A Keralite Member of Islamic State-Khorasan Province Killed In Afghanistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 March 2022
ISKP member Najeeb Al
Hindi. (HT Photo)
-----
• Pakistan Police Storm Parliament Lodges, Arrest 19 People
Including Jamiat Ulema-E-Islam-Fazl Members of National Assembly
• Islamic State Names Abu Hassan Al-Hashimi
Al-Qurayshi New Leader, Confirming US Raid in North-Western Syria Killed
Predecessor
• Moderate Sunni Arab States See Nuke Deal as US
Bowing To Iran
• Dy. PM Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: Over One
Million Afghan Women, Children Addicted To Narcotics
India
• Voters Send 36 Muslim Candidates to 18th UP
Assembly, 2 More Than Earlier
• Appointments in govt depts, Muslim youth must take
advantage: Mohammed Saleem
• UP election results: Owaisi’s AIMIM fails to open
account in state
-------
Pakistan
• Minorities in Pakistan Fear Mob Lynching over
Blasphemy Accusations
• Why Have We Become Targets of Hatred, Asks
Pakistan's Shia Community
• Loyalists desert, Pakistan PM Imran Khan faces most
serious challenge to his rule
• Pakistan PM lashes out at opposition for
no-confidence motion, calls Zardari his first target
• JUI-F calls off plans to block roads across the
country after lawmakers, party workers released
• 'India to explain what happened in Mian Channu,'
says DG ISPR after Indian projectile falls in Pakistan
• Peshawar mosque bombing death toll rises to 65
--------
Arab
World
• Lebanese prosecutor bans five bank board chiefs from
travel
• Saudi Arabia’s first World Defense Show in Riyadh
ends with $7.9 billion in deals
• Israel, Bahrain hold talks on regional stability
• Deep Security Council divisions over Syrian chemical
weapons again laid bare
--------
Mideast
• Has Erdoğan given up on the Muslim Brotherhood?
• Supreme Leader: Iran Not to Give Up N. Program,
Regional Power
• IRGC Warns of "Decisive" Response to
Israeli Crimes
• Iran Dismisses "Unfounded" Allegations of
Arab League
• Iran: Israel Should Wait for Punishment
• Iran's Assembly of Experts Asks for End to
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
--------
South
Asia
• Islamic Emirate: Afghanistan Soil is Not Threat to
Anyone, Yet America is Still Worry Escalating Rumours
• Work on TAPI Project Will Continue: Islamic Emirate
• Mullah Yaqoob visits southern provinces to assess
security
• Karzai confirms travel restrictions on him, &
Abdullah Abdullah
• Ukraine’s issue hasn’t affected Afghanistan-based
Russians: Russia’s ambassador to Kabul
--------
North
America
• US: Justice Department Urged To Probe Anti-Muslim Group's
Alleged Spying
• US lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan
• White House: Iran nuclear deal “close,” end of
negotiations challenging
• US seized Iran oil cargo as Biden considers easing
sanctions
• Erdogan tells Biden it’s time to lift ‘unjust’
sanctions on Turkey’s defence industry
• US, Saudi free two US citizens from Houthi captivity
in Yemen: State Department
• US officially designates Qatar as major non-NATO
ally
-------
Europe
• Anti-Colonial Calendar Celebrates Muslims Who Fought
For Freedom
• French far-right politicians change their tune on
immigration
• Iran nuclear talks stumble over unresolved Russia
demands
• Queen Elizabeth receives special Turkish song for
Platinum Jubilee
--------
Africa
• Envoys Warn Of ‘Grave Danger’ In Sudan As Two More
Protesters Killed
• Jordan’s King Abdullah, Israeli FM Lapid discuss
Jerusalem tensions
• UAE’s Bukhatir group revives $5 billion real estate
project in Tunisia
• Military plane crashes in central Sudan
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Empowerment Programme At ITE For Malay-Muslims Helps
Student Excel
• Protests Grow Over Indonesia's Plan To Carve Up
Papua
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/keralite-islamic-state-khorasan-afghanistan/d/126551
--------
A Keralite Member of Islamic State-Khorasan
Province Killed In Afghanistan
ISKP member Najeeb Al
Hindi. (HT Photo)
-----
By Rezaul H Laskar
Mar 11, 2022
NEW DELHI: An Indian member of the Islamic
State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) has died fighting in Afghanistan, apparently in
a suicide attack, according to the latest issue of a publication of the group.
Voice of Khurasan, the ISKP’s publication, identified
the Indian fighter only by his nom de guerre, Najeeb Al Hindi, and described
him as 23-year-old “engineering (M. Tech) student from Kerala” in an article
about his death.
The article didn’t give further details about Najeeb
or state exactly when he was killed, or the specific circumstances of his
death.
The article compared Najeeb to Hanzala Ibn Abi Amir,
one of the companions of Prophet Mohammed, because he was killed hours after
getting married to a Pakistani woman. Hanzala died in the Battle of Uhud at the
age of 24 after leaving for the battlefield on his wedding night.
The article stated Najeeb had come to Khorasan – the
area of Afghanistan where ISKP is based – “all the way from India” on his own.
“It was very difficult to make hijra on (sic) those days,” the article said. He
also met other fighters “who came from his own place” and lived as a bachelor
in a guest room.
“He was very quiet and spoke when needed, with always
a smile on his face,” the article said. “Never complaining about the difficult
life of mountains, the only thing going on in his mind was Shahadah.”
After several months, Najeeb’s friends forced him to
get married and there was a proposal from a Pakistani family on behalf of a
young woman who was within the ISKP fold.
On the date set for Najeeb’s wedding, the article
states, the “kuffar” (non-believers) “began to advance in our area and
bombardment started”. The article does not identify exactly who had attacked
the ISKP. However, there have been numerous clashes between the Islamic State
and the Taliban since the latter assumed power in Kabul in mid-August 2021.
Najeeb initially declined to get married and said he
wanted to go for “inghimasi” (a suicide attack). Following pressure from the
bride’s father, the marriage went ahead, but soon after, an ISKP member came
and sought suicide attackers for an assault. Najeeb volunteered to go to the
battlefield and died fighting, the article said.
Several dozen men and women from Kerala are believed
to have joined the ISKP in recent years. A few have died in fighting or by US
drone strikes. During an operation against the group by Afghan forces in
Nangarhar province in later 2019, at least 25 Indian nationals – 13 fighters
and the rest women and children – were captured.
Scores of ISKP cadres held in prisons in Kabul and
other cities were freed during the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and the
fighters returned to the group. The ISKP has claimed some of the most brazen
attacks in Afghanistan in recent months, including the suicide attack on Kabul
airport on August 26 last year that killed more than 180 people.
Source: Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Pakistan Police Storm Parliament Lodges, Arrest 19
People Including Jamiat Ulema-E-Islam-Fazl Members of National Assembly
Photo: The Tribune,
Pakistan
-----
11 March, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 11 (ANI): Ahead of a
no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan by Opposition
parties, Islamabad Police on Thursday night stormed Parliament Lodges and made
19 arrests including key opposition members of the National Assembly, the
highest legislative body of the country.
Heavy contingents of police commandos and other law
enforcement agencies gathered around the Parliament Lodges under the command of
DIG (Operations), The News International reported.
“We tried to convince them that they could not enter
the lodges, but the police personnel remained adamant and entered by force,”
PMLN leader Khawaja Saad Rafique who was injured in the scuffle was quoted as
saying.
The police action came after members of Ansarul Islam,
a uniformed volunteer force set up to protect the leadership of the Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), entered the Parliament Lodges in large numbers, reported
Dawn.
JUI leader and Member of the National Assembly (MNA)
Salahuddin Ayubi refused to accept the police’s demand saying that the Ansarul
activists were their guests and legally staying with them.
Shortly afterward, clashes between Ayubi’s staff and
police personnel erupted. Several Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) parliamentarians were also present in the lodges at
the time, while JUI’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman also reached the venue, The News
International said citing sources.
The DIG at the spot also instructed the officials to
evacuate media personnel from the building as they made their way towards the
lodge of MNA, Salahuddin Ayubi.
The police commandos broke into the suite of
Salahuddin Ayubi and arrested activists of Ansarul Islam, dragged them out of
the room, shifted them to the police prisoner vans and took them to an unknown
place.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the police
operation in Parliament Lodges is “proof of Imran Khan’s nervousness.”
“Violence against members of the Parliament and their arrests is unbearable,
this is enough,” he said, adding that consequences of such dictatorial acts
will not be good for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
Taking notice of the issue, PMLN Vice President Maryam
Nawaz said that Islamabad police should refrain from acting like the prime
minister’s “stooges”.
“You (Imran Khan) are responsible for this; your
filthy language, arrogance, pride and disrespect for other leaders have led you
to this position,” she said, adding that it’s too late now as his (Khan’s)
threats are useless now, the report said.
The development comes amid growing discontent against
the Imran Khan government, with Pakistan’s main opposition parties filing a
no-confidence motion against the Pakistan PM on Tuesday in the National
Assembly. (ANI)
Source: The Print
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Islamic State Names Abu Hassan Al-Hashimi Al-Qurayshi
New Leader, Confirming US Raid in North-Western Syria Killed Predecessor
The ruins of Islamic State
leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi’s hideout in Syria’s Idlib province
after he blew himself up during a US raid in February. Photograph: Aaref
Watad/AFP/Getty Images
-----
11 Mar 2022
Islamic State has named a new leader after confirming
that its previous head was killed by the US in north-western Syria over a month
ago.
In an audio message released on Thursday, an IS
spokesman, Abu Omar al-Muhajer, confirmed the death of the group’s leader, Abu
Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, as well as that of its former spokesman, Abu
Hamza al-Qurayshi, in the US raid.
Muhajer said IS had named a successor, identifying him
as Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi and saying the late IS chief had chosen
him.
“He has accepted the leadership,” Muhajer said of the
new chief, without providing his real name.
There was no immediate information about the new
leader and it wasn’t known whether he was Iraqi like his two predecessors, both
killed in rebel-held parts of Syria.
None of the Qurayshis are believed to be related.
“Al-Qurayshi” comes from Quraish, the name of the tribe that Islam’s Prophet
Muhammad belonged to, and which serves as part of an IS leader’s nom de guerre.
Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed during
an overnight raid by US special forces on 3 February.
US officials said he blew himself up along with
members of his family as American forces raided his hideout in the north-western
Syrian town of Atme, near the Turkish border.
About 50 US special operations forces landed in
helicopters and attacked the house in the rebel-held corner of Syria, clashing
for two hours with gunmen. In all, 13 people were killed, including six children
and four women.
In a televised address, the US president, Joe Biden,
said “this horrible terrorist leader” was accused of the genocide of the
Yazidis in northern Iraq and last month’s spectacular assault on a prison
holding IS inmates in the east of Syria.
Qurayshi, an Iraqi born in the northern town of Tel
Afar, was a veteran of the post-Saddam Hussein Sunni-led insurgency.
He is the fourth senior Isis leader to have been
tracked down, captured or killed in Idlib province in the past two years. Qurayshi’s
predecessor Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in October 2019 in a village nine
miles (14.5km) south of Atme.
The prevalence of the IS leadership in the area raises
the likelihood that the heartland of the group – western Iraq – is no longer
the centre of its operations, and that a new generation of leaders is opting
for sanctuary on the battlefields of Syria.
Source: The Guardian
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Moderate Sunni Arab States See Nuke Deal as US Bowing
To Iran
National Security Council head
Meir Ben-Shabbat attends a state audit committee meeting at the Knesset in 2018
(Photo credit: Hadas
Parush/Flash90)
-----
MARCH 10, 2022
The moderate Sunni Arab states see the emerging
potential nuclear deal as the US bowing to Iran, former national Security
Council chief Meir Ben Shabbat told The Jerusalem Post.
Currently a senior research fellow at the Institute
for National Security Studies of Tel Aviv University, Ben Shabbat served as NSC
chief from 2017 until August, during former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
term and the first two months of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s term.
He discussed a number of issues in a wide-ranging
interview by email, from Iran to Ukraine to Hezbollah to the Abraham Accords,
though he declined to answer questions about operational issues.
Q: Recently, those experts and former officials who
said that the JCPOA nuclear deal was bad to have said that the US exiting the
deal was also a bad move – because there was no Plan B of what to do without
the deal – and that this freed up Iran to progress further with its nuclear
program. Do you agree? And now that there is a high probability of a new
agreement, how should Israel act?
BS: An agreement is not the end, an agreement is the
means! The goal is to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons or from becoming
a “threshold state” with nuclear weapons. Any agreement that does not ensure
this is a means that is not serving the ends, and is, therefore, not a good
one.
It is only when the Ayatollah regime is faced with a
choice – to lose power or renounce their nuclear plans – will it give up its
nuclear program.
There is no precedent for a country renouncing its
nuclear program freely and without pressure. It didn’t happen in Iraq, Libya,
Syria or in North Korea. Sanctions against Iran could have achieved this goal
if they had continued to operate with greater intensity, together with a
credible military threat.
In fact, the Trump administration left the Biden
administration with important leverage to exert pressure on Iran. They should
have continued to use it. That would have broken the spirit and the hope of the
Iranians, who had expected that the change of administration in the USA would
bring some relief for them. As we can see in another arena [alluding to the
current sanctioning of Russia], the USA still believes in the power of severe economic
sanctions.
As for the USA, it is also important to say that the
agreement presently emerging weakens its status in the Middle East. Its allies
will not say this explicitly, but clearly, they see the agreement with Iran as
bowing to the Iranians and allowing them to grow stronger in a way that also
threatens them. We cannot rule out the possibility that other countries will
strive to obtain nuclear weapons, to create a balance against Iran. None of
this will bring more stability to the Middle East.
In the event that a new nuclear deal is signed and
Iran follows its provisions as it did during the years 2015-2019, when would we
need to worry more and become more active: only in October 2025 when there will
be fewer nuclear limits on the volume of centrifuges which Iran can operate?
One year earlier? Or only in October 2030 when all of the nuclear limits are
removed?
The new-old agreement that the USA is currently
advancing will certainly pave the way for Iran to achieve nuclear weapons, once
the restrictions expire. The emerging agreement has no levers to force Iran to
engage in discussions on a “longer and stronger” agreement, and there is no
reason to think that it will volunteer to do so.
The Iranian regime will increase its efforts to
achieve nuclear weapons, also as a lesson learned from the war in Ukraine. It
will see nuclear weapons as an essential guarantee to secure its survival, and
will do everything in its power to achieve them quickly.
It will, therefore, maximize what it can obtain within
the agreement, and will do whatever it can – even counter to the agreement.
Anyone who is not blind must assume that this is how the Iranian regime is
expected to think and also to act!
Will the internal instability and problems within
Lebanon, combined with the possibility of a new nuclear deal weakening US
involvement in the Middle East, cause Hezbollah to attack Israel in the coming
year, despite the deterrence Israel has maintained since the 2006 Second
Lebanon War?
The agreement with Iran and the resources it will
probably be able to obtain will put wind into the sails of the “Shiite axis,”
including Hezbollah. At the same time, Hezbollah understands well the
significance of a conflict with Israel and the price that Lebanon may pay in
such an event.
Regarding Israel’s position on Ukraine issues: should
it have stood more clearly and unequivocally with the US and the West? Should
Israel continue with its current policy of ambiguity regarding its relations
with Ukraine and Russia, or should it become even more silent on the issue?
Israel does not have to prove what world view, what
ideological outlook, and what values it is close to. That is very clear to
everyone. And everyone is also aware that Israel and the USA have a
relationship that is not called a “special relationship” by chance. Taken as a
whole, Israel has other interests that it must also consider. Israel’s conduct
must take into account both ethical considerations and its overall interests.
At first, the Abraham Accords were very impressive.
But after 16 months, the Biden administration has not invested in them the same
way as did the previous administration, and the Palestinians have not changed
their positions despite the strategic change to the landscape. Has Israel
obtained most of the good that it can from the accords, and will now be stuck
again with the Palestinians and with other countries that have not joined?
Alternatively, some say that Oman and Indonesia could be the next to join. Who
might be next?
We can see that the Abraham Accords with the United
Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco are developing nicely. They have been
extended to cover a very wide range of subjects, and they are creating deep
contacts between citizens and companies, not just governments. All of this is
proceeding at a good pace, which shows that the Abraham Accords came at just
the right time.
There is still potential for further agreements. The
positive fruits of the accords so far will influence other countries to be more
eager to hop on the peace train. Of course, that is not the only issue, but it
has an impact.
The Middle East is currently undergoing a process of
re-organization, in which the traditional boundaries between the various camps
are becoming blurred.
The pragmatic Sunni camp, which includes Saudi Arabia
and the Gulf States, is setting up partnerships with Turkey and Qatar – the
mainstay of political Islam, courtesy of the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkey and
Israel are becoming closer.
This process is happening as a result of the
cumulative effect of four elements: American policy in the Middle East, Iran,
the defeat of Salafi terrorism and the economy.
Unlike in the past, the current process is occurring
when there is a platform for relations with Israel – the Abraham Accords – and
that of course can provide opportunities.
What is the right approach to move forward with
normalization with Sudan? Should the process move through Sudanese de facto
head of state and military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, or through Sudanese
General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemetti?” Have, or should, the changes in the
Sudanese government (following al-Burhan’s coup to topple his civilian
authority partners) blocked forward progress, and does Israel need to be careful
getting closer to Sudan as long as the West views al-Burhan as illegitimate?
The most important thing is momentum. We must
continually ensure that positive momentum continues. There must be a forward
trend of progress, even if the pace is slow. As for the method and the people –
I am convinced that my replacements and the others involved are carefully
considering all the options.
Source: J Post
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-700945
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Dy. PM Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: Over One
Million Afghan Women, Children Addicted To Narcotics
Image credit: Unsplash
------
10 Mar 2022
Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan Abdul Salaam Hanafi said that there are five million Afghan drug
addicts among them over one million Afghan minors and women.
In his meeting with a delegation from International
Rescue Committee (IRC) on Wednesday, March 9 Hanafi asked the Committee to closely
assess the situation of Afghan women affected by war.
The meeting was conducted in the office of the Prime
Minister (ARG).
A spokesperson of the IEA Inamullah Samangani in a
press release said, if the International Community assists the Afghan farmers
in providing their alternative, the IEA is committed to making efforts in
uprooting narcotics across Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the head of IRC in Afghanistan Vicki Aken
said that delivering health services to deprived areas is a priority of the IRC
and a suggestion has been made to the de facto authorities in this regard.
Further, Deputy Director of the committee Zahra Wardak
said, the committee is interested in not only working for Afghan women and
children but also for the financial self-sufficiency of Afghan women.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-over-one-million-afghan-women-children-addicted-to-narcotics-6547655/
--------
India
Voters send 36 Muslim candidates to 18th UP Assembly, 2 more than earlier
March 11, 2022
In a seemingly polarised electoral atmosphere that saw
a straight contest between the ruling BJP and Samajwadi Party (SP), voters have
sent 36 Muslim candidates to the 18th Uttar Pradesh Assembly, two more than the
previous Assembly.
The newly elected MLAs account for 8.93 per cent of
the total 403 legislators in a state that has an over 20 per cent Muslim
population.
Among the prominent Muslim MLAs who have been elected
are Mohd Azam Khan, his son Abdullah Azam Khan,
jailed-gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's son Abbas, and nephew Mannu.
In Rampur, jailed SP leader Azam Khan won the seat
after securing 1,21,755 votes, while BJP's Akash Saxena was a distant second
with 56,368 votes.
In the Suar Assembly segment, Azam's son Abdullah Azam
received 1,26,162 votes against 65,059 votes of Haidar Ali Khan a.k.a. Hamza
Mian, who contested on Apna Dal's ticket.
In Mau, Mukhtar Ansari's son Abbas Ansari, fighting on
an SBSP ticket, defeated BJP's Ashok Kumar Singh by 38,227 votes.
In Mohammadabad (Ghazipur), former MLA Sibgatullah
Ansari's son and Mukhtar's nephew Suhaib Ansari a.k.a. Mannu emerged victorious
with a margin of 18,199 votes defeating BJP's sitting MLA Alka Rai.
In Kairana seat, SP's Nahid Hasan secured a win after
polling 1, 31,035 votes against BJP candidate Mriganka Singh's 1, 05,148.
In Nizamabad (Azamgarh), SP's 85-year-old veteran,
Alam Badi, was re-elected defeating BJP's Manoj by a margin of 34,187 votes.
Kithore Assembly seat in Meerut saw a close contest
between SP's Shahid Mazoor and BJP's Satvir Singh. Mazoor won the seat by a
slender margin of 2,180 votes.
In Kundarki (Moradabad), SP MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq's
son Zia-ur-Rehman trounced BJP's Kamal Kumar by 43,162 votes.
This time, while the SP fielded much smaller number of
Muslim candidates -- 64 -- primarily in an attempt to shed the tag of its MY
(Muslim - Yadav) combination being its core constituency, the BSP fielded 88
Muslims while the Congress fielded another 75.
Source: Business Standard
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Appointments in govt depts, Muslim youth must take
advantage: Mohammed Saleem
Mohammed Hussain Ahmed
10th March 2022
Hyderabad: The ex-Chairman of Telangana Waqf Board
Mohammed Saleem congratulated Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on his recent
announcement for filling 91000 government jobs in the state.
Mohammed Saleem met the chief minister in his chamber
to congratulate him for providing an opportunity for the fulfilment of the
long-cherished dream of unemployed youth in getting a government job.
He welcomed the identification of 1825 jobs in the
Department of Minority Welfare. “Other minority departments are also facing
staff shortage and immediate appointments are also required there to better its
performance.”
The former Waqf Board chairman commended the State
Government’s decision to regularize the services of contract employees. “The minority youth, especially the Muslims
must take full advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
Source: Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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UP election results: Owaisi’s AIMIM fails to open
account in state
10th March 2022
Lucknow: Hyderabad headquartered All India
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had announced to field candidates
on 100 seats in UP polls, has failed to open an account in the state.
AIMIM supremo and Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin
Owaisi had launched a new front, the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha, comprising
parties with a support base among Muslims, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Dalits
for the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Owaisi had also said that if the Bhagidari Parivartan
Morcha wins the elections, it will have two Chief Ministers – a Dalit and an
OBC leader, besides three deputy Chief Ministers, one of whom will be Muslim.
The Jan Adhikari Party led by Babu Singh Kushwaha, the
Bharat Mukti Morcha led by Vaman Meshram, Janata Kranti Party led by Anil Singh
Chauhan and Bhartiya Vanchit Samaj Party led by Ram Prasad Kashyap were part of
the front.
Owaisi’s campaign in UP
During the campaign in UP, Owaisi tried to highlight
many issues that are being faced by the people of the state. It had even
brought the ‘hijab’ row to the state assembly elections.
Commenting on the hijab row, he had said, “The BJP
government is not allowing our daughters to wear a hijab and study but Prime
Minister Narendra Modi talks about empowering Muslim women with the triple
talaq law. Is this his ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign pitch?”.
Source: Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/aimim-fails-to-open-account-in-up-2288554/
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Pakistan
Minorities in Pakistan fear mob lynching over
blasphemy accusations
10 March, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 10 (ANI): Regular episodes
of attacks on the minorities’ properties and their religious places on fake or
inadvertent blasphemy charges in Pakistan have been occurring on daily basis.
A violent mob in Pakistan’s Punjab province stoned to
death a “mentally challenged” man accused of committing blasphemy over
allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran on February 12, reported European Times.
This is not the first incident of mob justice in
Pakistan. In November 2021, a mob had vandalised a police station in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district and set it on fire after the local authorities
refused to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.
Moreover, the memories of the lynching of a Sri Lankan
factory manager, Priyantha Kumara, in Punjab’s Sialkot city in December are
still fresh.
Such killings in Pakistan over blasphemy accusations
are not just about extrajudicial vigilantism. They have an all-encompassing
reason ranging from religious and political to petty and personal disputes, and
international connections, reported European Times.
According to the US Commission on International
Religious Freedom Report (2016), Pakistan has the world’s second-strictest
blasphemy laws after Iran.
But what is more concerning is that, in most blasphemy
cases, culprits are either eulogised as the ‘saviour’ of Islam, in case they
get a judicial sentence, or are released under the pressure from religious
extremists.
These religious extremists support the severest
implementation of draconian blasphemy laws to subjugate the lower-strata of
society, Ahmadiyyas and Shias, and other religious minorities such as
Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs.
This is the legacy of the Islamic military dictator
General Ziaul Haq, who used the laws to appease the hard-line Islamist forces
in Pakistan.
However, the menace of blasphemy killings in Pakistan
has currently reached an unprecedented level under the Imran Khan government,
which has provided space to extremist Islamist outfits such as
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a Sunni Barelvi group, reported European
Times.
In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan,
a local Think Tank, Centre for Research and Security Studies had revealed that
from 1947 to 2021, as many as 89 people were extra-judicially killed over
blasphemy accusations in the country.
It further stated that a total of 1,287 citizens were
accused of committing blasphemy from 2011-21, the period in which TLP remained
most active and expanded its support base across the country, reported European
Times.
The Khan government’s failure to control incidents of
blasphemy and an apparent soft- corner for the extremist Islamist groups, for
political purposes, will have far-wider consequences for Pakistan in the coming
months.
Source: The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Why Have We Become Targets of Hatred, Asks Pakistan's
Shia Community
Veengas
Mar 11, 2022
Karachi: The Shia community of Pakistan believes that
the March 4 suicide attack by a bomber from the Islamic State – Khorasan
Province on a pre-partition era Shia mosque at Kocha Risaldar, Peshawar, in
which 64 people were killed and more than 200 people seriously injured, was the
latest in series of attacks on their community since the Taliban came to power
in Afghanistan in 2021, supported by the Pakistan government.
“Shias in Afghanistan have been attacked four times
since the Taliban takeover in 2021 and we sense that the situation for us will
get worse in the future,” said Sayed Shabeer Shah, who was a victim of the 2015
attack on a Shia mosque in Peshawar in which 19 people had been killed.
Shah wondered how the attacker had managed to enter
the mosque on March 4, considering that it is well-known for its strict
security measures and the distance between the main gate and the mosque itself
is about 400 meters, which takes three to four minutes to cross.
No guards had been available at the main gate, said
Shah. But there had been eight policemen posted at the mosque who had failed to
be alert enough to thwart the lone suicide bomber from entering the building,
he added.
“The attack on the Shia mosque in Peshawar was the
result of the insecure security state’s suicidal policies,” said Bushra Gohar,
a senior member of the National Democratic Movement and a former member of the
National Assembly of Pakistan. “The sponsorship and nurture of religious
extremism remains an integral part of the state’s policy.”
A history of intolerance
Every government that comes to power in Pakistan
claims that religious minorities will be safe. But there is a vast and deep
distance between this claim and reality. For example, it is said that militant
groups that follow the Deobandi school of Islam, such as the Afghan Taliban,
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, are banned in Pakistan. But
these groups continue to work under different names and have promoted sectarian
violence against the Shia community since the 1990s.
“They seem to think that those who do not match them
in their beliefs and ideology deserve to be killed,” said Mohsin Dawar, a
Pashtun nationalist who is chairman of the National Democratic Movement and a
member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Attacks on members of the Shia community are not
restricted to shootings and bombs. For example, said activist Abid Rizvi,
nearly a thousand first information reports (FIRs) were registered against
members of the Shia community between August and October 2021.
“Even if we quote Yazid in order to condemn him, we
have FIRs lodged against us because we quoted Yazid,” says activist Abid Rizvi.
“Now we cannot even criticise Yazid.”
Yazid was the second caliph of the Umayyad and the
first person in Islamic history to inherit the caliphate. When Hussain, the
grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the battle of Karbala by the
forces led by Yazid, it led to the beginning of a schism in Islam that divided
the faith into Sunnis, the majority, and Shias, a large minority.
Also read: India Doesn’t Understand Afghan Society or
Politics. We Must Stop Pretending Otherwise.
Mohsin Dawar believes that the military establishment
of Pakistan is responsible for what happened in Peshawar on March 4 due to its
policies on Afghanistan.
After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December
1979, Pakistan supported the Mujahideen, which were groups of Afghan guerrilla
fighters who fought the Soviets as a jihad. When the various groups of
Mujahideen began to war with each other instead, a group of Islamic teachers
and students emerged, calling themselves the Taliban and fighting the
Mujahideen to take over the country. Pakistan then began to support the
Taliban, an anti-democratic force, but now the Daesh (the Islamic State – Khorasan
Province) is working against the Taliban and also attacking minorities, Dawar
explained.
“Pakistan facilitated and celebrated the terrorists’
takeover of Afghanistan without thinking through the dire consequences for the
country and the region,” said Gohar. “Political leaders and parliament have
surrendered their roles and responsibilities in the formation of foreign and
security policies to the unelected military and civilian bureaucracy in return
for petty power interests.”
She added: “We have repeatedly warned the people of
Pakistan about the regrouping of Taliban terrorists of all shades in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa under the state’s watchful eyes. It is an indication that a new
cycle of proxy war has begun since the Taliban occupation of Afghanistan last
year.”
Dawar believes that there is something dubious about
the fact that Arman Lodhi Shaheed, a member of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement,
was arrested for distributing pamphlets in Karachi, while those who circulate
Daesh literature in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are never booked by the police.
“Political movements are scrutinised,” he pointed out.
Beginning of genocide?
Politics aside, the Shia community in Pakistan is
overcome with grief. “Why are we being killed?” asked Muzafar Akhunzada, deputy
secretary of the Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan. “We are against injustice and
we spread the message of peace. But our girls are orphaned and our daughters
are made widows. Someone must answer: who killed us?”
Akhunzada insisted that the security agencies must
know who was behind the attack on the Shia mosque and why the attack was
carried out. “If the security agencies knew how he came to the mosque and what
he wore, then the security agencies must know who encouraged him to kill
Shias,” he said.
The state could use the excuse that attacks like this
are carried out in Pakistan due to opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor, Akhunzada said. “But if that is the case, why does it happen only to
the Shia community?” he asked.
While the police have traced the suicide bomber and
the people who assisted him, they will not share further details until the
investigation has been completed.
Akhunzada will not place the blame for the attack
directly on the Pakistani state for fear that fatwas will be made against him.
After the attack on the mosque, very few people even called the Shia community
by its name: members of the government in Islamabad and many members of
opposition parties called the suicide bombing “an attack on humanity” rather
than “an attack on Shias”. Just a day after the attack, a video went viral on
social media in which Shias were referred to as kafirs: infidels.
“How can people change the identities of communities?”
asked Dawar. “When a Pashtun is killed, the state does not say a Pashtun was
killed. It says a Pakistani was killed. The fact is that more Pashtuns and
Balochs are killed in Pakistan than members of other communities. You cannot
erase someone’s identity.”
Any person who identifies herself or himself as part
of a certain community should be recognised as part of that community, said
Dawar. “If Shias say that they are being killed because they are Shia, then we
should accept it,” he said.
Qazi Khizer, president of the Sindh chapter of the
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, explained: “Muslims do not kill Muslims.
That is the mindset of the Deobandi and Salafi groups that are supported by the
state of Pakistan. These groups believe that Shias are not Muslims.”
According to a research study carried out by the Human
Rights Commission, 39 Shia doctors were killed in 2004 because they belonged to
the Shia sect. “Shias are killed for their beliefs,” said Khizer.
Source: The Wire
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https://thewire.in/south-asia/why-have-we-become-targets-of-hatred-asks-pakistans-shia-community
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Loyalists desert, Pakistan PM Imran Khan faces most
serious challenge to his rule
Mar 11, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is
facing the most serious challenge to his rule as senior party leaders desert
him amid a renewed opposition push to box him in with street protests and
demands he faces a no-confidence vote.
A senior member of Khan's government, Aleem Khan,
joined a breakaway group of the ruling Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Monday citing
disappointment with the premier's governance since he came to power in August
2018. Over the weekend, the prime minister's former special assistant Nadeem
Afzal Chan also defected to the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party.
The PPP is converging on capital Islamabad Tuesday
with thousands of its supporters and demanding that Khan either resign or face
a vote of confidence. The opposition, which formally asked for a vote of
no-confidence against Khan on Tuesday, needs the approval of 172 members in the
342-seat National Assembly or parliament's lower house.
"It's quite a threatening, difficult situation
for Khan," said Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute
of Legislative Development and Transparency in Islamabad. "He is trying to
win back the support of his disgruntled leaders but its cost will be high. If
he survives, he won't be as strong as he was."
The opposition has asked the speaker of the National
Assembly to call a vote of no-confidence against Khan, Pakistan Peoples party
lawmaker Shazia Marri said. It's not immediately clear when the speaker will
ask for the vote.
However, Khan has the backing of Pakistan's powerful
military that has ruled the nation for almost half its history. He has survived
previous demands for his resignation by the opposition.
The latest pressure on the former
cricket-star-turned-politician comes as he faces allegations of mismanaging the
economy and foreign policy by the opposition. Plagued by the second-fastest
growing inflation in Asia, Khan last week cut domestic energy prices to pacify
public anger, despite agreeing with the International Monetary Fund to do the
opposite.
In November, to help resume a $6 billion bailout plan,
the nation had agreed with the IMF to increase a tax on fuel by 4 rupees a
liter every month until it reaches 30 rupees.
Source: Times Of India
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Pakistan PM lashes out at opposition for no-confidence
motion, calls Zardari his first target
11 March, 2022
Lahore [Pakistan], March 11 (ANI): Pakistan Prime
Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition parties for their
‘no-confidence motion’ and said that his first target would be Pakistan
People’s Party co-chairperson, Asif Ali Zardari for his involvement in
corruption and money laundering.
He made these remarks during a public rally of
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers at Governor House during his day-long
visit to the metropolis.
Pakistan PM said that the no-confidence motion against
him would turn out to be the ‘political demise’ of the opposition, Pakistani
newspaper Business Recorder reported on Thursday.
He said that he was waiting for this moment when the
opposition would submit the no-confidence motion and he could launch his war
against the corruption that he was pursuing for the last 25 years.
Imran said that Zardari was focused on buying
loyalties of the members of PTI, adding that a PTI Member National Assembly
(MNA) told him that he was offered Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 200 million.
Imran Khan also lashed out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
President, Shahbaz Sharif and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s chief Fazlur Rehman for
joining Zardari in a bid to save one another.
He also accused Shahbaz Sharif of laundering billions
of rupees to his son and son-in-law abroad, and Fazal-ur-Rehman for possessing
wealth worth billions even without owning any business.
Imran said the gang of dacoits had got united against
him, adding that the corrupt were not making the move to save the country, but
themselves, according to Business Recorder.
Citing the letter penned by the EU urging Pakistan to
vote against Russia during the UNGA session, Imran said that he had not given
any statement against the European Union, but reminded it that Pakistan was its
ally in the war against terrorism which cost the country over 80,000
casualties.
Source: The Print
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JUI-F calls off plans to block roads across the
country after lawmakers, party workers released
March 11, 2022
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur
Rehman on Friday called off plans to block highways across the country after
parliamentarians and workers, who were arrested last night during a raid at
Parliament Lodges, were released by Islamabad police.
In an audio message shared on Twitter, Maulana Fazl
said there was "no need" to block the roads now since all
parliamentarians and workers have been released.
On Thursday, a heavy contingent of police raided the
Parliament Lodges to expel members of the Ansarul Islam — the volunteer force
of the JUI-F — who were invited to provide security to opposition lawmakers.
At least four legislators, along with two dozen
Ansarul Islam volunteers, were arrested during the operation, police officials
told Dawn.
A couple of legislators also courted arrest in protest
over the police action at the parliamentarians' lodgings, they said, adding
that all the arrested persons were shifted to a police installation for further
action.
The opposition held a joint meeting following the
operation after which Maulana Fazl directed party workers to open the highways
they had earlier blocked in protest against the police operation and set a
deadline of 9am for the government to release arrested parliamentarians and
party workers.
The maulana said he was announcing the end of the
protest keeping in view the hardships faced by the commuters, including women
and children, warning however, that he would again give a call to his workers
to block the highways if those arrested were not released.
In his message today, the JUI-F chief again condemned
the police's actions on Thursday, claiming that they "discarded all laws
and ethics at Parliament Lodges, baselessly tortured workers and dragged and
arrested elected representatives of the public, detained their guests and
presented a wrong picture and false narrative to the public".
He thanked his party workers, members of other
opposition parties and the people of the country for "taking immediate
action and jamming the entire country in less than an hour" and
congratulated them for their "success".
On the other hand, Special Assistant to the Prime
Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said that Maulana Fazl
had been "making calls all night and asking for forgiveness and for his
workers to be released so he could have some honour left".
Gill claimed the maulana also asked his workers to
apologise. "In principle, they (the workers) should not have been released
but we did not want to let them flee the political arena on this excuse,"
he tweeted.
Police action
A day earlier, JUI-F lawmaker Maulana Salahuddin
Ayyubi reached the Parliament Lodges — where nearly all members of parliament
are allotted accommodation — alongside a few dozen motorcycle-riding
volunteers. Some of the volunteers entered the lodges with the lawmaker, while
others gathered outside the main gate.
Images of their presence outside the lodges aired on
news channels caught the attention of authorities, who asked the capital police
chief to remove them from the premises, police officials said.
In response, a large force, consisting of an anti-riot
unit, police commandoes, the Counter Terrorism Department and Anti-Terrorism
Force along with prison vans reached the Parliament Lodges — located opposite
Parliament House — under the supervision of the DIG and SSP Operations.
According to police sources, all volunteers then moved to MNA Ayyubi's Lodge
(A-401) and locked the door.
Senior police officers asked them to surrender, but
they refused, police said.
Around 8pm, the police party broke down the door of
the MNA's flat, which led to a physical confrontation between police,
legislators and the Ansarul Islam volunteers, officers said, adding that during
the confrontation a number of MNAs and volunteers sustained injuries.
Police succeeded in arresting around two dozen
volunteers, and at least four legislators (including a senator and three MNAs),
who were then dragged and bundled into police vehicles.
After the police party left, an incensed Maulana Fazl
arrived at the scene with a large number of party workers and activists in tow,
announcing his intention to court arrest and issuing a call to all his
supporters across the country to come out onto the streets to protest the
state's high-handedness.
Source: Dawn
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'India to explain what happened in Mian Channu,' says
DG ISPR after Indian projectile falls in Pakistan
March 10, 2022
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General
Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar on Thursday briefed the media on an Indian "high
speed flying object" that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district on
Wednesday night.
"It was a supersonic flying object, most probably
a missile, but it was certainly unarmed," he said.
Earlier reports had suggested that a private aircraft
had crashed in the area.
"On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high speed flying
object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations
Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)," he began. "From its initial
course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated
Pakistan's air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm."
"When it fell, it damaged civilian
properties," he said, adding no loss of life was reported.
"PAF continuously monitored the complete flying
path of the object, from its point of origin near Sirsa in India to its point
of impact, near Mian Channu.
"It initiated requisite tactical actions,"
he said.
"It is important to highlight that the flight
path of this object endangered many international and domestic passenger
flights — both in Indian and Pakistani air space — as well as human life and
property on ground.
"Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is
for the Indians to explain. It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for
aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and
procedural efficiency," he said, adding that this could have resulted in a
major aviation disaster.
'Flagrant violation'
"Pakistan strongly protests this flagrant
violation and cautions against recurrence of any such incident in the
future," he warned.
Air Vice Marshall Tariq Zia told the media that at the
time this projectile was picked up, there were two airway routes active and
several commercial airlines in the area. "If you look at the speed and
height of the projectile, it was 40,000 feet high, and the airlines were
between 35,000 to 42,000 feet. This could have been very detrimental to the
safety of passengers."
The projectile travelled 124 kilometres inside
Pakistani territory in three minutes and 44 seconds, he added.
The DG also made it clear that there was no sensitive
installation in Mian Channu where the projectile fell.
In response to a question, he said "testing and
trial of such weapon systems do take place". "But what this was,
India has to explain."
"This incident reflects the questionable
capabilities of the human resources working on these programmes in India as
well as this technology."
Asked for more details about the object, he said
"we are not claiming anything right now". "As a responsible
nation, we will wait for India to respond. We have given details of whatever we
know right now. But it is for the Indians to explain what happened in Mian
Channu."
"All our forces are alert to the threat and
challenges that we face."
'Army has nothing to do with politics'
During the Q&A session, the DG ISPR was also asked
whether the army was standing with Prime Minister Imran Khan, in relation to
the current political situation and his impending no-confidence vote.
Source: Dawn
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Peshawar mosque bombing death toll rises to 65
March 10, 2022
PESHAWAR: Another victim of the suicide bombing at a
mosque during prayers last Friday in Peshawar died of injuries on Thursday,
increasing the death toll to 65.
The deceased, later identified as Asif, was under
treatment at a local hospital.
It is to be noted here that almost 60 people were
martyred in a suicide attack inside the Imambargah in Kucha Risaldar, Peshawar.
The remaining breathed their last in hospitals.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing
in a statement, which would make it one of the biggest attacks carried out by
the group inside Pakistan.
An armed man who arrived near the mosque on a
motorcycle opened fire when he was stopped by police, before forcing his way
into a crowded hall and detonating his suicide vest, senior police official
Haroon Rasheed said.
Source: Pakistan Today
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https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/03/10/peshawar-mosque-bombing-death-toll-rises-to-65/
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Arab
World
Lebanese prosecutor bans five bank board chiefs from
travel
10 March ,2022
A Lebanese prosecutor on Thursday issued travel bans
against the heads of the boards of five Lebanese banks as a precautionary
measure as she investigates transactions by their banks, the prosecutor told
Reuters.
Judge Ghada Aoun issued the bans against Salim Sfeir
of Bank of Beirut, Samir Hanna of Bank Audi, Antoun Sehnaoui of SGBL, Saad
Azhari of Blom Bank, and Raya Hassan of Bankmed.
She has not charged any of them with a crime.
When contacted, Hassan told Reuters she was
“speechless” and noted she had joined the bank after the transactions took
place.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Saudi Arabia’s first World Defense Show in Riyadh ends
with $7.9 billion in deals
10 March ,2022
Saudi Arabia concluded its first World Defense Show in
Riyadh with a record $7.9 billion (SAR 29.7 billion) in deals, the organizers
announced in a media statement on Wednesday.
The four-day-long event saw 600 exhibitors in the
defense and security sectors from 42 countries.
The next edition of the show has been planned for
March 2024, according to the same statement.
Suliman Almazrous, CEO of the National Industrial
Development And Logistics Program (NIDLP) told Al Arabiya English that the
event has “successfully achieved an ideal equation – quantity and quality of
exhibitors” which showcases the Kingdom’s marked efforts to promote the local
opportunities it has to offer.
One of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals is to have 50
percent of defense spending localized.
In light of these goals, the World Defense Show was
organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) to realize
the future of Saudi’s defense requirements.
Ahmad al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI in a media statement
said, “the networking, knowledge sharing, and commercial relationships
established through the World Defense Show platform will spur a new era of
investment and growth for Saudi Arabia’s defense and security industry bringing
us closer to achieving our target of localizing more than 50 percent of the
Kingdom’s military expenditure by 2030.”
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated
the event on Sunday and toured the purpose-built site north of capital several
times.
Interoperability was a big theme of event and
exhibitors displayed technology from air, land, sea, and space defense systems
to support it.
Daily panel discussions explored the various current
and future technology available in defense, while a Control and Command center
simulated handling security threats.
On International Women’s Day, the event dedicated the
March 8 commemoration to promote and highlight women in defense. Notable
dignitaries including Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to
the US, Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics; and Marion Blakely, former
President of Rolls-Royce North America who all delivered keynotes at the event.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Israel, Bahrain hold talks on regional stability
Ibrahim al-Khazen
10.03.2022
Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi on Thursday
met in Manama with Bahraini Defense Minister Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa for
talks on stability in the region.
Discussions between the two officials dwelt on topics
pertaining to enhancing regional stability, in addition to issues of mutual
concern, the Bahraini state news agency reported.
Kochavi arrived in Bahrain on Wednesday for an
unscheduled visit. He will meet with Brad Cooper, commander of the US Naval
Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet, during his visit.
Several Israeli officials visited Bahrain in recent
months, including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid
and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-bahrain-hold-talks-on-regional-stability/2530834
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Deep Security Council divisions over Syrian chemical
weapons again laid bare
March 11, 2022
NEW YORK: Gaps and inconsistencies remain in the
Syrian government’s declaration about its chemical weapons, the UN’s
disarmament chief told members of the Security Council on Thursday.
Izumi Nakamitsu, the under-secretary-general and high
representative for disarmament affairs, highlighted the need for clarification
of two incidents in which apparent evidence of nerve agents was found at a
facility Syrian authorities said has never been used to produce chemical
weapons, and also the government’s “unauthorized movement” of two destroyed
chlorine cylinders found at the scene of a chemical weapon attack in the city
of Douma in April 2018.
She called on the Syrian government to respond to
requests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to
disclose the types and quantities of chemical agents produced or weaponized at
the facility in question and the whereabouts of the two cylinders “with the
necessary urgency.”
The Security Council was meeting for the 101st time to
discuss the issue of chemical weapons in Syria. Nakamitsu briefed members on
the implementation of Resolution 2118, which was unanimously adopted in
September 2013 after a UN investigation that confirmed the use of chemical
weapons against civilians in a Damascus suburb the previous month. Images of
victims, including children, suffocating after breathing in the nerve agent
caused outrage worldwide.
The resolution called on the Syrian regime to destroy
its stockpiles of chemical weapons by mid-2014 and set out punitive measures in
the event of non-compliance. It banned Syrian authorities from using,
developing, producing, acquiring, stockpiling or retaining chemical weapons, or
transferring them to other states or non-state actors.
In October 2013, Syria submitted to the OPCW a formal
initial declaration about its chemical weapons program, including a plan for
the destruction of stockpiles.
Nakamitsu told the Security Council on Thursday that,
more than nine years later, the declaration still cannot be considered accurate
and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.
“Gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies” have been
identified that cast doubt on the true extent of the elimination of chemical
weapons by the regime during the civil car, she said.
The OPCW has been trying for almost 10 months to
schedule talks in Damascus about the issue but its efforts continue to be
blocked by the “continued refusal” of Syrian authorities to issue an entry visa
for one member of the Declaration Assessment Team, Nakamitsu said.
She repeated her call to the Syrian government to
facilitate arrangements for the deployment of the team as soon as possible,
adding that only through complete cooperation can the issue of the initial
declaration be closed.
Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN,
Dmitry Polyanskiy, condemned what he described as the “exaggerated attention
our (Western colleagues) are paying to Syria.” He dismissed meetings about the
Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons as “completely artificial” and accused
Western nations of holding them “for the sake of holding meetings.”
“The delegations have nothing to discuss and we are
repeating the same thing over again,” Polyanskiy said.
Russia has been lobbying to reduce the number of
regular Security Council meetings on Syria from three each month to only one,
as part of its campaign to portray the regime of President Bashar Assad as the
winner of the war and push for a reconstruction phase. Other council members
have repeatedly stated that they will take no part in reconstruction efforts as
long as war crimes remain unpunished.
Polyanskiy also repeated his accusations that the OPCW
is politicizing the issue of chemical weapons in Syria, breaching its own
methodologies, and conducting “direct forgery” in Douma. He described the
investigation team as “illegitimate” and said it is issuing “biased conclusions
of Damascus’s culpability, ignoring the fact that chemical weapons were used by
terrorists.”
Richard Mills, the US deputy ambassador to the UN,
said: “Unfortunately, the Assad regime has help on this council. The Russian
federation has repeatedly spread disinformation regarding Syria’s repeated use
of chemical weapons.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2040296/middle-east
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Mideast
Has Erdoğan given up on the Muslim Brotherhood?
Nicholas Morgan
Mar 10 2022
As Turkey’s efforts to reconcile its relationships
across the Middle East have steamed forward, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
appears determined to convince his former rivals that his bellicose ways are in
the past. With a normalisation agenda at work with Egypt and Saudi Arabia as
well as a surprising turn-around in his relationship with the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Erdoğan is making progress.
But as Erdoğan’s neighbours begin to warm to his
overtures, does that mean he is turning a new page with the Muslim Brotherhood?
After the Arab Spring began in 2011, Erdoğan readily
embraced political Islamist groups tied to the Brotherhood as a means to
bolster Turkey’s role as a leader in the Middle East and the wider Islamic
world. He readily backed the government of Mohammed Morsi, a member of the
Muslim Brotherhood (MB) elected President of Egypt after former President Hosni
Mubarak relinquished power in 2011. Together with Qatar, another supporter of
the group, Turkey-backed MB-aligned figures across the region with diplomatic
and financial support.
This rankled the Gulf monarchs in Saudi Arabia and the
UAE, who perceive the MB as a threat to their own stability, a view seemingly
validated as they watched the Middle East implode with instability after the
Arab Spring. This contributed to the emergence of a mini-Cold War between
Turkey and Qatar on one end and Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt after Morsi’s
ouster by now President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi on the other. The two sides clashed
heavily in Libya’s civil war and over the blockade of Qatar by its Gulf
neighbours from May 2017 to December 2020.
But the Middle East has changed significantly from the
early days of the Arab Spring and Turkey has changed along with it.
For one, Erdoğan appears less formidable than he was a
decade ago. Mustafa Gurbuz, who teaches at the American University's Arab World
Studies program in Washington D.C, said that Erdoğan’s embrace of the MB came
at a time when he was stronger at home in his political standing and that
allowed him to wield support for the Brotherhood more effectively in the
region.
"Erdoğan used the Muslim Brotherhood support as a
card to rally support around his regime, but such rhetoric does not offer the
same value anymore,” Gurbuz told Ahval News.
Indeed, just before the Arab Spring Erdoğan was in many
ways at the peak of his power. The military and judicial “deep state” that
previously undid Islamist-leaning governments in Turkish history were neutered
by purges and trials that allowed Erdoğan room for manoeuvre. The Turkish
economy continued to be strong and despite resistance from more secular Turks,
Erdoğan secured a parliamentary majority that remained intact until losing
ground to his opposition in 2015.
That was then but today Erdoğan is saddled with
sagging approval ratings and a Turkish economy wracked with high inflation,
high unemployment and a diminished Turkish lira. With his political position
insecure, Erdoğan has been forced to seek ways to break out of his geopolitical
isolation and that included making amends with powers hostile to his embrace of
the MB.
The Brotherhood too has been battered in the aftermath
of the Arab Spring. Across the region, MB-aligned governments have fallen one
by one from Tunisia to Sudan, pushed out by strongmen or military juntas with
ties to the Gulf monarchies.
The Brotherhood itself has also been wracked by
internal feuds between older members who continue to adhere to its rigidly
hierarchical form of decision-making and excess secrecy, and a younger cadre of
members who are disillusioned with their leaders. Many of its leaders remain in
exile across Turkey, Europe and Qatar, thus remain distant from the
on-the-ground reality experienced by its newer generations.
With its decline in the last decade, the threat
emanating from the MB that galvanised Erdoğan’s rivals against him has waned.
Through this, Turkey and its regional counterparts like Egypt and the UAE have
found room for negotiation to melt some of the ice that surrounds their
relationship.
For Erdoğan, as much a pragmatist as he is a
politician cut from the political Islamist cloth, continuing to support the MB
in its diminished state may be losing the value he once saw in it. Already, his
government has shown that it is willing to at least limit the MB if it means
taking advantage of opportunities for rapprochement that can benefit it
geopolitically.
When Turkey began advancing in its diplomacy to
normalise ties with Egypt, Turkish officials ordered media channels affiliated
with the Egyptian arm of the MB to tone down their criticisms of Sisi, a move welcomed
in Cairo. Another example of this is the warming of Turkey-UAE ties, a
development made possible in part by the MB’s deterioration as a political
force in the region.
Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics in
Washington D.C., says that this has been an important factor contributing to
the UAE’s willingness to look at its relationship with Turkey differently.
“The Tunisian autogolpe, events in Sudan, Syria, Egypt
and elsewhere have left the leadership in Abu Dhabi viewing the Muslim
Brotherhood as much less of an influential movement compared to the earlier
stages of the Arab Spring,” Cafiero told Ahval.
It remains to be seen whether Erdoğan’s reintegration
into the Middle East means an end to its patronage of the Muslim Brotherhood
entirely.
Source: Ahval News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://ahvalnews.com/muslim-brotherhood/has-erdogan-given-muslim-brotherhood
--------
Supreme Leader: Iran Not to Give Up N. Program,
Regional Power
2022-March-10
“It is vital for any country to have national power,”
Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a meeting with Iran’s Assembly of Experts
on Thursday.
He said any nation seeking independence and resistance
against the will of others needs to “stand strong, otherwise it will be
fearful, weak, humiliated and constantly worried about the foreigners’ greedy
eyes”.
Ayatollah Khamenei described national power as a
“compound issue” and an “intertwined network” comprised of multiple factors.
The Leader said among the “pillars of national power”
are “security and defense power”, “economy, public welfare and easy
livelihood”, “the power of politicking and bargaining to fulfill national
interests at the regional and global front” and “culture and lifestyle”, among
other things.
“None of these arms of national power should be cut
off in favor of one pillar and the other,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
“Regional presence gives us more strategic depth and
national strength. Why should we give it up? Scientific nuclear advance has to
do with the country’s needs in the near future and, if we do away with [the
nuclear program], who will we have to ask for [nuclear knowhow to meet our
demands]? the Leader asked.
It is a big mistake to retreat in the face of America
or any other power for securing protection against sanctions, which will deal a
blow to the nation's political power, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Using the media as a tool, the devils have constantly
been spreading lies to undermine the public trust and faith and frustrate the
nation, he added.
In relevant remarks on Sunday, Ayatollah Khamenei
stressed the importance of development of clean energy.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001219000572/Spreme-Leader-Iran-N-Give-Up-N-Prgram-Reginal-Pwer
--------
IRGC Warns of "Decisive" Response to Israeli
Crimes
2022-March-10
“The Zionist enemy knows that it will not benefit from
such crimes and will receive decisive responses,” General Sharif said on
Wednesday.
He said the blood of the innocent martyrs will
“bolster the morale” of the Muslim Ummah.
Elsewhere in his remarks, General Sharif also pointed
to the successful launch of the IRGC’s homegrown satellite Nour-2 into orbit,
saying experience shows that the elite forces are vilified by ill-wishers
whenever they act powerfully and defend the interests of the Iranian nation and
the Islamic Revolution.
Irrespective of the enemy’s psychological warfare, the
IRGC “will continue its ideal movement with more strength and determination and
will keep the enemies in isolation as a result of humiliation and despair”, the
IRGC spokesman added.
A day earlier, the IRGC named the two martyrs as
Colonel Ehsan Karbalayipour and Colonel Morteza Saeednejad, saying they were
killed in a missile attack by the Israeli regime on the outskirts of the Syrian
capital on Monday.
“Undoubtedly, the Zionist regime will pay the price of
this atrocity,” the IRGC’s statement read.
In a statement on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the occupying regime’s crime “will not go
unpunished.”
Iran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at the
request of the Arab country with the aim of helping it get rid of the
foreign-backed militants who have been fighting the Syrian government since
2011. Back in 2017, Iran’s advisory assistance helped Syria defeat the ISIL
terrorist group.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001219000275/IRGC-Warns-f-Decisive-Respnse-Israeli-Crimes
--------
Iran Dismisses "Unfounded" Allegations of
Arab League
2022-March-10
Khatibzadeh in a statement on Thursday strongly
blasted a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers and the so called Arab
Quartet Committee for their latest absurd anti-Iran allegations.
He expressed deep regret that a “vicious cycle of
making anti-Iran allegations” continues, adding that such futile actions are
contrary to the other side’s moves to interact and engage in regional diplomacy
with the Islamic Republic in the recent months.
Khatibzadeh dismissed the “repeated and unfounded”
allegations of Iranian interference in the internal affairs of other countries,
brought by states that “have a long history of creating tensions and
warmongering”, specially in Yemen and other parts of West Asia and North
Africa.
He also described such “hackneyed statements” as an
obstacle in the way of growing ties between Iran and its neighbors, and once
again stated Iran’s longstanding stance that misunderstandings among neighbors
must be cleared through diplomatic channels.
The spokesman invited the neighboring countries to
dialogue in this regard.
Khatibzadeh also dismissed the territorial claims on
three Southern Iranian islands made in the Arab League’s statement, saying Iran
has always acted in the framework of its sovereignty and territorial integrity
and that Tehran condemns any foreign interference in this regard.
He called the preservation of nuclear achievements and
defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran among the strategic
policies of the country, and stressed that such statements will never leave an
impact on the development of Iran’s nuclear energy program.
The meeting of the foreign ministers of the Arab
League was held in Cairo on Wednesday and approved a statement issued by the so
called Arab Quartet Committee, comprising of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.
International documents clearly show that the three
islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa which were
historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control in 1903. The
islands were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE was
born.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001219000641/Iran-Dismisses-Unfnded-Allegains-f-Arab-Leage
--------
Iran: Israel Should Wait for Punishment
2022-March-10
Israel's missiles hit positions in South of Damascus
on Monday, killing two people and leaving some material damage.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) named
the victims as Colonel Ehsan Karbalayipour and Colonel Morteza Saeednejad.
Khatibzadeh in a statement on Wednesday offered
condolences to the families and friends of the martyrs.
He also strongly condemned “the criminal act that
stems from the Zionist regime’s aggressive nature, occupation and terrorism”.
“The infanticide Zionist regime’s insolence and
operations via its terror machine will definitely not go unpunished,”
Khatibzadeh added, noting that one of the goals of the resistance front in the
region is to hold the apartheid regime accountable for its inhumane crimes.
Iran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at the
request of the Arab country with the aim of helping it get rid of the
foreign-backed militants who have been fighting the Syrian government since
2011. Back in 2017, Iran’s advisory assistance helped Syria defeat the ISIL
terrorist group.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001219000367/Iran-Israel-Shld-Wai-fr-Pnishmen
--------
Iran's Assembly of Experts Asks for End to
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
2022-March-10
Members of the Assembly of Experts called for an end
to the Russo-Ukrainian crisis which has been ongoing for some two weeks now.
The Assembly of Experts, which includes 9 members, do
not convene frequently. They hold such sessions twice a year to review the
latest domestic and global issues. This time, they touched on the
Russo-Ukrainian conflict, demanding an immediate end to the crisis.
The Assembly of Experts was established in 1983,
almost four years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
Its main task is to monitor the performance of the
Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. The experts should also elect a new leader
in the event of the demise, resignation or dismissal of the current leader.
The Assembly of Experts is currently a body of 88
Islamic jurists. The entity consists of a leadership council and six
committees. Members are elected by direct public vote for an eight-year term.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin
ordered a military campaign in Ukraine over concerns about destabilizing
activities close to Russia's borders by NATO, an intergovernmental military
alliance comprised of 28 European countries plus Canada and the US.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
South
Asia
Islamic Emirate: Afghanistan Soil is Not Threat to
Anyone, Yet America is Still Worry Escalating Rumours
2022-03-10
KABUL (BNA) US officials say they will not allow
Afghanistan to become safe haven for terrorists. But the Islamic Emirate
insists that Afghanistan is not safe haven for anyone “terrorists” or al Qaeda.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a
meeting with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov that he would not allow
any terrorist hideout to be established in Afghanistan.
According to Nada Press, the US Secretary of State met
with the Uzbek Foreign Minister yesterday to discuss Afghanistan and Ukraine.
Blimken said in a statement that the United States
does not allow terrorists or al Qaeda to use Afghan territory as a safe haven.
Despite the fact that the United States and the rest
of the world believe that if Afghanistan is not taken care of, it could become
safe haven for terrorists.
Source: Bakhtar News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Work on TAPI Project Will Continue: Islamic Emirate
Mar 11, 2022
The Islamic Emirate said it would soon resume the TAPI
pipeline project, saying that the suspension of the Asian Development Bank’s
(ADB) activities will not halt the project.
Earlier, a Pakistan news agency quoted a top Pakistani
official of the Energy Ministry saying that the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
has paused all due diligence and processing activities of TAPI pending the
official recognition of the Islamic Emirate by the United Nations and major
global economies.
The Ministry of Finance denied the report, saying that
the ADB was active in a consultative capacity, and that the project is mainly
being supported by Turkmenistan.
“The project is mainly owned by Turkmenistan and the
ADB was (or is still?) playing a role as a financial advisor,” said Ahmad Wali
Haqmal, a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance.
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan and India (TAPI)
gas pipeline is planned to span 1,680km and connect Herat and Kandahar in
Afghanistan with Pakistan and India.
Afghanistan will pay five percent of the project's
expenses.
“This idea of the (ADB) is important for the
implementation of the project but this project belongs to Turkmenistan,” said
Abdul Rahman Habib, a spokesman for the Ministry of Economy.
Earlier the Islamic Emirate announced that it will
resume the TAPI pipeline project in the coming spring.
Economists believe that political contests between
India and Pakistan are the main reason for the suspension of the project.
Source: Tolo News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-177052
--------
Mullah Yaqoob visits southern provinces to assess
security
March 11, 2022
The acting Minister of Defense Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob
began a tour of southern provinces to assess the security situation, and also
challenges related to the Durand Line.
The acting Defense Minister visited the southwestern
province of Nimroz three days after the forces of the Islamic Emirate and
Iranian border forces engaged in an armed dispute in the Kung district of the
province.
However, the Islamic Emirate said the clashes were
caused by a misunderstanding.
Mullah Yaqoob visited the Kamal Khan water dam and the
crossings between Afghanistan and Iran as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“In some areas small clashes happen on a local
level—that is due to a misunderstanding which will be resolved by the two
sides,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate. The forces
of the Islamic Emirate have engaged in armed disputes with the border forces of
several neighboring countries.
“If it is a small issue, there will be no impact on
diplomatic and foreign affairs. If the government supported the attack, it will
obviously affect the diplomatic relations,” said Sayed Bilal Fatimi, an
international relations analyst.
“If our borders with Pakistan and Iran have serious
tensions… the only way to solve this is a good government,” said Shaheer
Nisari, an international relations analyst.
This comes as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly
stated it wants good relations with world countries, particularly neighbors,
and has pledged that the Afghan soil will not be used against any country.
Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Defense Mullah
Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid threatened to suppress those who are “creating unrest”
in the country.
The acting minister and chief of army staff recently
visited the northern provinces of Balkh, Faryab and Jawzjan. The visit aimed to
assess the security situation.
A video circulated by the Ministry of Defense (MoD)
press department on WhatsApp shows the acting minister talking to several
separated large gatherings in these provinces.
“If an individual in the east or west, anyone,
anywhere… anyone belonging to any (ethnic group) stands against the government,
he is our opponent and we will consider him our opponent,” he said.
There are some groups trying to create insecurity in
the country, Mullah Yaqoob said, without naming them.
“If anyone, who belongs to any ethnic group, or any
zone or any province, seeks to divide the country, he is our enemy, he is the
enemy of our country,” he said.
The chief of army staff, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, said
they will not allow anyone to create disunity among the forces of the Islamic
Emirate.
Source: Pak Observer
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://pakobserver.net/mullah-yaqoob-visits-southern-provinces-to-assess-security/
--------
Karzai confirms travel restrictions on him, & Abdullah
Abdullah
10 Mar 2022
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai said that he
himself and former head of Afghan reconciliation council Abdullah Abdullah have
troubles in traveling out of Afghanistan.
Speaking in an interview with Iran’s Alalam TV on Wednesday,
March 9 Hamid Karzai said, there is no problem in going around Kabul city but
he and Abdullah cannot fly out of the country.
Neither Hamid Karzai nor Abdullah Abdullah has been
out of the country in the past nearly seven months.
“Abdullah Abdullah and I can go around Kabul city,
many people come to visit us both every day but there are issues in traveling
abroad.” Said, Karzai.
Earlier, there were reports about Karzai and Abdullah
being home prisoned but the imprisonment is not confirmed officially yet.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/karzai-confirms-travel-restrictions-on-him-abdullah-abdullah-7576567/
--------
Ukraine’s
issue hasn’t affected Afghanistan-based Russians: Russia’s ambassador to Kabul
10
Mar 2022
Russia’s
ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov said that the ongoing situation between
Russia and Ukraine has not affected Russian citizens based in Afghanistan and
that the embassy is committed to protecting and defending the rights and
interests of these people.
Speaking
to the media, the Russian ambassador said that there is a limited number of
Russian citizens living in Afghanistan and added that they are in constant
contact with them and they have no issue.
Zhirnov
further added that Ukraine’s issue has not impacted his citizen in Afghanistan
at all.
“We
are closely watching the situation in Afghanistan and will urgently act in case
we see any prejudiced act towards Russian citizens because these are our
policies. We are committed to strictly defending and protecting from the rights
of Russians.” Ambassador said.
The
ambassador also said that up to 600 Russian citizens were evacuated in the last
three months of the past year after political and economic turmoil in
Afghanistan but the situation is now better in the country.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
North
America
US:
Justice Department urged to probe anti-Muslim group's alleged spying
By
Umar A Farooq
1
February 2022
More
than 80 Muslim organisations, including rights groups, mosques and charities,
have sent a letter to the US Department of Justice, calling on the
administration to launch an investigation into whether an anti-Muslim group
violated federal laws by allegedly spying on several Muslim groups in the US.
The
groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), Muslim
Advocates, and the Islamic Society of North America said that the
"conspiracy to spy on American mosques and Muslim organisations was not
surprising.
"Civil
rights advocates have been targeted by infiltrators and saboteurs for decades.
It is long past time for this behaviour to come to an end.
"To
protect the civil rights of American Muslims, we ask the Department of Justice
to launch an investigation to determine whether Steve Emerson or IPT broke any
federal civil rights statutes or criminal laws."
The
Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) has been labelled an anti-Muslim group
by the Islamophobia Network, a project of the Center for American Progress that
tracks anti-Muslim groups and donors. The IPT was founded by Steve Emerson, who
has a "history of promoting falsified information and conspiracy theories
about Islam and Muslims", according to Georgetown University's Bridge
Initiative.
In
December, Cair claimed its organisation's chapter in the state of Ohio had a
spy in its ranks.
Following
an internal investigation, the group alleged that the chapter's executive
director Romin Iqbal had been recording meetings and conversations and then
sending those materials to the IPT.
IPT
denied that it was spying on Muslim communities but has previously told Middle
East Eye it would not hesitate to report on groups it claims are conducting
"radical Islamist activity".
Cair
subsequently claimed that there was a second spy. However, this person had been
a member of Dar al-Hijrah, a prominent mosque in the suburbs of northern
Virginia.
The
individual, Tariq Nelson, allegedly confessed and claimed he was paid $3,000 a
month by IPT over four years for a total of $100,000 to spy on the mosque and
"record prominent Muslim leaders".
'An
Israel lobbying organisation'
The
news of the alleged espionage, which Cair claimed had infiltrated nearly every
major Muslim organisation in the United States, came as a shock to the faith
community even though for two decades it faced a barrage of surveillance in the
aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
The
Muslim rights group also claimed that one of IPT's goals was "protecting
the Israeli government by undermining Muslims engaged in political and human
rights activism".
Cair
released a series of emails it claimed were exchanged between Israeli officials
and the IPT. In one, an official asked the group whether it had information
regarding Students for Justice in Palestine, a student advocacy group with
chapters in universities across the country.
"I
came to realise that IPT's main concern was not protecting our nation from
legitimate threats, but protecting a foreign government - Israel - from
legitimate criticism. We were essentially being used as an Israel lobbying
organisation," an IPT whistleblower told Cair.
The
IPT told MEE it was an organisation that "supports Israel’s right to
exist", but that it was fully independent and did not receive foreign
funding.
The
groups' letter called on the Department of Justice to investigate whether the
IPT had provided information, obtained through alleged spying on Muslim groups,
to the Israeli government or any other foreign entities, and whether this
violated US law.
It
also asked the administration to probe whether the group or its founder Emerson
were in communication with US law enforcement during the period of alleged
espionage.
Source:
Middle East Eye
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
US
lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan
Anwar
Iqbal
March
11, 2022
WASHINGTON:
A US lawmaker has called for the designation of Pakistan as a state sponsor of
terrorism while two others sought a probe into Ambassador Masood Khan’s alleged
links with Kashmiri and Pakistani groups.
The
initiator of the move is Scott Perry, a Republican Congressman from
Pennsylvania.
The
bill moved by him seeks to “provide for the designation of the Islamic Republic
of Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, and for other purposes”. The bill
has now been referred to the US House committee on foreign affairs.
The
proposed sanctions include restrictions on foreign assistance; a ban on defence
exports and sales; certain controls over export of dual use items; and
miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.
Others
call for penalising persons and countries engaging in trade with a state declared
a sponsor of terrorism.
Only
four countries have been designated sponsors of terrorism so far: Cuba, North
Korea, Iran, and Syria.
On
March 9, three lawmakers — Scott Perry, Gregory Steube and Mary E. Miller —
sent a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, claiming that Ambassador
Masood Khan’s close relationship “with domestic actors linked with the
Pakistani regime remains a critical concern”.
Masood
Khan, Pakistan’s new ambassador to the US, is a senior diplomat who once served
in New York as Islamabad’s permanent representative to the United Nations. He
was also Azad Kashmir’s president till August last year.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1679357/us-lawmakers-seek-sanctions-against-pakistan
--------
White
House: Iran nuclear deal “close,” end of negotiations challenging
March
10, 2022
WASHINGTON:
The White House said on Thursday the United States would continue to have
diplomatic talks with Iran about a nuclear deal.
“Our
view is that we are close. We have been close for some time now,” White House
spokesperson Jen Psaki said. “The end of negotiations is always when the
difficult and challenging parts of the conversation typically take place.”
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2040216/world
-------
US
seized Iran oil cargo as Biden considers easing sanctions
11
March ,2022
The
US has quietly seized the cargo of two tankers suspected of transporting
Iranian oil as part of an elaborate sanctions-busting scheme involving forged
documents and the repainting of a ship’s deck to cloak illegal shipments.
Details
of the seizure, which has not been previously reported, were contained in a
federal civil case unsealed last month after the Greek-managed vessels
discharged their valuable cargo, worth upward of $38 million, in Houston and
the Bahamas at the direction of US law enforcement.
The
seizure comes as the Biden administration seeks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal
with Iran that would likely entail the US lifting punishing sanctions. That
task has been made more urgent by Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the
US decision to retaliate by banning all Russian oil imports, which potentially
removes from Western markets more than 10 million barrels per day of oil.
Some
of that lost supply could be made up by Iran, which pumped an average 2.4
million barrels per day in 2021 though due to sanctions has been able to sell
less than half of what it produces.
Opponents
of Iran warn that even as Ukraine scrambles geopolitical calculations and the
US turns its attention to Russia, the Biden administration shouldn’t take
pressure off the Islamic Republic. The country is considered by the US a state
sponsor of terrorism and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite
military unit that plays a key role in the oil industry, a supporter of
Hezbollah and other militant groups active throughout the Middle East.
“This
seizure serves as a perfect example of why the US should not lift sanctions,”
said Claire Jungman, the chief of staff at the New York-based group United
Against Nuclear Iran, which closely tracks Iran’s crude shipments. “We should
continue to work to ensure that the IRGC cannot use profits from its sale of
Iranian oil to fund terrorism and other activities that threaten the safety and
security of all Americans.”
The
long odyssey that led to the US’ seizure began in the fall of 2020 when the M/T
Stark I, an Iranian-owned vessel under US sanctions since 2018, repainted its
deck in an apparent attempt to disguise the vessel and avoid detection by
satellite imagery. On Oct. 31, 2020 it pulled into a terminal at Iran’s Kharg
Island and loaded full of oil.
Four
days later, on Nov. 3, 2020, 733,876 barrels of oil were transferred at sea to
another tanker, the M/T Arina. During the dangerous ship-to-ship transfer, both
ships turned off their transponders — a mandatory safety device on all large
ships — to avoid being picked up on ship tracking databases, satellite imagery
and data shared by Jungman show.
Despite
US sanctions, Iran has seen a windfall of revenue as oil prices have risen over
the past year. Key to the smuggling operation are dozens of privately owned,
foreign-flagged tankers — dubbed a “ghost armada” by Jungman’s group — that
deploy a variety of sophisticated techniques to hide their movements.
Even
US-owned tankers, such as one belonging to a subsidiary of private equity giant
Oaktree Capital Management, have been implicated in the brisk, black market
trade.In a cat and mouse world, ship tracking technology has given a boost to
efforts to detect sanctions-evading behavior by Iran as well as Venezuela,
whose oil industry is also under US export restrictions. But seizing oil
shipments is rare: prior to this latest action it had been done only twice
before.
Proceeds
from the sale of forfeited cargoes partly go to compensate American victims of
terrorism.
The
Panama-flagged Arina, whose last listed manager is Athens-based Saint James
Shipping Ltd., had previously been known to ship illegal Iranian crude, US
attorneys allege in a civil complaint filed in Washington federal court.
Earlier in 2020 and again on its latest suspect voyage false documents were
created to show crude transported by the ship originated in Oman, prosecutors
allege.
It
was not possible to contact Saint James Shipping and a website believed to
belong to the company was not working.
From
there, the Arina set course for the Suez Canal but experienced numerous delays
along the voyage. Eventually, it proceeded to Istanbul, Turkey, where it
underwent repair work, and then Romania, according to ship tracking data
analyzed by Jungman.
Throughout
the voyage the ship’s managers failed to find a buyer for the Iranian oil. Then
on Aug. 26, 2021 it transferred part of its cargo — approximately 220,793
barrels — to another ship, the M/T Nostos, off the coast of Cyprus, prosecutors
allege in their complaint. Piraeus-based Eurotankers, the last listed manager
of the Liberia-flagged Nostos, did not immediately reply to an email nor did it
answer a phone call seeking comment.
Both
vessels — the Arina and Nostos — then tried to discharge the oil at a storage
facility in Turkey, according to Jungman.
Instead,
they were detected by US authorities and ordered to unload their cargo, which
the Nostos did in Houston around Thanksgiving last year and Arina more
recently, in January, in Bahamas, according to Jungman.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Erdogan
tells Biden it’s time to lift ‘unjust’ sanctions on Turkey’s defence industry
10
March ,2022
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US President Joe Biden in a phone call on
Thursday that it was past time to lift all “unjust” sanctions on Turkey’s
defense industry.
According
to a statement from Erdogan’s office, he also told Biden that Turkey expected
its request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and modernize its existing
fleet to be finalized as soon as possible.
Ankara
had initially ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, made by Lockheed Martin Corp,
but the US removed Turkey from the program in 2019 after it acquired Russian
S-400 missile defense systems.
Turkey
has called the move unjust and demanded reimbursement for its $1.4 billion
payment.
Reuters
reported last year that Ankara had made a request to Washington to buy 40
Lockheed Martin-made F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing
warplanes.
Ankara’s
purchase of the S-400s has also triggered US sanctions. In December 2020, Washington
blacklisted Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate, its chief, Ismail Demir, and
three other employees.
The
decades-old partnership between the NATO allies has gone through unprecedented
tumult in recent years over disagreements on Syria policy, Ankara’s closer ties
with Moscow, US charges against a state-owned Turkish bank and erosion of
rights and freedoms in Turkey.
Washington
has repeatedly warned Turkey against buying further Russian weaponry. Ankara
has said it intends to go through with the purchase of a second batch of S-400s
from Russia, a move that could worsen the diplomatic rift with the United
States.
The
request for the jets will likely have a difficult time getting approval from
the US Congress, where sentiment towards Turkey has soured deeply over recent
years.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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US,
Saudi free two US citizens from Houthi captivity in Yemen: State Department
11
March ,2022
The
US and Saudi Arabia worked together in recent months to free two US citizens
detained by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, a State Department official said
Thursday.
“We
assisted with the safe departure of two US citizens from an area of Yemen
currently under Houthi control,” the official told Al Arabiya English. “We
express our appreciation to our Saudi and Yemeni government partners for their
assistance in facilitating their safe departure.”
Reuters
was first to report about the operation, which sources said was carried out in
January.
A
source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the two Americans were
Yemen-born women, 19 and 20. They were reportedly flown from Sanaa to Aden,
before heading to Saudi Arabia.
They
are now back in the US, according to the report.
The
State Department official did not provide further details “due to privacy
considerations.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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US
officially designates Qatar as major non-NATO ally
11
March ,2022
The
US designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally on Thursday, months after
President Joe Biden promised to do so.
During
a visit to the White House, Biden told Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani
that he would add Qatar to the group of countries that are provided with
certain defense, trade and security benefits with the US.
But
there are no security commitments to these non-NATO allies.
Washington
has been looking to Qatar to secure alternative energy supplies for Europe
after tensions with Russia increased and Biden banned Russian oil imports.
Qatar
also represents US diplomatic interests in Afghanistan, following the chaotic
withdrawal ordered by the US president last summer.
“This
past year our partnership with Qatar has been central to many of our most vital
interests: relocating tens of thousands of Afghans, maintaining stability in
Gaza and providing life-saving assistance to the Palestinians, keeping pressure
on ISIS and deterring threats across the Middle East,” Biden said during his
meeting with the Qatari emir in January.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Europe
Anti-colonial
calendar celebrates Muslims who fought for freedom
10
March ,2022
In
a bid to resist historical amnesia, each month displays a prominent
anti-colonial Muslim figure from across the globe.
A
novel calendar hopes to battle anti-Muslim bias and recentre the historic roles
played by Muslims who fought for their people’s freedom amid the scourge of
imperialism.
Launched
by Strive UK, an advocacy group established by members from the Indian Muslim
diasporic community, the calendar introduces 12 Muslim figures that sacrificed
their lives fighting European colonialists from the 15th to 20th century.
“This
calendar is resistance to historical amnesia, increasing Islamophobia across
the globe and a fight against the attempt to ostracise Muslims from history and
public sphere,” Sageer Mohammed, president of Strive UK, told TRT World.
Students
associated with Strive UK, primarily girls aged 10 to 22, were behind its
genesis.
“The
idea behind this calendar and the stories that are interwoven between these
months make it so special,” Zara Muhammed, Secretary-General of Muslim Council
of Britain told TRT World.
“We
understand the platform we provided for the young researchers will help in the
fight against [Islamophobia],” Muhammed said.
The
month of January can be seen juxtaposed with the image of Variamkunnathu
Kunjahammed Haji. He was the most prominent anti-colonial fighter against the
British and established his own kingdom for several months in the Malabar
region in the south Indian state of Kerala in 1921. At the end of the war, he
was caught and killed by the British.
The
current Hindu nationalist BJP government in India recently decided to remove
the names of 387 martyrs of the 1921 Malabar Rebellion including Kunjahammed
Haji from the fifth volume of the Dictionary of Martyrs of India’s Freedom
Struggle published by the Indian Council for Historical Research, an autonomous
body under the Indian Ministry of Education.
“We
know Islamophobia is expeditiously increasing in India. Remembering
Variamkunnathu Kunjahammed Haji itself is a fight against it,” 22-year-old
researcher Nida Fazili told TRT World.
Three
more Indian anti-colonial figures were also listed in the calendar.
One
of them is Tipu Sultan, who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Although he
was martyred in 1799 in the Anglo-Mysore War, he has been subjected to a
Hindutva-led vilification campaign after the decision was made to celebrate his
birth anniversary by the previous Congress-led government in Karnataka.
Aman
Mohammed, an 11-year-old student, prepared the description of Tipu Sultan.
Ghaziya,
a 14-year-old student prepared a note on Zainuddin Makhdoom I & II. Both
hailed from Kerala and stood against the Portuguese invasion in 1498. Tahrir
Ahlil Iman and Tuhfathul Mujahideen, two prominent anti-colonial works of
literature, were written by Zainuddin Makhdoom I & II, respectively.
Tahrir
Ahlil Iman is considered to be among the earliest Muslim works of anti-colonial
literature.
Izzudin
Qasam, a towering figure in Palestine in the fight against British and Israeli
occupations, is another important figure. He played a leading role in the 1921
Syrian revolt against French colonial authorities.
“He
travelled across Palestine speaking to and encouraging the people to resist
British colonialism and Zionism. He raised a guerilla army called the Al Kaff
Al Aswad (Black Hand) and had early success in fighting them,” the calendar
explained.
“The
question that I asked myself was, that he had a decent job and reputation in
society, so why would he go and fight for the causes of the oppressed rather
than just having a very peaceful life. Izzudin was not a person who would just
speak, but he really walked the talk,” Ibrahim Sageer, an 11-year-old student
who prepared the note on Qasam, told TRT World.
Hiba
Faisal and Hana Faisal, siblings aged 11 and 12, prepared the write-up on Ahmed
Urabi, who was the first political and military leader in Egypt to rise from
the peasant class. He is now considered a national hero in Egypt for resisting
European interests in the region.
Africa
also witnessed rampant invasions from Britain, Germany, Spain, France, and
Italy in the 18th and 19th centuries — to which Muslims and their leaders
played a huge role in resisting.
Prepared
by 11-year-old Rehaan Shejin, the calendar then introduces Omar Al Mukhtar, the
Libyan leader who spent his entire life fighting the British, French, Spanish,
and Italians in numerous battles. Successful in many of those battles, he was
popularly called “The Lion of the Desert” and inspired anti-colonial struggles
not only in Libya but across the world.
Another
African anti-colonial figure included in the calendar was Abdelkader El
Djezairi from Algeria.
Djezairi
was an Islamic scholar who fought against the French invasion of Algeria in the
19th century. He would resist the French for around 15 years until he was
captured in 1847. An inspiring description of his life was written by a
12-year-old student Ryan Sanooj.
During
the same period in the 19th century, Somali religious and military head of the
Dervish movement, Mohammed Abdulla Hassan, led a two-decade-long confrontation
against British and Italian armies in Somalia.
“The
Ottoman Empire named him the ‘Emir of the Somali’,” the description on Abdulla
Hassan in the calendar, prepared by 11-year-old Hasanul Banna, said.
Next
is Muhammed Ibn Abd Al Karim Al Khattabi, the leader of the large-scale Berber
resistance movement in Morocco against Spanish and French colonial forces.
The
Spanish army, which comprised 60,000 soldiers, had suffered “one of their worst
military defeats in June 1921 when they fought in a battle with the army of
Mohammed Ibn Abd Al Karim,” 13-year-old Eshan Shajin narrated in the calendar.
Turning
the page to the month of June sees the entry of Chechnyan fighter Imam Shamil,
who led a campaign of armed resistance against oppressive imperialist Russian
rule in mid-19th century Chechnya.
By
bringing together various Muslim tribes and clans across the Caucasus, Shamil
created an army that “battled the Imperial Russian Army for 25 years,
inflicting many defeats on their mighty enemy without outside help,” 14-year-old
Zoony Aloof notes.
Source:
Trt World
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French
far-right politicians change their tune on immigration
Shweta
Desai
11.03.2022
PARIS
Far-right
politicians who had vowed to stop irregular immigration into France have
changed their position and declared that it is natural to "welcome"
refugees fleeing Russia’s war in Ukraine because they are Christians and
Europeans, who are different from the Muslim refugees from Syria and Afghanistan.
"We
are closer to Christian Europeans… Arab or Muslim immigrants are too unlike us,
and it is more and more difficult to acculturate and assimilate them,"
Eric Zemmour, a former journalist turned politician and aspiring presidential
candidate, said on BFMTV news Tuesday.
A
week before, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, also
shared similar words on the same news channel.
"Ukraine
is a European country, and I think it is natural in terms of regional
solidarity to welcome war refugees from European countries."
Until
last month before the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, both Le Pen and Zemmour had
popularly based their campaigns for the 2022 presidential elections on the
issues of immigration, Islam, and French identity.
Ukraine
is not Syria, Afghanistan
Far-right
political parties have claimed to be the gatekeepers of immigration
specifically emerging from Muslim-dominated countries. At the time of the
severe migration crisis in 2015, they exploited the rising anti-immigrant
sentiment by denying that Syrian refugees were fleeing the war and accused them
of arriving in Europe for economic gains.
Zemmour,
who announced his presidential bid by harping on the themes of invasion by
Islamic immigrants and restoring France’s glorious past, had claimed that
France was destabilized and overwhelmed by immigration.
Referring
to 3-year-old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up on the shore of
the Mediterranean Sea, a photo of which became the defining image of the 2015
refugee crisis, he warned the government against taking decisions on the
Ukrainian refugees based on the “emotional tsunami.” He said he would rather
prefer the Ukrainian refugees to be in Poland, as they can return home easily
when the war is over.
Defending
her past stand, Le Pen said "the bombed Syrians were Islamists." She
indicated that the Syrians posed a security threat as they were mainly men
arriving in Europe, unlike the Ukrainians, where you see women, children, and
the elderly crossing the border.
"We
knew that the Islamists were slipping into the convoys. We knew it fully well,
and I think the situation is fundamentally different (now with Ukraine),"
she said.
Change
of tune: Eye on presidential elections
But
amid the outpouring of sympathy and the growing tide of Ukrainian refugees,
several far-right politicians including Zemmour and Le Pen have been forced to
change their tune on receiving immigrants in France.
For
the far-right candidates vying for the highest office of government, the issue
has become particularly sticky, as they now find themselves in a bind with
their existing views on refugees and immigrants.
With
the first round of voting due on April 10, the views of prospective candidates
on the resolution of the Ukraine war, responses to the looming energy crisis,
and the refugees have suddenly gained more prominence among voters.
The
predicament of the far-right parties has become direr in the face of incumbent
President Emmanuel Macron, who is also running for a second mandate and has
proclaimed unwavering support for the Ukrainian people.
The
Macron government has relaxed stringent policies targeting undocumented
refugees to facilitate Ukrainians, even those without a passport, find safe
passage, temporary accommodation, and transportation.
More
than 2.3 million Ukrainians are estimated to have fled the fighting. France has
so far welcomed over 7,000 Ukrainians and has launched a sponsorship program
for French families to host Ukrainian nationals.
The
disparity has prompted several nonprofit organizations working with asylum
seekers to denounce French authorities for racially discriminating against
refugees from African, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries in recent days.
Change
of positions
Zemmour
and Le Pen have been indicted in the past for hate speech against Muslims, and
refugees have signaled a different approach to provide asylum to mainly
Christian and White Ukrainians. Considering the high stakes both candidates
have, the forthcoming presidential elections appear to have weighed on their
changing positions.
While
campaigning on March 5, Le Pen was confronted by a French woman who questioned
what she was doing about the war in Ukraine: "What we can do is welcome
refugees, keep hope (alive,) and work for peace," she said.
Her
response has been starkly different from the time when her National Rally party
launched a petition urging the French to oppose the "massive reception of
Afghan refugees" after the Taliban returned to power last August.
The
following month, Le Pen unveiled a bill titled "Citizenship, Identity, and
Immigration," which would prohibit the regularization of illegal
immigrants and allow for the expulsion of lawbreakers.
She
assured that the bill would be put to vote in parliament once she is elected as
a president. "Demography controls everything, we know that. It will decide
the balance of our world and the survival of our nations, and will be at the
center of the next presidential term."
Ukraine
war causing a change of heart
But
not every far-right politician is letting the elections dictate their politics.
Robert
Menard, the mayor of Beziers in the south of France who had infamously
threatened to expel Syrian refugees and children, swears that he has had a
change of heart seeing the plight of Ukrainians fleeing for safety. "The
bombs are no different when they fall on my friends in Kyiv than when they fall
on my friends in Aleppo," he told LCI news on Wednesday.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Iran
nuclear talks stumble over unresolved Russia demands
10
March ,2022
Parties
trying to revive the Iran nuclear deal scrambled on Wednesday to resolve
last-minute Russian demands that threaten to scupper negotiations, diplomats
said, with the United States appearing unwilling to engage with Russia on the matter.
Western
powers on Tuesday warned Russia against wrecking an almost completed deal on
bringing the United States and Iran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear
accord. Iran’s top negotiator returned to Vienna on Wednesday from
consultations in Tehran.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Eleven
months of talks to restore the deal which lifted sanctions on Iran in return
for curbs on its nuclear program have reached their final stages with several
diplomats saying the nuclear deal was now broadly agreed.
But
just as the final issues were being resolved, Russia presented a new obstacle
by demanding written guarantees from the United States that Western sanctions
targeting Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine would not affect its trade with
Iran.
“The
negotiations on the ‘nuclear deal’ with Iran should take into account the
legitimate interests of Russia in the implementation of comprehensive
cooperation with Iran,” the Russian embassy in Iran said on Twitter,
summarizing a news conference held in Tehran by its ambassador, Levan
Dzhagaryan.
Russia’s
chief envoy to the talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, retweeted that comment. He met the
talks’ coordinator, Enrique Mora of the European Union, on Tuesday evening and
again on Wednesday.
“Yet
another meeting with EU Coordinator at the ViennaTalks Mr. Enrique Mora at the
very last stage of diplomatic marathon towards restoration of JCPOA,” Ulyanov
said on Twitter, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
US
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on Tuesday
accused Russia of seeking to reap extra benefits from its participation in the
effort to restore the nuclear agreement, but she said Washington would not be
playing “Let’s Make a Deal.”
The
Western diplomat said it was still not clear what the exact nature of Moscow’s
demands were, but they appeared broader than its nuclear commitments to revive
the deal.
A
European diplomat said Russia was demanding sweeping guarantees on trade
between Moscow and Tehran.
They
said the talks were now not likely to end this week.
Mora
broke off informal meetings on Monday saying the time had come for political
decisions to be taken to end the negotiations.
European
negotiators from France, Britain, and Germany had already temporarily left the
talks as they believed they had gone as far as they could go and it was now up
to the United States and Iran to agree on outstanding issues.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Queen
Elizabeth receives special Turkish song for Platinum Jubilee
Ahmet
Gurhan Kartal
10.03.2022
LONDON
A
London-based composer has sent a very special gift to Queen Elizabeth II on her
70th anniversary of succession to the British throne.
Turkish
composer Suat Sancar’s present to the world’s longest-serving monarch is a song
he composed.
“This
is the second time I am sending my composition to Her Majesty,” Sancar told
Anadolu Agency.
“The
first time was on her Diamond Jubilee when she celebrated the 60th accession
anniversary and Queen Elizabeth II’s letter of appreciation plays a huge part
in my professional career,” Sancar said.
The
musician said he previously sent to the Queen letters including details and
information for my support to the English and Turkish cultures "along with
two of my music albums covering my own compositions which were signed to Her
Majesty."
Spiritual
gift for Platinum Jubilee
Alongside
a congratulatory letter for the Diamond Jubilee -- 70th accession anniversary,
Sancar sent this week to the Queen a song he especially wrote and composed
about Hodja Ahmet Yesevi, who was a great 12th-century poet and Sufi.
Sancar
said UNESCO celebrated 2021 as the Year of Yunus Emre -- a 13th-century Turkish
folk poet and dervish, who came from the Yesevi order of Sufism.
“I
wish my gift will bring much joy, inspiration, and strength to Her Majesty
during these unprecedented times.
“I
once again congratulate Her Majesty on the 70th year of succession to the
throne and the Platinum Jubilee and wish Her Majesty lifelong health, happiness
and peace,” he said in a letter addressed to the Queen.
The
95-year-old monarch was born on April 21, 1926, and she ascended to the throne
with the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Africa
Envoys
warn of ‘grave danger’ in Sudan as two more protesters killed
10
March ,2022
Sudan
needs to reach a new political agreement by June, United Nations and African
Union envoys warned on Thursday, as medics said two protesters had been killed
in the latest round of anti-military demonstrations since a coup in October.
Political
deadlock in Sudan following the coup has contributed to new pressure on a
crippled economy and a stand-off between protesters and security forces.
“All
indications show the country is in grave danger,” African Union envoy Mohamed
Hassan Lebatt told reporters, as he announced a joint effort to push for talks
in partnership with the United Nations.
On
Thursday protesters turned out once more in the capital Khartoum and medics
aligned with the protest movement said two civilians had been shot by security
forces, bringing the total of those killed since the coup to 87.
There
was no immediate comment from the police or the military. Military leaders have
said peaceful protests are allowed and that protest casualties will be
investigated.
The
Sudanese pound was trading at some banks at more than 600 pounds to the dollar
on Thursday, having lost about a third of its value in recent weeks.
“We
don’t have much time, and we’ve seen in the last four months the deterioration
of the security, political and economic situation,” said UN Special
Representative Volker Perthes.
Perthes
said a deal needed to happen by June, in order for Sudan not to risk losing
international economic assistance suspended after the coup.
The
UN mission in Sudan has conducted consultations with some political groups
since January which Perthes said produced many points of consensus. But some
factions declined to take part, and leading civilian groups say they refuse to
negotiate with the military.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Jordan’s
King Abdullah, Israeli FM Lapid discuss Jerusalem tensions
10
March ,2022
Jordan’s
King Abdullah hosted Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid for talks on Thursday
about coordinating ways of securing calm in Jerusalem, a frequent flashpoint of
Palestinian protests, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said.
The
visit came “ahead of the (Muslim fast month) of Ramadan and in light of reports
of growing tension in Jerusalem,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israeli
police confrontations with Palestinians during Ramadan last year helped stoke a
May war in Gaza. Ramadan next month coincides with Judaism’s Passover festival
and Christian Easter. Jerusalem is holy to all three faiths. Jordan is the
custodian of al Aqsa, a major mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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UAE’s
Bukhatir group revives $5 billion real estate project in Tunisia
10
March ,2022
UAE-based
Bukhatir Group said on Thursday it was reviving a $5 billion real estate
project in Tunis and would start work immediately on an initial phase, the
first big project in the North African country since a 2011 revolution.
Tunisia
has been seeking foreign investment to boost its economy which has been hit
hard by the pandemic after years of stagnation, compounded by political
turmoil.
Tunisian
sources told Reuters last Friday that Bukhatir would re-commit to the project,
which was halted after the revolution that ended the rule of former president
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Bukhatir
Chairman Salah Bukhatir confirmed at a press conference the project was being
revived, and that the first phase would involve building luxury villas and a
golf course.
“This
project will change the face of the capital Tunis,” he said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Military
plane crashes in central Sudan
Bahram
Abdel Moneim
10.03.2022
KHARTOUM,
Sudan
A
Sudanese military plane crashed in the central city of al-Obeid on Thursday,
according to the military.
Military
spokesman Nabil Abdullah said the aircraft was on a training mission when it
crashed at the city’s airport.
He
cited a “technical failure” for the crash.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/military-plane-crashes-in-central-sudan/2530608
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Southeast
Asia
Empowerment
programme at ITE for Malay-Muslims helps student excel
Syarafana
Shafeeq
MAR
10, 2022
SINGAPORE
- When he saw how his father's earnings took a hit during the Covid-19
pandemic, Muhammad Roth Isaac Rothman knew he had to step up to ease the burden
of the sole breadwinner.
The
18-year-old started delivering food alongside his dad, while waiting for his
studies to commence at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West.
Now as a second year student, he still helps with deliveries after school and
on the weekends.
Although
it was stressful, Isaac said he never felt that it was too tough or tiring to
endure. "I am young and motivated to help my family, and I also wanted to spend
time with my dad while working," the second year automotive technology
student said.
As
a mentee of the Empowerment Programme @ ITE, Isaac was assigned a mentor to
check on him and offer support. The programme was started in 2019, aimed at
supporting students undergoing Nitec courses.
On
Thursday (March 10), Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Defence, and
Mendaki deputy chairman Zaqy Mohamad announced that the programme will be
refreshed to #amPowered@ITE to be better tailored to the unique needs of
mentees.
Isaac
said that although his mentoring was done through messages or calls due to
Covid-19 restrictions, he appreciated the support.
"It
was really nice to have someone checking in on me and asking how my day was. It
made me feel that my existence mattered in this world," Isaac added.
Isaac
holds many leadership roles on top of being a student, such as being the class
chairman, president for his co-curricular activity Boys Brigade Primers, and
vice-president of the school's programme for outstanding students, Ace.
He
said: "Some challenges I face are sacrificing my family time, and having
to juggle my studies and all my responsibilities taking the leadership
roles."
"Despite
having these challenges, I have friends, teammates and teachers looking out for
and assisting me," he added.
Source:
Straits Times
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Protests
grow over Indonesia's plan to carve up Papua
By
Konradus Epa
March
11, 2022
Indigenous
people have stepped up their opposition to an Indonesian government proposal to
break up the country’s predominantly Christian easternmost Papua region into
six provinces.
Thousands
took to the streets of Wamena in Papua province’s Jayawijaya district on March
10, a day after similar rallies were held in Jakarta and the Papuan capital
Jayapura, against a plan by the Ministry of Home Affairs to set up six new
provinces in place of the current two — Papua and West Papua.
If
the government gets its way, provinces called Northwest Papua, West Papua,
Central Papua, Central Highlands, South Papua and Papua Tabi Saireri would be
established.
However,
opponents believe the move will enable Jakarta to tighten government control
over the restive region and further marginalize its indigenous people.
"We
need to resolve human rights violations and security issues and not create new
provinces. This will only stoke more conflict and make Papuans suffer
more," rally organizer Dano Tabuni told the Wamena protesters.
He
said the aim of the protest was to get members of the regional legislative
council in Wamena to reject the plan.
"New
provinces aren’t what Papuans want. It only serves the interests of the
political elite in Papua and Jakarta," Tabuni said.
“Indigenous
Papuans have not been consulted on this matter. Any such move should be
transparent and honest in a democratic country.”
Father
John Bunay, coordinator of the Papua Peace Network, said the people were right
to oppose new provinces.
“There
seems to be an ulterior political motive here as it won’t develop Papua. The
population in the region isn't big enough to justify six provinces,” he told
UCA News.
The
current population in West Papua and Papua provinces stands at about 4.3
million, according to government figures.
Markus
Haluk, director of the pro-independence United Liberation Movement for West
Papua, said new provinces would likely result in mass migration from other
regions to Papua.
“It
would be detrimental to the people of Papua’s development and will marginalize
them further. It isn’t a solution to problems in the region,” he said.
Late
last month, Father Alexandro Rangga from the Franciscans' Secretariat for
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Papua said the proposal’s motive
was likely an attempt to gain control over Papua's natural resources, which
would attract many outsiders.
"The
birth of a new autonomous region causes indigenous Papuans to be increasingly
marginalized due to massive transmigration of residents from outside the
region," he said.
Source:
UCA News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/protests-grow-over-indonesias-plan-to-carve-up-papua/96464
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/keralite-islamic-state-khorasan-afghanistan/d/126551