
The city
became a member of the network, which comprises 66 cities across the world, in
the creative field following an initiative in 2015.
This
achievement, earned on account of the city’s rich culture and deep history in
handicrafts and folk arts, came as part of a joint effort including input from
Al-Ahsa Municipality, Al-Ahsa Governorate, the Culinary Arts Commission, the
Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, the Heritage
Commission and the Royal Institute for Traditional Arts.
Al-Ahsa
worked on developing, integrating and underlining the connection between
education and cultural and creative activities to promote the sustainability of
handicrafts and folk arts. The city also shared its expertise in preserving
handicrafts and folk arts with other creative cities all over the world through
various meetings and conferences held in South Korea, Poland, France, the US,
Australia, and Brazil.
Al-Ahsa
is the first Gulf city, and the third in the Arab world, to join the network.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539551/saudi-arabia
--------
Prophet’s
Mosque improves services for elderly, disabled
June 28,
2024
MADINAH:
The General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is intensifying
its efforts in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to serve pilgrims and visitors,
with a focus on the elderly and persons with disabilities.
The
authority is working on providing the highest and best services for the elderly
and disabled, having prepared 10 designated prayer areas near the gates of the
mosque, four prayer rooms in the northern expansion, three prayer rooms in the
western expansion, and three in the eastern expansion.
Additionally,
it has prepared a special room for the deaf and mute on the roof of the
Prophet’s Mosque that can accommodate 100 people to perform prayers, allowing
them to understand the content of the Friday sermon through sign language
interpretation.
Among
the services provided by the authority are electric golf carts and wheelchairs
to facilitate the movement of pilgrims and worshipers within the Prophet’s
Mosque and its courtyards.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539531/saudi-arabia
--------
North America
US
admits allied Kurdish-led SDF militants ‘forcibly’ recruit child soldiers in
Syria
28 June 2024
US
President Joe Biden's administration has acknowledged that its ally, the
so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is forcibly recruiting child soldiers
in the fight against the democratically-elected government in Damascus.
The US
State Department revealed in a new report that the SDF is on a list of
terrorist groups involved in child soldiering crimes, next to Takfiri Daesh
terror outfit, and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Al-Nusrah
Front.
"The
recruitment or use of children in combat and support roles in Syria remains
common, and since the beginning of 2018 international observers reported
continued incidents of recruitment and use by armed groups, though the
prevalence of the practice differs by group," the report said.
The State
Department stressed that the armed outfits “recruit and/or use boys and girls
as child soldiers."
The
report said the SDF was implementing a UN Security Council-mandated action plan
to end the recruitment and use of children and demobilize those in its ranks,
“however, an international organization reported SDF-affiliated armed groups
recruited and used children in 2022 and 2023.”
The US
State Department added that the HTS and Daesh “used children as human shields,
suicide bombers, snipers, and executioners,” while some armed groups “use
children for forced labor and as informants, exposing them to retaliation and
extreme punishment.”
The
report also named the so-called Revolutionary Youth Movement as a radical armed
Kurdish outfit that continues to recruit children “through fraudulent
announcements for educational courses in northeast Syria.”
Washington's
support for the SDF has long been a point of contention with its Nato ally,
Turkey, which has deployed its occupation forces in northeast Syria under the
pretext of fighting anti-Ankara militant groups.
Ankara
views the SDF as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK),
which has waged a decades-long war for independence against Turkey and is
considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the European Union.
Since
March 2011, Syria has been gripped by a campaign of militancy and destruction
sponsored by the US and its allies.
In
recent years, however, Syrian government forces have managed to win back
control of almost all regions from terrorist groups.
The US
military has stationed its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria, with the
Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oil fields in
the area from falling into the hands of Daesh terrorists.
Damascus
maintains that the deployment is meant to plunder Syria’s natural resources.
Former US President Donald Trump admitted on several occasions that American
forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/28/728297/US-State-Department-Syrian-Democratic-Forces-Syria-child-soldiers-
--------
Trump
criticized for ‘Palestinian’ insult in debate with Biden
June 29,
2024
WASHINGTON:
Human rights advocates on Friday condemned former President Donald Trump’s
references to Palestinians, and immigrants allegedly taking Black American
jobs, during Thursday’s debate with President Joe Biden, calling the remarks
racist or insulting.
Biden
and Trump had a brief exchange on the war in Gaza but did not have a
substantive discussion on how to end the conflict which has killed 38,000 in
the enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry, and caused a massive
humanitarian crisis with widespread hunger.
The war
began when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200
people and abducting some 250 others, according to Israeli tallies.
“The
only one who wants the war to continue is Hamas,” Biden said. Trump responded
by saying Biden has “become like a Palestinian,” which rights advocates said
came across as a slur.
“Actually,
Israel is the one (that wants to keep going), and you should let them go and
let them finish the job. He (Biden) doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a
Palestinian but they don’t like him because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a
weak one,” Trump said.
On
Friday, Trump again used the term ‘Palestinian’ in a similar way, this time
saying in a rally that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is
Jewish, was Palestinian. “He’s become a Palestinian because they have a couple
more votes or something,” he added.
The
Council on American Islamic Relations advocacy group said Biden was wrong to
claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the war to end,
while adding it viewed Trump’s Palestinian comment in the debate as a racist
insult.
“Former
President Trump’s use of ‘Palestinian’ as an insult was racist. President
Biden’s touting of his military support for the Israeli government’s genocide
in Gaza was callous,” Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at CAIR,
said in a statement. Israel denies allegations of genocide.
“To
insinuate that being Palestinian is somehow a bad thing, as former President
Trump did when he called President Biden Palestinian, reeks of racism and
anti-Arab hatred,” Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International
USA, told Reuters.
Human
rights advocates have reported a rise in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias
and antisemitism in the US since the latest eruption of conflict in the Middle
East. The war in Gaza and Washington’s support for Israel has also led to
months of protests across the United States calling for an end to the conflict.
Trump
also faced criticism for using the term “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs” while
claiming immigrants who were coming into the United States from its border with
Mexico were taking away those employment opportunities.
The
Trump campaign did not have an immediate comment to the criticism.
Immigration
is a key election issue and Trump has claimed Biden has failed to secure the
southern US border, ushering in scores of criminals. Studies show immigrants do
not commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born Americans.
“The
fact is that his (Biden’s) big kill on the Black people is the millions of
people that he’s allowed to come in through the border,” Trump said during the
debate. “They’re taking Black jobs, and they’re taking Hispanic jobs.”
Civil
rights organization NAACP wrote on X: “What exactly are Black and Hispanic
Jobs!?!.” It added: “There is no such thing as a Black Job.”
Amnesty
International’s O’Brien told Reuters that Trump’s comments on immigration were
grounded in white supremacy.
“It is
disheartening that false narratives grounded in white supremacy and racism
about people seeking asylum at the border and immigrant communities in the
United States continue to permeate our national discourse,” he added.
Adrianne
Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, an organization that works to
mobilize Black voters, said Trump’s remarks were not true and that Biden should
have pushed back harder on such false claims.
“That
there are specific Black jobs for Black people that immigrants are coming to
take. Utter nonsense,” Shropshire said.
Trump’s
campaign has made an effort to court Black voters, with the former president
visiting Detroit and Philadelphia in recent weeks. Some polls have shown a
downtick in support for Biden among Black voters, who historically have been
among the Democratic Party’s most loyal voting blocs.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2539796/world
--------
Goldie
Ghamari ousted from PC caucus after meeting with anti-Islam campaigner
June 28,
2024
Carleton
MPP Goldie Ghamari has been kicked out of the Ontario PC caucus after meeting
with a far-right British activist and anti-Islam campaigner.
A
statement Friday from Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn't mention that
controversial figure by name, but rather refers to Ghamari's "serious
lapses in judgment."
"This
decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure
to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team
member," the statement reads.
"While
this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no
longer continue in her role within our caucus."
Ghamari
recently posted a photo of herself with Tommy Robinson, whose real name is
Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, on X.
The
National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) expressed outrage over the post,
calling Robinson a "well known Islamophobe and criminal."
Robinson
is the founder of the far-right English Defence League (EDL). He has previously
been convicted of assault and other crimes in the United Kingdom, often in
relation to the EDL's activities.
He has
also been banned from multiple social media platforms including Twitter, until
it was purchased by Elon Musk.
Responding
to the NCCM, Ghamari claimed to be unaware of Robinson's "history,"
explaining she met with him to discuss Canada's recent decision to list Iran's
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.
"I
condemn all forms of Islamophobia and Antisemitism," Ghamari wrote on X.
"I
was not aware of Mr. Robinson's history prior to our meeting. I chose to meet
with him because I am an Iranian-Canadian immigrant who has been speaking out
on behalf of human rights violations by the Islamic Regime in Iran against
Iranians in Iran and their attempts to spy and threaten Iranians in
Canada."
Robinson
recently travelled to Canada to take part in a Rebel News-sponsored speaking
tour with the alt-right news publication's founder Ezra Levant.
He first
arrived in Montreal on June 17 and planned to stop in Calgary, Edmonton and
Toronto but was arrested by Calgary police over his immigration status. Levant
said the tour is on hold while they raise money for Robinson's legal defence.
Responding
to Ghamari's removal from the PC caucus, Robinson wrote on X: "Whilst the
Islamic republic of Iran controls Iranian women's speech & freedom, premier
Doug Ford does the same in Canada on behalf of the Muslim brotherhood."
"This
is a big win for the Islamists," he added.
So far,
Ghamari's only public response to her ouster was on X, where she noted
cryptically that "when one door closes, another one opens." The post
included a peace sign emoji.
CBC News
reached out to the ousted MPP for comment but she declined. Ghamari's executive
assistant told the CBC to refer back to her post on X.
The
NCCM, meanwhile, is welcoming Ford's decision to boot Ghamari from the PC
caucus.
"We
are glad to see the Premier Ford has made a swift decision in removing MP
Ghamari off of the Ontario PC caucus," said NCCM advocacy officer Fatema
Abdalla in an interview with CBC.
"Ghamari
has a long-standing history of spreading hateful narratives and condoning
Islamophobia, and her recent meeting with the well known British Islamophobic
criminal Tommy Robinson is just an example of that."
Source: cbc.ca
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/goldie-ghamari-ousted-from-pc-caucus-after-meeting-with-anti-islam-campaigner-1.7249652
--------
KHAN:
Bigotry increases fears of violence amongst Canadian Muslims
Jun 28,
2024
Earlier
this month, Canada’s two million Muslims marked Eid ul-Adha, an annual
celebration of devotion to God that coincides with the final day of the Hajj, a
pilgrimage to the House of Abraham in Mecca. Unfortunately, celebrations this
year were tempered by several high-profile instances of anti-Muslim bigotry on
Canadian streets.
On June
17, police in Hamilton announced that they had charged a 54-year-old man with
criminal harassment after he allegedly entered a local Islamic school,
desecrated a copy of the Quran and made bigoted statements in front of students
and teachers. Just a few days later, a truck registered to Rebel News Network
was spotted driving through Toronto displaying anti-Muslim messages and images.
This was
on top of a string of recent hateful attacks against Canadian Muslims that have
included an arson attempt in London and assaults on visibly Muslim women in
Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.
Let’s
not forget that it’s been just over seven years since six worshippers were
killed and five others seriously wounded in an attack carried out at the
Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. Four years ago this month, a family of
Pakistani Muslim heritage, just like mine, was run down by a pickup truck in
what was London, Ontario’s deadliest mass killing ever.
Both
incidents have been described by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as acts of
terror carried out on Canadian soil.
While
violent attacks like those mentioned above have rightly drawn public condemnation
from political leaders across the partisan divide, there remains too much
tolerance for anti-Muslim prejudice. A 2023 Senate report revealed that Canada
leads the G7 in terms of targeted killings of Muslims motivated by
Islamophobia.
To their
credit, Premier Doug Ford, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, and Ontario Liberal
Leader Bonnie Crombie all opposed the recent decision by the Speaker of
Ontario’s legislature to ban the wearing of keffiyehs within the legislative
precinct. Yet many MPPs, political activists, and media commentators across the
ideological spectrum felt that it was perfectly fine to ban an article of
clothing associated with Arab and Muslim culture in a province whose
population, according to Statistics Canada, is 7% Muslim, outnumbering
Franco-Ontarians.
Recent
months have also seen a shocking increase in anti-Semitic incidents, including
acts of violence against synagogues and Jewish schools.
Like
Muslims, Canadian Jews deserve to feel safe in their places of worship, schools
and communities. It is incumbent upon all Canadians to denounce this and the
perpetrators of such illegal acts must be held to account by law enforcement.
Still, some commentators have implied collective blame for such incidents at
the feet of Canada’s growing Muslim community, with some advocating for
revisiting Canada’s official multiculturalism policy, as a result.
While
perhaps not intentional, this rhetoric causes extra concern to Canada’s Muslims
as it mirrors calls to curb or ban Muslim immigration by an ascendant far right
in Europe and the United States.
Like it
or not, Canadian Muslims are here to stay.
We
contribute just as much to Canadian life as anyone else, with numerous
community members active in politics, journalism, entertainment, literature, and
sports.
Like all
communities, Canada’s Muslims are not a monolith. While some are religiously
devout and others live a more secular lifestyle, one thing that unites most is
a persistent fear of being targeted by hate-based violence simply because of who
they are.
Given
recent history, and the growing normalization of anti-Muslim rhetoric, this
fear is more than justified.
Source: torontosun.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/khan-bigotry-increases-fears-of-violence-amongst-canadian-muslims
--------
Africa
No plan
to demolish Ilesa Central Mosque – Osun gov
June 29,
2024
Governor
Ademola Adeleke has responded to the appeal of the Ijesa Muslim Community on
the ongoing Ilesa road dualisation, reassuring the Muslim faithful that there
is no plan to demolish the Ilesa Central Mosque.
According
to a statement by the Spokesperson of the State Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, “the assurance given during the ‘Ipade Imole’
remains.
“Governor
Adeleke has received the plea of the Ijesa Muslim leaders and has directed that
fresh assurance be given that the mosque is not billed for demolition in the
ongoing road dualisation.
“The
Muslim Ummah should not entertain any fear as the mosque remains intact. Only
the extended canopies will be affected, not the main building as earlier
indicated.
“The
Governor has also directed officials of the Ministry of Works and
Infrastructure to interface with the Muslim leaders on the subject matter,” the
Spokesperson noted.
While
commending stakeholders for actively supporting the ongoing dualisation at
Ilesa, the Spokesperson explained that Mr. Governor is committed to the
implementation of the multi-billion naira Infrastructure upgrade with an eye on
deep local content and active community engagement and collaboration.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/no-plan-to-demolish-ilesa-central-mosque-osun-gov/#google_vignette
--------
14 die
as trailer rams into Kano mosque
29th
June 2024
No fewer
than 14 worshippers lost their lives while several others sustained varying
injuries when a trailer ran into Jumuat prayer worshippers in Imama town, Kura
Local Government Area of Kano State.
The
accident occurred shortly after the Friday prayer when the driver of the
trailer coming from Kaduna axis with registration number MKA 537XN lost control
and ran into the worshippers.
The
FRSC, Kano Sector Commander, Ibrahim Abdullahi, in a statement by the Corps
spokesman, Abdullahi Labaran, said the incident was reported at 1350hrs.
Abdullahi
said nine of the deceased were buried on Friday afternoon while those injured
were receiving treatment at a hospital.
According
to the statement, the driver of the trailer is at large.
The
statement read, “Upon receiving the distress call, FRSC Kano State Command
promptly dispatched personnel to the scene, alongside other security agencies,
to initiate rescue operations and provide immediate medical assistance to the
injured victims.’’
Abdullahi
emphasised the FRSC’s commitment to road safety and urged all road users to
adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent such avoidable tragedies.
Source: punchng.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://punchng.com/14-die-as-trailer-rams-into-kano-mosque-2/
--------
No plan
to demolish Ilesa Central Mosque, Adeleke assures Muslims
28th
June 2024
The Osun
State Governor Ademola Adeleke has assured the Ijesa Muslim Community that
there was no plan to demolish the Ilesa Central Mosque in the ongoing Ilesa
road dualisation project.
The
governor spoke through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed in a statement
obtained in Osogbo on Friday, where he
said the assurance given during the ‘Ipade Imole’, a governor community
engagement programme held in Ilesa, where he said the mosque would not be
demolished, remained intact.
The
statement read partly, “Governor Adeleke has received the plea of the Ijesa
Muslim leaders and has directed that fresh assurance be given that the mosque
is not billed for demolition in the ongoing road dualisation.
“The
Muslim Ummah should not entertain any fear as the mosque remains intact. Only
the extended canopies will be affected, not the main building as earlier
indicated.
“The
governor has also directed officials of the Ministry of Works and
Infrastructure to interface with the Muslim leaders on the subject matter.”
Commending
stakeholders for actively supporting the ongoing dualisation at Ilesa, Adeleke
expressed commitment to implementing the multi-billion naira infrastructure
upgrade with an eye on deep local content and active community engagement and
collaboration.
Source: punchng.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://punchng.com/no-plan-to-demolish-ilesa-central-mosque-adeleke-assures-muslims/
--------
Nairobi
mosque holds funeral of a teen shot during anti-tax protest
28-06-24
A
Nairobi mosque held the funeral of 19-year-old Ibrahim Kamau on Friday after he
was shot during a protest on Tuesday against the government's since-withdrawn
proposed tax bill.
Mourners
paid their respects and carried the coffin through Nairobi's streets after the
funeral service.
Protesters
stormed parliament on Tuesday and drew police fire in chaos that left several
people dead, reportedly as many as 22.
Police
in Kenya’s capital hurled tear gas Thursday to break up anti-tax protesters who
continued to gather despite President William Ruto’s repudiation of unpopular
tax legislation that prompted deadly unrest earlier in the week.
The
finance legislation has drawn fierce resistance from a Kenyan public reeling
from higher costs of living, especially from younger protesters.
Protesters
who continued to gather Thursday said they still don’t trust Ruto despite him
sending the finance bill back to parliament with a vow to make budget cuts to
replace the proposed new taxes and fees on a range of items and services, from
egg imports to bank transfers.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/28/nairobi-mosque-holds-funeral-of-a-teen-shot-during-anti-tax-protest/
--------
South Asia
US State
Dept Report: Religious minorities in Afghanistan face extensive violence and
discrimination
June 28,
2024
The U.S.
State Department released its annual “International Religious Freedom” report
on Wednesday.
The
report highlights that religious minorities in Afghanistan faced violent
attacks and widespread discrimination last year.
During
the presentation of the annual report, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated
that millions worldwide lack religious freedom.
It
emphasizes that the Taliban failed to protect places of worship in Afghanistan
over the past year.
The
State Department’s annual report also mentions the declining Sikh and Hindu
populations, attacks on Shia mosques, and assaults on Hazaras.
It cites
historical events, including the killing of a Salafi cleric in Kapisa in 2023,
prompting thousands of Salafi followers to leave Afghanistan after Taliban
control.
The report
details massacres, torture, forced displacement of Hazaras by the Taliban, and
seizure of their lands and homes across multiple provinces.
Sikhs
and Hindus in Afghanistan under Taliban rule express concerns for their safety
and fear torture if they complain to the courts.
The
report notes that after Taliban control, over 900 Sikh and Hindu citizens left
Afghanistan, leaving only six behind to protect their places of worship and
sacred texts.
According
to a Christian rights organization cited in the report, “The Taliban seek the
complete eradication of Christianity or any religious minority from the
country.”
The
report highlights the ban on teaching Shia jurisprudence in all schools
nationwide, with no Shia clergy participating in national religious councils.
Additionally,
the Taliban banned the celebration of Eid al-Ghadir in Kabul, Balkh, Herat, and
Daykundi provinces in 2023.
The
State Department reports that the Taliban developed an extremist school
curriculum with military training. It cites suicide bombings in Baghlan, an
attack on a Kabul sports club, and a bomb blast on a Hazara minibus,
highlighting ongoing targeted violence.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/us-state-dept-report-religious-minorities-in-afghanistan-face-extensive-violence-and-discrimination/
--------
Muslim
Council of Elders to join Secretariat meeting of Congress of World and
Traditional Religions' Leaders
28 June
2024
Kazakhstan’s
Ambassador to the UAE Najmedin Mukhametaliuly met with the Secretary-General of
the Muslim Council of Elders, Mohamed Abdelsalam, the press service of the
Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported.
The
meeting discussed bilateral cooperation issues and exchanged views on the
upcoming events.
Najmedin
Mukhametaliuly thanked Mohamed Abdelsalam for his regular participation in the
work of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
In turn,
Mohamed Abdelsalam emphasized the importance of Kazakhstan’s initiatives in
promoting interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue, noting that the ideas of
the Congress align with the goals of the Muslim Council of Elders. The
Secretary-General confirmed his participation in the upcoming Secretariat meeting
of the Congress scheduled for October this year.
The
parties discussed the importance of the Council’s Central Asian representative
office, opened in Astana last year, and exchanged views on upcoming events.
Source: en.inform.kz
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://en.inform.kz/news/muslim-council-of-elders-to-join-secretariat-meeting-of-congress-of-world-and-traditional-religions-leaders-fd2cc2/
--------
HRWSlams
UN for Courting Taliban in Doha Talks While Blocking Women’s Attendance
June 28,
2024
Heather
Barr, Human Rights Watch’s deputy director for women’s rights, once again
criticized the UN’s exclusion of Afghan women from the Doha talks.
She
stated that the UN takes a pleading approach with the Taliban but responds
negatively to Afghan women’s requests.
On
Thursday, June 27th, Barr tweeted that the UN has taken a negative approach
towards defenders of Afghan women’s rights.
According
to Barr, the UN told Afghan women defenders, “You can’t come to this [third
round of Doha talks]. The next session doesn’t look good either. We’re
discussing important issues, not women’s issues.”
The
third round of Doha talks, hosted by Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Deputy
Secretary-General, will begin on Jun 30th and July 1st in Doha.
The UN
has turned a blind eye to Afghan women representatives’ presence and
discussions on women’s rights and human rights in the main session to lure the
Taliban to the talks.
The UN
announced it would meet with some representatives of the Afghan civil society,
including women representatives, on the second day of the talks.
This
comes amid dire human rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in the
country, restricting women’s education and employment despite massive criticism
by national and international organizations.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/heather-barr-slams-un-for-courting-taliban-in-doha-talks-while-blocking-womens-attendance/
--------
Increasing
exports of Afghan carpets to foreign countries
June 29,
2024
Weaving
rugs in Afghanistan is an ancient tradition and business, which probably
existed for thousands of years. Afghan rug is a type of hand-woven
floor-covering textile traditionally made in the northern and western areas of
Afghanistan, mainly by Afghan Turkmens and Uzbeks and now by other Tajik and
Pashtun too. The industry is now being expanded to all 34 provinces of
Afghanistan. Afghan rugs have won a number of international awards. In 2008,
2013, and 2014 Afghan rugs won international awards at an international
exhibition held every year in Hamburg, Germany. The most notable Afghan rugs
market in Afghanistan is in the affluent Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul, and other
big cities as Mazar-e-Shari, Herat and Maimana of Faryab. The cities of
Peshawar, Islamabad and Quetta in Pakistan as well as Dubai in the United Arab
Emirates are also notable for Afghan rugs markets. Afghan vendors display car
pets time by time at various national and international carpet exhibitions
inside and outside the country. Afghanistan Ministry of Industry and Commerce
has recently said that during the first five months of 2024, Afghanistan has
exported more than 2 million kilograms of carpets worth $7.5 million to nations
including Pakistan, Uzbekistan and several European states. This comes as
Afghanistan exported over 800,000 square meters of Afghan rug in 2021, which
generated about 30 million U.S. dollars. Over $7 million worth of Afghan rugs
have been exported in 2022 to Turkiye, the United States, the United Arab
Emirates, Italy, and Uzbekistan. Around 1.2 million people are involved in the
rug business in Afghanistan. Others have put the number at around 2 million
people. Some Afghan rugs are woven by the Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan
and some Afghan rugs have been sent to Pakistan, where they are given the label
“Made in Pakistan” and then exported to other countries. One of the most exotic
and distinctive of all oriental rugs is the Shindand or Adrasken, woven in the Herat
province, in western Afghanistan. Strangely elongated human and animal figures
are their signature look. The carpet can be sold across Afghanistan with the
most based in Mazar-e-Sharif. Another staple of Afghanistan is Baluchi rugs,
most notably Baluchi prayer rugs. They are made by Afghanistan’s ethnic Baluch
people in the southwestern part of the country. Various vegetable and other
natural dyes are used to produce the rich colors. The rugs are mostly of medium
sizes. Many patterns and colors are used, but the traditional and most typical
is that of the octagonal elephant’s foot (Bukhara) print, often with a red
background. The weavers also produce other trappings of the nomadic lifestyle,
including tent bags and ceremonial pieces. Meanwhile, some other special and
popular types of rugs are called as Khal Mohammadi or Afghan Aqche. Carpets are
usually knotted in the northern part of the country. Traditionally, Afghan
carpets are knotted in the colors of the red spectrum. Dark tones predominate
here the lighter ones. Patterns and designs are dominated by Göl – an octagonal
row pattern – and stars, which are also octagonal. These are knotted on the
dark red background together with stylized floral patterns such as flowers in
the colors blue and beige. While Khal Mohammadi is knotted by Afghans, Afghan
Aqche is mostly made by Turkmen. Self-produced wool from sheep and goats is
used in materials. Afghan carpets are produced in almost all sizes and have
become popular around the world. Today, almost all people of the world like and
prefer to purchase the Afghan carpet or rugs. There are hopes that the Afghan
rug gets once again reward in international exhibitions. Mashal Noori
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/increasing-exports-of-afghan-carpets-to-foreign-countries/
--------
Sending
back home, Iran police still mistreating Afghan migrants
June 29,
2024
The
neighboring countries of Afghanistan, have for years, tried to evacuate their
territories from millions of Afghans forced by war and poverty to leave their
country and seek work and safety abroad. However, Afghanistan is now, enjoying
full security and freedom-loving people peacefully living under the Islamic
system. Reports said that police in Afghanistan’s two neighboring countries;
Iran and Pakistan are seizing money from hundreds of Afghans, they deport on a
daily basis. A number of deported Afghan migrants from Iran, have recently
briefed with Afghan local media saying that police officials of that country
take their money and all belongings, on their way to being deported to their
country. Many of the deported migrants are sent back to the country with no
cash enough to afford transportation to their native provinces. They said
Iranian security forces have taken all their money and belongings by force,
when sending them back home and there is no one to hear them and to take their
complaints. “When, we went to the provincial office, we found no one to help
even with a small cash to travel to our province,” one of the immigrants told
media on condition of anonymity. He said that Iranian security forces often
take Afghan immigrants from their workplace, subject them to severe beating and
mistreatment and then deport them to Afghanistan. Afghan migrants are mostly
deported by Iranian police to Nimroz province sharing border with the hosting
country, from where, the deportees said they don’t know how to get home far
away from there, as they received no assistance from any sources. Against all
migration norms, Iranian police officials, according to the deported Afghans,
empty their pockets, after beating and insulting them in the prisons. They,
then, wait for their noncitizens, if can help them with some assistance to get
their homes in the country’s far-flanged zones, as after long waiting for the
provincial UNHCR agency, they receive no financial help. This is obvious that
large numbers of Afghans are leaving for Iran illegally, but this doesn’t mean
that their pockets should be emptied by the hosting country’s police, under
various pretexts and they deserve to be beaten and insulted. Meantime, some
Afghan provincial refugees and repatriation officials said that they have
provided the deportees with cash assistance, with the financial cooperation of
some foreign aid agencies. They have provided financial assistance to the newly
returned migrants from the neighboring countries, particularly, Iran and over
that two months, they have assisted 60,000 migrants as according to the
officials, in two months, around 120,000 Afghans have been deported from Iran
to Afghanistan. Inam Hashemi
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/sending-back-home-iran-police-still-mistreating-afghan-migrants/
--------
Pakistani
Defense Minister defends travel ban without visa at Afghanistan border
June 28,
2024
Khawaja
Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, once again defended the ban on visa-free and
passport-free travel across his country’s border with Afghanistan.
Mr. Asif
emphasized the need for strict adherence to international laws at Pakistan’s
borders with Afghanistan.
In an
interview with Pakistani media “Geo News,” the Defense Minister stated, “All
travel across Pakistan’s borders with Afghanistan will only be permitted with a
valid passport and visa.”
He
stated the decision aims to prevent terrorism and smuggling activities
originating from Afghanistan.
He
further added, “We must ensure our country’s security, and these crossings have
jeopardized our safety.”
These
statements come amid heightened tensions at the border between Pakistan and
Afghanistan since the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan. Border skirmishes
between Pakistani forces and the Taliban have occurred multiple times in recent
months.
Khawaja
Asif acknowledged that terrorist attacks in Pakistan have increased
significantly since the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. He pointed
out that Pakistan attributes the source of terrorism to Afghan soil.
Meanwhile,
the Taliban deny these accusations and assert that the Pakistani government
supports ISIS in Afghanistan and the region.
In
addition, Pakistani authorities, responding to increased terrorist attacks in
the country, have repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring Pakistani
Taliban insurgents (TTP) in Afghanistan.
Last
year, Pakistan’s Supreme Government Committee announced plans to synchronize
entry regulations for Afghans with those of other bordering nations, abolishing
the practice of passport-less and visa-less entry into Pakistan.
The
Pakistani government implemented this policy shift starting on November 1st,
triggering extensive protests in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Protesters
expressed discontent over the end of the previous allowances for crossing
borders with outdated documents like Indo-British era agreements, national
identity cards, and travel permits.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistani-defense-minister-defends-travel-ban-without-visa-at-afghanistan-border/
--------
Chinese
President vows continued role in resolving Afghanistan issues
June 28,
2024
Xi
Jinping, the President of China, announced that China will continue its role in
connecting to resolve Afghanistan’s issues.
He said
on Friday, June 28th, in a ceremony in Beijing, that China will not change its
determination for peace development.
According
to Chinese media reports, he said Beijing will continue its constructive role
in crises such as Ukraine, resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict, and
addressing issues related to the Korean Peninsula, Iran, Myanmar, and
Afghanistan.
Xi
participated in Friday’s 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence in Beijing.
China,
although not recognizing the Taliban like other countries, maintains economic
and diplomatic relations with the group and has transferred the Afghan embassy
in Beijing to the Taliban.
This
comes amid a dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s
takeover in 2021. Millions of Afghans face food insecurity, with humanitarian
aid struggling to reach those in need due to ongoing conflict and bureaucratic
hurdles.
The
United Nations has warned of a looming famine, exacerbated by severe drought
conditions and economic collapse.
Restrictions
on human rights, particularly for women and girls, have intensified under
Taliban rule. Women’s access to education and employment has been severely
curtailed, with many forced to stay home and unable to pursue opportunities
they had gained in the past two decades.
The
Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law has imposed strict dress codes and
limited movement for women, effectively rolling back years of progress in
gender equality.
International
condemnation and concern have mounted over the Taliban’s systematic repression
of dissent and freedom of expression. The international community continues to
call for unhindered humanitarian access and increased support for those
affected by the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/chinese-president-vows-continued-role-in-resolving-afghanistan-issues/
--------
Pakistan
Top
Religious Scholar’s Effort for Imran Khan-Establishment Rapprochement Didn’t
Work
June 29,
2024
ISLAMABAD: One of the top religious’ scholars
of the country had made an effort for a rapprochement between the military
establishment and Imran Khan but it did not work.
An
informed source said that the effort was made before the Feb 8 elections.
However, it failed. The source did not disclose the name of the scholar.
Against
the backdrop of what Imran Khan has been alleging against the military, its top
commanders and even the incumbent and the last army chiefs ever since his
ouster from government in April 2022, there is now a serious challenge of
credibility for the jailed PTI founder chairman. Who will trust him? Who will
guarantee that Imran Khan will become responsible and avoid levelling
allegations of serious nature against others including military establishment
without evidence?
Khan,
during the last two years, has been pursuing a two-pronged policy of attacking
the military establishment and top generals and at the same time pressing them
to remove his opponents’ government to pave the way for his return into power.
Even
after May 9 attacks and following Feb 8 elections, Khan continues with his
direct attacks on the incumbent army chief. Interestingly, while doing so he
also seeks dialogue with General Asim Munir and the establishment under him.
The army
spokesman, after the February 8 elections, has however clearly told the media
in a press conference that the military will not hold any dialogue with the
PTI. The spokesman was asked if there was a possibility of any dialogue with
PTI to which he had replied: “If some political mindset, leader or clique
attacks its own army, causes rifts between the army and its people, insults the
nation’s martyrs and issues threats and hatches propaganda, there can be no
dialogue with them.”
The
military spokesman added, “There is only one way back for such anarchists that
it (PTI) asks for an earnest apology in front of the nation and promises that
it will forgo politics of hate and adopt constructive (style of) politics. In
any case, such dialogue should take place among political parties. It is not
appropriate for the army to be involved.” Eversince the appointment of the
incumbent army chief, the PTI lost all his contacts within the military
establishment. Imran Khan and the PTI have been frustratingly trying to hold
dialogue with the military establishment while using the Presidency during Dr
Arif Alvi’s term and through retired generals, who were sympathisers of Khan,
but they got no response from the other side. Within the PTI, which is
presently embroiled in an infighting, there are many who agree that Imran
Khan’s policy of attacking the military establishment and levelling all sorts
of allegations against top military generals has done no good to the party.
Instead, it is said, such a policy caused more problems for the PTI and Imran
Khan himself, who at the same time is also desirous of talking to the military
establishment only.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1204709-top-religious-scholar-s-effort-for-ik-establishment-rapprochement-didn-t-work
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Blasphemy
Accused, of Burning Sacred Papers, Including Pages of the Holy Quran, Sentenced
to Life in Prison in Lahore
June 29,
2024
LAHORE:
A sessions court has awarded life term to a man for committing blasphemy in a
trial that remained suspended for about two years owing to his mental illness.
In 2015,
Gulshan-i-Iqbal police arrested a man after they claimed to have received
information he was burning sacred papers, including pages of the Holy Quran, on
the stairs of an overhead bridge.
On the
complaint of an ASI, a case was registered under sections 295-B and 295-C of
the PPC. The suspect was around 21 years of age at the time of his arrest.
During
the trial, the defence counsel while claiming the suspect suffered from a
mental illness asked the court to constitute a medical board to examine his
client.
However,
the trial court dismissed the application and summoned the prosecution evidence
since the charge had already been framed.
Later,
jail authorities got the man examined as his condition worsened. He was kept
under observation and on medication by a seven-member board of psychiatrists at
the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) in Lahore.
A member
of the board told the court the accused was suffering from schizophrenia and
not fit to stand trial.
In her
cross-examination by the defence counsel, she maintained that symptoms of
schizophrenia may appear in early adulthood and later on in the 20s.
The
judge declined a request of the defence seeking release of the accused so that
he could be better taken care of at home as experts had the same opinion for
such patients.
The
defence said the decision would be challenged before the high court.
The
judge, however, acquitted the accused of the charge under section 295-C.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1842639/blasphemy-accused-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-in-lahore
--------
In majority
vote, NA dismisses US resolution as ‘interference’
June 29,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution with a majority vote
terming the June 25 resolution adopted by the US House of Representatives —
seeking probe into the alleged irregularities in the Feb 8 elections — “an
interference” in Pakistan’s internal affairs amid noisy protest by the
opposition PTI members who voted against it.
After
passage of the resolution, the treasury members in their hard-hitting speeches
lashed out at the PTI members for opposing the resolution and called them
“anti-state” and “traitors”.
While
speaking at a news conference after the prorogation of the National Assembly’s
budget session, the PTI members justified their act of opposing the resolution,
stating they were not taken into confidence before presenting the resolution.
They
also indirectly supported the US resolution, stating it could not be termed
interference in the country’s internal matters.
House
passes resolution amid opposition protest; PTI members vote against resolution
Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar while speaking in the National
Assembly on Thursday had disclosed that a resolution in response to the one
passed by the US would be placed before the House and said: “We must show our
sovereignty. We must show our unity. We must show we mean business.”
The
opposition members raised anti-government slogans and continued desk-thumping
when Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah after passage of the federal budget and
the Elections Amendment Bill gave the floor to Shaista Pervaiz of the ruling
PML-N to read out the resolution which was not included in the order of the
day.
Some
opposition members gathered in front of the speaker’s dais and tore apart the
documents and copies of the agenda and tossed them in the air as a mark of
protest.
After
passage of the resolution, Ms Pervaiz said she was feeling ashamed to see the
opposition’s protest as Pakistan’s sovereignty had come “under attack” and
these PTI members were encouraging those who were interfering in the country’s
affairs.
Shagufta
Jumani of the PPP said their heads were down with shame over the opposition’s
behaviour. She said these protesting members had no right to call themselves
Pakistanis.
She said
earlier the PTI used to criticise the US over its role in the country’s
politics, but today it was supporting the same country. She warned the US to
refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s affairs. Accusing the US of spreading
terrorism all over the world, she said they would not allow the US to do
terrorism in Pakistan.
Ms
Jumani recalled that previously the PTI used to say they had nothing to do with
the US and today they were thumping the desks in support of the US.
PML-N’s
MNA from Rawalpindi Aqeel Malik alleged that the US resolution was the outcome
of the efforts of lobbies and the PR firms that had been hired by the PTI. He
called the PTI an “anti-state” party which, he said, had a nexus with
terrorists. He said the House should have passed this resolution unanimously,
but regretted that the party which used to say “absolutely not” had voted
against it.
Aasiya
Ishaque Siddiqui of the MQM-P alleged that the PTI had joined hands with the US
in conspiring against Pakistan.
Text of
resolution
While
acknowledging the US as an important and valued partner, the NA emphasised the
principles of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan and reaffirmed its commitment
to upholding democracy and fundamental human rights.
It
reiterated Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to safeguard those principles, reflecting
the aspirations of its people and the vision of its founding fathers.
The
resolution says “an independent and sovereign country like Pakistan will not
accept any interference in its internal affairs”, terming the US resolution “an
attempt to undermine the state”.
“The
House deeply regrets that the subject resolution clearly reflects an incomplete
and wrong understanding of the political and electoral processes of Pakistan,”
reads the resolution.
It
“regrets that the resolution does not acknowledge the free and enthusiastic
exercise of the right to vote by millions of Pakistanis in the general
elections held on Feb 8”.
“This
resolution draws attention of the US Congress to more important issues such as
the ongoing acts of genocide in Gaza, gross human rights violations in Indian
Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and state-sanctioned atrocities against
minorities, especially the Muslims, in India;
“The
House calls upon the US and the world community to take immediate steps to
alleviate the sufferings of the innocent people of Gaza and Indian Illegally
Occupied Jammu and Kashmir;
The
House encourages and affirms its commitment to strong and cooperative bilateral
relations with the US based on mutual respect and sovereign equality; and expresses
the hope that in future the US Congress will play a more constructive role in
strengthening Pakistan-US bilateral relations by focusing on avenues of
collaboration for mutual benefit of both our people and countries;
The
House calls upon the Pakistan government to strengthen bilateral cooperation
with the US by enhancing channels of communication to allay such misperceptions
and work towards a harmonious relationship for the progress and prosperity of
the people of both countries.“
Opposition’s
press conference
Later,
speaking at a news conference outside the Parliament House, PTI leaders
criticised the government for approving a counter-resolution against US House
of Representatives’ motion and alleged that they were not taken into confidence
over the move. They also took exception to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s
remarks terming the PTI members “terrorists.”
PTI
Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that it seemed that the government
ministers had perhaps not read the US resolution. He said the US resolution passed
by 368 members of the US House of Representatives contained 14 points and the
government had not responded to any of these points.
He said
the US resolution had called for civil supremacy, protection of human rights
and continuity in democratic process and there was no point in it which should
be opposed.
Moreover,
he said, there was a difference between the US government and the House of
Representatives and the US resolution could not be termed an interference in
the country’s affairs. He said never in the history, any parliament of a
country had passed a resolution against the elected house of another country.
“Had the
statement [about Pakistan] come from the US government, we would have also
condemned it,” he said.
The PTI
chairman said the government did not want to investigate the alleged rigging in
the Feb 8 polls.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1842686/in-majority-vote-na-dismisses-us-resolution-as-interference
--------
No
military offensive on cards, insists Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt
June 29,
2024
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has declared that no new military offensive
against terrorists has been planned in the province.
“There
are no plans for a new military operation in our province, and even if one is
considered, all stakeholders, including the federal government and local
authorities, will be consulted. Any future [counter-terrorism] offensive will
require approval from our (provincial) assembly,” spokesman for the provincial
government Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif told reporters.
Mr Saif
said that the apex committee, which met in the federal capital last week,
thoroughly discussed the law and order situation in the country but didn’t
approve Operation Azm-i-Istehkam.
He also
said that the provincial government had no communication from authorities about
the launch of any military offensive.
Spokesman
Saif says issue of militancy not limited to KP
The
spokesman said that the federal government’s incompetence led to the false
propaganda about the military action and it was used against the KP government
and the armed forces.
He added
that the propaganda was meant to create misunderstanding between the armed
forces and the people.
Mr Saif
said that he hoped that the discussion about Operation Azm-i-Istehkam would
come to an end as federal information minister Atta Tarar clarified that the
federal government hadn’t decided to launch a military operation.
He said
militancy was the entire country’s issue and not limited to one province.
The
spokesman said that complaints were made against the KP government as if it had
asked the military to launch a military operation against terrorism, while the
armed forces, too, were criticised without reason.
He said
that after the provincial government was criticised over the issue, Chief
Minister Ali Amin Gandapur called the PTI-backed National Assembly members for
a meeting and informed them about discussions made in the apex committee’s
meeting.
Mr Saif
said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Awami
National Party criticised the proposed military offensive.
“We (KP
government) have refuted defence minister Khwaja Asif’s claim that CM Ali Amin
Gandapur supported the proposed counter-terrorism operation,” he said.
The
spokesman said that if militants were on the run and couldn’t operate openly,
it meant that the military was thwarting their plans.
He said
that the baseless criticism of state institutions caused confusion in the war
on terror that would benefit the country’s internal and external enemies.
Mr Saif
said that several military operations were carried out in Malakand, Waziristan,
Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber regions after the approval of the provincial
governments and in accordance with the law.
He said
that if any operation was carried out in the province in future, it would be
discussed in the provincial assembly and would require its approval.
The
spokesman said that the PTI held a tribal peace jirga in the province, while
the representatives of the provincial government would go to different parts of
the tribal districts to speak to the local elders about actions against
militancy.
He also
said that the provincial government was planning to hold a multiparty
conference on the issue of peace.
Mr Saif
said that the military never carried out an operation against militancy without
taking stakeholders into confidence nor would it do so in the future.
He said
that the provincial cabinet approved the formation of a judicial commission to
look into the May 9 violence in the province and cases registered over it.
The
spokesman also said that the government had written a letter to the chief
justice of the Peshawar High Court to appoint a judge for the judicial probe.
He said
that terms of reference for the judicial commission would be finalised soon.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1842630/no-military-offensive-on-cards-insists-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-govt
--------
PTI’s
top brass backs Ayub to continue as secretary general
June 29,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
A day after Omar Ayub Khan stepped down as PTI’s secretary general, the party’s
top leaders reposed confidence in him and urged him to continue in the role.
A
meeting of PTI’s parliamentary party on Friday “unanimously” expressed
confidence in Mr Ayub, who is also the opposition leader in National Assembly.
“The
parliamentary party unanimously resolves that his resignation may not be
accepted and he may be directed to continue as secretary general of the party,”
a press release issued by PTI said.
The
wording of the press release is interesting because as per sources within the
party, PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has already accepted Mr Ayub’s
resignation.
Party’s
apex body refutes reports of ‘forward bloc’, even as more leaders go public
with their discontent
The move
came as a surprise, even for some PTI insiders, who said they thought the
founder would not accept the resignation and ask Mr Ayub to continue in his
position.
The
united front, as demonstrated by the top leadership, however, failed to paper
over visible fissures among PTI ranks as some of its key leaders continued
censuring their party colleagues.
The
parliamentary party also refuted media reports of rifts within PTI and said
there was no “forward bloc” within the party, which was “united under the
leadership of the founding chairman Imran Khan”.
Discontent
among PTI leaders
A senior
PTI leader told Dawn that the current leadership was “incapable” of keeping the
party united and overcoming the issues being confronted by PTI.
He added
that the only way out for PTI is to forge a strong opposition alliance with
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Grand Democratic Alliance, BNP, PkMAP and
Jamaat-i-Islami.
The PTI
leader said the present leadership neither has a political strategy nor can it
execute any plan given to it by the jailed PTI founder.
Ex-PTI
leader Fawad Chaudhry also said that a strong opposition alliance was the
party’s only option to mount pressure on the government.
“The
government will [not] become serious about talks unless it is pressurised by
the joint opposition through street protest,” said the former party
spokesperson.
Mr
Chaudhry also claimed to have met leaders of other opposition parties who were
“reluctant” to ally with the current PTI leaders. He also said that the
government doesn’t take the present PTI leadership seriously.
Another
sign of discontent in the party ranks was comments made by firebrand PTI leader
Sher Afzal Marwat against senior leader Shibli Faraz on X.
He
demanded Mr Faraz’s resignation from party positions and as Senate’s leader of
the opposition.
In
recent weeks, other party leaders such as Shahryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar —
both members of the National Assembly — have gone public with their grievances
against the party’s leadership, especially their inability to secure the
release of PTI’s incarcerated founder, Mr Khan.
Mr
Ayub’s resignation — tendered on June 22 — lent credence to reports of
discontent among PTI leaders even though he cited the burden of dual
responsibilities as reason for his decision.
In his
resignation shared on X, he wrote that it was not possible for him to continue
working as party’s secretary general and opposition leader in the National
Assembly at the same time.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1842684/ptis-top-brass-backs-ayub-to-continue-as-secretary-general
--------
PTI
urges govt to refrain from 'cross-border attacks inside Afghanistan'
June 28,
2024
The
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded the federal government refrain from
launching "cross-border" attacks in Afghanistan in a bid to control
terrorism after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reportedly hinted at
anti-militancy action in the war-withered country that shares a 2,640km border
with Pakistan.
The
federal minister, in a recent interview with a US media outlet, revealed the
government's potential plans to launch anti-terrorism attacks in Afghanistan
while also ruling out negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP).
The
government aims not only to curb economic losses caused by the smuggling of
oil, fertilisers, and other goods from the neighbouring nation into Pakistan
but also to thwart terrorist infiltration, prevent potential breaches, and
implement security checks at the borders.
In
response to the recent remarks made by the defence minister, the senior
opposition leaders in the National Assembly held an emergency meeting on
Friday.
"We
don't allow any interference in our country, so we shouldn't interfere in any
other country," members of the united opposition said.
While
condemning Asif's rhetoric, opposition leaders stated that such statements
endanger not only the "brotherly" relations between Pakistan and
Afghanistan but also regional peace.
"Our
ties with India are based on rivalry, and now we are trying to treat
Afghanistan similarly. We cannot afford further escalation of the conflict and
disorder," Qaiser remarked. He stressed that launching attacks inside a
neighbouring country would risk pushing the entire region into war.
In a
fresh barrage of critical remarks against the government, Omar Ayub, leader of
the opposition in the NA, highlighted that "even major world powers have
faced challenges in Afghanistan, which has always been considered a
geostrategic focal point in the region".
"India
is leading many terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Why didn't the defence
minister remark about launching attacks inside India?" he questioned
during a media talk outside parliament. The PTI leader reiterated that his
party did not want to drag the country into "someone else's war".
Referring to the federal minister's comment about eliminating militancy to
attract foreign investment, Ayub asserted that in fact, adherence to the
Constitution was necessary for investment.
Meanwhile,
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar stated that Asif's statement had
"harmed" the country. "Khawaja Asif made these remarks without
taking the assembly into confidence," he added, highlighting the
opposition’s crucial role in democracy. Gohar deplored the defence minister’s
remarks, suggesting they presented a "negative" image of Pakistan to
the world.
In
addition, PTI leader Zartaj Gul questioned, “Has the government declared India
its friend and Afghanistan its rival?” She picked the defence minister apart
even more for what she described as an "extremely irresponsible
conversation."
Opposition
parties, including PTI and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), have opposed the
anti-militancy operation, demanding that parliament must be brought into the
loop about the new operation.
Last
Saturday, the Central Apex Committee on the National Action Plan (NAP) approved
“Operation Azm-e-Istehkam”, a reinvigorated and re-energised national
counter-terrorism drive, to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.
In the
interview, the defence minister underscored that the decision to launch a new
operation was not made hastily, noting a significant surge in terrorist attacks
across Pakistan prompted the government in that direction. He stressed that
terrorism was linked to the country’s economy, asserting that improvement in
economic conditions hinges on the eradication of terror threats.
“How can
foreign investment come here without eliminating terrorism?” he questioned.
Responding to inquiries, Asif mentioned militant elements operating from across
the border, with some cells working within Pakistani territory. “Exporting
terrorism from Afghan soil to our territory is a clear violation of
international law.”
Asif on
Thursday also announced that the government had decided to strictly enforce
international laws at its borders with Afghanistan to curb the influx of
militants and smuggled goods into the country. Pakistan has witnessed a jump in
cross-border attacks on security forces recently, with militants employing
advanced weaponry and equipment.
“All
traffic from Afghanistan will only be permitted entry into Pakistan with a
valid passport and visa,” Asif informed Geo News, hinting at the end of the
longstanding practice of Afghans entering Pakistan without proper
documentation.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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DC asks
people to refrain from making insulting or offensive speeches in mosques,
Imambargahs
June 28,
2024Newspaper
HYDERABAD
- Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shaheed Benazirabad, Shariyar Gul Memon chaired a meeting to review the
necessary arrangements for maintaining law and order, street lights, sanitation
and other necessary arrangements during Muharram ul Haram in the district.
Addressing
the meeting held in the Darbarhal of the DC office, DC Shariyar Gul Memon said that all the scholars and citizens
should play their full role to maintain the atmosphere of peace, unity and
brotherhood in the district during Muharram. He asked the people to refrain
from making insulting or offensive speeches in mosques, Imambargahs and other
places of worship and organise programmes in a peaceful environment.
The
meeting was informed that control rooms will be established at the district and
tehsil levels to monitor the law and order situation and arrangements in the
district during the decade.
DC
directed the concerned authorities to ensure the presence of ambulances
including doctors and paramedical staff. He directed all the assistant
commissioners to stay in touch with the Ulemas and hold meetings with them to
ensure peace and order and other arrangements apart from mourning processions.
He directed the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) officers to ensure
power supply during the evening and night hours by avoiding load shedding during
the month. Deputy Commissioner strictly instructed the municipal and all town
officers that the meteorological department has predicted monsoon rains,
keeping in mind that before Muharram al-Haram, improve the cleanliness of all
cities, the passageways of mourning processions, mosques and imambargahs and
improve the lighting.
Addressing
the meeting, Chairman District Council Ali Akbar Jamali said that district
Shaheed Benazirabad has always been a peaceful district.
Mayor
Municipal Corporation Qazi Muhammad Rashid Bhatti, Deputy Mayor Mubasher Arain,
municipal and town officers informed about other arrangements including
cleanliness in their areas during Muharram and assured the Deputy Commissioner
of his full cooperation to maintain peace and order in the district during
Ushra Muharram and informed about his problems.
In the
meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner Nawab Samir Laghari, Ali Sher Jamali,
District Health Officer Dr Asadullah Dahri, District Manager PPHI Muhammad Arif
Abbasi, Axin Hesco Aziz Ahmed Bhutto, MSPMC Hospital Dr Yar Ali Jamali, all
tehsils. Besides assistant commissioners of police, health, education, public
health, municipal and town officers, scholars belonging to different schools of
thought and officers of other relevant departments participated.
Source: nation.com.pk
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Mideast
Khamenei
Protégé,Massoud Pezeshkian, Sole Moderate Neck and Neck in Iran Presidential
Race
June 29,
2024
DUBAI: A
low-key moderate and a protégé of Iran’s supreme leader are neck-and-neck in
the vote count in snap presidential elections marked by voter apathy over
economic hardships and social restrictions.
More
than 14 million votes have been counted so far from Friday’s vote, of which the
sole moderate candidate Massoud Pezeshkian had won over 5.9 million votes and
his hard-line challenger former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili over 5.5
million, provisional results by the interior ministry showed.
Some
insiders said the turnout was around 40 percent, lower than expected by Iran’s
clerical rulers, while witnesses said that polling stations in Tehran and some
other cities were not crowded.
Iran’s
Tasnim news agency said a run-off election was “very likely” to pick the next
president following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last
month.
If no
candidate wins at least 50 percent plus one vote from all ballots cast,
including blank votes, a run-off between the top two candidates is held on the
first Friday after the result is declared.
The
election coincides with escalating regional tension due to the war between
Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as
increased Western pressure on Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear program.
While
the election is unlikely to bring a major shift in the Islamic Republic’s
policies, its outcome could influence the succession to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
Iran’s 85-year-old supreme leader, in power since 1989.
The
clerical establishment sought a high turnout to offset a legitimacy crisis
fueled by public discontent over economic hardship and curbs on political and
social freedom.
The next
president is not expected to usher in any major policy shift on Iran’s nuclear
program or support for militia groups across the Middle East, since Khamenei
calls all the shots on top state matters.
However,
the president runs the government day-to-day and can influence the tone of
Iran’s foreign and domestic policy.
Pezeshkian’s
views offer a contrast to those of Jalili, advocating detente with the West,
economic reform, social liberalization and political pluralism.
A
staunch anti-Westerner, Jalili’s win would signal the possibility of an even
more antagonistic turn in the Islamic Republic’s foreign and domestic policy,
analysts said.
LIMITED
CHOICES
The
election was a contest among a tightly controlled group of three hardline
candidates and one low-profile moderate loyal to the supreme leader. A hardline
watchdog body approved only six from an initial pool of 80 and two hardline
candidates subsequently dropped out.
“Based
on unconfirmed reports, the election is very likely heading to a second round
... Jalili and Pezeshkian will compete in a run-off election,” Tasnim reported.
Critics
of the clerical establishment say that low turnouts in recent years show the
system’s legitimacy has eroded. Turnout was 48 percent in the 2021 presidential
election and a record low of 41 percent of people voted in a parliamentary
election in March.
All
candidates have vowed to revive the flagging economy, beset by mismanagement,
state corruption and sanctions re-imposed since 2018, after the US ditched
Tehran’s nuclear pact.
“I think
Jalili is the only candidate who raised the issue of justice, fighting
corruption and giving value to the poor. ... Most importantly, he does not link
Iran’s foreign policy to the nuclear deal,” said Farzan, a 45-year-old artist
in the city of Karaj.
DIVIDED
VOTERS
Pezeshkian,
faithful to Iran’s theocratic rule, is backed by the reformist faction that has
largely been sidelined in Iran in recent years.
“We will
respect the hijab law, but there should never be any intrusive or inhumane behavior
toward women,” Pezeshkian said after casting his vote.
He was
referring to the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, in 2022 while in
morality police custody for allegedly violating the mandatory Islamic dress
code.
The
unrest sparked by Amini’s death spiraled into the biggest show of opposition to
Iran’s clerical rulers in years.
Pezeshkian
attempted to revive the enthusiasm of reform-minded voters who have largely
stayed away from the polls for the last four years as a mostly youthful population
chafes at political and social curbs. He could also benefit from his rivals’
failure to consolidate the hardline vote.
In the
past few weeks, Iranians have made wide use of the hashtag #ElectionCircus on
X, with some activists at home and abroad calling for a boycott, saying a high
turnout would only serve to legitimize the Islamic Republic.
Source: arabnews.com
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---------
Lebanon's
Islamic Resistance targets Birkat Risha site
[28/June/2024]
BEIRUT
June 28. 2024 (Saba) - Mujahedeen of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, led by
Hezbollah, on Friday targeted the spy devices at Birkat Risha site.
In
support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of
their valiant and honorable resistance, Mujahedeen of the Islamic Resistance
this morning targeted the spy devices at the Birkat Risha site with appropriate
weapons and directly hit them, the Islamic Resistance said in a statement.
Source:
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3343869.htm
--------
Unidentified
gunmen attack election vehicle in Iran- state media
June 29,
2024
DUBAI:
Unidentified gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying election boxes in Iran’s
Sistan-Baluchestan province and killed two security force members, Iran’s state
media reported on Saturday.
Source: arabnews.com
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US has
sent Israel thousands of 2,000-pound bombs since Oct. 7
June 29,
2024
WASHINGTON:
The Biden administration has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions,
including more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands
of Hellfire missiles, since the start of the war in Gaza, said two US officials
briefed on an updated list of weapons shipments.
Between
the war’s start last October and recent days, the United States has transferred
at least 14,000 of the MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000
Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs,
2,600 air-dropped small-diameter bombs, and other munitions, according to the
officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly.
While
the officials didn’t give a timeline for the shipments, the totals suggest
there has been no significant drop-off in US military support for its ally,
despite international calls to limit weapons supplies and a recent
administration decision to pause a shipment of powerful bombs.
Experts
said the contents of the shipments appear consistent with what Israel would
need to replenish supplies used in this eight-month intense military campaign
in Gaza, which it launched after the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian Hamas
militants who killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage, according to
Israeli tallies.
“While
these numbers could be expended relatively quickly in a major conflict, this
list clearly reflects a substantial level of support from the United States for
our Israeli allies,” said Tom Karako, a weapons expert at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, adding that the listed munitions were the
type Israel would use in its fight against Hamas or in a potential conflict
with Hezbollah.
The
delivery numbers, which have not been previously reported, provide the most
up-to-date and extensive tally of munitions shipped to Israel since the Gaza
war began.
Israel
and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since the start of the Gaza
war, and concern is rising that an all-out war could break out between the two
sides.
The
White House declined to comment. Israel’s Embassy in Washington did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.
The
shipments are part of a bigger list of weapons sent to Israel since the Gaza
conflict began, one of the US officials said. A senior Biden administration
official on Wednesday told reporters that Washington has since Oct. 7 sent $6.5
billion worth of weapons to Israel.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent weeks claimed that Washington was
withholding weapons, a suggestion US officials have repeatedly denied even
though they acknowledged some “bottlenecks.”
The
Biden administration has paused one shipment of the 2,000-pound bomb, citing
concern over the impact it could have in densely populated areas in Gaza, but
US officials insist that all other arms deliveries continue as normal. One
2,000-pound bomb can rip through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide
blast radius.
Reuters
reported on Thursday that the United States is discussing with Israel the
release of a shipment of large bombs that was suspended in May over worries
about the military operation in Rafah.
International
scrutiny of Israel’s military operation in Gaza has intensified as the
Palestinian death toll from the war has exceeded 37,000, according to the Gaza
health ministry, and has left the coastal enclave in ruins.
Washington
gives $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to its longtime ally. While
Biden has warned that he would place conditions on military aid if Israel fails
to protect civilians and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, he has not done
so beyond delaying the May shipment.
Biden’s
support for Israel in its war against Hamas has emerged as a political
liability, particularly among young Democrats, as he runs for re-election this
year. It fueled a wave of “uncommitted” protest votes in primaries and has
driven pro-Palestinian protests at US universities.
While
the United States provides detailed descriptions and quantities of military aid
sent to Ukraine as it fights a full-scale invasion of Russia, the
administration has revealed few details about the full extent of US weapons and
munitions sent to Israel.
The
shipments are also hard to track because some of the weapons are shipped as
part of arms sales approved by Congress years ago but only now being fulfilled.
One of
the US officials said the Pentagon has sufficient quantities of weapons in its
own stocks and had been liaising with US industry partners who make the
weapons, such as Boeing Co. and General Dynamics, as the companies work to
manufacture more.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Houthis
claim attacks on 4 ships in Red Sea and Mediterranean; US military says it shot
down 7 hostile drones
June 28,
2024
DUBAI:
Yemen’s Houthi militant group on Friday claimed responsibility for attacking a
Liberia-flagged vessel in the Red Sea that a maritime agency said had survived
five missiles, while also saying they targeted three other vessels including
two in the Mediterranean.
The
Iran-aligned Houthis say their attacks on shipping lanes are in solidarity with
Palestinians in the war between Israel and the militant Islamist group Hamas.
Yahya
Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, said in a televised statement that the
group launched ballistic missiles at the Delonix, an oil tanker, and that it
took a “direct hit.”
However,
the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) monitor said earlier in
the day that the ship, which was targeted 150 nautical miles (172 miles)
northwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, reported no damage and was heading
northward.
Saree
also said the Houthis attacked the Ioannis ship in the Red Sea, as well as the
Waler oil tanker and the Johannes Maersk vessel in the Mediterranean.
He said
the Johannes Maersk, which is owned by Maersk , the world’s second-largest
container carrier, was targeted because it belongs to “one of the most
supportive companies for the Zionist entity and the most that violates ban
decision of access to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
Also on
Friday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces
operating in waters off Yemen have destroyed seven drones and a control station
vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas over the past 24 hours.
The
strikes were carried out because the drones and the vehicle “presented an
imminent threat to US coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,”
the US Central Command said in a statement on X.
The
statement did not react to the Houthis' claims. In a previous post on X dated
June 24, CENTCOM reported that the Trans World Navigator, a Liberian-flagged,
Greek-owned bulk cargo carrier, was hit in a Houthi drone attack and the crew
reported minor injuries.
The
United States and Britain have carried out strikes in Yemen aimed at degrading
the rebels’ ability to carry out attacks, while there is also an international
military effort to intercept drones and missiles fired at ships.
“These
actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international
waters safer and more secure,” CENTCOM said.
“This
continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens
regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden.”
International
shipping has been disrupted since November by attacks in the region launched by
the Houthis. Many vessels have opted to avoid the Red Sea route to the Suez
Canal, taking the longer journey around the southern tip of Africa instead.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Turkish
President Erdogan opens door to restoration of ties with Syria
June 28,
2024
ANKARA:
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan opened the door on Friday to a restoration of
ties with the Assad regime in Damascus 16 years after relations were severed at
the start of the Syrian civil war.
“There
is no reason for it not to happen,” Erdogan said. “Just as we kept our ties
very lively in the past, we even held talks between our families with Assad, it
is certainly not possible to say this will not happen again in the future, it
can happen.”
Turkiye
cut ties with Syria in 2011 and supported opposition forces trying to oust
Assad. It has carried out several cross-border military operations against
militants it says threaten its national security and formed a “safe zone” in
northern Syria where Turkish troops are now stationed. Authorities in Syria
have demanded that these forces be removed.
However,
as part of a regional charm offensive Turkiye has said it may restore ties with
Damascus if there is progress on the fight against terrorism, on the safe and
voluntary return of millions of refugees hosted by Turkey, and on the political
process.
Assad
said this week that his government was open to normalization initiatives as
long as they respected Syria’s sovereignty and contributed to
counter-terrorism.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Southeast Asia
Unity
govt protects, not neglect the position of Islam - Asyraf Wajdi
29-06-
2024
NIBONG
TEBAL: The leadership of the Unity Government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim has never ignored the position of Islam as the official religion,
and instead it has always been trying to do its best to ensure the religion is
protected.
UMNO
secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the opposition’s claim that
the position of Islam is now being neglected under the Unity Government is
baseless, and is even deliberately made to win over voters during the election.
“I
mention this because I observe the talks of the factions over there every
night, the issues were being played, as if Islam is being challenged, the
privileges of the Malays are being challenged.
“...
but, as long as we establish a Unity Government in which there are 19 political
parties that respect each other, God willing we will ensure that this country
continues to be concerned with understanding this reality (the position of the
Islamic religion),“ he said when speaking at the Unity Ceramah at the Tasek
Junjong Voting District Centre, Simpang Ampat here tonight.
Also
present were Amanah Negara Party (Amanah) deputy president Datuk Seri Dr
Mujahid Yusof and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Datuk Seri
Aminuddin Harun.
Earlier,
Mujahid in the same ceramah, urged voters in Sungai Bakap to reject candidates
and parties that lack the political will to strengthen unity for the well-being
of future generations.
He said
to develop the country, a leader and his party must have long-term vision and
strong ambitions to provide the best for the next generation, rather than
focusing on trivial matters for personal and party interests.
“I’m
saying this because we should give the mandate to visionary leaders and
candidates, not those who merely are concerned about whether their party wins
or losses in the next election.
“Such
narrow-minded leaders will not even be able to accept the decision made by the
government, for example the need for targeted diesel subsidies, even though it
is done to ensure the fate of future generations is guaranteed by reducing
leakages in subsidies and so on,“ he said.
The
Sungai Bakap state by-election on July 6 is seeing Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr
Joohari Ariffin challenged by Nibong Tebal PAS vice president Abidin Ismail
representing Perikatan Nasional (PN), in a straight fight.
The
by-election was called following the death of its incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff on
May 24 last due to stomach inflammation.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local-news/unity-govt-protects-not-neglect-the-position-of-islam-asyraf-wajdi-OG12639106
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PM Anwar
pledges to continue Karpal’s legacy, vision in defending Malaysians’ rights
29 Jun
2024
GEORGE
TOWN, June 29 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has vowed that the
Unity Government will uphold and defend the rights of every Malaysian,
honouring the vision of the late political stalwart Datuk Seri Karpal Singh.
Speaking
at the ‘Reminiscing Karpal’ event here today, the prime minister reaffirmed his
commitment to continuing Karpal’s legacy of fighting racism, religious bigotry
and corruption.
“Karpal
had placed the rule of law, judicial independence, democracy, human rights and
justice on a high pedestal. We learn in Cabinet that the challenge is tough but
not insurmountable.
“I have
said to (Tan Sri) Lim Kit Siang (former DAP adviser), we are here for a purpose
and we are determined to make sure Malaysia matures as a democracy. We will
continue to fight, defend the rights of every single citizen of this
country..majority or minority,” he said.
Also
present were DAP National deputy chairman and Karpal’s second son Gobind Singh
Deo, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and former deputy minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh, who
is also Karpal’s third child. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Brahim’s
serves halal in-flight catering to seven leading Airlines
29-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Brahim’s Food Services Sdn Bhd now provides halal in-flight catering
services to seven of the world’s top airlines from among the 35 international
carriers it currently serves.
“The
airlines include Qatar Airways, Emirates, ANA All Nippon Airways, Cathay
Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines and EVA Air,” the company
said in a statement.
These
carriers were named among the top ten best airlines in the world in the recent
2024 World Airline Awards held on June 24 in London, it said.
Brahim’s
Food Services chief executive officer Mohammad Fadhli Abdul Rahman said this
recognition was a proud moment for everyone at the company, reaffirming its
position as a key player in the global halal in-flight catering market.
According
to the statement, the company’s reputation as the region’s largest halal
airline catering provider was well deserved, with its state-of-the-art kitchen
sprawling at almost 60,000 square metres.
“This
facility, manned by over 550 dedicated employees, operates around the clock,
churning out up to 60,000 meals daily, according to halal standards and also
ensuring the highest quality and safety in food preparation.
“As the
company looks to the future, we aim to broaden our horizons, reaching new and potential
customers while steadfastly maintaining our core values of integrity,
innovation, and customer satisfaction,” it said.
Source: thesun.my
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PM Anwar
meets Indian superstar Kamal Haasan, discusses film industry, anti-graft stance
29-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday took time to meet
with renowned Indian actor Kamal Haasan, who is currently in Malaysia to
promote the film ‘Indian 2’.
“During
breaks from official duties, I had the opportunity to spend time with the
well-known Indian artiste and superstar, Kamal Haasan.
“We had
about 30 minutes to talk and exchange views on the film industry, including our
stance against corruption,” he said in a Facebook post.
Kamal,
70, is in the capital to promote the film ‘Indian 2’, the sequel to his 1996
blockbuster ‘Indian’.
‘Indian’,
released in 1996, featured Kamal as a freedom fighter rebelling against
corruption in India, which also creates conflict with his son involved in
corrupt practices.
The film
went on to be the highest-grossing Tamil film upon its release.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local-news/pm-anwar-meets-indian-superstar-kamal-haasan-discusses-film-industry-anti-graft-stance-GG12639078
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/60-cows-killed-mp-nagpur-police/d/132604