Geelani’s Resignation Blows Lid Off Pakistan Medical College Racket and The Shadow War Within Hurriyat
New Age Islam News Bureau
5
Jul 2020
•
Geelani’s Resignation Blows Lid Off Pakistan Medical College Racket and The
Shadow War Within Hurriyat
•
Turkey Defers Decision on Turning Hagia Sophia Museum into A Mosque
•
Game of Thrones: Moscow ‘Aiding Taliban To Undermine US Role’
•
Religious Conference in Pakistan Communiqué Says Islam Promotes Peace,
Interfaith Harmony, Respect for Humanity
•
Kedah To Focus on Attracting Investments from Islamic Nations, Says MB
•
Taliban Violence Is Unacceptable, It Has to Go Down: NATO SCR
• Over 80 Killed in Fierce Clashes Between Govt. Troops, Daesh Remnants in Syria’s Homs: Monitor
India
•
Geelani’s Resignation Blows Lid Off Pakistan Medical College Racket and The
Shadow War Within Hurriyat
•
Saw People Being Identified by Religion, Killed, Dumped into Sewer: PCR Caller
Is Key Witness to Delhi Riot Murders
•
In Assam, Officials Lock Down 3 Villages as Thousands Attend Funeral of Aamir-e-Shariat
for the Northeast
•
1 CRPF jawan injured in IED blast by terrorists in J&K's Pulwama
•
Two terrorists killed, JCO among three Armymen injured in J&K encounter
•
Sopore terror attack: IGP visits civilian victim’s family in Srinagar, assures
impartial probe
•
Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch
•
Terrorist dead, two soldiers injured in Kulgam encounter
--------
Mideast
•
Turkey Defers Decision on Turning Hagia Sophia Museum into A Mosque
•
Move to Turn Hagia Sophia Into A Mosque ‘Unacceptable’: Russian Orthodox Church
•
Top Security Official: US Assassination of General Soleimani Huge Gift to
Terrorists
•
UN peacekeepers in Israel suspended over sexual misconduct caught on video
•
Istanbul court jails human rights activists on terror charges
•
Yemen urges UN Security Council to hold session on floating Safer oil tanker
•
Israeli nuclear facilities could become targeted in sabotage: Iranian analysis
•
Israel's annexation of Palestinian lands could trigger 3rd intifada: Abbas'
aide
•
Hundreds protest against Israel’s annexation plans near Nablus
--------
Europe
•
Game of Thrones: Moscow ‘Aiding Taliban To Undermine US Role’
•
Europe Unites Against Israel’s West Bank Annex Plan
•
EU Turkey travel restrictions from politics not health
•
Turkey using 8,000 spies to track dissidents in Germany
--------
Pakistan
•
Religious Conference in Pakistan Communiqué Says Islam Promotes Peace,
Interfaith Harmony, Respect for Humanity
•
There Is Massive Religious Discrimination In Pakistan: Hamza Ali Abbasi
•
PM asks NCOC to prevent virus resurgence on Eid
•
Judge Malik shown the door over misconduct
•
Zardari wants all institutions to respect parliament
•
Rangers detain two members of banned outfit for killing PSP worker
--------
Southeast
Asia
•
Kedah To Focus on Attracting Investments from Islamic Nations, Says MB
•
King Salman not informed Saudi-backed peace centre closed, claims Najib
•
Bank Islam ready to help customers after moratorium ends
•
Three Suspected Militants Arrested in Central Java
--------
South
Asia
•
Taliban Violence Is Unacceptable, It Has to Go Down: NATO SCR
•
Coronavirus Funerals: Sri Lanka's Muslims Decry Forced Cremation
•
Explosion targets police vehicle in Kabul city earlier today
-------
Arab
World
•
Over 80 Killed in Fierce Clashes Between Govt. Troops, Daesh Remnants in
Syria’s Homs: Monitor
•
Iraq reinforces border posts to try to prevent advance of Turkish troops
•
Baghdad condemns US for missile test inside its embassy
•
Iraq officially protests Turkey’s cross-border offensive
•
US Ambassador Shea bans aid distribution among needy families in north Lebanon:
Senior cleric
•
Lebanese border town sounds alarm over Syrian ‘takeover’
•
Air defense systems intercept rocket targeting US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq
--------
Africa
•
Jordan Slaps Electronic Bracelets on Arrivals to Monitor Coronavirus Quarantine
•
Daesh kills 2, including 5-year-old, in Nigeria
•
Nigeria: UN condemns terror attack on civilians
•
Somalia: Bomb blasts kill 5 civilians, 1 police officer
--------
North
America
•
US Envoy Khalilzad Pushing Ahead with Tricky Taliban Peace Deal
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/geelanis-resignation-blows-lid-off/d/122290
------
Geelani’s
Resignation Blows Lid Off Pakistan Medical College Racket and The Shadow War
Within Hurriyat
by
Nirupama Subramanian, Bashaarat Masood
July
5, 2020
Islamabad
would like him to withdraw resignation but the lines have been drawn. (Express
archive photo)
----
Two
years ago, few would have imagined that questions raised within the All Party
Hurriyat Conference (APHC) about an alleged racket in medical seats in Pakistan
would come to such a pass.
The
bombshell resignation of hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah
Geelani last week as “chairperson for life” of the APHC has caused a near
implosion in the Hurriyat.
In
his resignation letter, he accused Hurriyat representatives of corruption and
cosying up to power structures in Pakistan which, ironically, is the shadow
patron of the Hurriyat and whose voice he was in the Valley. He also nominated
Abdullah Geelani, no favourite of Islamabad, as his successor.
The
unravelling of this umbrella group of separatists is a high-stakes political
thriller still awaiting a denouement. How it ends could have far-reaching
consequences given the political vacuum in the Valley.
Its
roots go back to the 2018 controversy over medical seats, sources have told The
Sunday Express. Geelani’s reference to an “internal investigation,” in his
letter is linked to this issue.
For
close to two decades — beginning with the détente in the Musharraf years —
Pakistan rolled out the red carpet for Kashmiri students wanting to study
medicine and engineering. Until last year, students who could not get admission
locally would head to Pakistan, where seats were reserved for them in colleges
in PoK, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Most seats were fully sponsored by the
Pakistan government, which used the Hurriyat, on both sides, to decide the
allocation of these seats.
An
indication of how many Kashmiris studied in Pakistan came when hundreds crossed
the Wagah border last week and are now at Amritsar, waiting to be transported
back to their homes.
In
2018, Abdullah Geelani, a Kashmiri and a former member of the Hizbul
Mujahideen, who has lived in Pakistan for many years, alleged that Ghulam Mustafa
Safi, then convenor of the Muzaffarabad chapter of the APHC, was “selling”
these seats in Kashmir.
Abdullah
is the younger brother of the late Delhi University teacher S A R Geelani who
was acquitted of involvement in the 2001 Jaish attack on Parliament.
Last
year, no students went because of uncertain conditions in Kashmir but before
that, in Srinagar, it was an open secret that both the Geelani and Mirwaiz
factions of the Hurriyat held sway over who got the seats, according to a
beneficiary.
Geelani
Senior’s grand-daughters, too, study medicine in Pakistan, but after
allegations of racketeering first surfaced, he stopped recommending names for
the seats.
The
allegations are now part of a National Investigation Agency investigation in
which several Kashmiris are accused and are in Tihar Jail.
“Allegations
are allegations,” Safi told The Sunday Express from Pakistan. “These
allegations are fake, they have been made in a letter, there is no proof.
Allegations of NIA remain as allegations until proven and substantiated by
documentary proof.”
But
even before the NIA investigation, it had set off a storm in the Hurriyat.
Geelani sacked Safi at the end of 2018 and appointed Abdullah as convenor in
January 2019.
But
Abdullah Geelani’s convenorship was stormy too. He was not popular with the
other Hurriyat leaders in PoK, nor, more importantly, with the Pak
establishment.
Armed
with Geelani Senior’ s mandate, he initiated enquiries against Safi. But Safi,
said to have the backing of the Pak establishment, remained a parallel power
centre.
In
his resignation letter, Geelani Senior makes a reference to these allegations,
and says when “investigations” were launched by the party, “to circumvent the
process of transparency and accountability…your representatives started
non-cooperating with the convenor…”
Safi
denied that his exit as convenor of the Hurriyat’s PoK chapter was acrimonious.
“There are no differences between us,” he said, but added that “as I am the
representative (in PoK) of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat which is not part of APHC…I
am not bound by the leadership of the APHC”.
Safi
said he owes allegiance only to Ashraf Sehrai, leader of the TeH in Kashmir.
Sehrai, whose militant son was recently killed in an encounter, remains a
serious contender to the leadership of the post-Geelani Hurriyat, despite
Geelani’s naming of Abdullah as heir.
Meanwhile,
Abdullah was burning his bridges with Islamabad. Sources said after the August
5 decisions in Kashmir, Abdullah Geelani became a vocal voice against the Pak
establishment for not doing enough to protest New Delhi’s moves.
Hizbul
Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, too, began to question the silence of the Pak
establishment. One view in Pakistan is that Geelani’s resignation may have also
had a Hizb push. At one stage, Salahuddin questioned how some leaders in
Kashmir had escaped detention while others had not, and why those who were free
had not spoken up. Geelani’s resignation letter too raises this concern.
The
Indian security establishment has also been saying for some months that
Salahuddin has been sidelined, and the new Kashmir militant outfit, The
Resistance Front, is a Pak-created front of the globally designated
Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba, and is a snub to the Hizb.
Meanwhile,
Hurriyat leaders in Srinagar too have questioned the authenticity of Geelani’s
resignation letter saying he is in a state of advanced dementia, and allege the
letter is a fabrication by Abdullah.
“He
has been made completely inaccessible. The security around his house (Geelani
is under house detention) doesn’t allow any of us to meet him and his access to
the telephone has been cut off by people who don’t want us to talk to him,”
said a Hurriyat leader in Srinagar, who did not wish to be named.
The
APHC in Muzaffarabad brought out a “report” alleging that Abdullah had foisted
himself on the elder Geelani. It alleged Geelani’s son Dr Nayeem had “managed”
to make Abdullah the convenor in 2019.
Abdullah
rejected the allegations. “Geelani sahib, as he has said in his audio message,
has written a letter to the Hurriyat constituents. We did not leak that letter
so we can’t deny or confirm the letter that is making rounds of the social
media,” he told The Sunday Express from Pakistan.
“In
2018, when Geelani sahib removed Safi sahib, this propaganda about me and
Nayeem Geelani continued for one of two months. That was laid to rest when
Geelani sahib called me during a (Hurriyat) meeting and informed everyone that
I am his representative.”
He
also said the apprehensions about Geelani’s health were not true, and claimed
he spoke to him “every alternate day…for five, ten minutes.”
Abdullah
said it was the administration in Kashmir that had placed him under house
arrest and barred access to him. As for telephonic access, said Abdullah, “the
people (in Srinagar) would have taken this decision for some reason. They would
know it better.”
Nayeem
Geelani, who lives with his father in Srinagar, told The Sunday Express he
would not respond to the accusation against him. “He (Geelani) has a nominated
representative Abdullah Geelani. He is authorised to speak, he is authorised to
give statements,” he told The Sunday Express. “I can’t. How can I, on what
basis? Family has nothing to do with it.”
When
asked why telephone access to Geelani had been barred, Nayeem said it was his
father’s decision. “He has not been talking to media for two years now. He has
himself said that he will not talk to media directly.”
On
June 3, Abdullah was ousted in Muzaffarabad, and replaced by Hussain Mohammed
Khatib, said to be a front for Safi. The new appointment was approved by the
APHC in Srinagar at its June 5 shura, minus Geelani’s participation, a
flashpoint for his resignation.
Even
as it opposes Abdullah, Islamabad knows Geelani remains a powerful voice, and
would prefer that he withdraw his resignation, according to a source.
On
this side of the LoC, government sources said they were not backing anyone in
the leadership stakes. Said an official: “It is enough for us that there is so
much confusion in the separatist ranks. It’s best if this confusion remains.”
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/geelani-resignation-pakistan-medical-college-racket-hurriyat-conference-6490597/
--------
Turkey
defers decision on turning Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque
Andrew
Wilks
July
2, 2020
Hagia
Sophia or Ayasofya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was a Byzantine
cathedral before being converted into a mosque which is currently a museum, is
seen in Istanbul, Turkey. REUTERS
------
In
a half-hour hearing at a functional court building in Ankara, a landmark step
in the future of Istanbul’s 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia was taken on Thursday.
Although
the decision of the Council of State’s 10th Chamber will not be known for up to
two weeks, it could pave the way for the former cathedral and UNESCO World
Heritage site to return to use as a mosque.
Built
by the Byzantines in the 6th century, Hagia Sophia was for centuries the
world’s largest building, a centrepiece for Christianity and an engineering
marvel.
After
conquering Istanbul in 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II made it a place of
worship for Muslims.
In
1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s secular regime turned it into a museum, a
decision at the centre of Thursday’s hearing.
The
verdict has been highly anticipated since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
revived the debate in recent weeks.
Before
last year, Mr Erdogan remained outwardly ambivalent about Hagia Sophia but in
the run-up to local elections he outlined his support for its role as a mosque.
In
May, he appeared on a giant screen as an imam recited the Quran from the iconic
monument to mark the anniversary of the Ottoman conquest, an appearance that
sparked an outpouring of support for re-designating the site.
Such
a move has been foreshadowed in other several cases since 2011 where museums
that had been churches and later mosques, were reverted to mosques.
“Given
the latest push by Erdogan, who is now armed with legal precedents, Hagia
Sophia’s conversion into a mosque is increasingly likely,” said
TugbaTanyeriErdemir, of Turkey’s Association for the Protection of Cultural
Heritage.
“So
far, the alluring prospect of converting Hagia Sophia has served Erdogan well
to divert the attention of his voter base away from his political and economic
failures. By the same token, Erdogan’s readiness to fire his one silver bullet
by converting the Hagia Sophia to save the day is a clear sign of the severity
of his current political predicaments.”
As
the court date approached, Christians around the world called for Turkey to
back away from reclaiming the building, known as Aya Sofya in Turkish and one
of the country’s leading tourist attractions, for Islam.
The
spiritual head of Orthodox Christianity, Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew I, stressed its importance as a symbol of “mutual understanding and
solidarity between Christianity and Islam.” He added that the change would
“turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.”
Meanwhile,
the Orthodox Church in Greece said a switch would “provoke strong protest and
frustration among Christians worldwide” and Russian co-religionists warned it
would “violate fragile inter-confessional balances.”
US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to retain Hagia Sophia’s museum
status “as an exemplar of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and
diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey”.
The
Greek government also objected to any change, with Foreign Minister Nikos
Dendias claiming it would be a “severe blow” to Turkey’s image.
However,
international intervention drew criticism from figures in Turkey’s ruling
party.
“We
do not need anyone’s advice or recommendation on our own affairs,” said
NumanKurtulmus, the party’s vice-chair, while Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu
also stressed it was a sovereign matter. “What is important is what the Turkish
people want,” he said in a television interview.p
In
an open letter, dozens of academics raised concerns about the stewardship of
the building. “Hagia Sophia is too beautiful a monument and too precious a
historical document to serve as a pawn in regional politics,” they said.
However,
others said returning it to Muslim use would not detract from Hagia Sophia’s
role for other religions or as a tourist attraction.
“It
used to be a mosque for centuries and the Ottoman state was a very tolerant
state to religious minorities,” said Talha Kose, chair of political science and
international relations at Istanbul’s Ibn Haldun University.
“I
don’t see any offence to other beliefs in this decision," Saygi Ozturk, a
columnist for the secular Sozcu newspaper, said he expected the court to
overturn the building’s museum status but that the decision would ultimately
come from the government.
“When
we examine the previous decisions of the Council of State and the claims, it
becomes clear that the re-transformation of Ayasofya into a mosque requires a
political decision, not a legal one,” he said.
Turkish
media has speculated the multi-domed structure could open as a mosque on July
15 – the fourth anniversary of a coup attempt against Mr Erdogan.
For
the country’s tiny Christian minority, any change would mark a sad day for
religious tolerance.
“As
a Turkish Christian I would like to see Hagia Sophia stay as a museum because I
think that’s the best way to promote a message of peace and the principle of
living together,” said Barkin Ozturk, a Catholic convert.
“The
decision has many political dimensions but I think the best thing would be to
maintain the status quo.”
https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/turkey-defers-decision-on-turning-hagia-sophia-museum-into-a-mosque-1.1043267
--------
Game
of Thrones: Moscow ‘Aiding Taliban To Undermine US Role’
Sayed
Salahuddin
July
04, 2020
In
this file photo, American soldiers wait on the tarmac in Logar province,
Afghanistan. (AP)
-----
KABUL:
Russia has aided the Taliban for years to force a US withdrawal from Kabul and
undermine American influence in the war-ravaged country, a governor and several
former Afghan officials told Arab News on Saturday.
Rahmatullah
Nabil, director of Afghanistan’s intelligence until 2015, said: “Moscow
initiated contact with the Taliban through Iran before 2014, just as Daesh
emerged in Afghanistan. Russia believed that the Taliban, unlike Daesh, only
had a local agenda and no external ambition.”
He
added that Russian engagement with the Taliban began with a “covert meeting in
a central Asian country in 2014/2015.”
Nabil’s
claims follow news reports last week that allege Moscow offered bounties to the
Taliban for the killing of US soldiers in Afghanistan.
The
reports, based on US intelligence, were established from intercepted electronic
data which showed financial transactions between Russia’s military intelligence
agency and a Taliban-linked account. US officials have also named an Afghan
contractor who acted as a key middleman in the relationship.
Afghanistan
is seen as an important area of Russian foreign policy. Moscow has long
regarded Kabul as a key part of its sphere of influence in Central Asia.
Nabil
said Russia built ties with the Taliban by investing in key areas and supplying
weapons.
“Russia
invested in four layers in Afghanistan — high-ranking government officials,
politicians, Taliban and local warlords in the north. To the first two
categories, it sent financial support through Hawala (a traditional tool for
money transfers) through some Afghan businessmen, and a top-up in fuel which
was exported to Afghanistan,” he said.
He
added that weapons “were given at some borders and crossing points.”
“In
2016, Moscow also handed over 10,000 AK-47s to government forces. Even the
government does not know where the rifles are,” he said.
Moscow
welcomed the toppling of the Taliban in the 2001 US-led invasion, but over the
years it has — like its regional ally Iran — spoken against an extended US
presence in the country.
Experts
say Russia’s complaints have been long in the making.
It
began with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, with Russia
accusing the US and other Western countries of supplying weapons to Mujahideen
factions who fought against Soviet troops.
Russia
was eventually forced to retreat from Kabul after nearly 10 years of bloody
occupation, creating a deep mistrust between Moscow and Washington, which
eventually lead to Russia aiding the Taliban in its bid to force a US
withdrawal.
Ghulam
Rabbani Rabbani, a member of Kunduz’s provincial council, said he was “not
surprised” to learn that Russia was using the Taliban. He added that
Rahmatullah Azizi, an Afghan businessman, had acted as a middleman between the
two groups.
“Azizi
has disappeared all of a sudden, but the intelligence agency has arrested four
people close to him,” Rabbani told Arab News.
Others
said the war in Afghanistan had both “regional and international dimensions,”
and that Russia was just one of the players in the “great game.”
“The
war here is not between the government and the Taliban, otherwise you would
have already seen a winner,” Dawlat Waziri, a retired defense ministry general,
told Arab News, adding that Moscow was tending to old wounds.
“Russia
wants the US to suffer a defeat like it did. It wants America to lose soldiers
and see the downfall of its economy so that it is forced to leave Afghanistan,”
he said.
Anwar
Jigdalak, a former governor of Kunduz province, agreed.
Citing
locals in northern Kunduz, 335 km north of Kabul, he said the Taliban had once
sent one of its shadow governors, Mawlavi Abdul Salaam, to Tajikistan to hold
talks with Russian officials and strengthen their relationship.
Kunduz
is a strategic province which lies close to Tajikistan, and was the first city
seized by the Taliban in 2015 “with the help of Russian intelligence,” Jigdalak
said.
“But
when Salaam returned to Afghanistan, an American killed him in an air strike.
When Moscow wants to be present in Syria, which is very far, why not have
influence in Afghanistan which is close,” he added, referring in part to the
Russian support of Syria’s Assad regime.
Experts
say other issues are at stake, too.
AimalFaizi,
an analyst, said the allegations of Russian bounties are “part of an effort by
some to keep troops in Afghanistan.”
He
tweeted: “They have been trying to prolong the US war and occupation in
Afghanistan by different means.”
Both
Moscow and the Taliban have repeatedly denied the allegations. Zabihullah
Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, told Arab News on Thursday that the reports were
“false,” and spread “to keep US troops in Afghanistan to confront its enemies.”
He
added: “Our contacts with Russia have been all the time for political and
diplomatic goals only.”
Last
week’s report comes amid a push by several current and former US generals to
keep US troops in Afghanistan, an important condition for a historic peace deal
signed with the Taliban in late February this year.
If
it happens, it could throw the spotlight on President Donald Trump’s campaign
pledge to withdraw all troops from the country.
Trump,
who is standing for re-election in November, said all soldiers would leave by
next spring based on the February agreement.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1700006/world
--------
Religious
Conference in Pakistan Communiqué Says Islam Promotes Peace, Interfaith
Harmony, Respect For Humanity
July
5, 2020
RAWALPINDI:
Islam is the greatest religion which always promotes patience and forbearance,
peace and protection for everyone, interfaith harmony and respect for humanity.
This
was crux of the speeches delivered at a conference, chaired by Federal Minister
for Religious Affairs Pir Dr NoorulHaqQadri, and attended by ulema and scholars
of different schools of thought here.
Pir
Muhammad Naqeebur Rahman presided over the meeting, held at Eidgah Sharif here
on Saturday. More than 32 ulema and scholars spoke at the conference, and a
joint communiqué was also issued at the end of the event.
The
communiqué said all human beings are equal in the eyes of religion, and there
is no concept of extremism, sectarianism and intolerance in Islam. It said the
country could not afford hatred for others and extremism especially in the
current circumstance, and the faithful would have to join hands to steer the
country out of all crises.
The
joint statement said that once Muslims used to be one irrespective of their
sectarian differences, but a wave of sectarianism, spread by the enemy, has
divided them all.
It
said our internal differences and infighting damaged us more than the
conspiracies of the enemies. Quoting various sayings of Holy Prophet (Peace be
upon him), the statement urged followers of different schools of though to get
united.
The
communiqué quoted Sura Aali Imran:103, which says: “Hold firmly to the way,
rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.”
The
statement said those creating differences among followers of different schools
of though were, in fact, enemies of both Islam and the state of Pakistan. It
stressed protection of life and properties of not only Muslims but all
non-Muslims living in Pakistan.
The
communiqué specially stressed seven points for creating harmony in the country
including ever saying anything that could hurt religious sentiments of other
Muslims, finding commonalities and stressing mutual respect, using
constructive, instead of destructive, ways of preaching your religious views,
discouraging those elements who spread sectarianism, etc.
The
communiqué called for setting up a permanent national dispute resolution
commission, which should help resolve all interfaith disputes independently and
impartially.
The
conference participants condemned sectarianism, extremism and terrorism in all
its forms and manifestations. They also called for presenting the communiqué in
the National Assembly in the form of a bill and making it part of the
Constitution.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/682389-religious-conference-communique-says-islam-promotes-peace-interfaith-harmony-respect-for-humanity
--------
Kedah
to focus on attracting investments from Islamic nations, says MB
04
Jul 2020
edah
Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor speaks to the media after chairing a
meeting of the state executive council at Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar May
27, 2020. — Bernama pic
------
ALOR
SETAR, July 4 —The Kedah government will focus on attracting new investments
from Muslim countries into the state including for its iconic projects, said
MentriBesar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
He
said the decision was made following the advice of PAS president Datuk Seri
Abdul Hadi Awang during the party’s Government Advisory Council meeting at Seri
Mentaloon here today. Abdul Hadi was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special
Envoy to the Middle East in April.
Muhammad
Sanusi said among the Muslim nations to be given attention was Turkey, which
enjoys good relations with Malaysia.
“Previously,
‘tuan guru’ (Abdul Hadi) had mentioned about several groups of investors from
Turkey and other Middle East countries; he wanted to bring them to invest in
our country.
“In
Kedah, projects such as the Kulim International Airport (KXP), Kedah Rubber
City and Special Border Economic Zone (SBEZ) in Bukit Kayu Hitam still do not
have major investors. Thus, we should attract foreign investors especially from
Muslim countries,” he said at a media conference after the meeting.
He
said the state government would ensure technology transfer in the process and
there would be better collaboration if investors from Muslim countries are
involved in the iconic projects.
However,
Muhammad Sanusi said the move to attract investments from Muslim countries was
just to provide more options and did not mean rejecting those from other
countries such as China.
Existing
investments from China would be continued, he added. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2020/07/04/kedah-to-focus-on-attracting-investments-from-islamic-nations-says-mb/1881468
--------
Taliban
violence is unacceptable, it has to go down: NATO SCR
05
Jul 2020
The
NATO called on the Taliban group to decrease violence as the country is going
towards an intra-Afghan peace dialogue.
Stefano
Pontecorvo, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan in a video
message published on his twitter account has said that the Taliban violence has
to go down as it creates an issue for the ongoing peace efforts.
“Taliban
violence has to go down, it is simply unacceptable and it is creating an issue,
a problem for getting to the peace talks”, Stefano said in a twitter message.
Stefano
Pontecorvo, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan and General
Scott Miller, the commander of U.S and Resolute Support forces in Afghanistan
have travelled to Brussels to meet with the NATO allies.
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-violence-is-unacceptable-it-has-to-go-down-nato-scr-79879/
--------
Over
80 killed in fierce clashes between govt. troops, Daesh remnants in Syria’s
Homs: Monitor
04
July 2020
Heavy
clashes have broken out between Syrian government troops and remnants of the
Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the country’s central province of Homs with
reported casualties from both sides.
The
UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a report on Saturday that
clashes had taken place between Syrian soldiers, supported by allied fighters,
and Daesh terrorists in al-Sukhna desert in eastern Homs during the previous
two days.
It
added that at least 80 people had been killed during the fierce fighting,
including 30 terrorists and 18 government troopers, who were supported by
Syrian and Russian airstrikes.
According
to the report, the clashes occurred after the terrorists launched coordinated
attacks on several government positions in the vicinity of the town of Sukhna.
Members
of Daesh have retained a roving presence in western Syria despite losing their
last stronghold last year. They carry out regular attacks against government
forces.
Russian
jets have been carrying out air raids against targets belonging to Daesh and
those of other terror outfits inside Syria at the Damascus government’s formal
request since September 2015.
The
airstrikes have helped Syrian forces advance against anti-Damascus militants,
who have been wreaking havoc in the Arab country since 2011.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628896/Syria-Homs
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India
Saw
People Being Identified by Religion, Killed, Dumped into Sewer: PCR Caller Is
Key Witness to Delhi Riot Murders
July
5, 2020
A
PCR call made during the Northeast Delhi riots helped Delhi Police track a key
eyewitness, who shared details of how a mob carrying weapons identified and
killed Muslim men and threw their bodies in a drain, reveal three chargesheets
filed in connection with the killing of three men during the riots.
The
Delhi Police chargesheets related to the murders of Aamin, Bhure Ali and Hamza
place on record details of a PCR call made on February 26 at 10.05 pm, wherein
the caller informed police about a Muslim man’s bike being set on fire, and the
man jumping into the drain to escape. The caller was traced and identified as a
Ganga Vihar resident. His disclosure statement is now a key piece of evidence.
As
per the chargesheet, the man first made a PCR call at 10.05 pm. The incident
description read: “The caller is Hindu. Hindus have set a Muslim man’s bike on
fire. They were also going to set him on fire, and he jumped into the drain.”
According
to the chargesheet, in a call 20 minutes later, the same caller said, “Muslims
are being killed and their bikes are being set on fire”.
The
chargesheet quotes the man as saying he was returning home on February 24
evening when he was “accosted by the rioters at Ganga Vihar”. “While applying
the brake, his bike slipped and he fell down… When he got up, he found his bike
missing… He made a PCR call and thereafter went to police station Gokalpuri,
but his complaint could not be lodged as the situation was grim and officials
told him to come the next day,” it states.
The
next day, at 4 pm, while returning home from Gokalpuri police station, “he saw
a large mob carrying stones, cudgel, sticks, swords, and iron rods, etc, on
JohripurPulia, shouting slogans like ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’. They
were checking identity of persons and if any Muslim was found, they were
beating and throwing bodies in the naala after killing them. Most in the mob
were wearing a helmet or had their faces muffled,” the chargesheet states.
On
February 26, around 9.30 pm, he went to the Bhagirathi Vihar drain in search of
his bike, and “saw that the mob had stopped a person coming from Loni”. “After
establishing his Muslim identity, they killed him with stones, cudgel, sticks,
swords, and iron rods and threw him in the naala. Thereafter, the mob stopped
two persons riding an Apache bike. The mob, after establishing their identity,
killed both the persons… and threw them in the naala… The mob killed several
others after confirming their religious identity,” the chargesheet states.
The
chargesheet also states he could identify a few “persons in the mob”. “Sumit
and Ankit Fauji were leading the mob and giving directions to associates… He
knows all of them well, being from the same area. Thereafter, he left for his
home and called at PCR No. 100 two times,” the chargesheet states.
Police
have also relied on the disclosure statements of two other eyewitnesses. Both
gave similar details of what transpired. On one of the witnesses, the
chargesheet states: “After seeing these incidents, he was in fear and did not
report them to anyone. Later, he thought he should report these incidents to
police.”
Aamin
was killed and thrown in a drain in Bhagirathi Vihar’s C-block around 9.30 pm
on February 25, when he was coming from BrijpuriPuliya on foot. On February 26,
around 10.30 am, Bhure Ali was killed and thrown at the same spot as Aamin. And
on February 26, around 9.15 pm, Hamza was killed and thrown in a drain in
E-block, while he was coming from Mustafabad.
Police
have named nine accused in the murders — Lokesh Solanki (19), Pankaj Sharma
(31), Ankit Chaudary (23), Prince (22), Jatin Sharma (19), Himanshu Thakur
(19), Vivek Panchal (20), RishabChaudary (20) and Sumit Chaudhary (23).
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/saw-people-being-identified-by-religion-killed-dumped-into-sewer-pcr-caller-is-key-witness-to-delhi-riot-murders-6490678/
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In
Assam, Officials Lock Down 3 Villages as Thousands Attend Funeral of
Aamir-e-Shariat for the Northeast
by
Abhishek Saha
July
5, 2020
After
thousands of people in Assam’s Nagaon district attended the funeral of a
well-known preacher—the father of a legislator—fears of the spread of the
coronavirus have escalated, prompting officials to lock down three villages
surrounding the field where the gathering was held.
The
funeral prayer gathering for Khairul Islam — a vice-president of the All India
Jamiat Ulema and a “Aamir-e-Shariat” for the Northeast — was held at his native
place in Nagaon on the afternoon of July 2. Islam was 87.
The
family wanted the funeral to be held on July 3, but later decided to go ahead
with it by July 2 itself. Photographs shared on Facebook by his son Aminul
Islam, an MLA of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) from Nagaon’s
Dhing constituency, shows a huge gathering at a field.
District
administration officials estimate at least 10,000 people were in attendance.
Nagaon
Deputy Commissioner Jadav Saikia said two police cases have been filed, one suo
motu by the police and another by a magistrate present at the spot. Saikia
added that a lockdown has been imposed on three villages surrounding the field
in an attempt to contain any spread of the virus.
“There
were no law and order issues in the gathering. But the gatherers violated the
ongoing Covid pandemic laws regarding gathering, social distancing, wearing
masks, etc. The cases are not against any individual but against violators. We
will investigate the case and proceed as per law,” Saikia told The Sunday
Express.
MLA
Islam told The Sunday Express: “My father was a very renowned figure and had a
very large following. We had communicated to the administration about the death
and the funeral. Accordingly, to limit the number of participants, the police
also asked many vehicles to revert back. But still people found ways to turn
up.”
In
April, Aminul Islam was arrested and booked under sedition for allegedly making
communal statements in an audio clip and sharing it on social media.
In
a viral audio clip, he purportedly said that quarantine centres in Assam were
“worse” than the state’s detention centres for undocumented migrants and that
the government was “conspiring” against Muslims and putting those associated
with the Tablighi Jamaat into isolation. He alleged that the state could kill
someone in quarantine and then say the person died “due to the coronavirus”.
The
legislator is out on bail now.
https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/assam/in-assam-officials-lock-down-3-villages-as-thousands-attend-preachers-funeral-6490529/
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1
CRPF jawan injured in IED blast by terrorists in J&K's Pulwama
Jul
5, 2020
PULWAMA:
A CRPF jawan has suffered injuries in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device)
attack carried out by terrorists in Gangoo area of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday,
the CRPF said.
The
incident took place at 0740 hours today following which one CRPF personnel of
182 Bn CRPF sustained minor splinter injury and was evacuated to Unit MI room.
It
is suspected that the attack was to target a CRPF Convoy, the area is being
cordoned off and other details awaited, the CRPF informed.
The
forces retaliated with some aerial firing. It was a low-intensity blast.
A
search operation is underway.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/1-crpf-jawan-injured-in-ied-blast-by-terrorists-in-jks-pulwama/articleshow/76793294.cms
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Two
terrorists killed, JCO among three Armymen injured in J&K encounter
Jul
4, 2020
SRINAGAR:
Two terrorists were killed while three Armymen, including a junior commissioned
officer (JCO), were injured in an ongoing anti-terror operation in the Arrah
area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday afternoon, IGP (Kashmir
Range) Vijay Kumar said.
Based
on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in Arrah, a joint team
of Army’s 34 RR regiment, CRPF and J&K Police launched a cordon-and-search
operation in the area, Kumar said. As the forces neared the suspected hideout,
holed-up ultras opened fire at the search party, triggering a shootout in which
initially one terrorist was killed and the Army trio sustained minor injuries.
The
IGP said the operation was halted for a few hours as the security forces brought
the family members of the second terrorist to the spot of the encounter so that
they could persuade him to surrender. The terrorist, however, turned a deaf ear
to his kin’s pleas and was killed after the exchange of fire resumed.
The
injured were shifted to Army’s 92 Base hospital for treatment even as the
firefight continued till the filing of this report. Internet services were
suspended in Kulgam as a precautionary measure. As many as 120 terrorists have
been killed in Kashmir Valley this year so far, an official said.
Meanwhile
in Rajouri district, a joint team of security forces busted a terrorist hideout
in DodassanBala village in Thanamandi area on Saturday and recovered a sizeable
amount of arms and ammunition including “one UBGL, 11 UBGL grenades, 14 AK
magazines, 920 AK rounds, two Chinese pistols, two pistol magazines, one
Chinese grenade, detonators with IED-making material, one pressure mine and one
Pika round,” Rajouri SSP Chandan Kohli said.
“On
specific information, a joint team of police and Army’s 38 RR launched a
cordon-and-search operation in DodassanBala and Dodassan Pain areas under
Thanamandi police station area. During the search, a terrorist hideout
concealed within bushes was busted,” the SSP said.
Thanamandi
Police registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC, Arms Act and
Explosive Substances Act and further investigation is underway, Kohli added.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/two-terrorists-killed-jco-among-three-armymen-injured-in-jk-encounter/articleshow/76791104.cms
--------
Sopore
terror attack: IGP visits civilian victim’s family in Srinagar, assures
impartial probe
Jul
4, 2020
SRINAGAR:
Kashmir range inspector general of police Vijay Kumar visited the family of a
civilian, who was killed in a terror attack in Sopore earlier this week, in the
HMT locality of the city on Saturday and assured them of an impartial
investigation. Kumar also offered to show the family CCTV footage to prove that
Bashir Ahmed Khan, 65, was killed by terrorists and not CRPF men.
Family
members of the deceased had accused CRPF personnel of killing him after
terrorists opened fire on them from inside a mosque at Nowpora crossing in
Model Town of Sopore on July 1.
“I
heard their grievances and cleared all aspects. I assured them of an impartial
investigation into the incident. I also offered to show them CCTV footage (of
the incident) if they wish to see the same,” Kumar said.
Police
maintain that Khan fell to terrorists’ bullets when they started firing on a
CRPF patrol party from inside the mosque, killing a CRPF trooper and injuring
three other paramilitary men.
In
a video statement shared on social media, Khan’s son Suhail Ahmad had alleged
that CRPF personnel “dragged my father out of his car and shot him dead”.
On
the fateful day, Khan was travelling from Srinagar to Sopore to fetch a
domestic help.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sopore-terror-attack-igp-visits-civilian-victims-family-in-srinagar-assures-impartial-probe/articleshow/76791131.cms
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Pakistan
violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch
Jul
4, 2020
JAMMU:
Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu &
Kashmir’s Poonch district late on Saturday, attracting prompt retaliation from
the Indian side.
“At
around 7.45pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by resorting
to firing with small arms and mortar shelling along the LoC in Degwar sector of
Poonch. Indian Army retaliated befittingly to the breach of truce,” said
Jammu-based defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand.
There
has been a spurt in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and International Border
in J&K this year with over 2,027 cases of violation being reported in the
first six months, till June 10.
Two
Pakistan soldiers were killed on July 2 and several bunkers destroyed in
retaliatory action by the Indian Army to the ceasefire violation by Pakistan on
LoC in three sectors of Poonch district.
Four
Indian soldiers were killed in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Rajouri
and Poonch districts in June — Havildar Mathiazhagan P from Tamil Nadu was
killed on June 4 in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district, Naik Gurcharan Singh
(28) of Punjab was killed on June 10 in Manjakote sector of the same district
and Sepoy LungambuiAbonmei (29) was severely injured in Kirni sector of Poonch
and succumbed to his injuries on June 13 and Havildar Dipak Karki was
critically injured in the firing and later succumbed to his injuries in
Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on June 22.
National
Conference leader Devender Singh Rana expressed concern over recent spurt in
LoC shelling and sought early completion of community bunkers. “During these
grim times of Covid-19, the people along LoC are braving the brunt of Pakistan
shelling that has not only created fear psychosis but also caused enormous
suffering”, Rana said in an interaction with party functionaries of Poonch
district via video conferencing. He expressed solidarity with border residents,
saying their welfare is the responsibility of the entire nation.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-along-loc-in-poonch/articleshow/76791101.cms
--------
Terrorist
dead, two soldiers injured in Kulgam encounter
Jul
05, 2020
An
unidentified militant was killed and two soldiers injured in an encounter in
south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday.
Officials
from the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jammu and
Kashmir police launched a search operation in Arreh village in the district
following information about the presence of militants in the area, Gurinderpal
Singh, Kulgam’s superintendent of police, said.
During
the operation, the militants opened fire on the security personnel. A militant
was killed in retaliatory firing, Singh said.
There
are two to three militants present in the village, people familiar with the
matter said.
The
encounter has come a day after police and CRPF personnel on Friday killed a
local militant Zahid Dass in Malbagh on the outskirts of the city. His
accomplices, however, managed to escape under the cover of darkness. One CRPF
jawan was also killed in the encounter.
On
Thursday, Kashmir inspector general Vijay Kumar said that security forces have
prepared a list of top militants and commanders who will be neutralized in the
coming months. Many top commanders of different militant outfits have been
neutralised over the last few months, Kumar said, adding that about half of
those killed belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
In
last six months, over 100 militants have been killed in different encounters.
According to police data, there has been a nearly 50% decline in local
recruitment.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/terrorist-dead-two-soldiers-injured-in-kulgam-encounter/story-1pBRJsEl4sOjFGU8xAsr8J.html
--------
Mideast
Move
to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque ‘unacceptable’: Russian Orthodox Church
04
July 2020
Converting
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia monument from a museum to a mosque would be
“unacceptable”, a senior official in the Russian Orthodox Church said on
Saturday.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has proposed restoring the mosque status of the
UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sixth century building at the heart of both the
Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of Turkey’s most
visited monuments.
“We
can’t go back to the Middle Ages now,” Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the
Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, said on state
television, the Interfax news agency reported.
“We
live in a multipolar world, we live in a multi-confessional world and we need
to respect the feelings of believers.”
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
He
said the Russian Orthodox Church did not understand the motive for Hagia
Sophia’s conversion and that it believed domestic politics was behind the move.
“We
believe that in the current conditions this act is an unacceptable violation of
religious freedom,” he was quoted as saying.
A
Turkish court earlier this week heard a case aimed at converting the building
back into a mosque and will announce its verdict later this month.
The
court case, brought by an NGO for preserving historic monuments, disputes the
legality of a decision in 1934, in the early days of the modern secular Turkish
state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, to convert Hagia Sophia - known in Turkish
as Ayasofya - from a mosque into a museum.
The
proposal has been criticized by other religious and political leaders.
Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox
Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque
would disappoint Christians and would “fracture” East and West.
US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Greek government have also urged Turkey
to keep the building as a museum.
Erdogan
has described foreign criticism over the proposal as an attack on Turkey’s
sovereignty.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/04/Move-to-turn-Hagia-Sophia-into-a-mosque-unacceptable-Russian-Orthodox-Church.html
--------
Top
Security Official: US Assassination of General Soleimani Huge Gift to
Terrorists
Jul
04, 2020
"Assassination
of martyr Soleimani was the US biggest gift to the Takfiri terrorism and its
supporters," Shamkhani said on Saturday, addressing a meeting to pursue
assassination of General Soleimani.
He
said that the US and Israel were angry at General Soleimani for his unique role
in fighting against Takfiri terrorism in the region and displaying the truth
behind the US anti-terrorism gestures and theater, and noted that the world
should praise General Soleimani for his smart command and sincere efforts to
prevent spread of Takfiri terrorism in the world.
Iran
announced last Monday that it had issued arrest warrants for 36 officials of
the US and other countries who have been involved in the assassination of the
martyred General Soleimani.
"36
individuals who have been involved or ordered the assassination of Hajj Qassem,
including the political and military officials of the US and other governments,
have been identified and arrest warrants have been issued for them by the
judiciary officials and red alerts have also been issued for them via the
Interpol," Prosecutor-General of Tehran Ali AlqasiMehr said.
He
said that the prosecuted individuals are accused of murder and terrorist
action, adding that US President Donald Trump stands at the top of the list and
will be prosecuted as soon as he stands down presidency after his term ends.
Lieutenant
General Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike on Baghdad
International Airport in Iraq on January 3.
The
airstrike also martyred Deputy Commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces
(PMF) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The two were martyred in an American airstrike
that targeted their vehicle on the road to the airport.
Five
Iranian and five Iraqi military men were martyred by the missiles fired by the
US drone at Baghdad International Airport.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990414000755
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UN
peacekeepers in Israel suspended over sexual misconduct caught on video
04
July 2020
The
United Nations has suspended two male staff members of its peacekeeping
operation in the Middle East without pay after an initial inquiry found they
had engaged in sexual misconduct in the Israeli-occupied territories.
The
UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services launched the investigation after an
18-second video clip was shared widely on social media last month, showing a
woman in a red dress straddling a man in the back seat of a UN-marked vehicle,
while another man dozes in the passenger seat as the vehicle drives down a
coastal boulevard in Tel Aviv.
“Two
male international staff members who were in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv have
been identified as having engaged in misconduct, including conduct of a sexual
nature,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres,
said in a statement.
Dujarric
said the video involved staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization (UNTSO), which provides military observers to monitoring missions
in south Lebanon and the occupied Golan Heights.
Given
the seriousness of the allegations, Dujarric added, the two were placed on
administrative leave without pay, pending the conclusion of the investigation
by the UN’s internal investigations office.
There
have been frequent allegations of sexual misconduct by UN peacekeepers in
recent years, placing the forces under scrutiny over such claims.
In
2019, there were 175 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against UN
staff members, a report said.
Of
those allegations, 16 were substantiated, while 15 were unsubstantiated. All
other claims are still being investigated.
Guterres
has pledged to take a "zero-tolerance" approach against sexual
misconduct within the UN's ranks.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628857/UN-peacekeepers-in-Israel-suspended-without-pay-over-sexual-misconduct-caught-on-video
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Istanbul
court jails human rights activists on terror charges
July
04, 2020
ISTANBUL:
Human rights activists, including a former head of Amnesty International’s
Turkish branch, have been jailed by an Istanbul court on terror-related charges
in a decision condemned as an “outrage” by fellow campaigners.
Amnesty
International Turkey’s honorary chair TanerKilic was sentenced to six years and
three months in prison for “terror organization membership.”
GunalKursun
from the Human Rights Agenda Association; IdilEser, former executive director
of Amnesty International Turkey; and OzlemDalkiran, former head of Amnesty
International’s communications department, were each handed jail terms of one
year and 13 months for “aiding a terror organization.”
Their
lawyers said the motive behind the high-profile case, which concluded on
Friday, was to silence and intimidate human rights organizations.
Amnesty
International has described the case as a travesty of justice.
IdilEser,
a defendant in the case, told Arab News: “It is disappointing and legally
concerning to be punished as a human rights defender for acts which are not
criminal. It is not a crime to defend human rights. We hope that this
conviction which is baseless in legal terms would be annulled at the appeal. It
is crystal clear that all defendants in this case are not criminals, because
there is not a crime at all.”
The
defendants are now expected to appeal the verdict in the case dubbed the
‘Buyukada trial.”
Other
human rights activists, including NalanErkem, lknurUstun, Ali Gharavi, Peter
Steudtner, VeliAcu, Nejat Tastan and SeyhmusOzbekli, were acquitted.
The
activists were arrested three years ago in a police raid on a hotel on Buyukada
Island, near Istanbul, where they were taking part in a workshop. Police seized
their computers and phones, and arrested the group on terror charges.
The
prosecution claimed that the hotel gathering was a “secret meeting to organize
an uprising,” in order to trigger a “chaos environment” in the country – a claim
categorically denied by the defendants.
Members
of the international community stood in solidarity with the accused and said
that the case is politically motivated.
“Another
disappointing court verdict against civil rights and civil society in Turkey. Not
how we put our relations on a positive track. My thoughts are with imprisoned
and families. Solidarity with democratic forces in Turkey!” tweeted Sergey
Lagodinsky, chair of the EU-Turkey delegation at the European Parliament.
DunjaMijatovic,
the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, voiced concerns that
Turkey is targeting and silencing human rights defenders.
Andrew
Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher, who observed the hearing,
said the verdict is an outrage based on absurd allegations without any evidence
and is supported by a pro-government media smear campaign.
“It
was a huge disappointment. It has been three years and 12 hearings so far. What
we saw is that the court in its verdicts decided to stick with the claims of
the government media in Turkey, rather than justice, reason and logic,” he told
Arab News.
“We
are not only disappointed for these human rights activists in the trial, but
also for anyone who believes in justice and peaceful civil society activism in
Turkey. But we won’t give up until all are acquitted and we will be campaigning
for justice,” he added.
Later
this month, prominent civil society figure and businessman Osman Kavala will
mark his 1,000th day behind bars over allegations of terror and fomenting chaos
in the country by funding human rights activism.
Erdal
Dogan, the lawyer for IdilEser, said defending human rights has never been easy
in Turkey.
“However,
in recent years, those who defend human rights have been demonized,” he told
Arab News.
Dogan
says a court decision to maintain the verdict will signify a move away from the
modern legal and universal human rights systems.
“In
that case, the regime will get out of hand and no civil and independent social
monitoring will be applied,” he added.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1700036/middle-east
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Yemen
urges UN Security Council to hold session on floating Safer oil tanker
04
July 2020
Yemeni
foreign minister Mohammed al-Hadhrami called on the UN Security Council to hold
a special session on the Safer floating oil tank following the Iran-backed
Houthi militia’s refusal to allow UN experts to conduct their five-year
maintenance on the ship.
The
tanker, which has been floating near the port city of Hodeidah since 1989
following an oil spill, is at risk of exploding and causing a massive
environmental disaster.
Safer
– often described by officials as a ticking time bomb – has not docked since
2014 and is currently in waters controlled by the Houthis.
The
minister called on the council to address the situation immediately and
separate the issue from Yemen’s ongoing crisis.
An
environmental catastrophe would pose a more immediate threat to Yemen and the
region, he added.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/07/04/Yemen-urges-UN-Security-Council-to-hold-session-on-floating-Safer-oil-tanker.html
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Israeli
nuclear facilities could become targeted in sabotage: Iranian analysis
04
July 2020
A
website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says giving credit to
an attempt to undermine the country’s nuclear capabilities could have wider
international ramifications, including the possibility for an attack on nuclear
facilities operated by the Israeli regime.
A
Saturday article by Nour News said media reports crediting Israel for an
alleged cyber attack targeting Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility mean that the
regime itself would be posed to similar threats.
The
article, which had no byline, said the international community should be more
concerned about cyber sabotage attempts targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities as
they could lead to nuclear leaks with environmental ramifications of unknown
magnitude.
It
added, however, that despite Israel’s policy of keeping silent on sabotage acts
targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, such moves are ultimately attributed to the
regime given its long records of hostility towards Iran and its peaceful
nuclear activities.
“The
sensitivity and significance of this issue becomes obvious when one considers
the nuclear nature of the Zionist regime and the proven vulnerability of Israel
in facing counter actions,” read a part of the article.
Iranian
authorities have determined the cause of the incident at Natanz on Thursday
which led to fire at an open section of the facility. However, they have vowed
to speak about the incident in more details at a more convenient time in
future.
Security
sources have said that Iran would retaliate if it becomes clear that Israel, or
the United States, have been behind any attempt targeting Iran’s nuclear sites.
The
article by Nour News said Israel should await serious consequences if it
crosses Iran’s "red lines", adding that in such circumstances, the
regime would not be able to show off its sabotage acts against Iran through
fantasy televisions series like “Tehran”.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628875/Iran-nuclear-facility-incident-Israel-responsibility-article
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Israel's
annexation of Palestinian lands could trigger 3rd intifada: Abbas' aide
05
July 2020
An
adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that a third intifada
(uprising) could be just around the corner if Israel goes ahead with its
highly-contentious plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Speaking
to France 24 Arabic on Saturday, Nabil Shaath said that the two major
Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah, which are based in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank respectively, are in agreement about a new intifada if Israel annexes
the West Bank.
“When
things flare up and it becomes a fully-fledged intifada, we will see a
combination of forces between Gaza and the West Bank,” he said.
Shaath
also noted that he expected the potential Palestinian uprising to be funded by
the Arab world.
The
first intifada, which took place in 1987-1993, involved Palestinian
demonstrations, mass boycotts and general strikes as well as attacks on Israeli
forces using rocks, Molotov cocktails, and firearms.
The
second intifada featured many more pitched gun battles and bombings. It began
in 2000 and lasted until 2005, leaving 3,200 Palestinians and about 1,000
Israelis dead.
Israel's
ruling coalition, led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had announced July
1 as the date to begin moving forward with the scheme to impose “sovereignty”
over about a third of the West Bank, including settlements and the fertile
Jordan Valley.
The
regime, however, failed to launch the land grab bid on the set date amid
widening differences between Netanyahu and his coalition partner, minister of
military affairs Benny Gantz.
Israeli
labor, social affairs and services minister OfirAkunis stressed that officials
were still working out the details of the plan with their American
counterparts.
Akunis
also said that he expected the annexation to take place later this month after
US President Donald Trump issued a declaration on the matter.
The
US president had already given Tel Aviv the green light for the land grab in
his self-proclaimed “deal of the century,” which was unveiled in January with
the aim of re-drawing the Middle East map.
But
recently there have been indications of Trump's waning support for the
annexation deal, with some analysts arguing that the US president already has
too much on his plate to deal with in light of the upcoming elections and the
COVID-19 crisis gripping the United States, and therefore is not in a situation
to continue his controversial support for Netanyahu's land grab project.
Israel’s
planned push to illegally consolidate its occupation of Palestine has drawn
fierce international condemnations even from some of the regime's closest
allies.
The
UN, the EU and key Arab countries have all said the West Bank annexation would
violate international law and undermine the prospects of establishing a
sovereign Palestinian state on 1967 boundaries.
At
a joint press conference on July 2, Hamas and Fatah pledged unity against
Israel’s annexation of Palestinian areas and vowed to “topple” Trump's Middle
East plan.
Israeli
lawmaker Ayman Odeh of opposition Joint List party also attended the
conference.
“I’m
taking part in the conference in Ramallah to support Palestinian reconciliation
moves. Reconciliation between the factions is a necessary step in combating
annexation, ending the occupation and achieving a just peace,” he said in a
statement.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628917/Palestine-inftifada-Nabil-Shaath-Israel-annexation
--------
Hundreds
protest against Israel’s annexation plans near Nablus
04
July 2020
Hundreds
of Palestinians staged a protest against Israel’s plans to annex parts of the
occupied West Bank, in the town of Asira, north of Nablus, on Friday.
Footage
shows Israeli forces firing tear gas and stun grenades at protesters, as well
as the fires those grenades caused in agricultural lands.
The
Israeli regime is planning to annex large areas of the occupied West Bank; a
step which has been denounced by the United Nations, several European powers,
and the Palestinian Authority as well as human rights organizations as being
contrary to international law.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628892/protest-West-Bank-Palestine-Israel-annexation
--------
Europe
Europe
unites against Israel’s West Bank annex plan
Busra
Nur BilgicCakmak
04.07.2020
Encouraged
by US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century,” Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month announced his government would formally
annex the Jordan Valley and all settlement blocs in the West Bank.
The
annexation was scheduled to be declared by Netanyahu on Wednesday.
But
uncertainty surrounds Netanyahu's position in light of widespread international
criticism of the plan along with differences with the US on its application.
Annexation
“will certainly happen in July,” but it has to be done in partnership with the
US, OfirAkunis, Israel’s regional cooperation minister, told Army Radio.
The
annexation “will only happen after a declaration by Trump,” he added.
The
West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is viewed as occupied territory under
international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there -- as well as the
planned annexation -- illegal.
Palestinian
officials have threatened to abolish bilateral agreements with Israel if it
goes ahead with the annexation, which will further undermine the two-state
solution.
Like
Turkey and much of the international community, the EU does not recognize
Israel’s sovereignty over territories it has occupied since 1967.
Germany
Parliament
expressed its strong opposition Wednesday to Israeli plans to annex.
Foreign
Minister Heiko Maas warned that the Israeli move would threaten the stability
of the entire Middle East.
"Peace
cannot be reached through one-sided steps," Maas told parliament in
Berlin.
He
vowed to put the issue on top of the agenda as Berlin assumed a six-month
rotating European Union presidency as well as head of the monthlong UN Security
Council.
Maas
urged Israel to reconsider its plans, saying it was still possible to use
"the opportunity and the time window" before a likely annexation.
UK
Prime
Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would "not recognize any changes"
to Israel's borders set in 1967 unless also agreed to by the Palestinians.
In
an article penned for Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, Johnson warned
Israel, urging an "outcome that delivers justice for both Israelis and
Palestinians."
Johnson
argued the proposed annexation "would put in jeopardy the progress that
Israel has made in improving relationships with the Arab and Muslim
world," adding that Israel's interests "overlap" with Arab
partners.
"But
however strong their interest in a different kind of relationship with Israel,
annexation would inevitably set back these opportunities and constrain
potential Arab partners," Johnson said.
Expressing
the pride of the UK's "contribution to the birth of Israel with the 1917
Balfour Declaration," he said it would remain "unfinished business
until there is a solution which provides justice and lasting peace for both
Israelis and Palestinians."
"The
only way it can be achieved is for both sides to return to the negotiating
table," he said. "That must be our goal. Annexation would only take
us further away from it."
Belgium
and EU
The
Belgian parliament adopted a resolution June 26 that urged the government to
prepare a list of countermeasures against Israel in case it annexes occupied
Palestinian territories.
The
resolution was proposed by the Green Party and passed with 101 votes in favor
and 39 abstentions.
It
calls the government to “play a leading role at European and multilateral level
in order to set up a list of effective countermeasures to respond
proportionately to any Israeli annexation of the occupied Palestinian
territory.”
The
resolution acknowledges that some states might veto EU sanctions. So, it
suggests Belgium create a European coalition with like-minded countries.
Earlier,
more than 1,000 lawmakers from across Europe condemned the West Bank annexation
plan in a joint letter.
They
urged European leaders to prevent the annexation, save prospects of a two-state
solution and expressed support for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s
previous statement that warned “annexation could not pass unchallenged.”
In
total, 1,080 members of national assemblies and the European Parliament from
Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK
signed the letter.
Speaking
at the plenary session of the European Parliament June 18, Borrell said it
would be a “serious violation of international law” if the Israeli government
decided unilaterally to annex any parts of the West Bank.
The
majority of EU member states can only accept “a negotiated two-state solution,
based on international parameters.”
The
EU’s recognition of Palestine as a state would become “inevitable” if Israel
moves forward with its controversial plan, Luxembourg’s foreign minister told
German weekly Der Spiegel on June 14.
Jean
Asselborn called for a tougher EU stance against Israel’s plan to annex.
“The
recognition of Palestine. This debate would gain a whole new dynamic, I would
even consider it inevitable,” Asselborn said, noting such a decision would not
require a unanimous decision by all 27 member states.
Vatican
The
Vatican said Israel’s “possible unilateral actions” can worsen the “delicate
situation in the Middle East.”
Cardinal
Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, expressed the Holy See’s
concern that such action could “further jeopardize the search for peace between
Israelis and Palestinians,” according to a statement issued Wednesday.
“As
already declared on 20 November 2019 and on 20 May 2020, the Holy See
reiterates that the State of Israel and the State of Palestine have the right
to exist and to live in peace and security, within internationally recognized
borders,” it said.
Parolin
emphasized the need for all sides to “reopen the process of direct negotiation
… aided by measures that can reestablish reciprocal confidence.”
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/europe-unites-against-israel-s-west-bank-annex-plan/1899464
--------
EU
Turkey travel restrictions from politics not health
Erbil
Basay
04.07.2020
BERLIN
As
the European Union has kept travel restrictions on Turkey even though most of
its active cases were discharged from hospitals following recovery, recent
media reports in Germany suggest political motivations were behind the EU move.
A
piece in daily Die Welt said the case count in Turkey was no worse than in many
other countries and that the travel restrictions against Turkey are not
reasonable from a health standpoint.
The
piece also cited Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu telling how the
safety of hotel facilities in the country was ensured with help of German
company TUV and a Turkish certification program.
According
to the report, the medical realities in Turkey played a secondary role in
Germany’s COVID-19-based foreign policy.
Redaktionsnetzwerk
Deutschland (RDN), for its part, said Turkish criticism of travel restriction
decisions by Berlin and Brussels made good points, adding that Germany’s travel
warning should be based on a better rationale.
Stating
that Germany could be accused of abusing the travel issue with Ankara unless it
justifies its decision, RDN went on to say that the unjustified moves would not
be politically wise or honest, adding that German travellers should not suffer
due to political disputes.
Turkey
has so far recorded nearly 205,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and over
179,000 patients have recovered. The country's death toll stands at 5,206, and
a normalization process is underway while people work to keep wearing masks and
maintain social distancing.
The
country recently adopted a healthy tourism certification program with the
collaboration several government ministries to ensure the safety of tourists
amid the outbreak. Under the program, a variety of measures have been adopted
in many fields including transportation, accommodation, the condition of
tourist facilities, and the training of their employees along with the health
status of travelers.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-turkey-travel-restrictions-from-politics-not-health/1899997
--------
Turkey
using 8,000 spies to track dissidents in Germany
Jamie
Prentis
July
2, 2020
Refugees
and dissidents from Turkey living in Germany have witnessed a surge in
harassment from the estimated 8,000 Turkish intelligence agents active on
German soil, an investigation has claimed.
In
the fallout from the failed 2016 coup in Turkey there has been an unprecedented
rise in asylum applications by Turkish citizens in Germany as President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan increased repression against most forms of opposition. As a
result, Turkey’s intelligence apparatus has increased its operations.
Germany,
which opened its borders during the 2015 migrant crisis, is believed to be home
to at least four million people of Turkish origin but has at times been at odds
with Turkey over its influence.
Asylum
seekers are often Kurdish or supporters of the banned Gulen movement, which Mr
Erdogan has clamped down on and blamed the 2016 coup attempt.
According
to the newspaper Asharq Al Awsat, there were nearly 11,500 Turkish asylum
applications in Germany in 2019 compared with roughly 1,800 in 2014.
The
newspaper spoke to Kamil, who has been in Germany for 30 years and is wanted by
Turkish authorities for his alleged support of the Gulen movement.
He
said the imam at his mosque had banned him from entering after following orders
by Turkey and his annual visits to his home country had stopped since 2017
after a visit by German police.
In
2019 Berlin began efforts to have imams trained in Germany rather than abroad
amid concerns over the financing of religious institutions by Turkey.
Two
other men, Hussein and Omar, who fled to Germany in 2017, refused to speak
Turkish at a local cafe so the owners could not eavesdrop on them.
Hussein
told Asharq Al Awsat that his brother had urged him to leave Turkey after the
failed coup because he feared he would be tortured.
Controversy
over Turkish intelligence agents and informants in Germany has rumbled along
for years. In 2016 it was claimed there were more Turkish spies working in
Germany than communist East Germany had in West Germany during the Cold War.
At
the time, security expert Erich Schmidt-Eenboom said Turkish agents were being
used for repression rather than intelligence.
"Turkey's
internal conflicts between Gulen and Erdogan, and between [ethnic] Kurds and
Turks, have been brought into Germany and are impacting the internal
peace," Mr Schmidt-Eenboom told Sweden’s The Local website.
In
2017, a paper by the Royal United Services Institute warned the spy network was
putting Turkey-Germany relations under intense stress. It also said Turkey’s
security service was using imams and officials from local Turkish-Islamic
organisations to spy on Gulenists.
“What
is very concerning for German and Austrian authorities is the fact that
individuals who have been overheard criticising Erdogan face arrest when they
travel to Turkey,” said Dr Tessa Szyszkowitz in her commentary for the
institute.
In
June, Turkey announced it had detained four members of an intelligence cell who
were spying for France.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/turkey-using-8-000-spies-to-track-dissidents-in-germany-1.1043210
--------
Pakistan
There
Is Massive Religious Discrimination In Pakistan: Hamza Ali Abbasi
July
04, 2020
Hamza
Ali Abbasi has never been the one to mince words when it comes to speaking his
mind. The actor has always spoken up on national and religious matters, and
this time he talked about religious discrimination in Pakistan.
Hinting
towards the current temple building issue, Hamza took to Twitter and shared his
two cents.
"Pakistan
is not an empire or a kingdom. We Muslims didn't conquer Pakistan. We are a
Muslim majority nation and state," the Parwaaz Hai Junoon star wrote.
"On 14th August 1947, everyone who resided in the boundary of Pakistan
became an equal citizen."
He
went on to add, "No more hypocrisy, I admit that there is massive
religious discrimination in Pakistan."
This
is not the first time Abbasi has been vocal about the rights of the minorities.
Earlier,
Osman Khalid Butt explained why it is difficult for people to call out
discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan.
Butt
shared he believed that speaking in favour of certain minorities may lead the
majority to suffer the same fate as the oppressed. Thus, it is out of the fear
of that backlash that many tend to stay quiet.
He
wrote, "It is difficult for us to come to terms with and be vocal about
the discrimination and apartheid of religious minorities in Pakistan - mostly
because of fear. We fear the same persecution and ostracism they face almost on
a daily basis."
He
then added another reason why people fail to understand or even take into
account the discrimination against these minorities. "Another reason is
that little progress has been made to humanise them beyond statistics and their
obvious 'otherness' - a prejudice that has passed on from generation to
generation."
Butt
concludes by addressing a thread he shared recalling the Lahore massacre of May
28. 2010 which occurred during the Friday prayers. The incident saw 94 people
killed and more than 120 injured in simultaneous attacks against places of
worship of a minority community.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253291/there-is-massive-religious-discrimination-in-pakistan-hamza-ali-abbasi
--------
PM
asks NCOC to prevent virus resurgence on Eid
Ikram
Junaidi
July
05, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the National Command and Operation Centre
(NCOC) on the 100th day of its establishment, lauded its role in containing the
spread of the novel coronavirus and directed it to take steps to prevent
resurgence of the disease during EidulAzha.
Besides
federal ministers and Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar JavedBajwa,
high-ranking officers were present during the visit on Saturday, while
representatives of the provinces were available via video link.
Over
the past 24 hours, the country reported 3,475 new cases of coronavirus and 88
deaths, taking the national tally of Covid-19 to 227,254 and number of
fatalities to 4,680.
Noting
that the government had managed to slow down the spread of the virus, PM Khan
directed the officials concerned to ensure strict implementation of the
standard operating procedures, undertake all required administrative actions
for smart lockdowns and the awareness campaign to prevent any resurgence of
disease during the upcoming Eid.
Imran
visits facility on its 100th day, lauds its role in slowing down the spread of
Covid-19
Earlier,
the PM was briefed about the current situation and the pattern analysis of
Covid-19 spread. He was apprised on how the strategy of smart lockdown yielded
results in balancing life and livelihood. It was highlighted that as per the
IMF World Economic Outlook, Pakistan is among a group of 30 countries that
reversed the projected downturn from -0.4 to 1.1.
Mr
Khan lauded the efforts of NCOC team in putting up a robust response to the
pandemic and ensuring coordinated actions across the country. From daily
monitoring of the situation to the capacity enhancement of health system and
from establishing a credible database to better resource management and
formulation of appropriate SOPs, the NCOC led from the front in the fight
against pandemic, the prime minister said.
He
also appreciated the resilience and adaptability of the nation to adjust to the
new normal by following SOPs and face the challenge as one nation. Mr Khan also
paid tribute to doctors, paramedical staff and emergency responders working as
frontline workers in the battle against Covid-19. He acknowledged the role
and services of health care workers and others from the provinces, Azad Jammu
and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Earlier,
Minster for Information Senator Shibli Faraz at an event at Islamabad’s
Polyclinic Hospital said PM Khan’s policy of smart lockdown had attracted world
recognition. “Though the health SOPs are partially implemented in Pakistan, the
number of cases has been reduced. However, I want to warn that the threat
prevails and there is a need to take precautionary measures,” he added.
The
minister said as the government had established the NCOC having representation
of Pakistan’s armed forces, politicians and other stakeholders, it was their
collective efforts that the spread of the disease had slowed down.
“Our
government has distributed around Rs150 billion among around 15 million people.
We have arranged personal protective equipment. Just a few months ago, we had
two labs but now we have 129 labs. We have started manufacturing ventilators
and we have capacity to accommodate more patients. However, I wish that our
capacity would never exhaust and our hospitals would become deserted,” he said.
Senator
Faraz said that a package had been announced for the healthcare workers so that
they would combat Covid-19 with full dedication.
Meanwhile,
work has been completed on a 250-bed hospital for Covid-19 in Islamabad.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1567089/pm-asks-ncoc-to-prevent-virus-resurgence-on-eid
--------
Judge
Malik shown the door over misconduct
July
04, 2020
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court’s administration committee on Friday approved ‘removal
from service’ of Judge Arshad Malik on charges of misconduct after a year-long
inquiry into the video scandal that broke last July, sending ripples through
political and legal circles.
The
seven-judge committee, headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Qasim Khan, took the
decision in the light of recommendations made in a report of inquiry conducted
by a high court judge into the conduct of the judicial officer, former judge of
an accountability court who had convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in
the Al-Azizia reference and acquitted him in the Flagship reference.
Both
the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)
hailed the decision, with the former seeking acquittal of its leader and the
latter calling it the end of “PML-N era of blackmailing judges”.
The
legal fraternity, however, observed that the scandal and subsequent removal of
judge Malik indicated a complete decadence in justice system and put a big
question mark on legitimacy of convictions.
The
PML-N had accused judge Malik of convicting the ex-premier in the Al-Azizia
reference under duress as per his video confession, however, the judge later
claimed that he had been blackmailed by the PML-N supporters after which he
acquitted the ex-premier in the Flagship reference.
•
PML-N wants Al-Azizia reference sentence voided • Minister terms dismissal an
‘end of blackmail era’ • Question mark over conviction of politicians, says PBC
The
video scandal broke on July 6, 2019 during a press conference of PML-N vice
president Maryam Nawaz in which she said the judge in the video admitted that
he was blackmailed into convicting ex-PM Nawaz in the Al-Azizia reference under
duress. Later, the Islamabad High Court summoned the judge and directed him to
explain his position. Malik, in his affidavit, claimed that he had been
blackmailed by the PML-N supporters because of an “immoral video” and admitted
that he had met Mr Sharif at his JatiUmra residence and Hussain Nawaz in Saudi
Arabia.
The
IHC on Aug 22, 2019, suspended the accountability court judge and repatriated
him to his parent department (LHC) for further proceedings. The LHC then made
him OSD and the administration committee approved an inquiry against him on
charges of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct.
Terming
the conduct of judge Malik ‘shameful’, the Supreme Court had described the
slackness of the Ministry of Law in taking action against the judge as an
‘attempt to give refuge’ to him.
On
Friday, an LHC official said, the inquiry judge, Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem,
recommended maximum punishment of removal from service for judge Malik after
finding him guilty of misconduct.
He
said minutes of the meeting of the administration committee that also comprised
Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice
Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ayesha A Malik, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Ali
Baqar Najafi would be released soon.
Fate
of cases
Asked
for his legal opinion on the fate of proceedings conducted by judge Malik,
Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Abid Saqi said a conviction or trial
could not sustain once it was proved that there had been biases.
He
said the country’s judicial history had a precedent when Supreme Court had
quashed a judgment by Ehtesab bench of the LHC in case of former president Asif
Ali Zardari. He said the judge Malik Qayyum was also made to resign when it was
established that there was bias on his part.
Mr
Saqi regretted that the video-scandal of judge Malik and his removal on
misconduct indicated a complete decadence in justice system. “This puts a big
question mark on integrity of justice system and legitimacy of convictions of
other politicians and common people as well.”
The
PML-N leadership believed the judge’s removal established innocence of ex-PM
Nawaz and demanded his sentence in the Al-Azizia reference be declared null and
void.
“The
LHC Administrative Committee’s decision of sacking Arshad Malik establishes
that Nawaz Sharif was unjustly sentenced. His innocence stands proven today. As
a natural corollary, Miansb’s sentence ought to be declared null & void,”
PML-N president and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said
in a tweet on Friday.
Mr
Shahbaz said: “I am thankful to God Almighty for vindicating PML-N Quaid Nawaz
Sharif by proving his innocence. This decision by the High Court Administration
Committee is clear evidence that Nawaz Sharif isn’t guilty.” He said justice
merited that the three-time premier should be exonerated and all sentences
against him be annulled.
Expressing
her delight on the sacking of judge Malik, Maryam Nawaz tweeted: “The decision
of seven respectable judges to sack Arshad Malik shows how Nawaz Sharif was
convicted (in Al-Azizia case). Now for the judiciary’s prestige and sake of
justice, the tainted sentences of the tainted judge should be annulled.”
She
said: “Today’s decision is the victory of truth and defeat of falsehood. It has
vindicated Nawaz Sharif.”
National
Party’s Senator Hasil Bizenjo said though the removal of the judge was a
positive step, it would be in the interest of justice to probe the matter of
Nawaz’s conviction that appears to have been decided because of the pressure on
the judiciary by powerful elements of the state.
“Arshad
Malik’s removal and misconduct proved that the verdict against the former prime
minister was based on flimsy evidence and that it put a question mark on the
independence of the judiciary. A majority of the people feel that the Panama
case was a conspiracy against the democratic forces of the country. Even the
former judge of the Supreme Justice Ejaz Choudhary has admitted that the
judiciary is pressured by intelligence agencies. This is a matter of grave
concern and the judiciary should probe into his revelations regarding the
pressure of intelligence agencies,” NP Senator Bizenjo said.
Federal
Information Minister Shibli Faraz said in a tweet: “Judge Arshad Malik’s
dismissal from service is the drop scene of an era where certain judges were
blackmailed through cronies. PML-N & its leadership should apologise to the
nation for patronising blackmailing & corruption, traits of mafioso
mindset.”
Special
Assistant to Prime Minister on accountability Shahzad Akbar said Maryam
demanded scrapping of all court verdicts of Judge Malik. “If her logic is
accepted that Judge Malik had acquitted Nawaz Sharif in Flagship case, then it
should be reversed. You (Maryam) should consult good lawyers. Like the Panama
Papers case, you have eaten sweets before going through the verdict,” he said.
“It must be remembered this Al-Azizia case was shifted to Arshad Malik’s court
on Nawaz Sharif’s request as Nasir Butt was his close acquaintance. Justice
Qayyum saga should not be forgotten. The Sharif family did such things with the
judiciary in the past,” the PM’s aide added.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566905/judge-malik-shown-the-door-over-misconduct
--------
Zardari
wants all institutions to respect parliament
Amir
Wasim
July
05, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari has
warned against any effort to undo the 18th Amendment, saying such a move will
be an attack on the federation.
The
former president issued the statement on the eve of the ‘black day’ being
observed by the party on Sunday (today) throughout the country to mark the 43rd
anniversary of the toppling over of the party’s elected government under
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq on July 5, 1977.
The
PPP leader further said that all the institutions in the country must respect
the parliament. “Parliament is the supreme institution and it is the
constitutional duty of each and every institution to respect it,” he said.
The
PPP on Saturday announced that black flags would be hoisted at residences and
offices of the party across the country on Sunday to mark the ‘black day’.
Peoples
Party plans ‘Black Day’ today
Mr
Zardari, who has been ill and away from public view and media for months, said
some people were dreaming about scrapping the 18th Amendment, saying their
dreams would never come true.
The
amendment that granted autonomy to provinces, he said, was an agreement between
the federation and the federating units and “tinkering with it will amount to
an attack on the federation”. He said the 1973 Constitution guaranteed autonomy
to the federating units, besides ensuring human freedom.
Mr
Zardari said the PPP was determined to stay firm for the cause of democracy,
Constitution and supremacy of the parliament and would not make any compromise
on these principles.
He
paid rich tribute to Benazir Bhutto and thousands of the party workers who
spent their ‘golden days’ in jails, faced lashes and other difficulties during
the struggle for the restoration of democracy in the country.
Darkest
day
In
his separate message, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed July 5, 1977
“the most shameful and darkest day” in the history of Pakistan.
He
said the people’s elected government and first directly elected prime minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted by the elements who “either vanished into thin
air or living a shameful life”.
“The
way all the characters involved in it met their fate proved that crime and sin
have no legacy. Still, every illegitimate ruler of the time, like today’s
puppet, fails to grasp and realise this universal reality,” he said.
The
PPP chairman said the Constitution was suspended on July 5, 1977, wrapping up
democracy, suspending all civil rights, stopping the process of development and
hoisting the colours of the authoritarian in all directions.
He
said just by promoting and protecting the dictator’s personal vested interests,
the foundations of dictatorial rule were laid through inventing corruption and
unleashing intimidation.
“Dictators
have been interested in petty personal gains, developing hotbeds of intolerance
and extremism,” he added.
He
said even today after four decades, the scourge of July 5, 1977 was not leaving
the Pakistani nation behind.
“Democracy
is still in its teething stage; the ground for implementation of provincial
autonomy is narrow, the poor are at the mercy of plagues and locusts, the
swords of unemployment are hanging over the heads of workers, the bread and
justice are expensive and the poor is getting poorer by each passing day,” he
added.
Mr
Bhutto-Zardari said the present ‘puppet regime’ was the culmination of the
crime of July 5, 1977. But at the same time, this chapter was about to be
closed forever. He said the day was not far when the people’s right to
sovereignty and the use of religious extremism, militancy, sectarianism and
linguistics as weapons in government buildings to perpetuate their aggressive
rule would be removed in the same way that many racist and hate-mongering
societies today were tearing down statues of fake greats.
He
said the PPP had made unparalleled struggle and eternal sacrifices for the
Constitution and democracy in the country; this struggle would continue till
the final victory of the people.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1567031/zardari-wants-all-institutions-to-respect-parliament
--------
Rangers
detain two members of banned outfit for killing PSP worker
July
05, 2020
KARACHI:
Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Saturday claimed to have arrested two members of a
banned outfit on charges of killing a worker of the Pak Sarzameen Party on
sectarian grounds in Liaquatabad two days ago.
The
paramilitary force and police jointly carried out an intelligence-based action
and apprehended the two suspects — Syed Naeem Haider, alias Bara, and Mohammed
Danish Iqbal, alias Hakla — while their third accomplice escaped, for whose
arrest raids were being conducted, said a Rangers spokesperson.
On
July 2, PSP worker Asim Mohammed Khan was shot dead at Liaquatabad No. 10. The
murder case was registered against unknown suspects at the Sharifabad police
station. The Rangers formed a special investigation team, which managed to
solve the blind murder case within 48 hours, said the official.
A
30-bore pistol used in the murder was also seized from them and the forensic
examination of the spent bullet casings confirmed that the weapon was used in
the crime.
During
initial probe, held suspect Naeem said he belonged to a banned outfit. He also
admitted that prior to that murder too, he had remained involved in sectarian
killings. Subsequently, the detained persons were handed over to the police for
further legal action.
'Suspect
shot dead in ‘encounter’
A
suspected robber was shot dead in an alleged encounter off the Superhighway on
Saturday morning.
According
to the SITE Superhighway Industrial police, three suspects after looting some
citizens were fleeing when four policemen riding two motorbikes chased them.
During an exchange of fire at Yasrab Goth, one suspect identified as Mohammad
Sharif was wounded while his two accomplices escaped. The incident occurred at
9.15am.
The
wounded suspect died while being taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the
police said.
A
TT pistol with ammunition and a motorcycle were seized from the custody of the
dead suspect.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566995/rangers-detain-two-members-of-banned-outfit-for-killing-psp-worker
--------
Southeast
Asia
King
Salman not informed Saudi-backed peace centre closed, claims Najib
Sean
Augustin
July
3, 2020
PETALING
JAYA: Najib Razak claimed that the Saudi monarch, King Salman Abdul Aziz, was
not informed of the previous government’s decision to close the Saudi-backed
King Salman Centre for International Peace (KSCIP).
The
announcement of the centre’s closure was made by then defence minister Mohamad
Sabu.
And
this, the Pekan MP said, was the reason Saudi Arabia skipped the KL Summit in
December last year.
“No
letter was sent to King Salman. Do you know how he felt?” he said at a ceramah
while campaigning for the Chini by-election.
“Are
we not courteous? If you don’t want a project, backed by King Salman, to be
implemented, at least send him a letter or give him a call. This is common
courtesy.”
The
ceramah was attended by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan and his PAS
counterpart, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, as well as Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi
Dusuki.
Najib
went on to claim that the decision to shut down the centre was why Saudi Arabia
gave the summit a miss.
“(That’s
why) many countries skipped it. Pakistan didn’t attend, Brunei didn’t attend
and even Indonesia didn’t attend.”
Najib
went on to say that when he was the prime minister, there was an increase in
quota for Malaysians to perform their haj as he had applied for it through King
Salman every year.
Putrajaya,
then under Pakatan Harapan, had ordered the closure of the centre in August and
its role to be absorbed into the Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security,
which comes under the defence ministry.
KSCIP
was first proposed following the visit by King Salman to Malaysia in 2017. The
Barisan Nasional government had then agreed to allocate a massive plot of land
in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.
Critics,
however, questioned the partnership with Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism,
highlighting Riyadh’s military and ideological role worldwide.
Meanwhile,
the KL Summit – described as a game-changer in the Muslim world’s relations
with Saudi Arabia – was attended by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Qatar head of state Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani.
The
summit also made headlines after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan cancelled
his trip at the eleventh hour, reportedly under pressure from the Saudi
government.
Foreign
Minister Retno Marsudi represented Indonesia at the summit.
In
March, London-based news outlet, the Middle East Eye, alleged that the Saudi
Arabian government launched a media campaign to belittle the KL Summit,
including compiling a series of messages which local media organisations and
commentators were instructed to issue.
It
also allegedly targeted newspapers, websites and television channels in various
countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia and several Arab states.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/07/03/king-salman-not-informed-saudi-backed-peace-centre-closed-claims-najib/
--------
Bank
Islam ready to help customers after moratorium ends
July
5, 2020
KUALA
LUMPUR: Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd says it is ready to work out repayment
arrangements with customers badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic after the
six-month moratorium ends on Sept 30.
Its
chief executive officer, Mohd Muazzam Mohamed, said the bank empathised with
these customers who made up a sizeable portion of its financing portfolio.
In
a statement today, Muazzam said Bank Islam had been adopting viable options to
assist them in coping with the economic fallout from the pandemic which had
impacted small businesses and retail customers.
He
said the bank had assisted more than 394,000 customers since the six-month
moratorium was implemented in April to help customers cushion the impact of
Covid-19.
“The
customers will continue paying the same instalment amount after the moratorium
period ends.
“The
bank stands ready to ensure the customers’ financial needs are taken care of
during this challenging period. All they need to do is come and talk to us,” he
said.
Customers
may visit the nearest Bank Islam branch or call the bank’s contact centre at
03-2690 0900 for information on alternative payment solutions.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/07/05/bank-islam-ready-to-help-customers-after-moratorium-ends/
--------
Three
Suspected Militants Arrested in Central Java
JULY
05, 2020
Jakarta.
Counter-terror squad Detachment 88 arrested three suspected militants in
Central Java in connection to last month’s attack on police officers, a
spokesman said on Saturday.
The
three men were arrested during separate operations in the provincial capital of
Semarang and Boyolali.
One
of the suspects was identified by initials I.S., 47, National Police spokesman
Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said in Jakarta. Identities of the other two were not
disclosed pending initial investigation, he added.
The
spokesman didn’t specify when the arrests were made.
"The
three have links to the militant who attacked the Karanganyar Police deputy
chief," Argo said.
He
was referring to the June 21 incident in which a militant attacked Comr.
Busroni, the deputy police chief in the Central Java town of Karanganyar, and
injured his subordinate and a civilian with a knife.
Busroni,
who was on a field trip on the slope of Mount Lawu when he was attacked,
survived the incident with minor knife wound on his arm, while the attacker was
stoned and shot to death at the scene.
Further
investigation revealed that the lone attacker, identified as Karyono Widodo,
was a terrorism convict who had spent three years in prison.
Karyono
was earlier found guilty for being an accessory to the January 2016 daylight
attacks by a group of militants on a police post and a nearby building on Jalan
Thamrin, Central Jakarta, that killed four civilians. All four attackers were
also killed by security officials.
Global
militant network Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Jakarta
attack.
Karyono,
46, was sentenced to four and a half years under the Anti-Terrorism Law but was
released in July last year.
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/three-suspected-militants-arrested-in-central-java
--------
South
Asia
Coronavirus
funerals: Sri Lanka's Muslims decry forced cremation
July
5, 2020
Sri
Lankan authorities are insisting on cremation for coronavirus victims - a
practice forbidden by Islam. The nation's minority Muslim community says they
are using the pandemic to discriminate, writes BBC Sinhala's Saroj Pathirana.
On
4 May, Fathima Rinoza, a 44-year-old mother of three from Sri Lanka's minority
Muslim population, was admitted to hospital with a suspected case of Covid-19.
Fathima,
who lived in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, had been suffering from
respiratory problems and the authorities feared she had caught the virus.
On
the day she was admitted to hospital, the family was "set upon" by
the authorities, her husband Mohamed Shafeek said.
"The
police and military along with officials arrived at our door," he said.
"We were kicked out and they sprayed [disinfectant] everywhere. We were
all scared but they didn't tell us anything. Even a three-month-old baby was
tested and they took us like dogs to the quarantine centre."
The
family was held for a night but released the next day and told to quarantine
for two weeks, Mohamed said. By then, they had received news that Fathima had
died, at the hospital, on her own.
Fathima's
adult son was asked to go to the hospital to identify his mother's body. He was
told that her body could not be returned to the family, he said, as her death
was linked to Covid-19.
Instead
he was forced to sign papers authorising her cremation, the family said - even
though under Muslim law cremation is considered a violation of the human body.
"He
was told that her body parts needed to be removed for further tests. Why would
they need body parts if she had corona?" said his father Shafeek, who
feels the family were not fully informed about what happened.
Fathima's
family and others in Sri Lanka's Muslim community say the authorities are
violating their rights by forcing them to cremate victims even though
coronavirus victims can be buried.
They
argue it's the latest step in a pattern of discrimination by the majority
Sinhalese population. A petition against the cremation rule has been accepted
by the country's Supreme Court, which will begin hearing the case on 13 July.
Many
Muslims in Sri Lanka feel they have been demonised since April 2019, when
Islamists linked to little-known local groups targeted high-end hotels and
churches in Colombo and in the east of the country, killing more than 250
people in a spate of devastating attacks.
Since
the death of the first Sri Lankan Muslim from coronavirus on 31 March, some
media outlets have openly blamed the Muslim community for spreading the
disease, even though only 11 deaths have been officially recorded in the
country.
All
11 bodies, including Muslims, were cremated.
Dr
Sugath Samaraweera, the government's chief epidemiologist, told the BBC it was
government policy that all those who die from Covid-19, as well as those
suspected of dying from it, are cremated, as burials could contaminate ground
drinking water.
Dr
Samaraweera said the government was following expert medical advice, and
applying the rule to anyone suspected of dying from coronavirus, regardless of
religion.
"The
WHO offers guidelines for the whole world. It is our responsibility to adopt or
customise those guidelines suitable to our country," he said.
But
Muslim activists, community leaders and politicians have asked the Sri Lankan
government to reconsider the decision.
Ali
Zahir Moulana, a former minister and senior leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim
Congress party, said the Muslim community was prepared to accept the rule
"if there is evidence or scientific backing to prove that burial is
dangerous to public health". But he questioned the science behind it, and
accused the government of pursuing a "dark political agenda".
Interim
guidance published by the WHO in March says victims of coronavirus "can be
buried or cremated", and does not mention dangers to groundwater.
On
the same day that Fathima died, 64-year-old Abdul Hameed Mohamed Rafaideen
passed away at his sister's house in Colombo. The labourer and father of four
had been suffering from breathing difficulties.
His
youngest son, Naushad Rafaideen, told the BBC that a neighbour from the
majority Sinhala community died the same day.
Because
of lockdown travelling restrictions, local police asked the family to take the
body of the neighbour, together with their father's body, to the hospital.
At
the mortuary, the doctor told Naushad he was not allowed to touch his father's
body because of the risks of Covid-19, even though it wasn't clear whether the
virus was the cause of death.
Naushad,
who cannot read, was asked to sign some papers which gave permission for his
father's body to be cremated.
He
said he wasn't sure what would happen to him if he didn't sign, but he feared a
backlash against his family and community if he refused. He said the Sinhalese
family was treated differently, and allowed to pay respects to their relative
at a funeral parlour, though the BBC could not independently verify this. Only
Naushad and a handful of relatives were allowed to attend the cremation of his
father, he said.
Meanwhile,
nearly six weeks after the death of his wife, Shafeek is unsure whether she
ever tested positive for coronavirus, and he is struggling to come to terms
with not being able to bury her body. One thing he was sure of, he said.
"We Muslims do not cremate our dead."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53295551
--------
Explosion
targets police vehicle in Kabul city earlier today
04
Jul 2020
An
explosion ripped through a vehicle of the Afghan National Police (ANP) forces
in Kabul city earlier today, the security sources said.
According
to the officials in Kabul Police Headquarters, a magnetic bomb planted in a
police vehicle went off at around 7:21 am local time in the 11th district of
the city.
The
officials further added that the explosion left at least two people wounded
includuing a civilian and police officer.
Ferdaws
Faramurz, a spokesperson for Kabul Police confirmed that the incident took
place in Hesa-e Awal area of the city earlier today.
No
individual or group including Taliban has so far claimed responsibility for the
incident.
https://www.khaama.com/explosion-targets-police-vehicle-in-kabul-city-earlier-today-08937/
--------
Arab
World
Iraq
reinforces border posts to try to prevent advance of Turkish troops
03
July 2020
Iraqi
troops were enforcing positions along the border with Turkey, officials said on
Friday, to prevent Turkish forces from advancing deeper into Iraqi territory
after two weeks of airstrikes as Ankara continues to target Kurdish rebels in
northern Iraq.
Security
officials said Ankara has established at least a dozen posts inside Iraqi territory
as part of a military campaign to rout members of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party,
or PKK, who Turkey says have safe havens in northern Iraq. The
airborne-and-land campaign, dubbed “Operation Claw-Tiger,” began June 17 when
Turkey airlifted troops into northern Iraq.
Since
then, at least six Iraqi civilians have been killed as Turkish jets pound PKK
targets, and several villages in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region have been
evacuated.
The
invading Turkish troops set up posts in the Zakho district in northern province
of Dohuk, about 15 kilometers inside Iraqi territory, said the officials,
speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the military operations.
Zerevan
Musa, mayor of Darkar, said there were five Turkish posts close to his town,
including two on the nearby Mt. Khankiri. He said Turkish airstrikes have hit
Sharanish and Banka villages in the area.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app
“We
demand from both sides, the Turkish government and the PKK, to keep their fight
away from us,” said Qadir Sharanshi, a resident from Sharanshi village. He said
his village has been hit several times.
Iraqi
border guards erected two posts along the Khankiri range, said Brig. Delir
Zebari, commander of the First Brigade of the Iraqi Border Guards, tasked with
securing a 245-kilometer (153-mile) stretch of border territory.
Speaking
from the brigade base, he told The Associated Press that his troops’ task is to
“eliminate attacks on civilians in the area."
Turkey
regularly carries out air and ground attacks against the PKK in northern Iraq.
It says neither the Iraqi government nor the regional Iraqi Kurdish
administration have taken measures to combat the group. The recent incursion
into Iraqi territory has drawn condemnation from Baghdad, which has summoned
Ankara’s ambassador to Iraq twice since the campaign was launched.
Turkey
maintains that until the Iraqi government take actions against the PKK, it will
continue to target the Kurdish group, considered a terrorist organization by
Turkey, the United States and the European Union for its decades-long
insurgency within Turkey.
Turkey’s
latest campaign poses a dilemma for the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in
northern Iraq, which relies on Turkey for oil exports through a pipeline
running from Iraq’s Kirkuk province to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
Kaiwan
Kawa, a 30-year-old store owner displaced with his family from the area, said a
Turkish airstrike last month struck his mini market in the village of Kuna Masi
in Sulaymaniyah province. The airstrike targeted a pickup truck with PKK
members who had stopped by his store to buy some eggs.
At
least one of the fighters was killed, his body torn to pieces, Kawa said.
Kawa’s
wife, Payman Talib, 31, lost a leg in the bombing while their 6-year-old son,
Hezhwan, had shrapnel wounds to the head. Doctors say it’s too dangerous to
remove the shrapnel.
Kawa
said he had opened the shop just a month before. Now he can never go back.
“I
will always carry the fear in my heart,” he said. “It will never be the same.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/03/Iraq-reinforces-border-posts-to-try-to-prevent-advance-of-Turkish-troops.html
--------
Baghdad
condemns US for missile test inside its embassy
05
July 2020
The
Iraqi government has condemned the United States for testing an air defense
missile system inside its embassy in Baghdad.
Iraq’s
deputy parliament speaker Hassan Karim al-Kaabi on Saturday described the move
as provocative and in violation of international law.
Kaabi
also called on the Iraqi government to take swift measures to halt such
actions.
The
Embassy’s move to fire in a residential area in the heart of Baghdad is an
unacceptable act and another challenge for the Arab country, adding to the mass
of its provocations and illegal actions in Iraq, he noted.
According
to Iraqi media, the US tested a patriot missile system inside Baghdad’s heavily
fortified Green Zone.
Anti-US
sentiments have been running high in Iraq since Washington assassinated top
Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and the second-in-command of the Iraqi
popular mobilization units, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in January.
Following
the attack, Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, demanding
the withdrawal of all foreign troops.
Baghdad
and Washington are currently in talks over the withdrawal of American troops.
Iraqi resistance groups have vowed to take up arms against US forces if
Washington fails to comply with the parliamentary order.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628913/iraq-us-embassy-green-zone-missile-test
--------
Iraq
officially protests Turkey’s cross-border offensive
05
July 2020
The
Iraqi government has expressed its official protest at Turkey’s attacks against
the Arab country’s north, saying the offensive must immediately stop.
The
Iraqi cabinet’s spokesman Ahmed Mulla Talal said in a statement on Saturday the
Turkish ambassador to Baghdad has been summoned to receive two official letters
of protest, with strong tone, regarding the attacks by the Turkish forces on
Iraqi lands.
The
spokesman warned that his country will use the international law and covenants
to establish the right of Iraq to reject and stop these attacks.
Baghdad
strongly rejects and condemns the Turkish attacks on its territories which violate
Iraq’s sovereignty and harm the close, long-standing relations between the two
peoples, he noted.
The
attacks are “detrimental to regional peace,” the spokesman said, describing the
offensive as an “assault on the Iraqi sovereignty, lives and property.”
The
statement urged the international community to "take steps that would
enhance stability in the region, and to assign the sovereign right of Iraq to
protect its lands and preserve the safety of its people.”
Turkey
began fresh air and ground military operations in Kurdistan region in northern
Iraq in mid-June, with the stated aim of removing suspected Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) targets from the area. Five civilians have been confirmed killed by
Turkish airstrikes.
The
ground campaign, dubbed Claw-Tiger Operation, was launched against PKK
positions in the Qandil Mountains as well as Sinjar and Makhmur districts on
June 17. Claw-Eagle Operation, the air campaign, had begun two days earlier.
On
Thursday night, Iraq threatened to cut off its trade ties with Turkey in
protest at Ankara’s ongoing cross-border operation.
“Turkey
has interests in Iraq as the annual trade balance between Baghdad and Ankara
stands at more than 16 billion dollars annually. There are also hundreds of
Turkish commercial insinuates operating inside Iraq. The Iraqi government will
take actions against all these interests if urgent need arises,” spokesman for
the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed al-Sahaf, said in an exclusive
interview with local Kurdish-language Rudaw television news network.
Sahaf
further noted that the Iraqi government has a wide array of options to stop the
Turkish offensive and demand compensation for the loss of civilian lives.
The
PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated
southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.
A
shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July
2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.
Turkish
ground and air forces frequently carry out operations against PKK positions in
the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.
More
than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between
Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628910/Iraq-protest-Turkey-offensive-north
--------
US
Ambassador Shea bans aid distribution among needy families in north Lebanon:
Senior cleric
04
July 2020
A
prominent Lebanese Muslim cleric has lambasted US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy
Shea over preventing political parties from distributing aid among needy
families in the country’s northern district of Tripoli.
“US
Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea has met with a number of political leaders
in Tripoli, and told them it is forbidden to offer assistance to any
underprivileged member of the community there,” Arabic-language al-Manar
television network quoted Secretary General of the Islamic Unification
Movement, Sheikh Bilal Shaaban, as saying during the last Friday's sermon.
He
condemned the demand as outrageous, saying it is part of the agenda to build up
pressure on the Lebanese people.
Sheikh
Shaaban then called on all Lebanese politicians to help needy people during the
current socio-economic crisis in Lebanon, irrespective of all foreign pressures.
Back
on June 28, Lebanese President Michel Aoun denounced the latest comments by the
US ambassador to Beirut against Hezbollah resistance movement, stating that
Washington is continuously meddling in the internal affairs of the Arab
country.
“The
Americans are directly interfering in the Lebanese domestic affairs; and this
is unacceptable,” Aoun said in an exclusive interview with Beirut-based and
Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network at the time.
Earlier
in the day, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti had summoned Shea over her
anti-Hezbollah criticism.
Hitti
met with Dorothy Shea the following day to inform her that, under the Vienna
Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, an ambassador must not interfere in
the domestic affairs of another country, and that her speech must not seek to
pit Lebanese people against each other.
The
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is an international treaty that
defines a framework for diplomatic relations between countries.
Late
last month, Shea told Saudi-owned al-Hadath television news network that
Washington has “great concerns” over Hezbollah’s role in the Lebanese
government.
Hezbollah’s
growing popularity in the Arab and Muslim world after the resistance movement
shattered the Israeli military’s myth of invincibility during the 33-day
military offensive on Lebanon back in the summer of 2006 has been a matter of
serious concern for the Tel Aviv regime and its Western allies.
The
resistance movement’s heroic defense as well as its vehement opposition to any
foreign intervention in Lebanon’s domestic affairs have turned the group into a
major stakeholder in the country’s political and military domains.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/04/628863/US-Ambassador-Shea-forbids-aid-distribution-among-needy-families-in-northern-Lebanon-Senior-cleric
--------
Air
defense systems intercept rocket targeting US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq
05
July 2020
Air
defense systems in Iraq have intercepted a rocket targeting the US Embassy in
Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, according to Al Arabiya’s
correspondent.
A
Patriot battery system was able to respond to the rocket but was unable to
intercept it far enough and therefore fell within the Green Zone, local media
outlet al-Dijla TV reported citing its own security source.
"The
missile that was intercepted by the American embassy in Baghdad fell near a
number of sit-ins protesters close to the Green Zone area. It landed close to
the bridge leading to the Green Zone itself," Al Arabiya's correspondent in
Baghdad Majid Hamid reported.
There
was no immediate claim of responsibility as of Sunday morning.
Recent
attacks on the Green Zone follow more than two dozen similar attacks against
American interests in Iraq since October that the US has blamed on Iran-backed
factions among Iraq’s security forces.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/05/Air-defense-systems-intercept-rocket-targeting-US-Embassy-in-Baghdad-Iraq.html
--------
Africa
Jordan
slaps electronic bracelets on arrivals to monitor coronavirus quarantine
04
July 2020
Jordan
began putting electronic bracelets Saturday on travelers who have recently
arrived in the kingdom to ensure that they observe home-quarantine against the
spread of coronavirus, an official said.
People
arriving in Jordan must isolate for 14 days at hotels designated by the
authorities on the shores of the Dead Sea, west of the capital Amman.
After
that period, they must self-isolate for an additional 14 days at home,
according to Nizar Obeidat, spokesman for Jordan’s virus task force.
Read
the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.
He
told state-run al-Mamlaka television that “the use of the electronic bracelet
began on Saturday for those self-isolating at home” in order to ensure
quarantine rules are respected.
Jordan
imposed tough measures, including curfews and the deployment of drones, to curb
the spread of COVID-19, before easing policies in early June.
The
kingdom has so far registered 1,147 coronavirus infections, including only 10
deaths.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Flourish
logoA Flourish chart
But
health authorities have almost daily been reporting new cases among Jordanians
and foreigners entering the country.
They
have also maintained measures such as social distancing and the compulsory use
of face masks in most public places, with those breaking the rules fined.
Several
countries around the world have turned to electronic tracking devices including
bracelets and smartwatches connected to special apps to contain the spread of
coronavirus.
In
March, Hong Kong began ordering all arrivals from overseas to wear electronic
bracelets to monitor the observance of quarantine.
South
Korea, China, Taiwan, and Singapore have also employed a range of tech
solutions to tackle coronavirus.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/07/04/Jordan-slaps-electronic-bracelets-on-arrivals-to-monitor-coronavirus-quarantine.html
--------
Daesh
kills 2, including 5-year-old, in Nigeria
05
July 2020
Takfiri
Daesh terrorists have killed two civilians, including a five-year-old, in an
attack in northeast Nigeria, the United Nations (UN) says.
Edward
Kallon, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said in a statement on
Saturday that the fatalities took place during an attack by the so-called West
Africa Province (ISWAP) branch of Daesh in the town of Damasak in the
northeasternBorno State.
The
assault left several others injured.
Kallon
said the terrorists also fired at and damaged a helicopter used to dispatch
humanitarian support to the civilian population in vulnerable and hard-to-reach
Nigerian states. He said no aid workers were on board at the time and crew
members were all safe.
Kallon
also called on the Nigerian authorities to reinforce the safety and security of
humanitarian workers in the country’s northeast, which is close to the border
with Niger and dominated by the ISWAP.
“I
strongly condemn any attack against civilians, humanitarian assets or aid
workers and call on all armed parties to respect international humanitarian law
and international human rights law, and ensure the protection of civilians,
humanitarian property and personnel,” Kallon said.
The
attack was the second deadly assault against civilians and aid workers within a
month.
The
ISWAP made an alliance with the Boko Haram terrorist group in 2015 before
separating in 2016.
ISWAP
has been launching numerous attacks in Nigeria since Daesh lost all its urban
strongholds in Iraq and Syria to government troops and allied fighters.
Both
ISWAP and Boko Haram are notorious for ambushing military and civilian convoys
on highways and abducting travelers at fake checkpoints.
Around
36,000 people have been killed in the decade-long Takfiri terrorism which has
spilled over into neighboring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon and forced more than
two million people to flee their homes.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628923/Nigeria-Daesh-terrorist-attack-5-year-old
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Nigeria:
UN condemns terror attack on civilians
05.07.2020
The
UN on Saturday condemned a Boko Haram terror attack on civilians in a town in
northeast Borno State that killed at least two people and injured several
others.
Terrorists
attacked Damasak, a volatile town along the Lake Chad shores Thursday, said UN
Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria Edward Kallon.
"I
am gravely concerned by reports of another violent attack by non-state armed
group in Damasak," said Kallon. A five-year-old child was among the
casualties.
The
attack was not immediately reported because of a breakdown in telecommunication
services in the area.
Kallon
said an aid helicopter was badly damaged when Boko Haram fired at the aircraft.
It was being used to facilitate humanitarian support to the civilian population
in the vulnerable, hard-to-reach area after more than a decade of violence in
the region.
The
UN welcomed the government’s commitment to bring terrorists to justice, he
said.
The
attack was the second deadly assault that targeted civilians and aid workers
within one month.
More
than 30,000 people have been killed in the region since 2009 by Boko Haram,
according to a report by the National Emergency Management Agency.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigeria-un-condemns-terror-attack-on-civilians-/1900035
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Somalia:
Bomb blasts kill 5 civilians, 1 police officer
Mohammed
Dhaysane
04.07.2020
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
At
least six people including five civilians were killed and several others
wounded on Saturday in separate bomb blasts in Somalia.
The
first was a land mine that went off in the southwestern city of Baidoa, killing
at least five people, all of them civilians, and wounding several others,
Mowlid Ibrahim, a local police officer, told Anadolu Agency over the phone.
The
second was a suicide car bomb blast that targeted a tax collection office
located near the capital city port of Mogadishu, killing one police officer and
wounding six, according to an Information Ministry statement.
Somali-based
al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the deadly
attack.
The
group claimed that it had killed two police officers and wounded eight others
in a suicide bombing in Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab
was behind a truck-bombing attack in October 2017 in Mogadishu that took some
600 lives, the worst attack in the Horn of Africa country’s history.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/somalia-bomb-blasts-kill-5-civilians-1-police-officer/1899955
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North
America
US
envoy Khalilzad pushing ahead with tricky Taliban peace deal
04
July 2020
Washington’s
envoy to Afghanistan stressed on Saturday the economic benefits of the peace
deal with the Taliban, forging ahead with an agreement that has run into new
political obstacles both in the US and regionally.
Zalmay
Khalilzad was wrapping up a week-long trip that included stops in Uzbekistan,
Pakistan and the Gulf state of Qatar, where the Taliban negotiators are
headquartered.
The
US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February to end 19 years of war in
Afghanistan.
Khalilzad
has sought to stress the economic benefits of the peace deal throughout his
tour. In a series of tweets early Saturday, the US envoy said he had met with
the Qatar Investment Authority and the Taliban’s chief negotiator Mullah Abdul
Ghani, in the tiny Gulf state’s capital of Doha.
“We
agreed development plans in support of peace can never start too early,”
Khalilzad tweeted.
However,
Washington has recently become embroiled in a controversy over intelligence
reports that Russia was paying money to insurgents with links to the Taliban to
kill American and NATO soldiers.
The
identity of the insurgents who took the bounty money is still vague but the
payments have been traced to an Afghan drug lord Rahmatullah Azizi, who is
living in Moscow, according to Afghan officials who spoke with The Associated
Press.
The
officials said the money was delivered through Azizi's brother Wahidullah, who
was the go-between for those facilitating the attacks on US troops.
The
New York Times first reported the US intelligence claiming the payment of
bounties as well as Azizi’s involvement.
Added
to the uncertainty and delays swirling around the US-Taliban peace deal, the
Pentagon released a report on Wednesday that questioned the Taliban’s
commitment to end its ties with al-Qaida. The peace deal calls for the Taliban
to fight against terrorist organizations and ensure Afghanistan would not be
used again to attack US interests or its allies. Critics of the deal say the
militants can’t be trusted.
Read
more: US intelligence says Russia ordered killing of American troops in
Afghanistan: Report
Taliban
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied contacts with al-Qaida in the Indian
Subcontinent, saying the insurgents were committed to the peace deal.
Khalizad
embarked on his tour of the region last weekend, even as the rate of
coronavirus infections in the United States soared and countries worldwide
struggled with the dangers of re-opening. He did not travel to Afghanistan
citing the dangers of the pandemic and instead held video conference calls with
both Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his government partner, Abdullah
Abdullah.
Pakistan’s
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tested positive for COVID 19, just 48
hours after meeting with Khalilzad. Both had been pictured wearing masks during
their meeting on Wednesday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad
Qureshi
said he developed a fever on Friday and tested positive to the virus. But he
promised to “carry on” his official duties from home.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app
Even
as Khalilzad winds up his latest diplomatic mission, there was no date for
crucial intra-Afghan negotiations that bring the Taliban together with the
Afghan government and other local actors. Khalilzad called for a quick
resolution of outstanding issues so those negotiations could begin.
Until
now the biggest hurdle has been the release of prisoners.
The
peace deal called for the Afghan government to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, in
exchange for the Taliban releasing 1,000 government personnel. So far the
government has freed 3,500 and the Taliban around 700.
Ghani
earlier this week suggested that his government had a problem with some of the
names on the Taliban's list of prisoners to be released and said alternative
names would be given.
It
seems unlikely that the Taliban will accept anyone not on the list agreed upon
during negotiations with the US.
Suhail
Shaheen, the Taliban's political spokesman in Doha, called the Afghan
government reasons for delaying prisoner releases “phony excuses" and the
reason for the delay in beginning intra-Afghan talks.
Coronavirus
infections
As
of Saturday, Afghanistan recorded 32,600 coronavirus infections, but
international NGOs say the rate is much higher and have warned that the
country’s war-ravaged healthcare system risks collapsing.
For
more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.
Seemingly
indicative of the lack of healthcare facilities in Afghanistan to deal with the
virus, Ghani’s special envoy for economic development, YosufGhaznafar, went to
Turkey when he became ill with COVID-19. On Friday he died of the disease,
according to a statement from the presidency. Ghaznafar is the senior most
Afghan official to die of the virus.
Afghanistan
has so far recorded 826 deaths from the virus.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/07/04/US-envoy-Khalilzad-pushing-ahead-with-tricky-Taliban-peace-deal.html
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/geelanis-resignation-blows-lid-off/d/122290