Danish Far-Right Politician, Rasmus Paludan, Once Again Desecrated Holy Quran, Ignoring Protests
New Age Islam News Bureau
16 April 2022
Rasmus Paludan
----
• Rashad Hussain, First Muslim Religious Freedom
Ambassador Lays Out US Agenda; U.S. Is "Supporting The Right To Religious
Freedom For All People Everywhere"
• UP Police Lodge FIR Against Two Minor Muslim Boys
for Listening to Pakistani Song
• Afghanistan: EU Parliament Member Asks Taliban To
Lift Ban On Girls’ Education
• Yemen Ansarullah Condemns Zionist Violations Of
Sanctity Of Al-Aqsa Mosque
Europe
• Riots In Sweden After Anti-Islam Activities, 9
Police Officers Injured
• N. Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina affirm common
future in EU, NATO
• More than 570 irregular migrants held across Turkiye
• Syrian filmmaker slams UK plan to send asylum
seekers to Rwanda
--------
North America
• Closure of Girls’ Schools to Significantly Impact US
Engagement with Taliban: Price
--------
India
• Hindutva Group Sets Fire to Houses of Muslim Man in
Relationship With Adult Hindu Woman
• Muslim Men Help Hindu Family Cremate Body As Per
Hindu Rites In Vellore
• After Madhya Pradesh, Bulldozers Roll In Gujarat
Against ‘Rioters’
• MP: Muslim Home Looted, Family Attacked By 60
Hindutva Goons
• MP: In Jail Since March, 3 Muslims Named As Accused
In Khargone Violence
• MNS Writes To Amit Shah Seeking Removal Of
Loudspeakers From Mosques
• Another Sarpanch killed by terrorists in Kashmir
• Nirmal Muslim youths provide free Sehri meals to travellers
--------
South Asia
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Condemns Israelis’
Raid on Al Aqsa Mosque
• Tajikistan Builds Temporary Camp for Afghan Refugees
• Jaishankar, Antonio Blinken Discusses Afghanistan in
Washington
• Taliban hope to create jobs in Afghanistan with
development projects
--------
Mideast
• Turkey Condemns Zionists Attacks On Palestinians At
Al-Aqsa
• Muslim world condemns Israeli aggression against
Palestinians
• FM: Iran Favours Expansion of Ties with South Africa
• President Rayeesi: Iran Supporting Strong, United
Iraq
• Iran’s Embassy Reacts to British Daily's Iranophobic
Report
• 60,000 worshippers attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa
Mosque
--------
Pakistan
• Imran's Party Leader Says Ousted Pakistan PM Didn't
Approach Army To End Deadlock
• Petition filed in Islamabad high court against
issuance of diplomatic passport to Nawaz Sharif
• 8 Pakistan servicemen killed in two terrorist
attacks
• Pakistan condemns Israeli attack on worshippers in Al-Aqsa
mosque
• Pakistan National Assembly deputy Speaker resigns
before no-trust motion against him
• Pakistan PM Shehbaz accuses Imran Khan of selling
Toshakhana gifts worth PKR 140 mn in Dubai
• Pakistan People’s Party suggest four members for
positions in Shehbaz Sharif govt
• PPP's Raja Pervaiz Ashraf elected NA speaker
• Four terrorists killed in North Waziristan
• PTI workers face police action for attacking
journalists
--------
Southeast Asia
• Foreign Minister: Malaysia Strongly Condemns Israeli
Attack In Al-Aqsa During Ramadan
• Thai rebels excluded from talks take responsibility
for Ramadan bombings
• Anti-party-hopping law healthy for Malaysia’s
political culture, says Salleh Keruak
• From halal curries to murtabak, Bangkok offers
hearty Ramadan fare
--------
Arab World
• Ten Al-Qaeda Inmates Escape From Prison In Eastern
Yemen
• UAE Keen To Further Relations With Turkiye: Official
• Organization Of Islamic Cooperation Condemns Israeli
Violence At Al-Aqsa Mosque
• Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on
Palestinians, al-Aqsa Mosque
• Lebanon ready to work with Cyprus on potential
offshore gas
• Gulf countries condemn Israel’s storming of al-Aqsa
mosque during Ramadan, prayers
--------
Africa
• Sudan’s Burhan Gestures Towards Steps To Ease Tensions
• Merchant fuel ship sinks off Tunisia, crew rescued:
Report
• Tunisia’s foreign currency reserves rise to $8
billion
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/danish-far-right-rasmus-paludan-quran/d/126804
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Danish Far-Right Politician, Rasmus Paludan, Once
Again Desecrated Holy Quran, Ignoring Protests
Rasmus Paludan
----
April 16, 2022
A Danish far-right politician once again desecrated
the Holy Quran in Sweden.
The Danish leader of the far-right Stram Kurs party
burned a copy of the Holy Book in a heavily-populated Muslim area in Sweden.
Rasmus Paludan, accompanied by police, went to an open
public space in southern Linkoping on Friday and placed the Muslim Holy Book
down and burned it while ignoring protests from onlookers.
About 200 demonstrators gathered in the square to
protest.
The group urged police not to allow the racist leader
to carry out his action.
After the police ignored the calls, incidents broke
out and the group closed the road to traffic, pelting stones at police.
Similar anti-Muslim actions have been committed
earlier by Danish far-right racist groups.
Paludan also burned the Quran in 2019, wrapping the
Muslim holy book in bacon and tossed it in the air.
In September 2020, Paludan was banned from entering
Sweden for two years.
Later in October, he was prevented from entering
Germany for some time after the controversial anti-Muslim politician announced
plans to hold a provocative demonstration in Berlin.
Source: ABNA24
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original story:
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Rashad Hussain, First Muslim Religious Freedom
Ambassador Lays Out US Agenda; U.S. Is "Supporting The Right To Religious
Freedom For All People Everywhere"
Rashad Hussain
-----
By Ivan Pereira
16 April 2022
Rashad Hussain, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for
International Religious Freedom, is the first Muslim-American ever to hold the
title, and he told GMA 3 that his appointment sent a powerful signal to the
world.
Hussain was confirmed by the Senate in December with
an 85-5 vote, where 10 Senators did not vote. He said the bi-partisan support
sent a message that the U.S. is "supporting the right to religious freedom
for all people everywhere."
The ambassador told "GMA" that the White
House is particularly concerned about the situation unfolding with the genocide
against the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority group.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said attacks by Myanmar's military against the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic
minority, constituted genocide and crimes against humanity. The legal
determination was made five years after the government killed 9,000 Rohingya
and forced over a million others into exile.
Hussain said the determination took some time because
the U.S. had to gather all of the data and information as part of its
meticulous legal process. He noted that the move will help provide more
assistance to the legal brought by the Gambia and the International Court of
Justice.
"We're sending a strong signal that for anyone
who engages in these types of actions, crimes against humanity [and] genocide,
we will hold them accountable," he said. "We also are very clear that
we will do everything we can to prevent these types of atrocities from
occurring."
Hussain, who previously served as President Barack
Obama's special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said he also
plans on implementing the Marrakesh Declaration, which advocates for the
protection of rights of Christians and other minorities in Muslim majority
countries.
"That includes seeking to end the use of
blasphemy laws, apostasy laws," he said.
The ambassador said that the U.S. stands for any
religious group that is being persecuted.
"One of the profound aspects of this job is that
it's our responsibility, which we take very seriously, to wake up every day and
do everything that we can to help people that are suffering," he said.
Source: ABC News
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original story:
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UP Police Lodge FIR Against Two Minor Muslim Boys for
Listening to Pakistani Song
Representative Photo
----
April 16, 2022
New Delhi: Two minor Muslim boys have been booked in
Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly for allegedly listening to a Pakistani song on a
mobile phone, police said on Thursday, April 14.
A first information report (FIR) has been lodged
against Naeem and Mustkim of Singhai Murawan village of the Bhuta area of the
district on April 13, police said. The cousins, 16 and 17, run a grocery store
in Singhai Murawan, the Times of India reported.
The FIR against the teenagers was lodged on the
complaint of a local resident, Ashish, who objected to their playing the song
which praised the neighbouring country.
When Ashish objected to the duo playing the song, the
teenagers picked up a fight with him, prompting the complainant to shoot the
video of the incident and upload it on his Twitter handle, PTI reported.
According to the newspaper, the FIR also said that
when the complainant asked the two to stop listening to the song, they
allegedly started hurling abuses and said “bad things” about India.
Their cousin, who requested not to be named, told TOI,
“They played the song without realising the consequences.”
The family told the daily that the two were picked up
at 5 pm on Wednesday, April 13 and were detained by police the whole night at
the station.
According to a video shot by a local reporter, which
was accessed by The Wire, the duo’s cousin, Saddam Hussain, said that his
younger brother played the song for just 40 seconds, and that too by mistake.
He also apologised later, but his apology was not accepted, he added.
The younger boy’s aunt, Sahana, said that the incident
took place when she had left the grocery store for a few minutes. She was
shocked and distressed to see that both the children were detained for
listening to a song which was played by mistake. She said the boys are not
educated and admitted the mistake on their behalf.
The duo was listening to Pakistani child artist and
actress Aayat Arif’s ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ song.
Bareilly’s additional superintendent of police
(rural), Rajkumar Agarwal, said an FIR has been registered on the complaint and
a probe is on in the matter.
However, senior superintendent of police (SSP) of
Bareilly, Rohit Singh Sajwan, told TOI, “I do not know whether the youths were
detained by the police overnight as I was told that they were being called for
questioning this morning. There is a provision for serving notices in such
cases as the authenticity of a video recorded is not verified. I will ask a
senior cop to monitor the investigation and provide a report.”
The teenagers have been slapped with sections 153B
(imputation, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional
insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Source: The Wire
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original story:
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Afghanistan: EU Parliament Member Asks Taliban To Lift
Ban On Girls’ Education
Representative Image
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14 April, 2022
Kabul [Afghanistan], April 14 (ANI): Taking a grim
view of the ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan, Hannah Neuman, a
German member of the European Parliament, called for urgent measures to lift
the ban on the exclusion of the girls from the schools.
She also sought the inclusion of sections of the
society in the administration at all levels.
“Girls who returned on March 23 after the Taliban
stayed with the ban on their entry in the classes are in despairs while they’ve
tears in their eyes, and some of the families literally used their last penny
to gain means for access to the schools, including buying backpacks, books,”
said Newman, according to TOLOnews.
The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe
backlash across the world with the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Italy,
Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America criticising the
Taliban’s decision to deny Afghan girls the opportunity to finally go back to
schools in a statement previously.
The Taliban have issued a decree banning female
students of grade 6 and above from attending classes in schools.
Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday in Kabul,
Newman also expressed concerns about the “disappearances of the former
government officials”.
She stated, “I heard many stories about violence,
about violence against protestors, violence against journalists, about enforced
disappearances, also enforced disappearances of people who just did their job
in the administration previously.” She called for the inclusion of other social
groups into the government, TOLOnews reported.
German Parliament Member of EU Hannah Neuman further
said, “The Taliban are good fighters apparently because they managed to take
over a country, but governing a country needs a rather different set of skills,
it especially needs leaders that listen to the citizens that they want to
represent, and, on this one, I hope to see soon some kind of dialogue between
the people of Afghanistan that includes the women and also the minority
groups.”
Since the Taliban took control, Afghan girls are
facing restrictions on travel, work, and education, besides their deteriorating
safety situation in the country. (ANI)
Source: The Print
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Yemen Ansarullah Condemns Zionist Violations Of
Sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque
April 16, 2022
The Political Bureau of Ansarullah of Yemen on Friday
strongly condemned the attacks of the Zionist enemy entity on worshipers and
the repeated violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In a statement, issued on Friday, the Political Bureau
saluted the Palestinian people for their heroic response to Zionist arrogance.
The statement stressed that “the current developments
in the occupied Palestine necessitate the Arab and Islamic peoples to move
seriously and effectively to support the steadfastness of the Palestinian
people in the face of the rebellion of the enemy entity and the regimes of
normalization and betrayal.”
Source: ABNA24
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Europe
Riots In Sweden After Anti-Islam Activities, 9 Police Officers Injured
April 16, 2022
Stockholm: Counter-protesters demonstrating against a
far-right group's intention to burn a Quran in Orebro in central Sweden clashed
with police on Friday, leaving nine police officers injured, authorities said.
Police said in a statement that nine officers were
injured in all.
Their injuries included "broken arms and police
officers who have been hit by stones," police spokesperson Diana Qudhaib
told the daily Aftonbladet.
A member of the public was also hit by a stone to the
head.
The demonstration, involving around 200 people,
according to local media, dispersed later in the evening.
It was the second day running that there had been
clashes on the fringes of a rally by the anti-immigration and anti-Islamic
Stram Kurs (Hard Line) movement led by Danish-Swedish Rasmus Paludan.
Three police officers had to be taken to hospital
after a riot broke out in the city of Linkoping on Sweden's east coast on
Thursday, where a demonstration that included a Quran burning was planned. Two
people were arrested at that protest.
Reacting to the violence, Swedish Prime Minister
Magdalena Andersson said; "In Sweden, people are allowed to express their
opinions, whether they are in good or bad taste, that is part of our democracy.
No matter what you think, you must never resort to violence. We will never
accept it."
"This is exactly the kind of violent reaction he
(Rasmus Paludan) wants to see. The very purpose is to incite people against
each other," she added in comments to the TT news agency.
Source: ND TV
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of the original story:
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N. Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina affirm common
future in EU, NATO
Mustafa Talha Öztürk
15.04.2022
BELGRADE, Serbia
While North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina share
a turbulent past, their common peaceful and prosperous future lies in EU and
NATO membership, top officials from the two countries said on Friday.
During an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina's
capital Sarajevo, North Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and his
counterpart Bisera Turkovic agreed that the two nations have open, smooth, and
friendly relations.
"I support Osmani's call to bring foreign
ministers from the region together and accelerate European integration under
new conditions," said Turkovic in a joint press statement.
She added that transportation links between Sarajevo
and the North Macedonian capital Skopje were also discussed during the meeting.
"Transportation connections significantly affect
the level of economic relations. We want the Skopje-Sarajevo flight to take
place," said Turkovic.
Osmani, for his part, said the entire continent is
facing a security crisis.
"As a friendly country, I would like to express
our determination to openly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the Dayton Peace
Agreement," said Osmani.
He also urged the EU to act with "strategic
leadership" in the region for international cohesion and the restoration
of the European perspective.
"Russian aggression has best demonstrated the
importance of European integration for unity and security," said Osmani.
He added that though establishing direct flights
between Sarajevo and Skopje was economically unprofitable, the two countries
are looking for ways to subsidize it.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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More than 570 irregular migrants held across Turkiye
Yusuf Soykan Bal
15.04.2022
Hundreds of irregular migrants were held across
Turkiye on Friday, according to local authorities.
Police caught 425 irregular migrants in simultaneous
operations targeting 52 separate locations in Istanbul, among them 195
Pakistanis and 230 Afghans.
Seventeen others were held in the northwestern
Kirklareli province bordering Bulgaria. The group, including Afghans and
Syrians, was referred to the provincial migration office.
In the capital Ankara, 45 Afghans who entered Turkiye
illegally were held by police.
Notably, Turkish Coast Guard units rescued 54
migrants, including 27 pushed back to the country's territorial waters by Greek
elements, off the western Canakkale and Mugla provinces.
Police units in the eastern Siirt province caught 31
Afghan irregular migrants after the vehicle carrying them defied a warning to
stop.
All of the irregular migrants were referred to local
migration offices for due process.
Turkiye has deported over 21,000 irregular migrants
this year, the country's Interior Ministry announced on Friday. More than
451,000 were denied entry into the country last year, whereas 127,256 were
barred so far in 2022.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/more-than-570-irregular-migrants-held-across-turkiye/2564879
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Syrian filmmaker slams UK plan to send asylum seekers
to Rwanda
April 15, 2022
LONDON: Condemnation is raining down on Britain’s Home
Office over plans to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda on one-way tickets.
Syrian filmmaker Hassan Akkad, who arrived in the UK
after fleeing the war in his home country seven years ago, is among the latest
to excoriate the proposals from Home Secretary Priti Patel’s office as an
“ethical and moral failure.”
Akkad, who rose to prominence working as a National
Health Service cleaner during the coronavirus pandemic, told Sky News: “The
reason why you leave your country is if you don’t leave you die.
“You come here expecting to be protected and looked
after only to be faced with this new law that the government is passing. It’s
very depressing and it’s not a great look for Global Britain.”
While not surprised by the move, he described the
policy as a “new low.” Akkad said the UK government’s plans would cost more
than “putting people up at the Ritz.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rebuffed
charities’ assertions that the plans are “cruel and nasty,” describing them as
“morally right” and the “humane and compassionate thing to do.”
He added: “We cannot have people continuing to die at
sea, paying huge sums to evil people traffickers who are simply exploiting
their hopes and their ambitions.”
But government assertions that the plans are intended
to “encourage” refugees to take “the safe and legal route if they want to come”
to the UK has been compared to the Australian policy of housing those fleeing
persecution in shoddy facilities on offshore islands.
Akkad and human rights organizations have been
particularly concerned by the choice of destination, describing Rwandan
President Paul Kagame as an “authoritarian leader.”
Kagame officially assumed office in early 2000, but as
the leader of the force that ended the country’s genocide in 1994, he was seen
by many as the country’s de facto leader under his predecessor.
Source: Arab News
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of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2063986/world
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North America
Closure of Girls’ Schools to Significantly Impact US
Engagement with Taliban: Price
16 Apr 2022
The United States Department of States has once again
reacted to the continuation of the ban on secondary schools for girls in
Afghanistan warning that the decision will have significant implications for
their engagement with the Taliban.
Speaking at a press conference, spokesperson of the
Ministry Ned Price said, that the Taliban have a desire to have better
relations not only with the US but with the international community.
Ned Price acknowledged that no country can succeed
economically, politically, and on any other basis when half or over half of its
population is not able to go to schools.
Further, he added that the Taliban have reversed their
commitments made publicly in terms of reopening schools for all Afghan people.
“March 23rd, what was supposed to be the first day of
the school year for school children, including girls across the country, turned
into a day of horrible disappointment and despair for millions of Afghans with
the Taliban’s very regrettable decision not to allow girls to return to
secondary schools.” Said Price.
Source: Khaama Press
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India
Hindutva Group Sets Fire to Houses of Muslim Man in
Relationship With Adult Hindu Woman
April 16, 2022
New Delhi: Eight people were arrested after Hindutva
workers set two houses on fire in Agra. The houses belong to the family of a
Muslim man who had been accused of “love jihad” in spite of the Hindu woman in
the relationship saying in a video that she had willingly gone with him.
‘Love jihad’ is a phrase coined and popularised by
right-wing Hindutva groups alleging an unproven conspiracy led by Muslims to
convert Hindu women into Islam through marriage.
The attack, on Friday, April 15, was carried out by
members of the Hindutva group known as Dharam Jagran Samanvay Sangh.
A police post in-charge was suspended for negligence
and a probe ordered against the local station house officer.
Police said the mob torched the house in the city’s
Runakta locality, where Sajid Qureshi, a gym owner, stayed. An adjoining house
belonging to the family was also set on fire.
The mob demanded his arrest for “kidnapping” the
woman, who police claimed is 22 years old but “still in school”, according to
PTI. The woman’s father, reports have said, told reporters in Agra his daughter
was a BA student at a college in Mathura.
Shops in the local Runakta market also downed
shutters, with traders making the same demand for Sajid’s arrest.
The woman’s family members had lodged a missing
person’s report, prompting a police search. On the basis of their complaint, a
case was also registered under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code. The
section relates to kidnapping of a woman with the intention of compelling or
seducing her into sex or marriage.
Journalist Mohammed Zubair has tweeted that following
threats, Sajid and his family left the house. As a result, there was no one in
the houses when they were set on fire.
PTI has reported that the woman was traced by police.
But in a video that surfaced on social media, the
woman said she is an adult and had gone willingly with the man, according to
police.
“Both are adults,” Agra’s Senior Superintendent of
Police Sudheer Kumar Singh told reporters.
He said police will produce the woman in court and
could not do that so far because of the court holidays.
Source: The Wire
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of the original story:
https://thewire.in/communalism/love-jihad-agra-hindutva-muslim-hindu
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Muslim Men Help Hindu Family Cremate Body As Per Hindu
Rites In Vellore
16th April 2022
VELLORE: A group of Muslim men helped cremate a Hindu
man at Peranambattu in the district on Wednesday evening.
The deceased, identified as Dinesh (30), was admitted
to the Peranambattu Government Hospital for the last few days. He died lying in
the hospital corridor.
His family members including his brother Sudhakar and
his mother didn't have money to cremate the body or do the last rites. The
Muslim members of the Majithe Trust helped the family cremate the body and
perform the last rites as per Hindu rites. The photos of this were widely
circulated on social media platforms.
Source: New Indian Express
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After Madhya Pradesh, Bulldozers Roll In Gujarat
Against ‘Rioters’
Apr 16, 2022
VADODARA/ANAND: Bulldozers were used on Friday to raze
encroachments on properties owned by those accused in the communal riots in
Khambhat that had left one person dead on Ram Navami.
Based on directives of the Anand district
collectorate, the local administration in the coastal town started removing
bushes, thick vegetation and tin and wooden cabins in Sakarpura area, the
locality where stone-pelting had started during the Ram Navami procession. Six
policemen were injured in the riots.
In Madhya Pradesh, bulldozers and JCB machines had on
Monday demolished more than 50 homes and shops of those accused of involvement
in rioting on Ram Navami.
Police had said on Wednesday that the violence was a
“pre-planned conspiracy” hatched by a “sleeper module”. Eleven people have been
arrested for alleged involvement in the conspiracy, which the police said was
planned to foment violence and “teach” members of the majority community “a
lesson” so that they do not take out any procession in future.
“We have issued orders to remove all illegal
encroachments. The miscreants had used the bushes and thick vegetation to
attack the procession. The encroachments are being removed from government land
based on government records. These are those encroachments that had come up on
government land and against which notices were already issued in the past,”
Anand collector M Y Daxini said, adding that carts and stalls also are being
removed to free government land. Friday’s drive started from Sakarpura area and
the district administration said it would continue for the next couple of days.
As news of the razing in Khambhat spread, memes began
to be circulated on social media platforms. One of them showed photos of MP CM
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel
labelled as “Trimurti”.
Source: Times Of India
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MP: Muslim Home Looted, Family Attacked By 60 Hindutva
Goons
15th April 2022
Over 60 Hindutva goons reportedly barged into the
house of a Muslim family in a village eight kilometres from Khargone town,
Madhya Pradesh, and attacked them with stones as the family was about to break
fast for Iftar on Tuesday evening.
The goons that carried spheres broke into the house of
22-year-old Abdul Malik through the back door and pelted stones at the family.
The goons that broke into Malik’s house, broke the front and back doors, and
pelted stones at his blind father, and his old feeble mother.
“When we sat for Iftar, we heard a group of 15 people shouting
slogans of Jai Shree Ram outside our house. Soon more people joined them and
the crowd increased to over 60 all of them carrying stones and spheres in their
hands. They soon started pelting stones at our house,”.
“The goons forced us to chant Jai Shree Ram with them.
When we revolted and asked them to make peace with us, they threatened to rape
my sister. My uncle is badly injured and has been given 10 stitches on his
head, and four below his eye,” stated Malik.
Malik, whose wife is six months pregnant, has claimed
that she suffered an injury to her head due to stone-pelting. He also stated
that she was kicked on her stomach multiple times. However, a medical report by
a local hospital stated that no harm was done to the baby.
“Our house was vandalised and the money my mother had
saved for my sister’s wedding was also looted,” said Malik holding back tears.
The country has been witnessing a rise in the number
of atrocities against Muslims, especially in the last few months. Several cases
of anti-Muslim hate crimes that began from Karnataka since February have now
spilled into various parts of the country including MP, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
In MP’s Khargone town, riots broke out during a Ram
Navami rally following which Muslims were subject to brutality at the hands of
Hindutva goons who danced to provocative communal songs during their aggressive
campaign.
It was followed by the demolition of houses belonging
to Muslims who have been accused of rioting during the rally. Many victims have
also alleged that the Madhya Pradesh government is targeting Muslims who tried
to step out of their houses to purchase essentials when the curfew was imposed.
Lynchings to Ram Navami, India’s Muslims now live in
fear
Over the last seven years, being a Muslim in India has
become more and more difficult. It started with lynchings in Uttar Pradesh and
other parts of north India, continued with Muslims being accused of being virus
spreaders during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21), followed by the recent Hijab
ban in Karnataka.
And even before things could calm down from all the
recent anti-Muslim hate crimes in Karnataka, Hindutva mobs once again unleashed
an orchestrated aggressive campaign in many states of India, leading to arson
and violence against Muslims.
Source: Siasat Daily
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https://www.siasat.com/mp-muslim-home-looted-family-attacked-by-60-hindutva-goons-2309333/
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MP: In jail since March, 3 Muslims named as accused in
Khargone violence
16th April 2022
Hyderabad: Three Muslim men who have been in jail
since March 5 have been named on the list of Ram Navami riot-accused persons in
Madhya Pradesh (MP)’s Khargone. Following the riots that took place on Sunday,
the house of one of the men accused of rioting was demolished on 11 April,
along with 16 other houses.
The people who are named in the case are Shabaz,
Fakru, and Rauf. The three were falsely charged for rioting in Khargone during
Ram Navami celebrations on 10 April.
According to a report by the NDTV, the trio has been
in jail since their arrest last month but has been accused of setting a
motorbike on fire on April 10 in Sendhwa of Barwani district. They have been
charged with rioting at the same police station where they were charged with
attempted murder.
When asked about the lapse, the police officials at
Barwani said that the case was filed based on the statement of the complainant.
“We will investigate the matter and take his
information from the jail superintendent, the case has been registered on the
basis of the allegations of the complainant,” senior police officer Manohar
Singh was quoted by NDTV.
Meanwhile, Shahbaz’s mother Sakina alleged that no
notice was served to her before her house was bulldozed by authorities.
“The police came here, my son is in jail for almost
one and a half months. He was arrested after a fight but the police came and
threw us out, my child is in jail so I want to ask why the FIR was registered
against him. We told the policemen that he is in jail but no one was ready to
listen to us. We folded our hands, apologized. They have taken my younger son
also,” NDTV quoted Sakina.
In the violence on Ram Navami in Khargone, at least
ten houses were set on fire, and more than two dozen people were injured,
including Khargone Superintendent of Police Siddharth Choudhary.
While MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated
to set up a claims tribunal and take action against rioters, home minister
Narottam Mishra issued a warning, saying, “Jis ghar se pathar aaye hain, us
ghar ko hi patharon kaa dher banaenge (We will turn the houses where stones
were pelted into a heap of rubble).”
Source: Siasat Daily
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MNS Writes To Amit Shah Seeking Removal Of
Loudspeakers From Mosques
Mustafa Shaikh
April 16, 2022
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has written a
letter to Home Minister Amit Shah demanding the Removal of loudspeakers from
mosques. They also sought the intervention of the Supreme Court in the matter.
Earlier, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had given an
ultimatum to the Maharashtra government and reiterated his demand that
loudspeakers from mosques be removed. He has asked the government to act before
May 3.
Speaking at a public rally in Thane on Tuesday, Raj
Thackeray said that if the Shiv Sena-led state government did not remove
loudspeakers from mosques before May 3, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa
in front of mosques.
Source: India Today
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of the original story:
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Another sarpanch killed by terrorists in Kashmir
Apr 16, 2022
SRINAGAR: Terrorists shot sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad
Bangroo dead in an orchard at Goush-bugh village of Pattan in Kashmir’s
Baramulla district Friday evening.
The attack on Bangroo, who won the panchayat elections
as an independent, adds to a long list of 21 panchayat members killed before
him since rural polls were held in J&K for the first time in decades in
2011. His death underscored the continuing threat to elected village
representatives after a spate of killings last month.
LG Manoj Sinha condemned the attack. “Perpetrators of
this despicable act shall be punished…” he tweeted.
The targeted killings have become a headache for
security agencies in Kashmir, where only 6,162 panches and 1,366 sarpanches
were elected in the elections held after 32 years. Of 20,093 panch and sarpanch
seats, 12,565 are vacant.
On March 11, sarpanch Shabir Ahmad Mir was gunned down
in his home in Kulgam district. Before his murder, sarpanch Sameer Ahmed Bhat
was killed with two bullets to his chest in Khonmoh on the outskirts of
Srinagar on March 9, and panchayat member Mohammad Yaqoob Dar was shot dead in
Kulgam district on March 2.
Reacting to sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad Bangroo’s killing
on Friday, National Conference tweeted: “The vicious cycle of violence seems to
be unending…” while party president Omar Abdullah posted: “Another targeted
killing, another family in mourning this evening…”
Source: Times Of India
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Nirmal Muslim youths provide free Sehri meals to
travellers
15th April 2022
Hyderabad: The Muslims of Nirmal formed the “Sahar
committee” 14 years ago to provide free pre-dawn meals (Sehri) to the bus
passengers and others at the Old Nirmal bus stand.
These youths start preparing the meals after Isha
prayer and by 3 am they start serving the meals. Incidentally, the timings of
the private bus coming from Nagpur and other cities coincide with this time.
Source: Siasat Daily
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of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/nirmal-muslim-youths-provide-free-sehri-meals-to-travelers-2309263/
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South Asia
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Condemns Israelis’ Raid
on Al Aqsa Mosque
16 Apr 2022
The Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan reacted to Friday’s raid of Israeli Forces on Al Aqsa Mosque in
Jerusalem and condemned the move in the strongest terms.
Spokesperson of the Ministry Abdul Qahar Balkhi in a
Twitter post called on the International Community and Muslim states to take
practical steps to protect the rights of Palestinians and stop Israeli
brutality.
“IEA condemns in strongest terms violence directed at
Palestinian civilians by invaders in Al Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla of
Muslim.” Reads the Tweet.
Source: Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/iea-condemns-israelis-raid-on-al-aqsa-mosque-755476576/
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Tajikistan Builds Temporary Camp for Afghan Refugees
16 Apr 2022
Tajikistan’s state-run News Agency has reported that
the country has built a temporary camp for Afghan refugees in the south of the
Tajik capital Dushanbe.
Situated 150 kilometers to the south of Dushanbe;
Sanat area of Sayed Jalaluddin district, the camp has all living facilities for
the Afghan refugees now settled in the country.
The camp reportedly has 64 tents wherein each tent has
electricity, a kitchen, and a bathroom.
Rumors have it that, the temporary camp is built for
the Afghan refugees who are settled or want to settle in the country for short
time and then move to Canada.
Tajikistan is one of the regional countries of
Afghanistan where Afghans sought refugees after the collapse of the former
Afghan government in August last year.
Source: Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/tajikistan-builds-temporary-camp-for-afghan-refugees-563547/
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Jaishankar, Antonio Blinken Discusses Afghanistan in
Washington
16 Apr 2022
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar met with his
American counterpart Antonio Blinken to discuss Afghanistan’s situation along
with other international and regional issues.
Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were in
Washington for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their US counterparts
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin III.
The United States and India called on the Taliban to
abide by the UN Security Council resolution which demands Afghanistan not be
used again to threaten other countries’ security.
The four ministers in a joint statement urged the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to respect human rights, rights of women and
girls, rights of minorities, and uphold rights to travel.
Source: Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/jaishankar-antonio-blinken-discusses-afghanistan-in-washington-5675765876/
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Taliban hope to create jobs in Afghanistan with
development projects
15 April, 2022
Kabul [Afghanistan], April 15 (ANI): Afghanistan’s
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on Thursday said that efforts are
underway to decrease the rate of unemployment in the troubled country by
creating employment opportunities through projects including
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI).
Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Mawlavi
Makhdoom Abdul Salam Sadat in a meeting with directors of the ministry said
that “employment opportunities will be created through projects including TAPI
and Qush Tepae Canal projects”, Ariana News reported.
“Efforts are underway to decrease the rate of unemployment
and create employment opportunities. [I order] directors of the ministry to try
honestly to create employment opportunities,” said the ministry’s statement,
according to Ariana News.
This comes after the unemployed rate in the country
spiked considerably after the fall of the previous government and the
withdrawal of foreign troops in August last year.
“I was a street vendor, but we face a lack of work; we
call on the government to provide employment opportunities,” Ariana News quoted
Muharram, a resident of Kabul as saying.
“I am not optimistic, but the government should pay
attention to the poor people,” said Gullam Mohammad, another Kabul resident.
The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban caused not
only a political crisis in the country but also uncertainty in business and
unemployment.
The private sectors were “hit hard” as the businesses
were halted and put to uncertainty, according to the latest survey conducted by
the World Bank, reported Khaama Press.
Source: The Print
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Mideast
Turkey condemns Zionists attacks on Palestinians at
Al-Aqsa
April 16, 2022
Issuing a statement on Friday, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry condemned the Zionist forces' attacks on Palestinian worshipers at
Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"We are deeply concerned about the escalation of
tensions in the region in recent days," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.
The statement also emphasized that at this critical
time, such provocative actions and threats against the holy site of the Al-Aqsa
Mosque should not be allowed.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned the
killing of seven Palestinians by Israeli forces in recent days.
Germany, France, Italy, and Spain also expressed their
concern over Al-Aqsa developments on Friday, without condemning the aggression
of Israeli forces against Palestinian worshipers.
They expressed their deep concern over the scenes of
clashes and heightened violence in the Occupied Lands of Palestine.
"At this special time of religious celebrations,
we call on all sides to exercise maximum restraint as well as to refrain from
violence and from all forms of provocation," said the statement released
by four European countries.
They also called for upholding and respecting the
historic status quo on the Holy Sites in Al-Quds, stressing the importance of
Jordan’s specific role in this regard.
Source: ABNA24
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of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//turkey-condemns-zionists-attacks-on-palestinians-at-al-aqsa_1248414.html
--------
Muslim world condemns Israeli aggression against
Palestinians
April 16, 2022
The Muslim world condemned the latest Israeli
aggression against Palestinians and called upon the global community to show
solidarity with the people of Palestine.
The officials, organizations, institutions, thinkers,
and intellectuals of Islamic countries around the world condemned the latest
Zionist regime's atrocities against the oppressed people of Palestine, calling
on the international community to show solidarity with the oppressed people of
Palestine.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC ), in a
statement, strongly condemned the Zionist regime's brutal and criminal attack
on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a
statement that "Iraq expresses its strong condemnation of the high rate of
violence witnessed in the Palestinian territories and the expansion of the
operations of the Israeli occupation forces in a number of Palestinian cities
and villages, and the accompanying excessive use of violence against
Palestinians, resulting in casualties, injuries and dozens of arrests."
The United Council of Muslim Theologians of South
Africa (UUCSA) has condemned the latest attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This
comes after at least 158 people were wounded Friday in clashes between
Palestinian demonstrators and the Zionist regime's military forces.
“We call upon the Ulama, scholars, intellectuals, and
writers across the Muslim world to back the Palestinians and support them in
their struggle against Zionist Terrorism. We urge our Muslims globally to make
a special prayer this Friday for our brothers and sisters in Palestine and for
the Zionist to stop defacement of Al Masjidul Asa Al Mubarak,” the UUCSA
stated.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has
condemned the atrocities which have been hurled at the Palestinian Muslims at
Masjid Al Aqsa by the Israeli forces as well as the issues and problems that
are being faced by Muslims in India.
Afridi, taking to his official Twitter handle, showed
his sympathy towards the people who are going through such torrid
circumstances, as he also asked the Almighty Allah for help.
"Devastated to see the clips of the hate and
atrocities happening against Muslims at Al Aqsa mosque, a place of
worship," Afridi tweeted about the situation being faced by the Muslims in
Palestine.
While referring to the situation faced by the Muslims
in India, he wrote: "Similarly demolishing Muslim family homes in India is
inhumane. My heart goes out to our brothers and sisters, what has mankind come
to.
Saudi Arabia issued a statement Friday condemning the
Zionist forces for raiding the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem al Quds and
attacking Palestinians who were inside praying.
“This systematic escalation is a blatant attack on the
sacredness of al-Aqsa Mosque and its place in the heart of the Islamic nation,”
a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
Deputy Jordanian Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi and Member of the Fatah Central
Committee and the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Executive Committee
Hussein al-Sheikh stressed the need to halt all Israel's provocative actions in
Al Aqsa Mosque and respect worshippers' right in performing their religious
rituals.
During a phone call with al-Sheikh, Safadi considered
the storming of the mosque, which resulted in the injuring of 158 worshippers
and the arrest of hundreds, a dangerous escalation, and a flagrant violation of
Israel's responsibility as the occupying power.
The clashes on Friday occurred just hours after the
regime’s forces killed another Palestinian in the occupied West Bank city of
Jenin.
Source: ABNA24
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FM: Iran Favours Expansion of Ties with South Africa
2022-April-15
"Iran had serious determination to broaden
cooperation with African nations, specially South Africa," Amir
Abdollahian said in his phone talk with Pandor.
The top Iranian diplomat also lauded South Africa for
supporting Iran in international organizations.
Amir Abdollahian also praised South Africa’s stance on
Palestine, and said that the South African nation can understand the current
apartheid against the Palestinian people.
Pandor, for her part, hailed Iran’s support for her
country in international organizations and said that South Africa recognizes
Palestine as a friend.
She also submitted an invitation for Iranian President
Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi to visit South Africa and hoped the visit to be a ground
for a widening of bilateral relations.
In a relevant development on Monday, Amir Abdollahian
underlined his country's serious determination to expand relations with African
countries, including Burkina Faso.
Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone
conversation with Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso Olivia Rouamba on Monday
night.
"Africa is very important for the country’s
foreign policy and then stressed that Iran is determined to strengthen ties
with African countries, including Burkina Faso," Amir Abdollahian said.
The Iranian foreign minister, meantime, said that Iran
is ready to hold a joint commission meeting with Burkina Faso in a bid to help
further expand relations with that country.
Rouamba, for her part, has called on Iran to share its
experiences with her country in the fight against terrorism.
Source: Fars News Agency
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https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010126000172/FM-Iran-Favrs-Expansin-f-Ties-wih-Sh-Africa
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President Rayeesi: Iran Supporting Strong, United Iraq
2022-April-15
"Iran wants Iraq to be strong, glorious and
united," President Rayeesi said during his meeting with the Iraqi foreign
minister.
The Iranian president reiterated that Iran-Iraq
relations was beyond neighborliness, and said, "Tehran was resolved to
broaden its relations with Baghdad."
President Rayeesi also emphasized that Iran expects
Iraq, and also other neighboring countries, to prevent any presence that is
detriment to Iran’s border security in areas under the federal government’s
control and in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
The Iranian president pointed out that Iran has proven
its brotherhood to its neighbors and expects neighbors to be vigilant about
enemies' plots.
Hussein said that Baghdad is not only a neighbor, but
also an ally of Iran.
He reiterated that Iraq wouldn’t be a location for
anti-Iran measures and that Baghdad was ready for broad cooperation with Iran,
including on security issues, to prevent any threat against Iran.
In a relevant development on Thursday, Iranian Foreign
Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart
underscored facilitating business exchanges in border regions and the
finalization of Basrah-Shalamcheh railway that connects the two countries.
He urged facilitating Iranian passengers’ travel to
Iraqi holy cities through ground routes.
Amir Abdollahian also stated that Iran cannot accept
being threatened by the US, the Israeli regime, and terrorist and separatist
elements via its own borders.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010126000154/Presiden-Rayeesi-Iran-Sppring-Srng-Unied-Ira
--------
Iran’s Embassy Reacts to British Daily's Iranophobic
Report
2022-April-15
"The Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf are safe
for all the people and the 2022 Qatar World Cup fans who wish to visit Iran can
enjoy free visa to be granted to them," the Iranian Embassy tweeted.
It said that contrary to the Iranophobic propaganda
run by The Times, Iran and its islands in the Persian Gulf are safe for all,
including Britons "& W/Cup fans from around the world", to enjoy
beauties of this land.
"The Iranian civilizational and historical
identity cannot be distorted by Times," the Iranian Embassy added.
Source: Fars News Agency
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60,000 worshippers attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa
Mosque
Abdel Raouf Arnaout
15.04.2022
JERUSALEM
About 60,000 Palestinians performed the second Friday
prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, director general of the
Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, told Anadolu Agency that the
number, though big, is still less than the usual number at this time of the
Muslim fasting month.
Last Friday, the attendance was higher at around
80,000 people.
The mass attendance of worshippers comes amid tight
Israeli security measures.
The heavy presence of Israeli police was seen at the
entrances, surroundings and alleys of the Old City in Jerusalem, according to
an Anadolu Agency correspondent on the ground.
The Israeli authorities prevented male Palestinians
under the age of 50 from the West Bank, and all Gazans from reaching the mosque
to perform prayers.
Today’s prayers continued despite clashes between
Israeli forces and Palestinians in the mosque after dawn prayers as the former
stormed the mosque’s courtyards that left 153 Palestinians injured.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners
Affairs Authority said 400 Palestinians were arrested by the Israeli police
following the clashes.
Fadi al-Hadmi, minister of Jerusalem affairs,
condemned in a statement the Israeli police’s storming of the mosque, saying
they will bear “full responsibility” for repercussions of it.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Pakistan
Imran's
party leader says ousted Pakistan PM didn't approach Army to end deadlock
Apr
15, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
A senior leader of Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan's party on
Friday disputed a claim by the military that the former premier approached the
Army high command to end the political deadlock.
Shireen
Mazari, who was the human rights minister in the previous Cabinet, took to
twitter to make a counter claim that it was actually the military that sought a
meeting with Khan through defence minister Pervez Khattak.
She
also said that the military put forward three proposals to Khan, including
either facing the no-trust vote, resigning from his post or holding fresh
elections in return for the Opposition withdrawing the no-trust move.
"Let
me be clear - I am stating on record [that the] PM did not call military for
help on 'breaking political deadlock'," she tweeted.
"The
military sought the meeting through then Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and
they put forward the 3 proposals of either PM resigning or taking part in VNC
(vote of no-confidence) or fresh elections!" Mazari of Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf party said.
Her
statement came a day after military spokesman Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar declared
that the Army's high command remained away from the political wrangling and the
Army chief met just once with Khan at his request.
When
asked whether the military had approached the former premier and given him
three options as had been revealed in an interview by Khan, Iftikhar denied
this, adding that it was in fact the Prime Minister's Office that had
approached the Army chief to find a solution to the political deadlock.
"It
is unfortunate that our political leadership was not ready to talk to each
other. So the Army chief and the Director-General of Inter-Services
Intelligence went to the Prime Minister's Office and three scenarios were
discussed," he said at a press conference on Thursday.
Iftikhar
also said that Khan had agreed to the option that the no-confidence motion
should be retracted and then assemblies be dissolved, but the combined
Opposition rejected the idea.
The
Army spokesman also said that "no option from the establishment was
given."
Mazari,
in another tweet, rejected the impression that Khan was ready to resign and
hold fresh elections.
"Why
would Imran Khan give option of resigning when he had already stated
categorically and repeatedly he would never resign. Makes no sense! Also Imran
Khan had categorically rejected VNC as foreign regime change conspiracy. So why
would he suggest these options. Absurd!" she said.
The
three options came to surface for the first time in an interview by Khan with
ARY News before his ouster. He said that the "establishment" had
given him three options.
"We
said elections is the best option, I cannot even think about resigning and as
far as the no-confidence vote is concerned, I believe in fighting till the
end," he said.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Petition
filed in Islamabad high court against issuance of diplomatic passport to Nawaz
Sharif
Apr
15, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Amid rumours of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returning to
Pakistan from London, a petition was filed in the Islamabad high court on
Thursday seeking to prevent the expected issuance of a diplomatic passport to
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, local media reported.
A
lawyer, Advocate Naeem Haider Panjutha, filed the petition referring to media
reports that said Nawaz Sharif was being issued a diplomatic passport on the
instructions of newly elected PM Shehbaz Sharif, Dawn reported.
The
petitioner contended that as Nawaz Sharif was "a court absconder who was
convicted by learned NAB (National Accountability Bureau) Court for corruption
... it is violative of law, a mockery of the justice system and disgrace to the
nation if a diplomatic passport is issued to a convict".
Moreover,
the petition stated, that the country's courts had held that a fugitive would
lose all rights a normal person was entitled to, adding that Article 25 of the
Constitution had set clear standards against discrimination against citizens.
"All
the ordinary citizens will be discriminated if a convict is issued a diplomatic
passport which has so many privileges and immunities, far more than the
ordinary passport," the petition said.
He
also pointed out that Nawaz Sharif had passed "derogatory remarks against
the serving military and judicial officials" at public rallies, which
caused "disgrace, disrespect, injury and insult" to the Pakistan Army
and judiciary.
Islamabad
high court chief justice Athar Minallah will hear the petition on April 18.
Nawaz
Sharif, who is convicted in a corruption case, has been living in London on the
"pretext of ill health" since November 2019, when the Lahore high
court had allowed him to leave the country for four weeks for medical
treatment.
Nawaz
Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif had given an undertaking at the time
that the senior Sharif would return within the stipulated time. Later, Nawaz Sharif
sought extensions to prolong his stay in London on medical grounds.
In
August last year, Nawaz Sharif had filed an appeal with the British Immigration
Tribunal after the home department refused to extend his stay in the country on
"medical grounds" any further.
PML-N
leader Talal Chaudhry on Wednesday said that Nawaz Sharif is expected to return
to Pakistan "before the next elections".
Source:
Times Of India
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--------
8
Pakistan servicemen killed in two terrorist attacks
April
16, 2022
At
least eight Pakistani servicemen have been killed in two terrorist attacks on
Pakistani military forces in the northwestern Waziristan region.
According
to Pakistani media, eight Pakistani servicemen were killed in two terrorist
attacks in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province on
Thursday.
The
first attack took place when rockets hit a moving military vehicle in Datakhel
town of North Waziristan, killing seven Pakistani soldiers.
The
second attack took place in the exchanging of fire in the Isham region of North
Waziristan which led to the killing of another Pakistani serviceman.
No
group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Pakistani military forces.
Source:
ABNA24
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of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//8-pakistan-servicemen-killed-in-two-terrorist-attacks_1248393.html
--------
Pakistan
condemns Israeli attack on worshippers in Al-Aqsa mosque
Apr
16 2022
Zarghoon
Shah
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned Israeli forces' aggression at Al-Aqsa
Mosque, saying that is an egregious violation of human rights laws during the
holy month of Ramadan.
On
Friday, Israeli riot police stormed into Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound
and fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at worshippers.
At
least 152 Palestinians were injured in a raid by Israeli riot police, extending
a recent resurgence of violence that has raised fears of a slide back to wider
conflict.
In
a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson expressed grave
concern over the escalation of violence by Israeli forces in various parts of
occupied Palestine.
“This
highly condemnable assault on worshippers, especially during the holy month of
Ramadan, is an egregious violation of all humanitarian norms and human rights
laws,” read a statement issued from the ministry.
“In
recent weeks, Israeli forces have killed dozens and injured countless
Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem and other areas. This escalation of
violence by Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories is deplorable,” it
added.
Referring
to the brutality of Israeli forces against innocent Palestinian, the
spokesperson urged the international community to take notice of Israel's
aggression.
“We
pray for the earliest recovery of those injured. Pakistan also calls upon the
international community to take urgent steps to protect innocent Palestinian
lives, and uphold international law and principles of the UN Charter,” said the
statement.
Reiterating
Pakistan’s unwavering support for Palestine's cause, the spokesperson urged for
a two-state solution in light of the United Nations (UN) and Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC) resolutions.
Source:
Geo TV
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--------
Pakistan
National Assembly deputy Speaker resigns before no-trust motion against him
Apr
16, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Qasim Khan Suri resigned as deputy speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly on
Saturday, less than an hour before a session of the House where voting on a
no-trust motion against him was to take place for favouring the previous
government led by Imran Khan.
Suri
from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had been functioning as the acting
speaker following the resignation of Speaker Asad Qaiser, who resigned on April
9 stating that he cannot hold a vote of no-confidence against Khan.
Sharing
a copy of his resignation on Twitter, Suri said his move signified his
association with the vision of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI),
and democracy.
"We
will never compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty and integrity. We will fight
for the country's interests and independence. We will go to any length to
protect Pakistan," the 53-year-old politician tweeted.
Following
Suri's resignation, the no-confidence motion holds no value, while the
newly-elected speaker will decide on whether to accept the resignation or not,
Geo TV reported.
Suri
faced severe criticism in recent days over a contentious April 3 ruling to
dismiss a no-confidence motion against former prime minister Khan and his
decision to defer the session scheduled for the NA speaker's election from
April 16 to April 22.
Just
before the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister of Pakistan on
April 11, ousted prime minister Khan's party lawmakers decided to resign from
the National Assembly.
Khan's
PTI on Thursday announced that Suri had accepted the resignations of 123
lawmakers and the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat had also issued a
notification on the issue.
The
PPP and the PML-N alleged that Suri had put pressure on the National Assembly
Secretariat to accept the resignations.
In
line with the National Assembly rules, immediately after the election of the
speaker, the assembly shall proceed to elect a deputy speaker and once elected,
he will take oath before the assembly before entering office.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
PM Shehbaz accuses Imran Khan of selling Toshakhana gifts worth PKR 140 mn in
Dubai
Apr
15, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The new Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif on Friday accused his
predecessor Imran Khan of selling Toshakhana gifts worth PKR 140 million in
Dubai.
"Imran
Khan sold these gifts for Rs140 million in Dubai," PM Shehbaz was reported
as telling journalists during an iftar he hosted a day earlier in the federal capital,
reported Geo News.
He
said that the expensive gifts included diamond jewellery sets, bracelets and
wristwatches.
Shehbaz's
revelation came in response to a question regarding a petition seeking the
details of the Toshakhana that had been filed in the Islamabad High Court on
which then PM Imran Khan had commented that the details cannot be revealed as
per the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Meanwhile,
a former federal minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, however, refuted PM
Shehbaz Sharif's statement, saying that the new premier is "throwing dirt
on Imran Khan", reported Geo News.
According
to the law, whenever a head of state receives a gift from another state or
country, they have to give it to the Toshakhana. If they wish to keep the gift,
they have to pay an amount equal to its value which is decided through an
auction.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
People’s Party suggest four members for positions in Shehbaz Sharif govt
16
April, 2022
Islamabad
[Pakistan], April 16 (ANI): The central leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party
(PPP) suggested their four members for different positions in the new
government during the meeting held on Friday, local news reported.
The
leaders of the PPP held a consultative session at the residence of PPP’s
President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the ministries for the new government.
The
session was attended by PPP’s President, PPP’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
and its senior leaders, ARY News reported.
The
members suggested that the position of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)
should be given to their member Sherry Rehman, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah should
get the Communication department, Petroleum should be given to Naveed Qamar and
the Ministry of Human Rights should be given to Shazia Marri.
According
to the publication, PPP’s three ministers are likely to get slots and four
state ministers in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government.
The
members also recommended giving the position of Ministry of Interior to the
PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah, Planning and Development to Ahsan Iqbal,
Information to Marriyum Aurangzeb, Defence/Water and Power to Khawaja Asif and
Finance Adviser post to Miftah Ismail, reported ARY News.
Shahid
Khaqan Abbasi, General-Secretary of Pakistan Democratic Movement is likely to
get no ministry in the centre.
It
was also recommended to give two ministries to Muttahida Qaumi Movement
Pakistan (MQM-P) including the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Earlier,
according to sources, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to add
12 National Assembly members of PML-N and seven members of PPP to his federal
cabinet.
Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) will get three ministries and a state minister
portfolio while MQM-P will get the governorship of Sindh, PPP will get Punjab
and JUI-F will get Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and BNP-M will get the governorship of
Balochistan, according to Geo TV citing sources.
Source:
The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
PPP's
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf elected NA speaker
April
16, 2022
PPP's
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Saturday was elected unopposed as the 22nd speaker of
the National Assembly.
PML-N's
Ayaz Sadiq, who was initially chairing the session, administered the oath on
Ashraf. The PPP lawmaker was the lone contender for the speaker's position as
no other candidate had submitted nomination papers against him.
The
office of the speaker had fallen vacant after Asad Qaiser tendered his
resignation in line with the PTI’s decision minutes before the voting on the
no-confidence resolution against then-prime minister Imran Khan.
Sitting
in the speaker's chair, Ashraf gave a brief speech where he thanked his party
leaders for deeming him worthy of the position. He also thanked the prime
minister and the members of the assembly.
He
said that a "new tradition" had been initiated in parliamentary
history, adding that the speaker was the custodian of the house. He went on to
say that for the past three years, the house had been "incomplete" as
the former opposition went unheard.
"I
consider it my duty to not to let the voice of the opposition get suppressed,"
he said, adding that it should be heard and respected.
"There
is a saying in English that the majority has its way, but the opposition must
have its say. We have to always keep this in view," he said, adding that
"consultation among institutions is the spirit of the Constitution."
The
NA Secretariat had issued a four-point agenda for today's sitting that included
voting on the no-confidence resolution against Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, the
election of the speaker and his oath-taking. However, Suri tendered his
resignation less than an hour before the session was scheduled to begin.
Sadiq
began the session by announcing that Suri had tendered his resignation, which
was met by loud applause from the lawmakers present. He said that Suri's
resignation had been verified by the NA secretariat, which would later issue
the schedule for the election of the deputy speaker.
"Since
the deputy speaker has resigned from office there is no need to take up agenda
item two and three," he said, giving the floor to Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif.
Shehbaz
gives reasons for loadshedding
PM
Shehbaz began his speech by stating that loadshedding was currently underway in
parts of the country. "During the past three days, my team and I held
meetings with the ministries of petroleum and finance. The current situation is
that the country has the capacity to generate 35,000 MW of electricity."
This
capacity is enough to meet the needs of the country, he said. However, he
regretted that several new power plants were not functioning due to a gas and
oil shortage, holding the previous government responsible for "gross
mismanagement and incompetence".
He
said that when officials were asked why gas was not bought when it was
available for $3-4 in the spot market, he was told that they did not have any
support and were afraid. "Today gas prices are $30-35 per unit".
Suri
resigns as deputy speaker
Qasim
Suri resigned as deputy speaker of the National Assembly on Saturday, less than
an hour before a session of the house where voting on a no-trust motion against
him was to take place.
Sharing
a copy of his resignation on Twitter, Suri said his move signified his
association with the vision of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI),
and democracy.
"We
will never compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty and integrity. We will fight
for the country's interests and independence. We will go to any length to
protect Pakistan," he tweeted.
PTI
leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry lauded Suri, stating that
the way in which he "fought against a foreign conspiracy" would go
down in history. He added that Suri would be remembered as someone who was
brave and loyal to the country.
Suri,
who had also been functioning as the acting speaker following the resignation
of Asad Qaiser, faced severe criticism in recent days over a contentious April
3 ruling to dismiss a no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran
Khan and his decision to defer the session scheduled for the NA speaker's
election from April 16 to April 22 as a delaying tactic.
Earlier
this week, he also came under fire for accepting the resignations of the PTI
MNAs, who had quit the NA en masse right before the election of Shehbaz Sharif
as the country's new prime minister following Khan's ouster. The PPP and PML-N
accused Suri of pressuring the NA secretariat into accepting the resignations.
Merely
three days before Shehbaz's election on April 11 and on the eve of Khan's
ouster, the former opposition had filed a no-trust motion against Suri, saying
he had "repeatedly violated the rules, parliamentary practices, democratic
norms and traditions, and even Constitutional provisions and when presiding
over the House, failed to conduct proceedings in an orderly manner to enable
productive debate on issues of public importance".
The
resolution was submitted by Murtaza Javed Abbasi of the PML-N, who had stated
that instead of performing his role fairly and impartially, Suri acted in a
"blatantly partisan manner" that had favoured the government and
frequently deprived the opposition of their right to voice their views and the
views of their electorates.
Referring
to Suri's decision to dismiss the no-trust move against the prime minister, the
resolution said Suri "wilfully and mala fidely subverted the
Constitution" and his actions fell under the purview of Article 6, which
is related to treason.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685289/ppps-raja-pervaiz-ashraf-elected-na-speaker
--------
Four
terrorists killed in North Waziristan
April
16, 2022
PESHAWAR:
Security forces killed four terrorists in North Waziristan tribal district on
Thursday, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In
a statement on Friday, the military’s media affairs wing also confirmed the
martyrdom of seven personnel in clashes with the terrorists in Isham near the
Afghan border of Datakhel tehsil.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685207/four-terrorists-killed-in-north-waziristan
--------
PTI
workers face police action for attacking journalists
April
15, 2022
PESHAWAR:
The local police have announced they will take action against the ruling
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s workers, who manhandled media persons here on
Wednesday night during the first public meeting of their leader, Imran Khan,
after the recent ouster as the prime minister through a no-trust vote.
In
statement issued here, Capital City Police Officer Ijaz Khan said he had taken
notice of the incident and the police were working to identify attackers.
“Coercion
against media personnel is not acceptable at all,” he said.
The
CCPO said that the police would ensure the protection of journalists, while
those attacking them would be dealt with an iron hand.
The
journalists working for various media organisations were harassed and
manhandled during the PTI’s public meeting on Wednesday night.
Peshawar
Press Club general secretary Shahzada Fahad, who covered the event, told
reporters that the organisers had placed just one container for journalists to
cover the public meeting.
“In
the first place, the container was too ‘narrow’ to place TV cameras and operate
them,” he said.
Mr
Fahad said almost an hour before the PTI chief delivered the speech, 60-70
young men climbed the container and when the reporters and cameramen present
there tried to turn them away, the latter beat them up.
The
press club leader said that a large number of youth, who were on the ground,
pelted journalists with stones causing minor injuries to at least seven
reporters and cameramen.
He
said that a cameraman got his camera damaged due to the stone pelting, while
the other cameraman, who had fainted in the melee, also lost his laptop.
Mr
Fahad criticised both event organisers and police over ‘failure to rescue media
personnel attacked by the PTI workers’.
“I
pleaded with event managers as well as the policemen deployed there to protect
us [media persons] from attackers, but no one come to our help,” he said.
In
a statement issued here, Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) president Nasir Hussain
condemned the attack of PTI workers on media personnel in Wednesday’s public
meeting.
He
demanded the relevant officials to take notice of the attack on media
personnel.
Mr
Hussain said the KhUJ would announce its line of action in the next 24 hours if
the PTI failed to take action against its workers involved in the attack.
Also,
the Khyber Photojournalists Association announced the boycott of all PTI
gatherings to protest the attack on medical persons during the rally.
In
a statement, the association said the cameras of its president, Fayyaz Aziz,
was damaged in the melee; Mohammad Sajjad lost his laptop, and video-journalist
Haji Maqsood’s motorcycle was damaged by the PTI workers.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685065/pti-workers-face-police-action-for-attacking-journalists
--------
Southeast Asia
Foreign
minister: Malaysia strongly condemns Israeli attack in Al-Aqsa during Ramadan
16
Apr 2022
PUTRAJAYA,
April 16 ― Malaysia strongly condemns the audacious actions of the Israeli
soldiers who encroached the Al-Aqsa mosque yesterday, and attacked the
Palestinians including medical workers and journalists.
Malaysian
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said the shameful and inhumane
actions of the Israeli soldiers were very much regretted and should never have
happened in the first place, especially on a Friday, what more when Muslims
were observing the holy month of Ramadan.
“The
Israeli soldiers also targeted women, this is an unacceptable act of
brutality,” he said in a statement today.
Saifuddin
noted that Malaysia will continue advocating the fate and well-being of the
Palestinians.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Thai
rebels excluded from talks take responsibility for Ramadan bombings
April
16, 2022
By
Panu Wongcha-um
BANGKOK,
April 16 (Reuters) - Thai rebels sidelined from peace talks claimed
responsibility on Saturday for deadly bombings in the country's Muslim-majority
deep south that broke a Ramadan holiday agreed between the main rebel group and
the government.
The
two explosions on Friday, which killed a civilian and injured three policemen,
were carried out by "G5", a militant group of the Patani United
Liberation Organisation (PULO), its president, Kasturi Mahkota, told Reuters.
More
than 7,300 people have been killed since 2004 in the fighting between the
government and shadowy groups seeking independence for the Malay-Muslim
provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla. The area was part
of the Patani sultanate that Thailand annexed in a 1909 treaty with Britain.
Mahkota
said by telephone the blasts in Pattani province represent "business as
usual" for PULO, left out of the talks between the government and the
Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), which agreed two weeks ago to stop violence
during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan through May 14. read more
A
spokesman for the Thai security forces in the south, Colonel Kiatisak Neewong,
said without naming PULO that a group not included in the peace talks were
likely responsible for bombings aimed at disrupting the Ramadan truce.
The
Thai team at the peace talks and the BRN declined to comment.
"The
talks are not inclusive enough and it is going too fast," said Kasturi,
whose group objects to the agreement that would exclude the possibility of
independence from Buddhist-majority Thailand.
Source:
Reuters
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Anti-party-hopping
law healthy for Malaysia’s political culture, says Salleh Keruak
10
Apr 2022
KOTA
KINABALU, April 10 — Senior Sabah politician Datuk Seri Salleh Said believes
that the introduction of an anti-party hopping law will bring about a healthy
political culture to the country.
The
Usukan assemblyman said the proposed law to prohibit MPs from switching parties
is part of the understanding between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan
to ensure that there will be no more of ‘migration politics’ which clashes with
a party system.
“With
a law like this then ‘migrating’ from one political party to another will not
happen again,” he said yesterday when asked for his opinion about the proposed
anti-party hopping law and how it would shape the politics of the country.
Salleh
explained that in a democratic system, a party system is practiced and
therefore, when an individual contests under a party’s ticket, it is reasonable
for the person to stay a member of the party.
“This
is because we voted in the elected representative based on a party system.”
Salleh
said he was informed that there will be a briefing for members of parliament
about the Anti-Party Hopping Bill tomorrow and expressed hope that any
confusion can be resolved in the discussion between the prime minister and MPs.
Meanwhile,
Salleh said he welcomed the registration of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
“We
have to accept the fact that when we contested in the 16th state election, we
did it under one big coalition. Therefore there is a need to legimitise the
coalition and this resulted in the formation of GRS.
“However,
Umno is not part of GRS but supports its formation,” said the GRS-BN
Backbenchers Club chairman.
Salleh
pointed out that as there are currently a couple of big groups in Sabah, it is
important for the state leaders to ensure that the government is stable so that
they can ensure that what was promised to the people can be fulfilled.
“The
promises must be fulfilled because we will face the rakyat again in the coming
general election. What is important to me is that the coalition implements what
is necessary for the rakyat in Sabah,” he stressed.
To
the question of whether the registration of GRS had any effect on the
cooperation among the parties involved, Salleh said he did not see any.
The
former Sabah Chief Minister said that in the state’s political system, there
must be consensus on politics of development, politics of autonomy — where all
will fight for Sabah’s rights and lastly, politics of accommodation.
Salleh
stressed that there is a need to ensure that the three major groups in Sabah,
the Bumiputera, Muslim Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera will get a place in the
leadership and in the aspect of development in the state.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
From
halal curries to murtabak, Bangkok offers hearty Ramadan fare
AKSARAPAK
LAPANUNT
April
15, 2022
BANGKOK:
Bangkok, a city famous for its street cuisine, has a special attraction during
the month of Ramadan every year: A halal food market. Visitors come from all
around to enjoy varieties of traditional Thai Muslim delicacies.
The
Thai capital is often rated as having the finest street food in the world. It
has long attracted migrants from across Asia, so the street food is influenced
by numerous cuisines.
There
are tens of thousands of street-food vendors in Bangkok. During Ramadan, those
in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi area gain special prominence among foodies during the
evenings, selling rotis, curries, noodles, skewered and grilled meat with
peanut sauce, and murtabak — fried crepes stuffed with egg, chives, and minced
meat.
Islam
is a minority faith in Buddhist-majority Thailand, where only around five
percent of the population is Muslim. They reside mainly in the country’s four
southernmost provinces: Satun, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
In
Ratchathewi, one alley, Petchabury 7, is the center of Ramadan fare, where
faithful visitors, including 60-year-old Lek, have been coming for years in the
Holy Month.
“I
don’t live in this area,” Lek told Arab News as she ordered Pattani-style
chicken curry. “But I come to this street market during Ramadan every year to
try the food.”
One
of the most popular spots is TeHo, a Pattani shop right at the entrance of the
alley. It is popular with young people who hang out there eating roti and
drinking tea until the early hours of the morning. During Ramadan, the shop
sells hundreds rotis every day.
“My
husband was from Pattani and he told me that in the deep southern provinces,
this kind of small shop — selling roti and hot tea or coffee — is on every
corner,” Kulchalee Na Pattani, who has been running TeHo for 14 years, told
Arab News. “There were no shops like this around here until he started one.”
Besides
various sweet and savory types of roti, TeHo also sells halal beef and chicken
curry, and chicken and beef murtabak. A full meal will cost no more than $3.
For
Nisrin Chekoh, a 24-year-old student visiting TeHo with a friend, it is not
only about the food but also the ambience.
“Roti
is (easy) to find in Bangkok, but I like the atmosphere of this shop where you
can sit for a long time and chill. And it opens at night so it’s a good place
to hang out,” she said. “My favorite dish is roti bomb — fried roti with a lot
of butter — and my friend likes roti with cheese.”
Although
most tables along the alley were full, vendors say there are still fewer
visitors than before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“This
street-food market used to be very busy, with more vendors and visitors coming
to buy food,” Kusuma Poomdokmai, who sells halal deserts, said. “This market is
on only during Ramadan. There is a lot of halal food that is not very common to
find.”
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2064051/world
--------
Arab World
Ten
Al-Qaeda Inmates Escape From Prison In Eastern Yemen
15
April ,2022
Ten
jailed al-Qaeda militants have escaped from prison in Yemen’s eastern province
of Hadramawt, security officials said on Friday.
The
inmates staged a quarrel among themselves late Thursday at the prison in the
city of Seiyun, forcing guards to intervene.
But
when they did, the prisoners overpowered them, seizing their Kalashnikov rifles
and binding their hands before running away, prison officials said. They asked
to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to brief the media.
Preliminary
investigations indicated that the inmates must have coordinated their move with
prison guards who collaborated, as well as other militants from outside, they
added.
The
Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has long been considered the
global network’s most dangerous branch, and has attempted to carry out attacks
on the US mainland.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
UAE
keen to further relations with Turkiye: Official
Yassine
Aydi
15.04.2022
ISTANBUL
The
diplomatic advisor to the UAE president said his country is keen on developing
relations with Turkiye, noting that there is a need for more cooperation
between the countries in the region.
Speaking
at a seminar titled “security and stability in our changing world from the
perspective of the UAE,” in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Anwar Gargash said: “The UAE
is keen on its relations with Turkiye, with Iran, with Arab countries … The UAE
will not be a base for harming a neighboring country like Iran.”
He
stated that the UAE will always seek to resolve its disputes with Iran “through
politics and diplomacy,” according to the official Emirates News Agency.
In
November 2021, Ali Bagheri, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political
affairs, said that his country had agreed with the UAE to "open a new page
in bilateral relations," according to the Iranian IRNA news agency.
Gargash
said: "It is in our interest that all the countries of the region build on
the agenda of stability and prosperity."
The
Emirati official stressed the need for regional platforms for cooperation and
dialogue between the countries of the region, including Turkiye and Iran, based
on “the principle of renunciation of violence, respect for the sovereignty of
countries, and opening up prospects for economic cooperation to create regional
prosperity.”
He
stated that the UAE is the “third-largest economy in the Middle East after
Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, and one of the largest economies in the world, with a
population of 10 million and a GDP of $430 billion.”
The
UAE and Turkiye have recently strengthened their relations at all levels, and
the UAE is seeking to double or triple the volume of its trade with Turkiye,
which is one of the most prominent signs of the warming relations between the
two countries.
Currently,
the UAE is Turkiye’s largest trading partner in the Gulf region and ranks
second in the Gulf region in terms of direct investments in Turkiye.
In
February, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid a visit to the UAE, the
first of its kind in nearly 10 years.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/uae-keen-to-further-relations-with-turkiye-official/2564744
--------
Organization
Of Islamic Cooperation Condemns Israeli Violence At Al-Aqsa Mosque
April
16, 2022
The
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the storming of
the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Zionist regime’s forces and settlers.
The
OIC in a statement denounced the desecration of the holy site and warned about
the threats posed by extremist settlers to Palestinian worshipper at the
mosque’s courtyards.
The
organization’s secretary general, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, also considered the Tel
Aviv regime responsible for the consequences of continued violence against
Palestinians and killing of the people of Palestine.
The
United Nation’s secretary general has also called on the international
community to condemn Israel for attacks on Palestinians and repeated violations
of religious sites in occupied lands.
Israeli
forces on Friday stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City
of al-Quds, injuring more than 100 worshipers in stepped-up violence in the
fasting holy month of Ramadan.
The
Palestinian Ma’an news agency said the violence broke out at dawn on Friday
when the occupation forces raided the al-Aqsa Mosque through the Moroccan Gate,
also known as the Mughrabi Gate, firing sound bombs and rubber bullets at the
worshipers randomly.
“Violent
confrontations erupted between the occupation forces and hundreds of young men
who were deployed in the al-Aqsa courtyards,” the agency said, adding that the
Israeli forces were obstructing the work of ambulances that reach the mosque’s
entry gates.
Media
reports said the occupation forces also attacked paramedics and press crews,
chased them in the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Mosque, and beat a number of them.
The
Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRSC) reported that 117 fasting Palestinians
had been transferred to hospitals in the occupied al-Quds for injuries as a
result of the raid.
Source:
ABNA24
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//oic-condemns-israeli-violence-at-al-aqsa-mosque_1248381.html
--------
Saudi
Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on Palestinians, al-Aqsa Mosque
15
April ,2022
Saudi
Arabia issued a statement Friday condemning the Israeli forces for raiding the
al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and attacking Palestinians who were inside
praying.
“This
systematic escalation is a blatant attack on the sacredness of al-Aqsa Mosque
and its place in the heart of the Islamic nation,” a statement from the Saudi
Foreign Ministry said.
Israeli
police attacked Palestinians as thousands were in the mosque for prayers during
the holy month of Ramadan.
Israel
alleges that men carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags were in the compound with
rocks and stones. Palestinian officials say over 150 Palestinians were wounded.
Saudi
Arabia called on the international community to hold the Israeli forces
accountable for the continued attacks and violations against Palestinians,
their land and their holy sites.
The
Foreign Ministry also said there was a need for reviving peace efforts in the
Middle East.
The
recent uptick in violence, including multiple Palestinian attacks on Israeli
civilians, has heightened fears of renewed clashes between Palestinians and
Israelis.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Lebanon
ready to work with Cyprus on potential offshore gas
15
April ,2022
Lebanon
is ready to work with Cyprus to exploit potential gas deposits in waters
between the two east Mediterranean countries, Lebanon’s top diplomat said
Friday, even though a deal on offshore rights hasn’t been formally finalized.
Cyprus
and Lebanon signed an agreement delineating their respective offshore exclusive
economic zones in 2007, but the Lebanese parliament has yet to ratify it amid
the country’s ongoing maritime border dispute with Israel.
Nevertheless,
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said after talks with his Cypriot
counterpart in Nicosia that “with Cyprus there’s no problem, once we found gas
we’re ready to go, put it together.”
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“We
talked about it and I can assure you that Lebanon is ready to do it,” Bou Habib
said.
The
Lebanese top diplomat’s remarks come as Europe is seeking new energy sources to
wean itself off Russian gas in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Cyprus
has issued exploration drilling licenses to ExxonMobil and partner Qatar
Petroleum, a consortium made up of French energy company Total and Italy’s Eni,
as well as Chevron and partner Shell, to most of its 13 segments in its exclusive
economic zone off its southern coast.
To
the north, Cyprus faces an intense challenge from Turkey which claims much of
the island’s EEZ as its own and has sent warship-escorted survey ships into the
area — earning condemnation from the European Union, of which Cyprus is a
member.
Cyprus
was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by
supporters of union with Greece. The breakaway Turkish Cypriot north is only
recognized by Turkey.
Lebanon’s
Bou Habib said a US written mediation proposal submitted earlier this year that
aimed at resolving the Lebanese-Israeli dispute, while much better than
previous attempts, is “not enough yet.”
He
said both Lebanon’s government and its lawmakers are “all in agreement” on what
they seek from a deal with Israel.
“Therefore
the response to the Americans hopefully would be soon and it would be one
response,” Bou Habib said.
Any
discoveries within Lebanon’s own economic zone would be a long-term boon for
the crisis-hit country’s beleaguered economy.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Gulf
countries condemn Israel’s storming of al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, prayers
16
April ,2022
The
UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have condemned Israel’s storming of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa
mosque which left at least 152 Palestinians injured, state news agencies
reported on Saturday.
The
UAE’s foreign ministry “underscored the need for self-restraint” and called for
protection of the worshipers, in a statement run by the Emirates News Agency,
WAM.
The
ministry also stressed that the Israeli authorities should “respect the right
of Palestinians to practice their religious rites and halt any practices that
violate the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The
statement reported by WAM also said that the UAE emphasized the need to end
“illegal Israeli practices that threaten the two-state solution and the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East
Jerusalem as its capital.”
Israeli
police stormed the mosque’s compound in Jerusalem before dawn on Friday as
thousands gathered for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
Medics
told the Associated Press that at least 152 Palestinians were wounded.
Bahrain’s
foreign ministry, in a statement shared on the official Bahrain News Agency,
said that Israel’s forces are a “provocation to the feelings of Muslims.”
The
Bahraini ministry called on Israel to “respect the role of the sisterly
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in caring for sanctities and endowments in
accordance with international law…,” in addition to condemning the situation
and calling for an end to the violence.
Egypt’s
foreign ministry also echoed the other Gulf countries and rejected the
violence, warning of the consequences of stability and security in Palestine
and the wider region.
A
similar statement was shared by Saudi Arabia earlier, standing in solidarity
with Palestine on Friday.
Most
of the Palestinian injuries incurred from rubber bullets, stun grenades and
beatings with police batons, the Palestine Red Crescent said in a report
carried by Reuters.
Israeli
security forces have been on high alert after a series of deadly street attacks
throughout the country over the past two weeks.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Africa
Sudan’s
Burhan gestures towards steps to ease tensions
16
April ,2022
Sudan’s
military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan gestured in comments on Friday
towards steps to ease tensions in the country six months after a military coup.
“We
are embarking on a difficult period and we must all present concessions for the
sake of our country,” he said, noting the deteriorating economic and security
situation in the country in comments at a Ramadan gathering.
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the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“We
are prepared to put forward what we can to create the atmosphere for a dialogue
that leads to solutions,” he added.
He,
along with other military leaders, staged a coup on October 25, ending a
two-year power-sharing arrangement with a civilian political coalition
following the ouster of Omar al-Bashir.
Since
then, at least 94 people have been killed in security crackdowns on protests and
dozens have been arrested.
Burhan
said that while there were no “political detainees,” he met with the public
prosecutor and the head of the judiciary to discuss expediting the release of
detainees, among whom are key civilian political leaders.
He
also said they discussed the possibility of reducing the current the state of
emergency.
Such
steps have been often requested by the international community as
trust-building measures.
Burhan
said these steps came in the context of concessions made by some political
groups towards coming to an agreement.
Reuters
earlier this month reported that a deal was under consideration, presented by
parties aligned with the military, to form a new government.
Burhan
had previously said that the military would only hand over power to an elected
government. In Friday’s comments, he once again called for political parties to
come to a consensus.
In
his comments, Burhan said that, unlike in the past, no one group should be in
control of the political scene. In comments before and after the coup, military
leaders accused the civilian coalition of monopolizing power.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Merchant
fuel ship sinks off Tunisia, crew rescued: Report
16
April ,2022
A
merchant fuel ship heading from Equatorial Guinea to Malta sank off the coast
of Gabes in Tunisia on Friday, two security sources told Reuters, adding that
the navy rescued all seven crew members.
The
ship carried one thousand tons of fuel and sent a distress call seven miles
away from Gabes to which the Tunisian navy responded, the sources added.
The
cause of the incident was bad weather, the environment ministry said, adding
that water had seeped into the ship and reached a height of two meters.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Tunisia’s
foreign currency reserves rise to $8 billion
15
April ,2022
Tunisia’s
foreign currency reserves rose to $8 billion, or 130 days’ worth of imports,
boosted by a rise in remittances from workers abroad and a $700 million loan
from the Africa Export Import Bank, central bank figures showed on Friday.
Last
week Tunisia’s reserves were equivalent to 115 days of imports.
Tourism
revenues from the beginning of this year until April 10 also increased 48
percent compared with the same period last year, to reach 600 million dinars
($200 million).
Tunisia,
which is experiencing a severe financial crisis, is hoping that remittances
from workers abroad and the vital tourism sector will help prevent a collapse
in the public finances.
The
government expects to welcome 4.7 million tourists this year.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/danish-far-right-rasmus-paludan-quran/d/126804