New
Age Islam News Bureau
11
November 2021
National
Security Adviser Mooed Yusuf speaks to DawnNewsTV anchorperson Adil Shahzeb. —
DawnNewsTV
------
• Bahrain
Lawmaker, Abdulrazzaq Hattab, Condemns Violence against Muslims in India, In Bahrain's
Parliament; Threatens Trade Boycott
• Bangladeshi
Author Taslima Nasreen 'Shocked' that Malala Married a Pakistani rather than a Handsome
Progressive English Man
• Operation
Luxor: Austria Is Targeting Innocent Muslims for Nefarious Purposes
• Indonesia,
Malaysia Leaders Urge End to Myanmar Violence
Pakistan
• Human
Rights Minister Mazari Urges Muslim Nations to Unite Against Rights Abuse
• Judiciary’s
performance comes under scrutiny in NA
• EU,
UK envoys meet COAS; pledge to play role in further improving cooperation with
Pakistan
--------
India
• Regional
Countries Ask For Inclusivity in Afghanistan, Not A Safe Haven For Terrorism:
Delhi Declaration
• ‘More
than Muslims, Hindus are flag-bearers of Urdu’ Oncologist and Right-Wing
Activist • Booked Over ‘Inciting Speech’ Against Muslim Community in Gujarat
• Zakia
Jafri Seeks Fresh Probe into Political-Police Complicity In 2002 Gujarat Riots
• Drugs
from Pakistan worth Rs 300 crore seized in Gujarat’s Dwarka district
• Muslim
youth dies in custody in UP's Kasganj; Cops say suicide, kin differs
--------
South Asia
• Taliban’s
growing proximity with China is an opportunity ISKP is trying to leverage
• Herat
Shia scholars urge restoring security committees to protect Mosques, religious centres
• Taliban
urge ex-Afghan military pilots to stay, serve nation
• Taliban
must cut off umbilical cord with Pak for Afghanistan to survive
• 600
ISIS-K affiliates arrested since mid-August: Mujahid
--------
Europe
• Facing
fierce protest, Israeli ambassador rushed from London event
• France
handed executed journalist Zam to Iran in swap deal, claims ex-intel officer
--------
Southeast Asia
• Indonesia,
Malaysia Leaders Urge End to Myanmar Violence
• Teraju
survey: 65,660 Bumiputera individuals ventured into p-hailing service during
pandemic
• Give
us funds to spread Islam in Sarawak, PAS man urges party
--------
North America
• No
Specific Reaction to Pakistan-TTP Talks, Says US
• US
doesn’t need Israel’s permission to open consulate: Palestine
• 70
aid truck drivers contracted by UN detained in Ethiopia
--------
Arab World
• UAE's
Renewed Diplomacy with Syria Could Lead To More Arab Overtures
• Turkish
strike kills three in Kurdish-run Syria
• UN
sanctions three Houthi militants over Marib offensive
• UN
Security Council permanent members condemn Yemen’s Houthi attacks on Saudi
Arabia
• Egypt’s
President Sisi to attend Libya conference in Paris, meet President Macron
--------
Mideast
• Iran
Blames US Occupation for Increase in Terrorism, Poverty, Drug Trafficking in
Afghanistan
• Iran’s
Membership in UN Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation Approved
• Iranian
commander threatens to destroy Israel if it makes ‘any mistake’ with Tehran
• IRGC
Releases US-Provoked Vietnamese Vessel Seized While Stealing Iranian Oil
• Iran
Lead Negotiator: Vienna Talks Only Aimed at Removal of US Sanctions
• Iran-backed
Houthis detain 25 Yemenis working for US
--------
Africa
• Sudan's
Civilian Coalition Rejects Negotiations with Military
• Algeria
welcomes ‘respectful’ French comments amid row
• Gunmen
kill 11 in NW Nigeria
• Somali
military kills 9 al-Shabaab terrorists
• UN
Security Council sanctions 3 more rebel leaders in Yemen
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amnesty-tehreek-taliban-pakistan/d/125752
--------
No
Decision Taken Yet On Granting Amnesty to the Banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
Members: Pakistan NSA
National
Security Adviser Mooed Yusuf speaks to DawnNewsTV anchorperson Adil Shahzeb. —
DawnNewsTV
------
Riazul
Haq
November
11, 2021
National
Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf said on Wednesday that no decision had been
taken yet to grant amnesty to members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP), emphasising that the state was "very clear and sensitive" on
the issue.
He
made the comment in an interview on DawnNews programme Live with Adil Shahzeb.
At
the outset, Yusuf talked about the government's decision to hold talks with the
TTP, saying the militant group had been receiving support from India and Afghan
intelligence for the last 10-15 years.
Pakistan
had repeatedly told the international community that the Pakistani Taliban had
fled to Afghanistan following the Zarb-i-Azb military operation, received
sanctuary and were launching attacks from the neighbouring country, the NSA
said.
"We
gave the whole dossier last year containing [details] of which attack, from
where, how much money was spent, pictures of receipts, everything," he
said, referring to the report revealed by the government in November 2020
containing proofs of India's involvement in terrorism in Pakistan.
"When
the situation changed [after the Taliban's takeover] ... the Afghan Taliban are
not as antagonistic towards Pakistan as former president Ashraf Ghani. Now the
discussion started that the TTP does not have the support base that they
(Ghani's government) and India provided.
"You
talk from a position of strength and try to reason. If any Pakistani has
strayed from the path and if he [wants to become] a law-abiding citizen
according to the laws of Pakistan and the Constitution [...] It means if you
have committed a crime or terrorism in Pakistan, you will follow the due
process of the law."
When
the host asked him whether he was referring to an amnesty, the NSA responded by
saying that no such decision had been taken yet.
"I
don't know where this talk started from — that a decision has been made. There
is no such decision [of a general amnesty]."
He
said the government was aware that agreements with the TTP in the past had not
held, adding that at the present stage, talks were being held and the
government would see if the TTP was serious.
"The
state's job is to defend its public and not to go with the kinetic option —
using bullets — until it becomes impossible to avoid it," he stressed.
"This
is an emotional issue. No Pakistani is left who has not been directly or
indirectly affected by terrorism."
In
response to another question about opposition lawmakers not being satisfied
with the security briefing given last week, Yusuf said: "It is their
choice. The state can only inform.
"This
is a decision of the entire nation. These processes [of talks] will
continue."
Talking
about the need to hold talks with the TTP, Yusuf said world history, data and
statistics showed that an overwhelming majority of conflicts ended with
dialogue.
"If
you take the position to look at their past, then talks cannot be held. You
have to fight till the end," he added.
Govt-TLP
agreement
Yusuf
also defended the controversial agreement between the government and the
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), saying avoiding bloodshed was the foremost
priority of the government.
"The
state always has several options besides the use of bullet, but it is the
responsibility of the state to save its citizens," he maintained.
The
NSA said he was sure that the TLP had Indian support but that did not mean
there was direct funding or persons directly involved with them in Pakistan.
"It is the age of hybrid war and everything is possible," he said.
Afghan
Taliban
On
the subject of Afghanistan's new rulers, Yusuf said Pakistan did not hold much
control over the Afghan Taliban, unlike the common belief. "We do not hold
much sway over Afghan Taliban," he stated, adding that Afghanistan was an
independent country and its government had its own way of running affairs.
The
NSA warned the international community that a humanitarian crisis in
Afghanistan would not hurt just the Taliban but also the common man, whom the
United States and the West wanted to save and rescue.
"So
the world must come to help Afghans beyond the rhetoric of the international
community recognising Afghanistan," he remarked.
Yusuf
also said any crisis in Afghanistan would mean the first and foremost impact
would be on Pakistan.
Answering
a question, he said whatever was agreed with the United States related to
Afghanistan would be transparent unlike in the past.
"We
will share everything with the public and not hide anything unlike the past and
keep it transparent," he stressed.
When
asked about airspace and other logistical support the US had sought from
Pakistan, the NSA said "the US is confused as there are lots of goings-on
so it is unclear what they are up to." But he added that Pakistan was in
talks with Washington on different issues including health and climate change.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Bahrain
Lawmaker, Abdulrazzaq Hattab, Condemns Violence against Muslims in India, In
Bahrain's Parliament; Threatens Trade Boycott
A
protest against an eviction drive by Assam's state government on September 23
of Muslim families in Assam, which turned violent with the killing of two men
when hundreds clashed with police, in New Delhi on September 25, 2021 [SAJJAD
HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images]
------
November
10, 2021
Bahraini
lawmaker, Abdulrazzaq Hattab, has issued a scathing condemnation of India for
the violence against Muslim which has increased in the country over the years,
threatening to start a boycott of trade between the two countries.
In
a speech he gave in Bahrain's parliament recently, Hattab spoke against the
deliberate targeting of Muslims by right-wing Hindu nationalists in India.
"These practices are against international laws and Abrahamic religions,
and also contradict with humanity and the country's obligation to provide
safety to its citizens and their freedom, regardless of their religion and
beliefs," he said.
State-sanctioned
and vigilante actions against Muslims have increased significantly over the
years under the current Indian government headed by President Narendra Modi and
his Hindu nationalist support base. According to Hattab, that is especially
seen in states like Assam and occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The
lawmaker added that "we strongly stand with respect to Islam and the 150
million Muslims in India," and announced that if attacks against Indian
Muslims continue, "we will undergo severe action, including trade
boycott."
TWITTER
TRENDS: 'Please sir mention India', Hindutva Twitter reacts to Netanyahu snub
Such
a boycott is predicted to have a significant impact, as trade between Manama
and New Delhi exceeds $105 billion annually.
Hattab
also revealed that he and others "tried multiple times to meet with the
Indian ambassador in Bahrain to send our message to his government; however, he
was making unjustified excuses."
The
condemnation and the threat of a boycott by the Bahraini lawmaker come two
months after Kuwaiti lawmakers also condemned atrocities committed against
Muslims by India and Hindu extremists.
Both
of those direct vocal condemnations are a stark contradiction to their
neighbours' stances in the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia cooperating with Modi's
government by deporting Indians critical of New Delhi's anti-Muslim register
and conducting naval exercises with India. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also
shares that stance, signing deals for infrastructure projects in occupied
Kashmir.
Source:
Middle East Monitor
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
-------
Bangladeshi
Author Taslima Nasreen 'Shocked' that Malala Married a Pakistani rather than a
Handsome Progressive English Man
Malala
Yousafzai tied the knot with the Pakistan Cricket Board official Asser Malik in
a small ceremony on Tuesday..
----
Nov
11, 2021
Bangladeshi
author Taslima Nasreen said she is shocked to learn about activist Malala
Yousafzai's wedding to Pakistan Cricket Board official Asser Malik. "Quite
shocked to learn Malala married a Pakistani guy. She is only 24. I thought she
went to Oxford University for study, she would fall in love with a handsome
progressive English man at Oxford and then think of marrying not before the age
of 30. But..," the author tweeted.
As
the author was trolled for her view and as social media users told her that it
is wrong to assume that all Pakistan men are regressive, the author put out
another tweet. This time on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. "Imran
Khan was the most progressive free-thinking man from Pakistan. He fell in love
with a Jewish girl. Then what? Then he made her convert to Islam, defended
religious fanatics, divorced and married again, divorced again & finally
ended up with a burqawali ghost. Toxic masculinity!" Taslima wrote.
Quite
shocked to learn Malala married a Pakistani guy. She is only 24. I thought she
went to Oxford university for study, she would fall in love with a handsome
progressive English man at Oxford and then think of marrying not before the age
of 30. But..
—
taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) November 9, 2021
In
several other tweets, Taslima put forward her opinion and said "some
misogynist Taliban" are happy with Malala because "she married a
Muslim, a Pakistani and she married when she is very young".
She
was more matured in July. pic.twitter.com/fGOPGZU8my
—
taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) November 10, 2021
Taslima
then shared the screenshot of Malala's old interview to Vogue where she said
she does not understand why people have to get married. "If you want to
have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can’t
it just be a partnership?” Malala was quoted in that July interview. "She
was more matured in July," Taslima wrote.
Taslima,
however, was not alone in criticising Malala's decision to get married as the
old screenshot of the interview was doing the rounds on social media, being
shared by Pakistanis.
Malala
shared the photos of a homely wedding in her home in Birmingham on Tuesday and
said the day marks a "precious day" in her life. "We celebrated
a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us
your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead,"
Malala wrote.
At
the age of 15, Malala was shot at in the head by the Taliban in October 2012.
She was flown to the UK to receive treatment. In 2014, she won the Nobel Peace
Prize at the age of 17, becoming the youngest laureate of the prize. Last year,
she graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and
Economics.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Operation
Luxor: Austria Is Targeting Innocent Muslims for Nefarious Purposes
November
10, 2021
Protesters
hold a banner reading 'No To Islamophobia' in London, UK on 5 July 2017 [Ray
Tan/Anadolu Agency]
------
Anyone
wishing to try to understand the logic and strategy of Western governments and
their security agencies in the open-ended and deliberately undefined war
against their Muslim communities, will find Operation Luxor: Unravelling the
myths behind Austria's largest-ever peacetime police raids essential reading.
The
ground-breaking report is authored jointly by CAGE and Vienna-based ACT
(Assisting Children Traumatised by Police), two prominent NGOs campaigning on
behalf of communities affected by the war on terrorism. It details how the
Austrian government used a terror attack in Vienna carried out by Daesh in
November last year as a ploy to clamp down on its Muslim community. Police
officers raided the homes of 70 innocent Muslim families — often terrorising
and traumatising their children in the process — under the false pretext of
them being part of a terror-financing ring. Following this, and despite the
Graz Higher Regional Court declaring that at least nine of the raids were
completely unjustified as there were zero grounds for suspicion, draconian
anti-terror legislation was passed, very deliberately, at a time when Austrian
society was in shock due to the attack and while its anti-Islamic media was in
overdrive.
It
is well documented that the passing of this legislation was actually
pre-planned, and that the terror attack served as a convenient opportunity to
introduce it. To make matters worse, so focused was Interior Minister Karl
Nehammer on the raids, that, "In the ensuing weeks and months
[post-attack], the Austrian state exploited the tragedy to legitimise its
crackdown on Muslims in Austria. A catalogue of failures on the part of the
government in relation to the shootings have since come to light, and it has
emerged that… Nehammer failed to act on the intelligence provided to him, in
order to focus on Operation Luxor."
Ali,
a victim of the police raids, related in his testimony to CAGE and ACT that
when he asked a police officer why he had been targeted instead of real
criminals and terrorists, the officer replied, "We want extremism, because
we are going after the moderates, which keeps the moderates weak and mute and
gives room to the extremists." It's an answer perfectly in sync with the
actions of Nehammer.
This
looks like an insane policy introduced by the Austrian government, but the
report lays bare why it has taken this path: the scapegoating of a minority
community is a small price to pay to cover fraud, corruption and mismanagement,
and when there is an election to be won, of course, nothing wins votes like
fear and xenophobia. It's not difficult to conclude that this is a repeat of
Austria's policies against another of its minorities a century ago.
An
important tool for achieving this aim was the Austrian government's use of
specific language and terminology. Defining the enemy as "political
Islam" made every Muslim fair game, and everything from the hijab to the
Qur'an and the movements a Muslim makes in prayer were all scrutinised and
taken as signs of radicalisation and a possible path to terrorism. The report
provides details of how beliefs and practices that are universal to all Muslims
were selected for such scrutiny. When the Austrian government faced a backlash
in the courts due to its lazy definition of "political Islam", it
revised it into the more generic "criminal offence" of
"religiously motivated extremism", which actually served to widen the
net and criminalise even more innocent actions and beliefs.
There
is also a foreign connection: much of the anti-terror legislation being
introduced was inspired by the notorious Prevent strategy that the British
government has used in recent years, while there are also reports of close
coordination with the government of Egypt, itself no stranger to brutal
crackdowns on citizens.
"Operation
Luxor is an extension of actions coming from the Arab region to erase any kind
of Islamic identity," explained Bilal, another victim of the police raids.
"It is all about targeting active actors and minds that spread a correct
Islamic understanding, and to smash them just so that later you can do anything
you want to do with Muslims at large." Knowing this, the name that the
Austrian government gave to the operation looks like a sick joke.
The
report also describes how politicians have manipulated the media and
endeavoured to exert undue influence over the justice system, as well as
detailing the role of government-funded organisations such as Islam Map. This
listed names and addresses of Muslim organisations and individuals and served
to whip up anti-Muslim sentiment, helping to create the conditions under which
the Austrian government's policies would be tolerated and even welcomed by
large sections of society.
Farid
Hafez, another victim of the operation and a prominent Austrian Muslim
academic, summed up his views on the report by saying: "For the Austrian
public, instigated by critical media discourse that had initially reproduced
state propaganda and then largely turned into critically covering this
investigation, the first-year anniversary of the still ongoing Operation Luxor
could be a welcoming opportunity to reflect critically upon the state of the
rule of law, human rights and the role of politics vis-à-vis Muslims, especially
by the current corruption-tossed political circles."
Anyone
interested in living in a harmonious society would be shocked at the findings
of this report as it shows how many of the Muslims who were victims of the
police raids could not in any way be described as isolationist. These were
upstanding members of society – academics, doctors and other professionals —
and very much into community action and political participation. In a healthy
democracy this should be praised, promoted and protected, whereas the Austrian
government labelled it cynically as an attempt to effectively take over the
world.
The
report contains valuable lessons and recommendations for Muslim organisations,
a key one being that there should be no cooperation in or backing for
programmes such as Prevent or Operation Luxor, or any acceptance that the state
should define who is a good Muslim and who is "problematic". As
Operation Luxor shows, all this can lead to is greater misery for the entire
community.
Source:
Middle East Monitor
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Indonesia,
Malaysia Leaders Urge End To Myanmar Violence
November
11, 2021
(Representational purpose)
-----
Jakarta:
The leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia on Wednesday urged military-ruled Myanmar
to resolve its internal conflict and help stem the flow of Rohingya refugees
fleeing to Malaysia.
Malaysian
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, on an official visit to Indonesia,
expressed concern about the emergency situation” in Myanmar following the Feb 1
military takeover that has led more minority Muslim Rohingya to leave the
country. More than 200,000 Rohingya have resettled in Malaysia in recent years.
If
the Rohingya could settle peacefully in Myanmar, it would “definitely decrease
the number of Rohingya refugees leaving Myanmar for Malaysia, Yaakob said after
meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta.
More
than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since August 2017, when the military
launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group. The
security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and the burning of
thousands of homes. Most of those who fled went to neighbouring Bangladesh.
Indonesia
and Malaysia, both Muslim-majority nations, expressed concern about the
Rohingya after the Myanmar army seized power in February.
All
three countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian nations,
which called for an immediate end to the violence in Myanmar between the
military-installed government and opposition forces, and the start of a
dialogue to be mediated by a special ASEAN envoy.
But
the military has repeatedly refused to allow the envoy to meet Aung San Suu
Kyi, Myanmar’s democratically elected leader who was overthrown by the
military, and other political detainees.
Since
Suu Kyi’s ouster, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful
demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level
insurgency in many urban areas and then into more serious combat in rural
areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been
engaging in heavy clashes with government troops.
In
October, Southeast Asian leaders held their annual meeting without Myanmar’s
military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who was not invited to the
summit.
Yaakob’s
Indonesia visit is his first overseas trip since taking office in August.
The
Malaysian and Indonesian leaders also agreed to reopen their borders and create
a travel corridor between the two countries to help support an economic
recovery as COVID-19 infections slow in both countries. The arrangement will
begin by reopening flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta and from Kuala Lumpur
to Bali.
Source:
East Mojo
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Human
Rights Minister Mazari Urges Muslim Nations to Unite Against Rights Abuse
November
10, 2021
ISTANBUL:
Divisions in the Muslim world are “unfortunate” and countries like Pakistan and
Turkey can push for a united stance against oppression of Muslims across the
world, said Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari.
“We
need to have stronger voices coming from the Muslim world on these [human
rights] issues,” said Mazari, calling on the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) to do more in this regard.
She
said the government was “moving towards a welfare state” by reforming the
justice system and ensuring basic rights of the people.
On
war-torn Afghanistan where Taliban are now leading an interim government, the
human rights minister urged the international community to step forward and
help avert the evolving humanitarian crisis.
She
added Pakistan will gear up its policy on Kashmir.
“In
coming months, you will see a more offensive diplomacy on Kashmir,” Mazari
said. “In illegally occupied Kashmir, India is committing war crimes and doing
a slow genocide,” she added.
‘Dialogue
makes Taliban flexible’
Urging
support from the international community on war-torn Afghanistan, she said: “We
want the Taliban government to live up to the commitments that they made when
they came into Kabul. And we think that it’s better to cooperate with the
Taliban and have dialogue with them, rather than to take punitive measures.”
Taliban
regained power in August after complete withdrawal of foreign forces and
breakdown of the US-backed government.
“Because
if you talk and negotiate, you make them more flexible. If you push them in a
corner, they will take a much harder position,” Mazari argued.
“And
the most important thing right now is for the international community to
provide humanitarian aid because there is a humanitarian crisis in
Afghanistan,” she said.
She
said the 20 years of foreign invasion in Afghanistan had left behind “nothing.”
“When
the US suddenly left, what happened, the infrastructure was not there… it just
collapsed. The Afghan National Army melted away. Ashraf Ghani ran away, I
believe, newspapers say with money. And there was no government structure,
there was no social welfare structure, nothing,” she added.
The
Taliban-led interim government is facing a financial crunch as the US has
frozen Afghanistan’s foreign reserves worth $9 billion.
Redefining
Kashmir policy
Mazari
said Prime Minister Khan had “redefined the whole narrative on Kashmir when he
went to the UN.”
“Imran
Khan challenged the Indian narrative and showed the link between BJP and
fascism, and how they were exterminating Kashmiris and then after the 5th
August 2019 move, Pakistan is active at different forums, I myself have been
raising the Kashmir issue and writing to UN Human Rights rapporteurs and so on,
on different aspects of the Kashmir issue,” she said.
“And
in the next few months, you will see more developments on Kashmir… you will see
a much more multi-layered diplomatic offensive on Kashmir.
“Because
for us, Kashmir is extremely critical. And our prime minister has constantly
said: ‘there can be no dialogue with India unless there is first dialogue on
resolution of the Kashmir issue’,” said Mazari.
“Pakistan’s
commitment to Kashmir has never wavered and whatever solutions that we would
want would be in keeping with the UN Security Council resolutions because the
country’s position as a party to the dispute rests on the UN Security Council
resolutions,” she said.
Mazari
said she raised the Kashmir issue with a EU delegation that recently visited
Pakistan.
“We’ll
be writing letters to them. The EU itself has now a policy where they put
sanctions on countries that illegally annex a territory. And they’ve put
sanctions on Russia, for what is illegal annexation of Crimea. So, I told the
Europeans, why are you discriminating? If you don’t implement policies that you
yourselves have declared, then they lose credibility,” she said.
Mazari
said her government will also take up Kashmir issue with the EU. “Because after
5th August 2019, India tried to annex, illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir,”
the minister added.
Ensuring
human rights Pakistani state’s responsibility
Mazari,
an alumna of the London School of Economics and Columbia University, said
Pakistan is committed to ensuring human rights because they are enshrined in
the country’s Constitution.
“And
because it’s our responsibility to see the commitments we have made under the
seven human rights conventions that Pakistan has signed, that we live up to
them,” she said.
She
said the government has brought various bills to criminalise enforced
disappearances and ensure protection of journalists, besides reducing the
number of crimes for which the death penalty is applicable.
“Because
of those commitments, we have moved forward. We are moving because we believe
in those issues. And our commitments are in our party manifesto also,” she
said, referring to election promises made by the ruling Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
“Now
for the first time, in fact, the Cabinet has approved in principle, a complete
overhaul of revamping of the criminal justice law,” she said.
She
said by the end of this year Pakistan “should have completely revamped the
criminal justice system.”
Mazari
said the country now also has minorities commission which is “headed by a
minority person, and the majority of the members are from the minority
communities.”
“We’re
the first country in South Asia and third in Asia where our government has
approved business and human rights National Action Plan. It’s a big development
which has now business in human rights as part of the UN Human Rights Council’s
agenda.”
Pakistan’s
social net, Ehsaas programme
Mazari
said during the pandemic, Pakistan started the Ehsaas programme which provides
financial assistance to people who are living below the poverty line.
“We
are basically committed to our manifesto that aims to create a welfare state.
So, we are moving in that direction of creating that welfare state, and
providing a social net,” she said.
The
PTI government, she said, has also started a programme under which “children
from very poor families are given nourishment.”
“We
opened what is known as Panahgah (Shelter homes) and langers (free meals) where
workers, daily wage earners and people who come from far off places to big
cities for work, can have shelter for the night… that they can have two free
meals,” she said.
“We
have moved a lot in the last three years to altering the social dynamics and
moving towards creating a proper welfare state,” the minister said.
She
added that child domestic labour has been outlawed for the first time in the
country.
“We
approved for the first time implementing the Child Protection Units where we
have established Child Protection centres, where children are often taken off
the street or they come to us. We focus especially on gender-based violence
besides, we have got a law for senior citizens’ welfare,” she added.
“It
is now illegal in Pakistan not to have proper ramps or structures, toilets, for
people with special needs,” she said.
Fake
news is a challenge
On
the allegation of suppressing voices of dissent, the human rights minister
said: “If we were choking the voices of dissent, you wouldn’t be hearing about
it. The fact that you’re hearing about dissent means that dissent is allowed.”
“Pakistan
has massive, free electronic media, 40, 50 plus channels now. And they all do
what they want,” she claimed.
She,
however, said the country was facing the challenge of fake news.
“Our
issue is with fake news. The EU DisInfo Lab revealed how the Indians were using
fake news. That is the problem,” she said, referring to a massive network of
websites, NGOs, think tanks working for past 15 years hurting Pakistan’s
interests at the UN, EU parliament and Geneva.
The
expose was made by the Brussels-based digital lab in late 2019.
Referring
to the failed coup of 2016 in Turkey, Mazari said Turkey was itself a victim of
this fake news.
“Turkish
government has seen that happen also with the supporters of the failed military
coup in 2016, and how the US supported them. The so-called leader of the coup
is in America. This is the problem that yes, some dissenters, if their agenda
is that of the powers who give them money, give them shelter, then they will,”
she added.
Need
for people-to-people contact
Mazari,
who was in the Turkish metropolis to attend the 7th Istanbul Security Summit,
said Pakistan and Turkey are in constant touch on key issues.
“There
are constant consultations especially on issues like Islamophobia, and even on
Afghanistan due to the humanitarian aspect,” she said.
Referring
to cultural and religious ties between the two countries, the minister said
“more consultation between the civil society organisations of the countries.”
Mazari
also advocated for “more cooperative ventures between the media houses in
Pakistan and in Turkey.”
Division
against Muslim nations unfortunate
She
stressed the need for Muslim nations to bury differences and “be more active
diplomatically.”
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Judiciary’s
performance comes under scrutiny in NA
November
11, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
On the day the Supreme Court summoned Prime Minister Imran Khan during the
hearing of the APS attack case, the performance of the judiciary came under
scrutiny in the National Assembly when members expressed their concern over the
country’s “low performance in the field of providing justice to the common man”
and regretted that the judiciary was not responding to questions being asked by
them.
Parliamentary
Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari admitted that despite repeated
attempts, the ministry had failed to get replies to some of the questions asked
by members.
The
issue was raised by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Tahira Aurangzeb
during the question hour when she drew the attention of the house towards a
written reply to her question about the number of model courts functioning in
the country which says that “the information is not available in the ministry
as setting up of model courts is not the initiative of the federal government”.
Lawmakers
voice concern over lack of response to questions asked by them
Ms
Aurangzeb regretted that she had submitted this question in February last year
and each time when it came on the agenda, she received the same reply that “the
model courts are administered by the Supreme Court and, therefore, the SC
registrar, and the Federal Judicial Academy have been requested to provide the
requisite information”.
She
said that according to the reply, the ministry had written at least 15 letters
to the SC registrar, but there had been no response. She criticised the
government for its failure to seek reply from the SC to a simple question.
While
responding, Ms Bokhari said the government wanted to give a reply to the
question, but at the same time they could neither force the Supreme Court to
give a reply nor could it issue any directives to the court. She said the law
ministry officials had been in contact with the SC registrar over the issue and
the reply would be submitted as soon as it was received.
The
house witnessed a verbal clash between the treasury and opposition members when
Abdul Qadir Mandokhel of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) alleged that they
were not getting the reply as they had an “inefficient” law minister.
Terming
the PPP lawmaker’s remarks “insulting”, Ms Bokhari said she could also spoil
the atmosphere of the house by using the same tone and language.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1657305/judiciarys-performance-comes-under-scrutiny-in-na
--------
EU,
UK envoys meet COAS; pledge to play role in further improving cooperation with
Pakistan
November
10, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
British and European Union envoys met with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General
Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday and assured full support and offered future
cooperation.
British
High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner on Wednesday called on Chief of
Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi,
a statement issued by Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Per
the military’s media wing, during the meeting, matters of mutual interest and
regional security situation, including the recent developments in Afghanistan,
came under discussion.
The
COAS said that Pakistan values UK’s role in global and regional affairs and “we
look forward to enhancing our bilateral relationship.”
Per
the statement, General Bajwa reiterated the need for global convergence on
Afghanistan for avoiding humanitarian crisis and coordinated efforts for the
economic uplift of the Afghan people.
The
visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghan situation, efforts for
regional stability and pledged to play their role for further improvement in
diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.
Separately,
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reiterated that
Pakistan values its relations with the EU countries and earnestly looks forward
to enhancing mutually beneficial multi-domain relations based on common
interests.
The
army chief said this during a meeting with Ambassador of European Union (EU)
Androulla Kaminara who called on him at the General Headquarters (GHQ).
During
the meeting, matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation —
including the current situation of Afghanistan — and bilateral cooperation with
the EU were discussed, said the ISPR.
Speaking
on the occasion, the visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s role in the
Afghan situation and efforts for regional stability, and pledged on behalf of
the EU that it will play its role for further improvements in diplomatic
cooperation with Pakistan at all levels, the ISPR said.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Regional
countries ask for inclusivity in Afghanistan, not a safe haven for terrorism:
Delhi Declaration
11
Nov 2021
Participants
of the third Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan ended and all the
participants unanimously agreed that Afghanistan should not be safe haven for
terrorism and that an all-inclusive government should be established in the
country.
The
participants also called for collective cooperation against the threat of
radicalism, extremism, separatism, and drug trafficking.
The
Dialogue that was conducted on Wednesday, November 10 was not attended by the
two archrivals of India namely China and Pakistan.
Indian
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who was chairing the NSA-level dialogue
said that the Taliban should form an inclusive government that comprises all
ethno-political parties in Afghanistan and added that such a setup is
imperative for national reconciliation in the country.
“Delhi
Declaration” also expressed concern over the socio-economic situation in
Afghanistan and called on the international community to provide the people of
Afghanistan with humanitarian aids.
The
declaration has also emphasized the protection of human and women’s rights and
that the lives of minorities should be protected in Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
‘More
than Muslims, Hindus are flag-bearers of Urdu’ Oncologist and Right-Wing
Activist Booked Over ‘Inciting Speech’ Against Muslim Community in Gujarat
November
10, 2021
Police
in Anand lodged a case against city-based oncologist Dr Shailesh Shah and a
right-wing activist Pinkal Bhatiya for allegedly delivering inciting speeches
against the Muslim community during a protest against the inauguration of a
hotel.
According
to police, the incident occurred on October 24 when a group of 40-50 persons
staged a “protest” outside Hotel Blue Ivy which was scheduled to be inaugurated
on the same date.
The
Indian Express had reported that during the protest demonstration, abusive
comments were made against the minority community and the road outside the
hotel was “washed” in order to “purify” it. According to police, the protest
was organised by Dr Shah and Pinkal Bhatiya was invited as the chief guest of
the event.
The
Blue Ivy hotel which is co-owned by Hindu and Muslim partners is currently
under a dispute at the Gujarat High Court between the owners and their
neighbour Dr Shailesh Shah, who had earlier alleged illegal construction at the
hotel premises.
Days
after the protest demonstration, police on Tuesday night lodged an FIR against
Dr Shah and Bhatiya at Anand Town police station under IPC sections 295a for
deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any
class and 114 for crime committed when abettor present.
The
complainant in this case is Shakeel Vohra (37), an Imam at a mosque near Fatima
Royal Plaza in Anand, who stated, “On October 24, I saw in a local news channel
that a protest sabha had been called adjacent to the newly made Hotel Blue Ivy
where Pinkal Bhatiya, who was invited as the chief guest, is heard making
objectionable and inciting comments against the Muslim community in order to
create rift between the communities. Similarly, Dr Shah who had organised the
protest was also heard making objectionable comments against the community.”
The
FIR happened in the wake of a protest warning by Minority Coordination
Committee (MCC), a rights group in Ahmedabad, which threatened to launch an
agitation if there was no police action in the Anand case.
Source:
Indian Express
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Zakia
Jafri seeks fresh probe into political-police complicity in 2002 Gujarat riots
Dhananjay
Mahapatra
Nov
11, 2021
NEW
DELHI: More than nine years after the Supreme Court appointed SIT absolved then
Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and others from the alleged larger conspiracy behind
2002 post-Godhra riots, murdered Congress MP's wife Zakia Jafri on Wednesday
attempted to revive the case by seeking fresh probe into the conspiracy and
saying that accountability will reaffirm faith in rule of law.
The
SC had asked the SIT in 2009 to look into Jafri's 2006 complaint alleging
larger conspiracy involving politicians, bureaucrats and police leading to a
free run to rioteers after 59 kar sevaks were killed in the burning down of
Sabarmati express at Godhra. The riots raged for three days leading to loss of
hundreds of lives before the Army was called to bring order. The SIT headed by
former CBI Director R K Raghavan in 2012 had submitted a report to the SC
saying there was no prosecutable evidence against Modi.
Appearing
before a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar,
senior advocate Kapil Sibal made a spirited presentation traversing the nook
and corners of voluminous evidence on record and said, "the most
disconcerting part of the investigation is that the SIT did not even take into
account the Tehelka sting operation which gave clear indication of a possible
larger conspiracy. The sting report was authenticated by the CBI on orders of
NHRC. The same was used to convict accused in other riot cases. But, the SIT
did not consider this as evidence to probe a larger conspiracy."
"The
SIT did not arrest people. It did not record the statement of the accused.
Whatever was told to it by the accused was believed as gospel truth and further
investigation was not taken up. Was the SIT part of the conspiracy to gloss
over the investigation to give clean chit," Sibal asked.
He
drew a parallel between the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi to the 2002 Gujarat
riots. "Because of the shoddy investigation carried out by Delhi police,
even after 37 years the prosecution in the anti-Sikh riot cases is still going
on. When no proper investigation is carried out, then such a situation arises.
This is a test case for the Supreme Court to tell the world that India's secular
credentials as well as its faith in rule of law is intact," he said.
He
said when the 56 bodies of the Godhra train carnage incident reached Ahmedabad,
it was natural that communal passion would be on the high. "Why did the
administration and police not declare curfew and allow enraged mobs to take the
law into their own hands? Why was the post-mortem of the bodies conducted on
Godhra railway platform? Why were the bodies handed over to a VHP strongman?
Who was making these decisions? Why was the Army called in after allowing
rioteers two full days to run amok? Why were the police not pressed into action
despite repeated messages from the ground? All these questions needed to be
asked by the SIT. But, it believed the accused persons and did not carry out
any further probe. The entire chain of events, recorded meticulously in various
riot cases, needs to be investigated thoroughly," Sibal said. Arguments
would continue on Thursday.
Source:
Times of India
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--------
Drugs
from Pakistan worth Rs 300 crore seized in Gujarat’s Dwarka district
Nov
11, 2021
RAJKOT:
In a massive haul, police in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district seized banned
narcotic substances, whose value is expected to be over Rs 300 crore, on
Wednesday.
As
many as 19 packets of drugs worth Rs 88 lakh were seized in the morning while
another 47 packets were found later. The drugs were brought from the sea route
from Pakistan to be smuggled into Gujarat from the coastal areas of Dwarka, a
police officer said.
Police
sources said that based on specific information, they detained Sajjad Dhosi
(44), a resident of Mumbra of Thane district in Maharashtra and found drug
packets concealed in his bags. He was carrying 6.6 kg methamphetamine and
11.4kg heroin in three bags, including luggage and school bag. This seizure is
valued at Rs 88.2 crore.
During
interrogation, Dhosi, a vegetable vendor, said he got drugs from Salim Yakub
Kara and Ali Yakub Kara, both natives of Salaya town near Jamnagar. When police
raided their residences, they found another 47 packets of drugs, contents of
which were being verified by the forensic team.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Muslim
youth dies in custody in UP's Kasganj; Cops say suicide, kin differs
Nov
10, 2021
A
22-year-old youth belonging to the minority community, who was summoned for
questioning at Kasganj police station in Uttar Pradesh in a kidnapping case,
has reportedly died in custody.
A
PTI report said that while the youth's family members have alleged that he was
killed by personnel on duty, police said the deceased strangulated himself
using a string from his jacket hood in the washroom of the lock-up.
A
senior officer also said that at least five personnel on duty have been
suspended for negligence in the wake of the incident.
“One
Altaf (of Nagla Syed locality) was called for questioning in Kasganj police
station in a case related to IPC section 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (kidnapping,
abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage) on Tuesday morning,” said
Rohan Pramod Botre, Kasganj superintendent of police.
"During
interrogation, he requested the policemen to go to the washroom and was allowed
to use the washroom inside the lockup. He was wearing a black coloured jacket.
He tried to strangulate himself with a string on the (jacket) hood that he tied
to the tap of the toilet. When he did not return for some time, the policemen
went inside and found him unconscious. He was rushed to the community health
centre, Ashok Nagar in Kasganj, where he died," the SP said.
Botre
said the post mortem of the deceased is being conducted, adding punishment
would be meted out in case laxity was found on the part of officers on duty.
Source:
Hindustan Times
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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South Asia
Taliban’s
growing proximity with China is an opportunity ISKP is trying to leverage
Saikiran
Kannan
November
11, 2021
If
the Taliban thought their coming to power was going to be as smooth as it was
during the first time, they have a host of challenges staring at them. The
world has changed a lot since 1996. For starters, there was not much technology
back then. Now, the Taliban must deal with the permeation of technology along
with a generation of youngsters that has not seen much of the Taliban since
2001. Back in 1996, the Taliban was welcomed on the streets of Kabul. It is not
quite the same now.
Apart
from the geopolitical changes since 2001, the role of China, too, is different
today. China will look to be the closest ally of the Taliban after Pakistan.
China will also prove to be the biggest spender and investor in Afghanistan,
but at a price.
We
are already seeing Taliban members regularly meeting Chinese officials. Their
meetings are aimed at expediting the resumption of direct air-trade links
between the nations and the first of it saw a large cargo plane, carrying 45
tons of pine nuts from Kabul to China on October 31, marking the restoration of
the commercial corridor.
Reports
also indicated that China is already in the process of investing a lot in
mining activities in Afghanistan, adding parts of it to the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor(CPEC) project. With China having already announced more than
$35 million worth of humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, and the US continuing to
block Afghanistan’s access to close to $10 billion in Afghan assets parked
largely with the US Federal Reserve, it is natural for Afghanistan to sway
towards its northeastern neighbours.
In
return for all the support China is offering to Afghanistan, it expects the
Taliban to return the favour by clamping down on the Uyghurs. The Uyghurs have
a short, but crucial history with respect to their presence in Afghanistan and
the bordering areas. There are also outfits in this region that propagate views
like separating the region of Xinjiang from China and freeing the oppressed
Uyghurs from China’s grasp.
This
has proven to be a key opportunity for Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP),
which has come out of its shell ever since the Taliban took over. The ISKP is
now, by far, the key opposition to the Taliban in Afghanistan. They are
maximizing their reach to attract more Uyghurs to join their forces.
India
Today spoke exclusively with ex-Director of Afghanistan’s state-run Bakhtar
News Agency and Secretary-General of the Afghan National Commission for UNESCO
Khalil Minawi and Deputy Director of ITCT and key observer of terror-related
events in the region Faran Jeffrey.
ISKP’S
MODUS OPERANDI
The
Islamic State was founded in 2014 and since then, it has seldom been soft on
China. The ISKP, more interestingly, has constantly targeted China’s treatment
of Uyghurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang region in its publications. This
has made it a tricky path ahead for the Taliban after coming to power.
China
has hosted the Taliban since 2014 and the Taliban is hoping for continued
support from the country. More importantly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
had hosted the Taliban in July 2021, weeks before they came to power. During
the meeting, he had commented that China expected the Taliban to “deal
resolutely with Uyghur militants in Afghanistan and the border areas”. There
have been multiple reports from Afghanistan that talk about the systematic
targeting of Uyghurs by the Taliban. A recent report by the NPR (National
Public Radio) mentioned that Afghan Uyghurs were being systematically harassed
by the Taliban government, apparently at Beijing’s behest.
This
has reinvigorated ISKP’s recruitment as they now look to add more members,
including Uyghur Muslims, into their fold by exploiting China’s ties with the
Taliban. They intend to discredit the Taliban for negotiating with the US first
and then currently dealing with China and not defending the Xinjiang Muslims.
Faran
Jeffrey added: “When we mention Uyghurs in Afghanistan, we are mainly talking
about two kinds of people: civilians and militants. The Taliban has given
assurances to China that it won't allow Uyghur militants to operate from
Afghanistan and China also seems somewhat content with those assurances for
now. But Beijing still wants the Taliban to either evict these Uyghurs or hand
them over to Beijing. There's a chance that down the road, the Taliban may
expel some Uyghur militants as part of a deal with Beijing. There's a pragmatic
group within the Taliban that would support such an initiative. But there are
also those hardcore ideological Talibs who will oppose such a thing.”
“At
the same time, there's little to no chance that the Taliban will expel Uyghur
civilians or families of Uyghur militants. If the Taliban does decide to expel
some of these Uyghur militants, there are groups like ISKP that would offer
them space and an opportunity to take revenge on the Taliban.”
ISKP’s
STRENGTHENING RANKS
ISKP
has been escalating things for quite some time now. On October 8, they were
involved in a high-profile attack involving an ethnic Uyghur, who ended up
blowing up himself outside a Shiite mosque in Kunduz. The incident killed close
to 50 people. It is expected that the ISKP will carry out more such attacks in
the near future and will continue to pose a threat to China by influencing
Uyghur fighters in its ranks.
The
Amaq News Agency, Islamic State's official outlet, acknowledged the suicide
bomber “Muhammad al-Uyghuri” and claimed that the Taliban had pledged to expel
and oust Uyghurs at the request of China. Subsequently, The Voice of Hind, an
English magazine published by an IS group, called Muhammad al-Uyghuri “a knight
of Allah from China” and accused the Taliban of prioritising the protection of
Buddhist statues over protecting Uyghurs at China’s behest.
Other
publications close to the IS have also vowed to take revenge on China for
oppressing Uyghurs in Xinjiang and “licking the boots of the crusaders (US)
first and now Russia and China as well”. In the past, the Islamic State in Iraq
and Syria had released propaganda videos of Uyghur fighters threatening
Beijing. Now, China may have to face the music closer to home.
SYSTEMATIC
TARGETING OF UYGHURS IN AFGHANISTAN
Uyghur
Muslims started fleeing China’s Xinjiang region in the late 1950s. They mostly
fled their homes by loading their bags onto their yaks and horses and crossing
the Pamir mountains on foot. This was basically to escape religious and
political persecution under the then Chinese government. Hence, they reached
the borders of Afghanistan to settle and start afresh. During the Soviet
invasion, some Uyghurs fled to Pakistan. During the Taliban’s first tenure
between 1996 and 2001, some Uyghurs, because of having remained a minority even
for so long, started facing threats from the local militants and took refuge
along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas. After 2001, they returned to
Afghanistan to set up businesses and settle down.
Now,
they face an existential threat yet again with the Taliban cosying up to China
— one, they may have to flee the country again if they face threats; two, they
may not be able to flee the country that easily, after all.
Khalil
Minawi commented: “The Taliban, at the behest of Pakistan's ISI, claims to be
supporting Muslim minorities across the world, including Kashmiris. But when
the issue of Uyghur Muslims being massacred by China is raised, the Taliban
ignore this and term it as a domestic issue of China. The Taliban has
reportedly agreed to China’s request to prevent Uyghur Muslims from attacking
Chinese territory. It is also expected that captured Uyghur militants will be
handed over to China, and in return, the Chinese will recognize the Taliban
government and provide financial and material assistance to the Taliban.“
Khalil
reminds us of the statement from Ahmed Yusuf, a leader of the Uyghurs currently
near the Badakhshan border, which reads: "One of China's conditions for
recognizing the Taliban is to cut their relationship with us the Uyghurs and
get them out of Afghanistan".
DEPORTATION
THREAT TO UYGHURS
Reports
indicated that Uyghurs are facing the threat of deportation to China. The NPR
recently reported unidentified Uyghurs complaining that the new Taliban
government officials have started harassing the Uyghurs in Afghanistan. One man
commented that "The Taliban is coming to my relative's house and asking
about her daughters. That's why they are very afraid to live there." The
report also quotes one of the Uyghur respondents as saying that close to 500
Uyghurs want to leave Afghanistan for destinations like Turkey, Pakistan or
anywhere that would take them, but it has become increasingly difficult for
them to leave the country.
Ever
since the return of the Taliban, the Uyghurs in Afghanistan have become very
anxious. They have been following the series of meetings China has convened
with the Taliban and it is a fact that China will want to control the narrative
on Uyghurs. Even Uyghur militants from an area near Afghanistan's border with
China have been removed by the Taliban at China’s request. These militants are
alleged to be predominantly from the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP). It is a
Uyghur extremist group that Beijing blames for unrest in its western province
of Xinjiang and refers to by its former name, the East Turkestan Islamic
Movement (ETIM).
TALIBAN’S
RELATIONS AND HISTORY WITH UYGHURS AND THE ETIM
The
Taliban has always allowed space for the ETIM and Uyghur militants since the
late nineties. But their decision to now remove Uyghur militants from border areas
is a positive move for their relations with China. This will encourage deeper
cooperation between the two. The TIP militants were in Badakhshan, a province
in northeast Afghanistan along the country's 76-kilometre border with China,
and have since been moved to other areas, including in the eastern province of
Nangarhar, as reported by Radio Free Europe. It is, however, unclear if the
Taliban will hand over these fighters to Chinese authorities.
This
is what the ISKP is looking to leverage. The ETIM is a longstanding ally of the
Taliban. Their relationship spans nearly three decades. The TIP has a monopoly
over recruiting and controlling the Uyghur jihadist network in Afghanistan. If
the Taliban indeed dumps the ETIM and the TIP for China, this hegemony could be
broken by ISKP.
Source:
India Today
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Herat
Shia scholars urge restoring security committees to protect Mosques, religious
centres
November
11, 2021
The
Council of Shia Scholars in Herat, Afghanistan, called on the Taliban to
restore security committees to protect mosques and Shia religious centers
against Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) attacks.
The
council in a statement urged the Taliban to return weapons to the youths
serving at security committees of mosques.
It
said that there have been deep worries about lack of security after the Taliban
seized the youths’ weapons.
The
council noted that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan back in
August, there have been many mosques targeted in terrorist attacks carried out
by Daesh.
Last
month, a large explosion claimed by Daesh hit a Shia mosque in Afghanistan’s
southern city of Kandahar. More than 60 people were killed and scores of others
wounded in the attack.
Source:
ABNA24
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Taliban
urge ex-Afghan military pilots to stay, serve nation
Nov
10, 2021
KABUL:
A top Taliban official on Wednesday urged former Afghan military pilots to
remain in the country, saying they were protected by a national amnesty and
would not face arrest.
Government
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid's assurances came after dozens of US-trained
Afghan pilots left Tajikistan in a US-brokered evacuation Tuesday, three months
after they sought refuge there from a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Afghan
air force pilots played a key role, alongside their US counterparts, in the
20-year war against Taliban insurgents that ended with the departure of foreign
troops in late August. The airstrikes inflicted heavy casualties among the
Taliban and repeatedly drove them from positions they had seized in different
parts of the country.
As
the US-backed Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took over in
mid-August, dozens of Afghan pilots fled to Central Asian countries, including
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
It's
not clear how many military pilots and crew members remain in Afghanistan, what
level of risk they face or to what extent Taliban assurances can be trusted.
Over the past three months, there have been some reports of revenge killings by
the Taliban, but not on a large, organized scale.
A
US defense official confirmed Wednesday that about 140 pilots, along with other
personnel, were flown from Tajikistan to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
It is likely that the evacuees will eventually come to the United States, said
the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operations not yet
public.
Tajik
media reported that in all, 191 Afghans, including 143 pilots, were flown to
the Emirates.
Asked
about the airlift, Mujahid said that Afghanistan needs pilots and that all is
forgiven.
"My
message is, there is no security problem for them (Afghan pilots) in
Afghanistan, there is no plan of arresting them, national amnesty is
announced,'' he said. He said the pilots, whether in the military or in civil
aviation, ``can be at the service of their country.''
"It
is regrettable that a number of pilots have gone, or they are going,'' he
added.
Separately,
a spokesman for the Taliban intelligence service told the news conference that
the agency has arrested close to 600 members of the militant Islamic State
group in connection with violent attacks over the past three months.
The
spokesman, Khalil Hamraz, said that among the detainees are key IS figures,
including financial supporters.
Source:
Times of India
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Taliban
must cut off umbilical cord with Pak for Afghanistan to survive
By
Shishir Gupta
Nov
11, 2021
After
a day-long deliberations on Afghanistan by National Security Advisors (NSAs) of
eight neighboring countries here on Wednesday, it has become quite evident that
the Taliban will continue to hold the reins of power in Kabul.
It
has also become clear that apart from Afghan people themselves or any rival
Sunni Salafists like the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) or al Qaida,
no one can remove the Taliban from power as global powers neither have the
intentions, energy nor the mind space to tackle humongous problems of
Afghanistan.
Now
that the global community has mentally accepted the Taliban regime in Kabul, it
is time that the Sunni Pashtun force came out of the shadows and started
governing the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan in the earnest and not wait for
acceptance in UN. Since the Taliban occupied Kabul on August 15, its Supreme
leader Mullah Haibatullah Akundzada has only been heard not seen, giving rise
to the very physical existence of the cleric. According to Kabul watchers, none
could confirm the physical presence of the Emir-ul-Momim when he was said to
have made his first public appearance in Kandahar on October 31. He was perhaps
last seen at the Pakistan Army cantonment in Karachi earlier this year.
While
secrecy surround Mullah Akhundzada in Afghanistan, there are reports that
Pakistan deep state backed Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani frequently
moves to and fro on Durand Line even as he contests with Defence Minister
Mullah Yaqoob, son of first Emir-ul-Momin Mullah Omar, for political power in
Kabul. The Taliban may be good in wielding the gun and asymmetric warfare, but
governance is definitely not their forte as the country moves towards virtual
ventilator state.
If
the Taliban have real desire to provide governance even under the Islamic
Sharia law to Afghanistan, then the answer lies within the country and not
across in the ISI Headquarters in Rawalpindi. With Taliban’s acting Foreign
Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi in Islamabad today for first bilateral talks
with Pakistan after seizing power and the ISI chief making frequent trips to
Kabul as it was just another intelligence station, the beginning is surely not good
but on expected lines.
Even
though Pakistan ISI is gloating over its success in making the mighty US run
away empty-handed from Kabul, it is only a matter of time that the chaos spill
across the Durand Line. It is said that Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Mullah
Baradar told the ISI chief Gen Faiz Hameed that if Islamic Emirates is good for
Afghanistan, the same holds good for Pakistan. The threat in Barader’s
statement is understood by Pakistan Army but not by the civilian leadership in
Islamabad. For a country where retail sugar is more costly than petrol, the
chances of sustaining a neighboring perpetually strife torn country are simply
non-existent. It is only a matter of time when Pakistan gets dragged down by
its own creation.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
600
ISIS-K affiliates arrested since mid-August: Mujahid
10
Nov 2021
Spokesperson
of General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) Khalil Hamraz in a press
conference said that they have arrested 600 ISIS-K affiliates and have killed
33 more in the past three months.
This
was his first press conference that was held in Kabul on Wednesday, November
10.
Khalil
Hamraz claimed that the overall security situation has been better and is
getting better day by day.
“82
suspects of kidnapping arrested, 12 hostages released, 76 people accused of
fabricating documents arrested in the past three months” added Hamraz.
In
the meantime, the spokesperson of the Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid who also
attended the press conference said that the ISIS-K affiliates in Afghanistan
are not the real ISIS fighters from Iraq and Syria.
Like
always, Mujahid again underestimated the ISIS-K fighters in Afghanistan and
claimed that this is a small group that is impressed by the ideology of ISIS.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/600-isis-k-affiliates-arrested-so-since-mid-august-mujahid-456457/
--------
Europe
Facing
fierce protest, Israeli ambassador rushed from London event
Ahmet
Gürhan Kartal
10.11.2021
LONDON
Israel’s
ambassador to the UK was rushed into a diplomatic car from an event at the
London School of Economics (LSE) Tuesday night as protesters amassed outside
booed the diplomat.
Footage
on social media shows Tzipi Hotovely being evacuated from the building with
tight police protection as a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered
outside.
Protesters
shouted pro-Palestinian slogans, chiding the ambassador “aren't you ashamed!”
They also chanted: “Israel is a terrorist state."
They
urged her to be "no-platformed," a British term for denying a venue
to speak to persons whose views are beyond the bounds of decency.
British
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss blasted the incident, writing: “The treatment of
Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely last night and the attempt to silence her was
unacceptable.”
“We
in Britain believe in freedom of speech,” she added.
British
Home Secretary Priti Patel and Education Secretary Nadhim Zawahi also condemned
the incident.
The
Israeli ambassador was invited by LSE student union to take part in a debate
forum.
Controversial
appointment
According
to various Israeli media, including The Times of Israel, Hotovely was targeted
because she had "advocated for settler colonialism, engaged in
Islamophobic rhetoric and has perpetuated anti-Palestinian racism."
The
online Israeli outlet described Hotovely’s appointment to London last year as
“controversial.”
Her
appointment to the British capital sparked a backlash from left-wing British
Jews, who called on their government to reject her posting in a petition which
attracted as many as 2,000 signatures.
“Hotovely
has an appalling record of racist and inflammatory behavior from throughout her
political career,” the petition said, according to the outlet.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
France
handed executed journalist Zam to Iran in swap deal, claims ex-intel officer
11
November ,2021
Iranian
journalist Ruhollah Zam, who Iran executed in 2020 after being captured the
previous year, was handed over to the Islamic Republic by France in exchange
for a French spy, a former Iranian intelligence officer has claimed.
In
an interview published on Tuesday with with Iran-based news site Rouydad 24,
the former Iranian intelligence officer, Akbar Khoshkushk, claimed that France
agreed to hand over Zam, who had been based in Paris, in exchange for a French
spy masquerading as an ISIS member who had been captured by Iran-backed
militants in Syria.
Iran
executed Zam in December 2020 after convicting him of inciting violence during
anti-government protests in late 2017.
From
Paris, Zam ran Amadnews, a channel on popular messaging app Telegram, which had
over a million followers.
Iranian
agents reportedly captured Zam during a visit to Iraq in 2019. Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said at the time they had “trapped” Zam in a
“complex operation using intelligence deception.”
Agents
from the Directorate-General for External Security, France’s foreign
intelligence agency, had accompanied Zam to Iraq on the pretext of protecting
him, claimed Khoshkushk.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
Teraju
survey: 65,660 Bumiputera individuals ventured into p-hailing service during
pandemic
11
Nov 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 11 — It is estimated that more than 65,660 Bumiputera individuals
have ventured into the p-hailing (food delivery) service industry, mostly
during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit
(Teraju) survey findings.
The
survey found that the number of Bumiputera food delivery riders — most of whom
are young, Muslim and single Malays, Bumiputera of Sabah and Sarawak as well as
Orang Asli — made up 93.8 per cent of the total 70,000 food delivery riders in
Malaysia.
The
survey involving 503 respondents in the Klang Valley also found that 51.7 per
cent of them ventured into the sector during the first movement control order
(MCO), 20.5 per cent during the MCO 2.0 and 18.5 per cent during MCO 3.0.
However,
77 per cent of the respondents only ventured into the p-hailing to earn a side
income, while 23 per cent treated it as their main source of income, the
majority of whom were self-employed, students and private employees.
The
Survey on Job Opportunities in P-Hailing (Food Delivery) Service Industry Among
the Bumiputera During Covid-19 Pandemic was conducted by Teraju between April
26 and May 21.
The
respondents agreed that time was the main factor that lured them to venture
into food delivery service, followed by other factors namely income, survival,
economy and qualifications.
The
survey also found that 72 per cent of them were school leavers, 27 per cent
were degree holders and one per cent was postgraduate degree holders.
Over
70 per cent of the respondents admitted to having been involved and injured in
accidents, but less than half of them were covered by personal insurance.
What’s
worse is that 86.4 per cent of the respondents said that they get no help from
the p-hailing companies if they were involved and or injured in any kind of
accident.
The
respondents strongly agreed that contributions such as to the Employees’
Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Socso), as well as
insurance coverage, medical card, sick leave and death benefits, should be
provided by the companies.
Meanwhile,
Teraju had held a two-day focused group online discussions on July 29 and 30
involving 43 stakeholders including the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police, EPF, Socso, Road
Transport Department, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) and
p-hailing companies.
Through
the discussions, various recommendations for improvement were presented,
covering aspects of p-hailing companies, legislation, application system,
vendors and customers, as well as safety.
Among
the recommendations are establishing a system of evaluation, certification and
accreditation for the p-hailing platforms; formulating a road safety law for
p-hailing riders; and creating a transparent application display system for
customers to see the real-time status of their orders.
Source:
Malay Mail
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Give
us funds to spread Islam in Sarawak, PAS man urges party
Predeep
Nambiar
November
6, 2021
KUALA
TERENGGANU: A PAS delegate today urged the party’s leaders for more funds for
its Sarawak grassroots members to support the preaching of Islam in the state.
Bintulu
PAS chief Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir said many people in Sarawak were ready to
accept Islam and be led by Islamist parties such as PAS.
He
however lamented that without proper funding and the presence of party leaders,
PAS risked being labelled as a peninsular party by Sarawakians.
Halim
said the party could start by getting its leaders to visit the state more
often, in person or virtually.
“Sarawak
Darul Hana is as big as the peninsula. We really need more funds to strengthen
PAS in the state to ensure that our dakwah activities can carry on,” he said at
the party’s muktamar here today.
Halim
said PAS had carried on fighting for its cause in Sarawak despite losing all
the parliamentary and state seats it had contested since 1999.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
No
specific reaction to Pakistan-TTP talks, says US
November
11, 2021
WASHINGTON:
The United States has refused to give any “specific reaction” to Islamabad’s
decision to start a dialogue with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
adding that the two countries still had “alignment of interest” on Afghanistan.
US
media reports noted that on Monday Pakistan and the TTP agreed on a “complete
cease-fire” as the two sides negotiated an end to years of militancy in the country.
The
US media also noted that Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan
Muttaqi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday on a three-day visit — the first to
Pakistan by an Afghan minister since the Taliban seized control of Kabul on Aug
15.
The
issue was also raised at an afternoon briefing at the US State Department where
a journalist reminded Spokesperson Ned Price that Washington still considered
the TTP a terrorist outfit and asked for official US reaction to the dialogue.
“If
we have a specific reaction on the Pakistani dialogue with the Pakistani
Taliban, we’ll, of course, let you know,” said Mr Price, adding, “We have been
in regular contact with the Pakistani leadership regarding the question of
Afghanistan, regarding our approach to Afghanistan and the approach that we
have seen expressed by the international community.”
The
US government, he said, had discussed this issue with Pakistani officials in
the past as well.
“We
have heard both publicly and privately from our Pakistani counterparts that
they too have an interest in seeing to it that the gains, including among
Afghanistan’s minorities, including among its women and girls, over the past 20
years not be squandered,” the US official added.
“And
so, there is quite a bit of alignment of interest when it comes to Afghanistan,
and we’re continuing to have those conversations,” said Mr Price, pointing out
that Tom West, the new special representative for Afghanistan, would be in
Islamabad soon to “continue some of these discussions in the days ahead.”
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1657315/no-specific-reaction-to-pakistan-ttp-talks-says-us
--------
US
doesn’t need Israel’s permission to open consulate: Palestine
10
November ,2021
The
United States does not need Israel’s “permission” to reopen its consulate for
the Palestinians in Jerusalem, the Palestinian prime minister said Wednesday,
urging Washington to honor its diplomatic pledges.
President
Joe Biden’s administration has said it would reopen the diplomatic mission
historically responsible for Palestinian affairs that was closed by his
predecessor Donald Trump, who recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s “undivided
capital.”
The
mission was based in west Jerusalem but included a consular services office in
Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim as the capital of
their future state.
Briefing
foreign reporters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian PM
Mohammed Shtayyeh said “the United States does not need the permission of
anybody” to reopen its mission.
The
comments came after Israel’s right-wing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told reporters
Saturday that “there’s no room for another American consulate in Jerusalem,”
clearly stating his government would resist moves by Washington to restore the
Palestinian mission.
Foreign
Minister Yair Lapid told the same news conference Israel would have no
objection to the US opening a mission in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian
Authority (PA).
“Ramallah
is not Jerusalem, and Ramallah is not the capital of Palestine,” Shtayyeh said.
“It
is our hope that what (the US) promised will be fulfilled,” he said.
Bennett
is a hawk who opposes Palestinian statehood.
In
addition to his ideological opposition to Palestinian diplomacy in Jerusalem,
the reopening of a US mission would also create a political headache for the
Israeli premier.
If
he allowed the US consulate plan to go ahead, it would be seen to strengthen
Palestinian claims to the contested holy city -- a position that would alienate
his right-wing allies, possibly unsettling his ideologically disparate
eight-party coalition.
Shtayyeh
also called for tougher US action against settlement expansion in the West
Bank, a territory now home to some 475,000 Jews living in communities widely
regarded as illegal under international law.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
70
aid truck drivers contracted by UN detained in Ethiopia
Servet
Gunerigok
10.11.2021
WASHINGTON
Ethiopia
has detained at least 70 truck drivers carrying humanitarian aid on behalf of
the UN and international NGOs, a UN spokesman said Wednesday.
Stephane
Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio, said at his daily news
conference that nine UN aid staff are still being held by the Ethiopian
government.
"We
are calling for their release," he said.
On
Tuesday, Dujarric said 16 UN national staff were detained in Ethiopia, while
six others have been released and the UN was "actively working" with
the government to secure their immediate release.
No
explanation was given to the international body why the staffers were detained,
said Dujarric.
Ethiopia
declared a state of emergency last week as the Tigray People's Liberation Front
(TPLF) made military gains in the Amhara region, adjacent to the Tigray region.
The
TPLF said it had controlled the strategic cities of Disi and Kombolcha in the
northern state of Amhara.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab World
UAE's
renewed diplomacy with Syria could lead to more Arab overtures
11
November ,2021
A
visit by the United Arab Emirates' top diplomat this week may have turned a
page for Syria's embattled autocratic president, enabling more Arab countries
to re-engage with Bashar Assad.
That
would be a major shift in a region that for a decade ostracized Assad,
supported his adversaries and worked with the US to seek a negotiated
settlement of the Syria conflict.
Syria's
civil war has displaced half of its population, killed hundreds of thousands
and driven the country's economy into the ground.
Following
his surprise four-hour trip to Syria's capital of Damascus on Tuesday, the
Emirati foreign minister headed to Jordan, which has also reopened channels
with Syria after a decade-long rupture.
In
Amman, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Wednesday with Jordan's King
Abdullah II and the two discussed “efforts to reach political solutions to the
crisis in the region," a royal court statement said.
Jordanian
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi later told CNN that the kingdom, which had hosted
Assad's armed opposition for years, needed to be practical and consider its
national interests, at a time when a resolution to the Syria conflict seems
elusive.
Jordan
has been hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and is experiencing a
sharp economic downturn, including rising unemployment. It recently reopened
its borders with Syria, exchanged state visits and restored flights between
Amman and Damascus.
If
such contacts between Syria and some of the Arab nations lead to formal
reconciliation, it would be a boon for Syria’s struggling economy, including a
tanking national currency and dried up government coffers. Syria will also
require massive investments in reconstruction.
Rapprochement
would also mean an Arab push into Syria, where Iran — the main rival of Arab
Gulf nations — has had a presence on the ground through proxy militias for
years.
As
Washington appears to be disengaging from the region, withdrawing troops from
Iraq and Afghanistan and reorienting its focus toward the strategic challenges
posed by a rising China, Arab players are stepping up their game in the
conflict-ridden region.
“Everyone
is talking to everyone,” said one Arab diplomat based in the Middle East,
speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. For example, Iraq
has been hosting talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, its regional archival.
Now
the Emirates' embrace of Syria is a test for whether re-engaging Syria’s
strongman could possibly lead to some concessions that years of sanctions and
boycott have failed to realize.
Bringing
Syria back into the Arab fold could reduce Iranian and Turkish influence.
Dealing with Assad, whose forces have been blamed for most of the war’s
atrocities, appears to be a risk worth taking as the Emiratis seek to hedge
their bets in the region.
“If
we can have peace with various countries, Syria should be one of the most
significant and important ones in the Middle East,” said Amjad Taha, an Emirati
analyst. “Syria should not be left alone. If the Iranians are there and if the
Russians are there, so should the Arabs.”
The
Emirates are pursuing high-stakes foreign policy, normalizing relations with
Israel, taking steps to engage Qatar and Turkey diplomatically after years of a
political standoff, vitriol and support for opposing sides in regional
conflicts.
Syria’s
ruling party mouthpiece hailed the visit of the Emirati foreign minister as a
“genuine pan-Arab step” after what it described as years of illusions that
Assad and his government could be replaced through war.
The
Emirates have been lobbying in international forums such as the World Health
Organization for more aid for Syria and could expand such calls. The UAE could
also encourage Syrian-Emirati businesses if there are no threats of the use of
sanctions to block it.
Arab
countries will be watching to see what the Emirates get out of this resumption
of relations before rushing in.
There
are already Emirati-led efforts to lobby Arab countries to bring Syria back
into the Arab League, said Taha, the analyst, calling it a major effort despite
few Arab objections. The next summit is in Algeria early next year.
Damascus
could offer gestures that indicate a reduction in Iranian influence.
Russia,
another major Syrian ally, has already expanded its presence in some areas of
Syria at the expense of Iran, either to assuage Israel or the US but mostly in
the interest of improving its grip on affairs in Syria.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkish
strike kills three in Kurdish-run Syria
10
November ,2021
The
Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria said Wednesday that a Turkish
drone strike targeting a car in the border city of Qamishli killed three
civilians.
The
strike, which was carried out on Tuesday, “killed three members of a single
family”, including an 82-year-old man, a statement released by the autonomous
administration said.
Nuri
Mahmoud, a spokesman for the Kurdish security forces, named the dead as
“national figure Yusuf Kello and his two grandsons Mazloum and Muhammad.”
“The
treacherous targeting of the patriots of northeastern Syria by the Turkish
occupation will not discourage us,” the spokesman said on Twitter.
Turkey,
which considers the Kurdish movement that dominates the administration to be a
terrorist organization, has thousands of troops deployed across northern Syria.
The
army and its Syrian opposition proxies have seized swathes of territory in
successive military operations since 2016, most of them targeting Kurdish
forces.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
sanctions three Houthi militants over Marib offensive
11
November ,2021
The
United Nations has added three leading Houthi militants to its list of people
sanctioned in Yemen, the British mission to the world body said Wednesday.
The
sanctions were imposed following persistent Houthi cross-border attacks into
Saudi Arabia which have killed and wounded civilians, and the ongoing Houthi
offensive on oil-rich Marib, the last loyalist stronghold in the war-torn
country.
As
part of the offensive, the Houthis are seeking to cut off access to
humanitarian aid and are making widespread use of child soldiers, the British
mission said in a statement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
Security Council permanent members condemn Yemen’s Houthi attacks on Saudi
Arabia
10
November ,2021
The
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council condemned Yemen’s
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia after a meeting with the Kingdom’s ambassador to
Yemen, state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday.
“On
November 10, the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security
Council met with the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber.
They discussed support for the current efforts of the United Nations Special
Envoy and the need for a political solution under the auspices of the UN, as
well as support for the legitimate government,” SPA cited the statement as
saying.
“They
condemned the Houthi cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia, and stressed the
need for de-escalation, including an immediate halt to the escalation in
Marib.”
The
UNSC permanent members, China, France, Russia, the UK and the US also urged all
Yemeni parties to “engage in genuine dialogue to reach a comprehensive
political solution to end the crisis in Yemen and alleviate the suffering of
its people.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Iran
Blames US Occupation for Increase in Terrorism, Poverty, Drug Trafficking in
Afghanistan
2021-November-10
Shamkhani
made the remarks, addressing the third edition of the Regional Security
Dialogue on Afghanistan in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday.
He
said that the US and its coalition allies should be held accountable for the
myriad of crises Afghanistan is facing today, adding the “least responsibility”
they bear is to compensate for all the damage they have inflicted on the Afghan
people over the past two decades.
“Twenty
years ago, the United States occupied Afghanistan under the pretext of
confronting the Taliban and al-Qaeda, claiming to be fighting terrorism and
preaching that they want to turn Afghanistan into a role model and a source of
inspiration.”
However,
instead of acting on such a claim, it made the situation in Afghanistan even
worse, he said. “Terrorism, poverty and misery, as well as drug cultivation and
trafficking and migration, increased while a large number of innocent people in
Afghanistan were massacred by American fighter jets at weddings and mourning
ceremonies for vague reasons. The state- and nation-building claimed by the
United States ground to a halt.”
Shamkhani
said the US turned out to be a failure even in its “most basic role, i.e. the
establishment of the army and security system”, which quickly collapsed after
Washington and its allies left Afghanistan and the Taliban group took over.
Having
faced a “humiliating defeat,” the US was forced to escape from Afghanistan,
after inflicting huge damage on the country, most significantly the carnage of
thousands of innocent men, women, and children, Shamkhani added.
He
said the US eventually “became a lesson to all those who seek their survival in
resorting to fake powers like the United States instead of relying on their own
resources.”
The
Iranian official said the Americans “acted deceitfully” even in the issue of
peace in Afghanistan and had no plans to promote peace in the country contrary
to its claims. Washington, he added, was only after finding a way out of the
crisis of its own making and chose to cause trouble for the region and the
entire world due to its “hegemonic nature and superiority complex.”
“That
is why the Islamic Republic of Iran did not take part in any so-called peace or
dialogue format or process that the United States would create” during the
occupation period, Shamkhani said.
On
the contrary, he said, Iran “tried, through cooperation with internal and
external players in Afghanistan, to move toward plans which would truly serve
the interests of our oppressed brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and those of
the neighbors and the entire region, as well as [plans] that would establish
broad-based, lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan that would meet the
common interests of us all”.
Shamkhani
also stressed the need for the UN to play a role in the consultations and
efforts to assist the Afghan people.
“Today,
Afghanistan is left with a pile of problems and we are all duty-bound to drive
the country to safety,” the top security official said.
“The
focus should now be for the US and its partners in the 20-year-long occupation
of Afghanistan to accept responsibility. Compensating for the losses of life
and material damage inflicted to the people of Afghanistan is the least
responsibility of the occupiers.”
He
said everyone knows, however, that a great portion of the damage was
“irreparable”, adding, “Is it possible to compensate for the lost lives or the
damage inflicted to the human body and soul, or to restore the lost time to
build a nation and a country? On the contrary, we see that the United States,
in a hostile and arrogant act, has banned the Afghan people’s access to their
small assets”, referring to the sanctions the US imposed on the country after
its exit.
Shamkahni
also pointed to the threats posed by the growth of the ISIL and other Takfiri
terrorist groups in Afghanistan to the country’s neighbors and those states in
the region that have no common borders with it.
He
further highlighted three issues of concern in Afghanistan that should be
resolved through regional cooperation, namely the involvement of some countries
in transferring Takfiri terrorists to Afghanistan, the spread of poverty and
humanitarian crisis, and the migration crisis.
He
enumerated the “important duties” that Afghanistan’s neighbors need to fulfill
in the process to help settle the crises unfolding in the South Asian state,
including efforts “to hold to account the countries behind the current
situation in Afghanistan”, “establish an inclusive government comprised of all
ethnicities” there, and tackle the humanitarian crisis gripping the war-torn
country.
“The
Islamic Republic of Iran declares its readiness to offer all the facilities at
its disposal, such as roads and ports, to help resolve this [humanitarian]
crisis,” the top security official said.
Shamkhani
said regional countries should also “exert pressure on the United States to
unblock the financial resources of the oppressed Afghan nation so it can
benefit from its own resources and facilities”.
Furthermore,
he added, the participants in the summit should work to confront the ISIL and
Takfiri terrorists operating Afghanistan, identify the channels through which
they are financed, and cut those lines.
The
neighbors should likewise address the migration crisis and help the countries
hosting Afghan refugees, according to him.
Shamkhani
elaborated on the case of Iran and said the country had been hosting over three
million Afghan migrants and paying around 96 percent of the costs on its own,
while international institutions had only provided for four percent only.
He
warned that Iran “we will not be able to host a new influx [of refugees] due to
the unjust sanctions imposed against our people. In case other countries and
relevant international institutions fail to offer assistance with this issue,
we won’t be able to manage [the situation] and the Western states, like it or
not, will be affected”.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran’s
Membership in UN Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation Approved
2021-November-10
The
decision to admit Iran as a full member of the UNSCEAR was declared after
several rounds of intensive negotiations on a draft resolution submitted by
Australia. The resolution was approved by a unanimous vote on Tuesday.
Before
full membership, Iran had observer status in the scientific committee.
Iran
launched its bid to join the UNSCEAR in 2011, and, despite some serious
opposition, could gain an observer membership six years later.
The
Islamic Republic then planned to get full membership and conducted intensive
diplomatic consultations in order to obtain the approval of the UN General
Assembly (UNGA). It managed to do so, irrespective of stiff opposition from
Israel and the US stonewalling on the issue.
Iran’s
Permanent Ambassador to the UN Majid Takht Ravanchi later praised the country's
full membership in the UNSCEAR, stressing the increasing effectiveness of the
UN scientific body.
“The
Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to the work of the United
Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation,” he said,
noting that his country has valuable contributions to further expansion of
knowledge and understanding of levels, effects and risks of exposure to
ionizing radiation.
“Nowadays
and with the rapid increase in use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes
in many areas, including power production, health, agriculture, bio-technology,
pharmacology and industry, the Committee’s role is becoming increasingly
imperative,” Takht Ravanchi said.
He
reiterated Iran’s full support for and cooperation with the UNSCEAR in order to
enhance its scientific growth and training of the personnel and protect public
and environmental health against harmful effects of atomic radiation.
UNSCEAR
was set up by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1955. It was established solely to “define
precisely the present exposure of the population of the world to ionizing
radiation”.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Iranian
commander threatens to destroy Israel if it makes ‘any mistake’ with Tehran
11
November ,2021
A
top Iranian commander said on Thursday that if Israel starts a war, Iran will
be the one to end it.
“Any
mistake by Israel in dealing with Tehran will accelerate its destruction,” IRGC
Commander of Aerospace Force Amir Ali Hajizadeh was reported as saying by
semi-official media Tasnim.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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IRGC
Releases US-Provoked Vietnamese Vessel Seized While Stealing Iranian Oil
2021-November-10
After
draining Iran's oil from the tanker, the seized vessel, Sothys, was released in
Bandar Abbas on the Southern coast of Iran, in the Persian Gulf waters, the
IRGC announced.
A
ceremony was held on Wednesday to honor the brave IRGC forces who thwarted an
attempt by the US to steal Iran's oil.
The
ceremony was held in the presence of IRGC Commander Major General Hossein
Salami and IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri as well as other
IRGC forces and commanders.
Addressing
the ceremony, General Salami appreciated the IRGC Navy for creating such a
great epic.
He
stressed that IRGC forces adopted a professional measure in confrontation with
the US naval fleets.
"With
your mastery and vigilance, you showed that the awe of the enemy is hollow and
has only a geometric aspect", General Salami stressed.
According
to him, the IRGC forces strengthened the position of the Iranian nation against
the US terrorist regime which is close to decline.
On
October 24, the IRGC naval forces fought off a US attempt to steal an Iranian
oil cargo in the Sea of Oman in a flagrant violation of international rules,
seen as yet another move to escalate tensions against Tehran. The US seized a
tanker carrying Iranian oil for exports in the waters of the Sea of Oman and
transferred its crude shipment to another tanker, voyaging towards an unknown
destination. The IRGC naval forces took immediate action to surround the tanker
and landed troops on the deck of the vessel in heliborne operations and
directed it towards the territorial waters of Iran.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Iran
Lead Negotiator: Vienna Talks Only Aimed at Removal of US Sanctions
2021-November-10
No
talks on nuclear issues will be held in Vienna as the issue has already been
resolved completely within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, also known
as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Baqeri Kani said on
Wednesday.
The
main question in the talks in the Austrian capital is removal of the
illegitimate sanctions and the aftermath resulted from the US unilateral
withdrawal from the deal, he added.
Referring
to consultations with his French counterpart in Paris, Baqeri Kani said that
France can play a leading role in regional interactions and the process of
talks as the country will be the president of the European Union (EU) next
year.
The
talks in Vienna with participation of the G4+1 (Britain, France, China and
Russia plus Germany) will start as of November 29, he added.
Baqeri
Kani further described the talks with his French counterpart as serious,
blatant, and constructive.
His
comments came after France's foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart on
Tuesday that when talks with world powers on reviving a nuclear accord resume
at the end of November, they must continue where they left off in June, the
French foreign ministry said.
In
a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, France's
Jean-Yves Le Drian "stressed the importance and the urgency of resuming
the negotiations interrupted on June 20 by Iran, on the basis negotiated up to
that date, with the objective of a rapid return (to the accord)”, a ministry
spokesperson said.
Meantime,
according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry, during his phone
talks with Le Drian, Amir Abdollahian pointed to the silence of the European
troika towards the US extensive demands, describing the US as responsible for
the current situation of the nuclear deal.
Iran
wants to reach a good agreement, but this requires some conditions, including
the other Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) members should fulfill
their commitments, and sanctions should be lifted effectively, he added.
Amir
Abdollahian called Iran's defense program a sovereign right of any country,
adding that regardless of US unconstructive behavior on imposing sanctions,
Iran will continue to improve its defense power with all might.
Le
Drian, for his part, said that Paris supports the return of all parties to the
JCPOA, adding that his country will make any efforts to do so.
He
also expressed the hope that the forthcoming talks in Vienna would achieve
rapid progress.
Amir
Abdollahian had also on Monday night in a phone conversation with his German
counterpart Heiko Maas blamed Washington for the problems and
non-implementation of the nuclear deal.
The
US government is the main culprit in creating current situation in
JCPOA-related issues, Amir Abdollahian said during the phone talks initiated by
Maas.
The
US government's withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018 and the inaction of three
European countries involved in nuclear talks, including Britain, France and
Germany, has increased distrust significantly, he added.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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--------
Iran-backed
Houthis detain 25 Yemenis working for US
11
November ,2021
At
least 25 Yemenis working for the US in Sanaa have been detained in recent weeks
by the Iran-backed Houthi militia who controls the capital, according to two
people familiar with the matter.
Those
rounded up include Yemenis working for the US embassy and USAID, the
international development arm of the American government, according to the
people, who declined to be named as they weren’t authorized to discuss the
detentions.
The
motivation for the arrests, which took place over the past three weeks, wasn’t
clear but they come as the US and Saudi Arabia push for an end to the war in
Yemen. The US embassy was shut in 2015 after the
Houthis
took the capital, but some local staff continue to work from home or as
security guards for the premises.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Africa
Sudan's
civilian coalition rejects negotiations with military
10
November ,2021
Sudan's
main civilian political coalition rejected any negotiation with the military on
Wednesday, holding to its position at its first press conference since a coup
on Oct. 25 led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
A
statement read at the press conference attributed to spokesman Alwathiq
Elbereir said the Forces of Freedom and Change, which had signed a 2019
power-sharing agreement with the military following the ouster of dictator Omar
al-Bashir, rejected the coup and had not met with the military.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
coalition said it supported Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is under house
arrest, but had not met with him, and joined him in demanding a return to
pre-coup conditions.
“We
did not break the partnership ... and we must return to the constitutional
document,” said another FFC spokesman, adding that the coup happened after
civilians brought certain contentious issues to the table.
“The
coup does not represent the military institution,” the spokesman added, saying
the coalition would not accept the return of Burhan in the head of state
position he held before the coup.
Several
civilian politicians and officials were arrested following the coup, and
Elbereir said they were facing pressures that were endangering their lives.
Mediation
attempts since the takeover have stalled, and while lower-level appointments
have been made, neither a cabinet or head of state Sovereign council have been
named.
Burhan
has said he is committed to the democratic transition and elections in July
2023.
Burhan
is under international pressure to reverse his actions. The UN Security Council
will be briefed on Sudan by UN special envoy Volker Perthes during a
closed-door meeting on Thursday, diplomats said.
Resistance
committees have called for “marches of millions” on Nov. 13 and 17 which the
FFC said it supported. The committees are organizing under the slogan: No
negotiations, no partnership, no legitimacy.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Algeria
welcomes ‘respectful’ French comments amid row
10
November ,2021
Algeria
on Wednesday welcomed comments from the office of French President Emmanuel
Macron expressing regret over a row sparked by his criticism of the former
French colony.
Foreign
Minister Ramtane Lamamra also confirmed Algerian officials would attend a
conference on Libya in Paris, although not President Abdelmadjid Tebboune
himself.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
statement from Macron’s office “contained reasonable ideas that respect
Algeria, its history, past and present, and respect Algeria’s sovereignty,”
Lamamra told Algerian diplomats.
Macron
had in October accused Algeria’s ruling system of rewriting history and
fomenting anti-French hatred, but his office on Tuesday stressed his “greatest
respect” for the North African country.
The
exchange comes as France prepares for a high-level summit Friday on Algeria’s
war-torn neighbor Libya, aimed at ensuring elections go ahead in December.
Macron
had invited Tebboune to the conference.
Relations
between France and Algeria have been strained for much of the six decades since
the former French colony won its independence after a brutal war.
Since
his election in 2017, Macron has gone further than his predecessors in owning
up to French abuses during a 130-year occupation, but ties deteriorated again
in October after he accused Algeria’s “political-military system” of rewriting
the country’s history to foment “hatred towards France.”
In
remarks to descendants of independence fighters reported by Le Monde, Macron
also questioned whether Algeria had existed as a nation before the French
invasion in the 1800s.
That
sparked a fierce reaction from Algiers, coming after Paris’s decision a month
earlier to sharply reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria,
Morocco and Tunisia.
Algiers
withdrew its ambassador and banned French military planes from its airspace,
which they regularly use to carry out operations in West Africa.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Gunmen
kill 11 in NW Nigeria
Adam
Abu-bashal
11.11.2021
ABUJA,
Nigeria
At
least 11 people were killed and 13 others injured in an armed attack in
northwestern Nigeria, police said Wednesday.
Katsina
state Police Chief Gambo Isa told reporters that gunmen opened fire on people
in the Batsari local government area.
Several
houses were gutted in the attack spreading fear among the public, he said.
The
injured were taken to hospital, while a police team was dispatched to the area
to investigate the situation on the ground, he added.
The
region has witnessed sporadic clashes between Fulani people -- one of the
largest ethnic groups widely dispersed across West Africa -- who are engaged in
rearing animals, and some other tribes who live on farming.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/gunmen-kill-11-in-nw-nigeria/2417681
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Somali
military kills 9 al-Shabaab terrorists
Mohammed
Dhaysane
10.11.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
The
Somali military killed nine terrorists and wounded 13 others in a military
operation against terrorist group al-Shabaab in lower Shabelle, southwestern
Somalia, the army announced on Wednesday.
Somali
National Army (SNA) radio said they “conducted a planned operation in the
villages of Shaamagare and Rayaqle located between the towns of Awdhegle and
Bariire,” adding that the army also seized weapons.
The
operation came a day after the army liberated two strategic villages in the
Gedo region.
The
al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group has yet to comment on the army's claim.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/somali-military-kills-9-al-shabaab-terrorists/2417049
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UN
Security Council sanctions 3 more rebel leaders in Yemen
Mohammed
Alragawi
10.11.2021
The
United Nations Security Council on Wednesday imposed sanctions on three Houthi
rebel leaders in Yemen.
The
list of sanctions include rebel leaders Muhammad Abd Al-Karim Al-Ghamari, Yusuf
Al-Madani, and Saleh Mesfer Saleh.
In
a statement, the Sanctions Committee said the three personnel were listed for
their "involvement in and leadership of Houthi military campaigns that
threaten the peace, security, and stability of Yemen.”
According
to the committee, Al-Ghamari, as a military chief of the Houthi General Staff,
plays a leading role in orchestrating rebel military efforts that are directly
threatening the peace, security and stability of Yemen, as well as cross-border
attacks against Saudi Arabia.
He
most recently took charge of the large-scale Houthi offensive against Yemeni
government-held territory in Marib province.
Al-Madani,
meanwhile, is a prominent leader of Houthi forces and the commander of rebel
fighters in the provinces of Hudaydah, Hajjah, Al Mahwit, and Raymah, the
committee said.
Saleh
Mesfer Saleh Al Shaer serves as an assistant to the Houthi Minister of Defense
for Logistics. He assisted Houthi rebels in acquiring smuggled arms and weapons,
the committee said.
According
to the committee, Al Shaer is listed in connection with his direct involvement
since early 2018 in the widespread and unlawful appropriation of assets and
entities owned by private individuals under arrest by the Houthis or forced to
take refuge outside of Yemen.
The
new sanctioned leaders bring to nine the number of Houthis on the sanctions
list of the UN Security Council.
In
March, the US Treasury Department listed Houthi leaders Mansur Al-Sa’adi and
Ahmad Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi to its sanctions list.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-security-council-sanctions-3-more-rebel-leaders-in-yemen/2417029
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