All India Muslim Personal Law Board Opposes Uniform Civil Code, Seeks Enactment of Anti-Blasphemy Law
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 November 2021
All India Muslim Personal Law Board Opposes Uniform
Civil Code, Seeks Enactment of Anti-Blasphemy Law
-----
• Pakistan Government Says 'Not Acceptable' to the
banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Demand of Political Office in Third Country
• Taliban’s "Religious Guideline": Stop
Showing Dramas and Soap Operas Featuring Women Actors
• Oyo Muslim Community Threatens Schools against Hijab
Use with Legal Action
• “İbrahim” Carlos, Born To a Catholic Family in
Honduras Finds Islam and Rumi from Honduras to Turkey to Pakistan
India
• Shankaracharya of Puri Courts Controversy: Ayodhya
Mosque Land Will Turn Into Pakistani Hub
• BJP rakes up halal issue in Kerala, calls for
practice to be banned across state
--------
Pakistan
• ‘Musharraf Institutionalised Enforced
Disappearances’, says Farhatullah Babar
• Saad Rizvi urges people to vote for TLP in next
polls
• Sikh pilgrims throng Gurdwara Punja Sahib in
Hassanabdal to pay homage to Guru Nanak
• Protests erupt in Pakistan's Gwadar amid growing
backlash against CPEC
• Pakistan, IMF reach staff-level agreement on steps
for revival of package
--------
South Asia
• Chabahar sees increase in traffic as Taliban backs
trade via port
• Muslim mason sculpts shrines for Bangladesh’s Hindu
dead
--------
Africa
• Sudan military to reinstate ousted PM Hamdok after
agreement reached
• Car bomb blast near Somali Security Ministry kills 1
journalist, wounds another
• Protests block French army convoy in Burkina Faso
• Sudanese protester dies of wounds, death toll rises
to 40: Medics
• 23 people submit applications to run in Libya
presidential polls
• Jordanian lawmakers slam UK terror label of Hamas
--------
North America
• US encouraged by Sudan deal, warns against excessive
force on protesters: Blinken
• Pentagon chief Austin reiterates commitment to
security in the Middle East
• Turkish, US presidential aides discuss ties,
regional matters in telephone call
--------
Arab World
• Grand Imam of Al Azhar: Prince Charles Is A Wise And
Responsible Leader
• Islamic Council elects Sheikh Osama Al-Rifa'i as
Syria's Grand Mufti
• Lebanese navy rescues distressed boat carrying migrants
• UAE welcomes signing of agreement to complete
transitional phase in Sudan
• In UAE, French finance minister warns of climate
action cost
• Saudi defences intercept Houthi drone launched
toward Najran airport
--------
Southeast Asia
• Anwar Needs to Bow out Eventually, Says Analyst
• Melaka poll: BN’s two wins by MCA candidates
meaningful to party, says Wee
• Any 1MDB director who said ‘no’ to Najib would
likely have to quit, ex-director tells court
• Indonesia Muslim council calls for review of loudspeaker
use at mosques
• Indonesian Muslim cryptocurrency enthusiasts find a
way around Islamic fatwa
--------
Mideast
• IRGC Navy Commander: US Slapped 9 Times by Iran in
Persian Gulf
• Palestinian man kills one, wounds three in Jerusalem
• Three more Iran police dead in week of violence:
Report
• Gunman kills one in Jerusalem’s Old City, shot dead
by Israeli police
• Iran’s second-largest airline Mahan Air says hit by
cyber attack
• Ultraconservative Iran MP’s Office Torched After
Protest Remarks
--------
Europe
• Egypt Uses French Military Aid To 'Kill Civilians'
Over 'Smuggling': Report
• Traditional Turkish archery promoted in Brussels
• Afghanistan banking system at risk of collapse, cost
could be ‘colossal:’ UN report
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
--------
All India Muslim Personal Law Board Opposes Uniform
Civil Code, Seeks Enactment of Anti-Blasphemy Law
All India Muslim Personal Law Board Opposes Uniform
Civil Code, Seeks Enactment of Anti-Blasphemy Law
-----
Nov 22, 2021
NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on
Sunday demanded the enactment of an anti-blasphemy law to punish those who show
disrespect to Prophet Muhammad and “holy religious figures” and urged the
government not to attempt imposing the Unform Civil Code, directly or
indirectly.
The conservative Muslim body, which exercises a
crucial say in the affairs of the community, also sought “curbs against
communal and hostile posts on social media and legal action against
miscreants”. The demands are part of a resolution adopted at the two-day
convention attended by around 200 AIMPLB members in Kanpur on Sunday.
It has been highlighted in the resolution that
“esteemed Hindu, Sikh and other non-Muslim scholars have consistently
acknowledged the greatness of Prophet Muhammad. By the same token, in line with
the teachings of Islam, Muslims too have shunned attributing any offensive word
about respectable figures of other religions. It is, however, highly deplorable
that of late some mischievous persons have openly insulted Prophet Muhammad
whereas government has not taken any deterrent step in this regard.” The
resolution emphasised that “this attitude of communal forces is totally
unacceptable.”
The AIMPLB demanded the government punish those guilty
of showing disrespect to holy religious figures. “The government should enact
effective legislation for tackling this issue,” said S Q R Ilyas, convener,
Committee for Protection of Religious and Cultural Freedom and Personal Laws of
AIMPLB. The resolution did not name any religious figure other than Prophet
Muhammad.
On the Unform Civil Code, the conservative body said,
“UCC is neither suitable nor useful for such a vast multi-religious country as
India.” The AIMPLB also asserted that in the past few years “poisonous
propaganda” has been carried out against Muslims.
Source: Times of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Pakistan Government Says 'Not Acceptable' to the
banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Demand of Political Office in Third Country
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
-----
21st November 2021
ISLAMABAD: The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
has asked the Pakistan government to allow it to open a political office in a
third country, a demand rejected by Islamabad as unacceptable, according to a
media report.
In a series of meetings with the Pakistani authorities
during negotiations for a peace agreement, the TTP made three demands, which
include allowing the opening of a political office in a third country, reversal
of the Federal Administered Tribal Areas merger with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
province and the introduction of Islamic system in Pakistan, the Express
Tribune newspaper reported on Saturday.
"But Pakistani authorities told the TTP directly
and through Taliban interlocutors that these demands were not acceptable,"
the paper said.
"The TTP was particularly told in categorical
terms that there was no question of introducing an Islamic system based on
their interpretation. Also the terrorist group was told that Pakistan is an
Islamic republic and the country's Constitution clearly states that all laws in
Pakistan have to be in conformity with the teachings of Islam," it added.
The Pakistan authorities, in turn, put forward three
demands to the TTP.
These include, accepting the writ of the state, laying
down arms and issuing a public apology for the terrorists' acts committed by
them.
If these demands are met, the authorities said they
would consider granting them amnesty, it said.
Earlier this month, Pakistan's Information Minister
Fawad Chaudhry had announced that a complete ceasefire had been reached between
the government and the TTP.
At the same time, Chaudhry had said that the interim
Afghan government had facilitated the negotiations - a claim reiterated by the
TTP itself.
The government is now trying to use the influence of
the Afghan Taliban over the TTP to reach a broader peace agreement and end
nearly two decades of militancy in the country.
The TTP, commonly known as Pakistani Taliban, is a
banned militant group based along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
It has carried out a number of major terror attacks
across Pakistan and reportedly been using Afghan soil to plot terrorist attacks
in Pakistan.
Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan disclosed in an
interview that his government was in talks with the TTP for
"reconciliation" with the help of the Taliban in Afghanistan, drawing
criticism from politicians and victims of terrorism.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had defended the
government's move, saying the negotiations are for "good Taliban".
The Parliament was told during the national security
briefing that a final peace deal with the TTP would be struck only after all
the conditions are met and traditional jirgas would be employed to make sure
they don't take up arms again, the paper added.
However, opposition parties are not particularly
pleased by the outcome of these talks, as the TTP had used similar peace deals
in the past to regroup and unleash a wave of attacks across Pakistan.
The Pakistani military had launched a major operation
against militants in North Waziristan, the last bastion of the TTP, forcing
them to flee into Afghanistan.
But the militants using the sanctuary in the
neighbouring country have been launching frequent cross-border attacks,
assassinations, fire-raids and bombings in different parts of Pakistan.
When the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul in August,
Pakistan handed the new government a list of demands including seeking action
against the TTP terrorists operating out of Afghanistan.
The Taliban government, however, instead of taking
action against them offered Pakistan its “good offices” to seek a solution
through talks.
Pakistan accepted the offer in the hope that the
Afghan Taliban would not act as mediators but guarantors of any peace deal with
the TTP.
Source: New Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Taliban’s
"Religious Guideline": Stop Showing Dramas And Soap Operas Featuring
Women Actors
The
Ministry called for banning films or programmes that are against Islamic and
Afghan values.
-----
Nov
22, 2021
KABUL:
Afghanistan's Taliban authorities on Sunday issued a new "religious
guideline" that called on the country's television channels to stop
showing dramas and soap operas featuring women actors.
In
the first such directive to Afghan media issued by the Ministry for the
Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Taliban also called on women
television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs while presenting their reports.
The
ministry also asked the channels not to air films or programmes in which the
Prophet Mohammed or other revered figures are shown.
It
called for banning films or programmes that were against Islamic and Afghan
values.
"These
are not rules but a religious guideline," ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir
told AFP.
The
new directive was widely circulated late Sunday on social media networks.
Despite
insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have
already introduced rules for what women can wear at university, and beaten and
harassed several Afghan journalists despite promising to uphold press freedoms.
The
Taliban's guideline for TV networks comes after two decades of explosive growth
for independent Afghan media under the Western-backed governments that ruled
the country until August 15, when the Islamists regained power.
Dozens
of television channels and radio stations were set up with Western assistance
and private investment soon after the Taliban were toppled in 2001.
During
the past 20 years, Afghan television channels offered a wide range of
programmes- from an "American Idol" style singing competition to
music videos, along with several Turkish and Indian soap operas.
When
the Islamists previously ruled from 1996 to 2001, there was no Afghan media to
speak of- they banned television, movies and most other forms of entertainment,
deeming it immoral.
People
caught watching television faced punishment, including having their set smashed.
Ownership of a video player could lead to a public lashing.
There
was only one radio station, Voice of Sharia, that broadcast propaganda and
Islamic programming.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Oyo
Muslim Community Threatens Schools Against Hijab Use With Legal Action
November
21, 2021
Girls
in Hijab [Photo Credit: Republic Reporter
-----
By
Musliudeen Adebayo
Muslim
Community of Oyo State has threatened public schools that are barring the usage
of Hijab by students with legal action.
Chairman
of the organisation, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, made this disclosure while speaking at
a programme organised by the community “Unity of Muslims in Oyo state: An
inevitable option” held at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque on Sunday.
Present
at the event included Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji
Daud Akinola; Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN),
Professor Muslih Yahya; Chief Imam, University of Ibadan, Professor Abdulrahman
Oloyede; and representatives of various Muslim organisations in the state.
Recall
that some public primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions have
been barring female Muslim students from wearing Hijab.
The
latest incident of the Hijab crisis was the one that occurred at Ladoke
Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, where a female Muslim
student was reportedly humiliated in public.
The
community has however said that it will no longer tolerate the incidents of
‘harassment’ of female Muslim students by public schools.
The
Chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, who spoke on behalf of the
organisation, said that the organisation will go back to court to seek legal
action for the enforcement of the usage of Hijab for Muslim women.
He
said, “With this persecution of our children in the so-called Christian schools
where they even remove Hijab from their head we are no more comfortable with
the situation.
“What
section 32:2 of the constitution says “is that a Muslim is entitled not only to
freedom of religion but freedom to manifest his religion” The use of the Hijab
is a manifestation of Islam.
“No
state Muslim communities have lost the case of the use of Hijab because the
constitution is clear about it.
“When
my friend Christopher Alao Akala was the Governor, some Muslim teachers started
using Niqab in Kishi and they were dismissed, they went to court.
“The
Christian judge not only adjudicated that the teachers have right to put on
their Niqab as their religious right, but she also said their three years
backlog of salaries should be paid.
“We
would Insha Allah go back to court because we want Hijab for all women in Oyo
State”.
Source:
Daily Post
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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“İbrahim”
Carlos, Born To a Catholic Family in Honduras Finds Islam and Rumi from
Honduras to Turkey to Pakistan
İbrahim
Carlos Camilo Clavijoolarte works in his office in Islamabad, Pakistan, Nov.
21, 2021. (AA PHOTO)
------
NOV
21, 2021
Carlos
Camilo Clavijoolarte, born to a Catholic family in Honduras, had a chance
encounter with a family friend who was a Muslim convert and who introduced him
to writings of famed mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.
Now
known as “İbrahim” Carlos, he recounted his journey towards Islam and how he
ended up working at the Turkish Red Crescent as the charity’s delegation head
in Pakistan, thousands of miles away from Panama, his second home.
Clavijoolarte
migrated to Panama when he was 15 with his devoutly Catholic family. He grew
more distant to his faith while in Panama. “I was particularly baffled by the
confession rituals. I was feeling like I fell into a void in terms of spiritual
existence. I stopped attending church and sought God’s help to fill the void in
my heart,” he told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an interview on Sunday.
He
was in Spain for work in 2004 and continued to drift from the church. “I was
praying to God day and night before I came across signs (for conversion).” A
Spanish family friend, Muslim convert Fatih Alvaro Samper, paved the way for
Clavijoolarte’s gradual conversion to Islam.
“His
good behavior, kindness and charitable work impressed me. He gave me a book of
poems by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. I have fallen in love with the book. Rumi’s
words were holding secrets (of faith) for me,” he recounted.
Samper
introduced him to other Muslims. “I asked him if he had any other Muslim
friends. He told me he did not have any; he had Muslim ‘brothers and sisters’.”
A
visit to a restaurant run by a Muslim in Spain’s Granada was the final step for
his conversion.
“I
saw Muslims coming from different cities working there to help him, for free.
It was strange. But I wanted to help him too. I was hearing voices in my head,
one telling me to stop and ask to get paid, and the other telling me to keep
helping others. It was so loud, I thought a disembodied voice was talking to me
and I was about to die. The voice told me to come to him and I was feeling blessed,”
he recalled his experience.
After
his conversion to Islam, Clavijoolarte sought a place where he could learn more
about the religion. Upon the recommendation of his friends in Spain, he
traveled to Turkey.
“This
is a country where you can best learn Islam’s history and culture. Living in
Turkey opened a new window into my life. I was impressed by people’s charity
here,” Clavijoolarte, who first worked at Turkish Diyanet Foundation (TDV), a
charity group active across the world, said.
“I
have seen the greatness of Turkish civilization. I have seen they helped others
regardless of their race and religion,” he said. Since 2018 he has served as
head of the Turkish Red Crescent’s delegation in Islamabad.
As
for his religious family, Ibrahim Carlos says he encountered opposition from
them.
“I
had a fiance who broke up with me when she found out that I converted to Islam.
I was very close to my sister and when she found out, she told me that I was
now dead to her,” he recalled.
For
one year, his family did not speak to him, but Clavijoolarte says he now made
amends with them.
Source:
Daily Sabah
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
India
Shankaracharya of Puri Courts Controversy: Ayodhya Mosque Land Will Turn Into Pakistani Hub
Nov
22, 2021
AYODHYA:
The Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nishchalananda, has courted controversy by
saying that land mandated to the Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque in Ayodhya
would soon turn into a ‘Pakistani’ hub. After paying obeisance to Ram Lalla
late Saturday, the Puri seer said, “With construction of another mosque in lieu
of Babri masjid, we will be creating a mini-Pakistan.
If
similar court judgments come for disputed shrines of Kashi and Mathura, another
two Pakistani hubs will come up in the country.” The Shankracharya raised
objection to handing over 5acre plot to Muslims by the Supreme Court in its
Ayodhya judgment. “Muslims will be constructing a grand mosque in Ayodhya,
which will be the epicentre of anti-national activity by those nurturing
allegiance to Pakistan,” he said.
Reacting
to Shankracharya's statement, IICF secretary Athar Husain said, “It’s
unbelievable that a seer can issue such a statement that fuels hatred against a
community. If he has said these words, it’s very unfortunate. I will not make
any comment on a Shankaracharya because Islam teaches us to respect religious
heads.”
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
BJP
rakes up halal issue in Kerala, calls for practice to be banned across state
by
Shaju Philip
November
22, 2021
The
BJP on Sunday demanded that the Kerala government ban halal food and halal
boards in eateries across the state.
The
BJP demand comes after claims emerged on social media that the Muslim clergy
would spit on food to make it halal. Last week, former VHP state president S J
R Kumar had moved the High Court, alleging that halal-certified jaggery was
used at Sabarimala temple for preparing prasadam.
Upping
the ante on Sunday, BJP state general secretary P Sudheer, addressing the
media, claimed that halal is a “social evil” like triple talaq. “The BJP does
not believe that halal is a religious practice and doesn’t think that even
Islamic scholars would back it. By giving a religious façade for halal,
extremist organisations are trying to implement a communal agenda in Kerala
society,” he said. Claiming that there is a sudden spurt in halal boards in the
state, Sudheer said, “If this is being done on behalf of the religion, scholars
should be ready to rectify it.”
Backing
Sudheer, BJP state president K Surendran said in Kozhikode that the “halal
phenomenon” in Kerala is “neither accidental nor innocent”.
“Certain
religious extremists are behind promoting halal culture. Those forces want to
divide people of Kerala and foment tension in society. There is a clear agenda
behind spreading halal culture,” Surendran said.
P
C George, a former leader of regional Christian party Kerala Congress (M), also
joined the issue. An ex-legislator, George, who had invited the wrath of Muslim
organisations over his anti-community comments in the recent past, on Sunday
claimed that halal food is part of religious fundamentalism.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/bjp-halal-kerala-banned-7634656/
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Pakistan
‘Musharraf
Institutionalised Enforced Disappearances’, says Farhatullah Babar
Irfan
Aslam
November
22, 2021
LAHORE:
Former Senator Farhatullah Babar says enforced disappearances and extrajudicial
killings have been there since decades but they were institutionalised during
the regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf who acknowledged in his book, In the Line of
Fire: A Memoir, the people of Pakistan were hunted for the CIA against millions
of dollars but no action was taken against Musharraf as the state agencies were
involved in it.
“In
2018, we called the chairman of the commission on enforced disappearances to
the Senate and he was asked many questions. When he was asked about the
prosecution and investigation, he said the missing persons, after their return,
would not want to pursue their cases,” Mr Babar said in a session “Rights of
Detainees and Prisoners” on the second day of Asma Jahangir Conference here at
a private hotel.
He
said 153 army personnel had been identified and it was said that action was
being taken against them but nothing practical was done. He added that in a
statement of the ISPR, it was said that not all missing persons were in custody
of the forces, in other words, admitting that at least some missing persons
were in their custody.
“Akhtar
Mengal had threatened not to vote for the budget unless missing persons from
Balochistan were released and on his demand, 48 missing persons were set free.
The question is who released them and the answer is the state agencies.”
Mr
Babar lamented that the commission on enforced disappearance had failed because
it had not been able to investigate even a single person involved in missing
persons cases, let alone prosecute them. It claimed to have secured the release
of 3,800 people but not even in one case, it had been able to investigate and
prosecute those responsible, the senator added.
“The
Senate committee asked the Balochistan government to give a list of the
mutilated bodies found in the last two years. It gave the figure of 53 but no
FIR was registered because the relatives did not want it, showing the distrust
of people in the government.”
Mr
Babar said more than 7,000 cases of enforced disappearances had been registered
but not a single case was investigated because of the elephant in the room,
which did not permit it. He suggested that the intelligence agencies should be
brought under some legislation as solution to the enforced disappearances.
Advocate
Shabbir Hussain Gigyani from Peshawar said since 2006 when the Talibanisation
started, the people of tribal areas were deprived of their legal rights. The
extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearances started in the areas started
in 2008 when the army operation was launched and there was no legislation on
it. In 2011, he added, the parliament gave a legal protection to the operation
perhaps under the direction of the armed forces.
Mr
Gigyani said making law was not a big deal but the enforcement of law was more
important, which was an issue.
“The
American public had protested against the Guantanamo Bay prison but there are
even worse kind of detention centres in Pakistan in the areas of Lakki Marwant,
Kohat, Peshawar and Khyber district where 8,000 people were being kept as per
the report of the state,” he added.
Rights
activist Amna Janjua described the ordeal after her husband went missing in
2005. She and her family are still waiting for his return while their questions
go unanswered. The session was moderated by Saroop Ejaz.
ANTI-RAPE
LAW
Senator
Waleed Iqbal says that since he took over as the chairman of the Senate
Standing Committee on Human Rights, several laws have been taken up, including
those on protection of the senior citizens, domestic violence, domestic workers
and corporal punishment.
“Other
than legislation, the committee has taken up the Noor Muqaddam case and
Minar-i-Pakistan harassment incident. What I have learnt from these cases and
the empirical evidence that it’s not severity of punishment that actually
deters crimes, particularly of violence against women, it’s the certainty of
the punishment that deters it when a perpetrator is aware is that the law will
chase up after him and punish him,” said Mr Iqbal during a session on
“Anti-Rape Legislation–Barriers to Implementation” at the Asma Jahangir
Conference.
He
said there was the Section 354-A of PPC addressing that kind of incidents like
Minar-i-Pakistan and it prescribes death penalty and life imprisonment for the
perpetrator.
“The
section has been there since 1984 from the era of Gen Zial Haq but it did not
deter crimes of this nature because there was no certainty of punishment.”
Mr
Iqbal pointed out the victim-blaming, particularly of women, in the
subcontinent due to a certain cultural mindset, which could be changed only
through training and education.
“The
male children in the family should be trained to respect women and the rule of
the law.” The new anti-rape law would also face the same fate as the earlier
legislation if there would be no certainty of punishment and change in the
mindset, he added.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659414/musharraf-institutionalised-enforced-disappearances
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Saad
Rizvi urges people to vote for TLP in next polls
Imran
Gabol
November
22, 2021
LAHORE:
Chief of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Hafiz Saad Rizvi has declared he
would lay down his life but would not surrender to any oppressor, and urged the
people to vote for his organisation in the next general elections.
He
was addressing an event termed the Shuhada-i-Namoos-i-Risalat Conference on
Sunday. Hundreds of people who had come to attend the concluding ceremony of
the three-day Urs of Khadim Hussain Rizvi were in attendance.
Hafiz
Rizvi was released from Kot Lakhpat jail on Thursday after an agreement with
the government. The two sides reached an understanding after many rounds of
talks and two weeks of clashes which left seven policemen and an unspecified
number of TLP workers dead.
Says
his followers are ready to sacrifice more lives if someone challenges them
Speaking
on the occasion, the TLP chief said those who were astonished over the turn of
events did not know who won the “battle”. “Our mothers, dead and injured, have
won the ground because they didn’t step back while sacrificing their lives and
property,” he added.
He
said his followers had shown the world that they would not step back and their
mothers had not given birth to cowards. “Now my followers are asking what they
will have to do in the 2023 elections after sacrificing the lives of their
loved ones and property,” he said.
He
said all his comrades and followers stood for the respect and dignity of
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as the nation trusted them to protect the
finality of his prophethood. “Now I demand from the nation that their ballot
boxes should not remain empty during the next elections.”
Hafiz
Rizvi thanked former chairman of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Mufti
Muneeb-ur-Rehman and all others who played a role in facilitating an agreement
with the government.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659486/saad-rizvi-urges-people-to-vote-for-tlp-in-next-polls
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Sikh
pilgrims throng Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal to pay homage to Guru Nanak
November
22, 2021
TAXILA:
Sikh pilgrims from across the world visited Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal
on Sunday to perform rituals in connection with the 552nd birth anniversary of
Baba Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh religion.
Around
3,000 pilgrims came from India. Religious slogans including Wahe Guru Ji Ka
Khalsa and Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh echoed through the gurdwara that was decorated
with colourful lights as pilgrims performed rituals including Matha Taki,
Ashnan and the exchange of gifts.
Speaking
to journalists, pilgrims hailed the government’s initiative to open the
Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate the Sikh community. They lauded Prime Minister
Imran Khan for laying the foundation stone for Baba Guru Nanak University in
Nankana Sahib and issuing a commemorative coin on the occasion of the 550th
birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Group
leader of Sikh pilgrims from India Sardar Gurmeet Singh said the pilgrims had
come to Pakistan with the message of love, peace, friendship and harmony.
“Pakistan
is the land of Sikh Gurus and Sikhs love this land as this is our second
homeland. We are always welcomed with love and it is a true example of
Sikh-Muslim friendship,” he said.
Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (Delhi) party leader Sardar Balvinder Singh
lauded steps taken by the Pakistani government for upkeep and restoration of
gurdwaras, adding that the latest step of opening the corridor would further
cement relations between Pakistan and the Sikh community.
He
said the Indian Sikh community was grateful to the government for issuing them
the maximum number of visas, adding that, “Pakistan is sacred to us and we love
it, and we come here with a message of peace and brotherhood.”
Sardar
Bishan Singh, a pilgrim from Amritsar, told Dawn that every religion taught
love, tolerance and respect for humanity. He appreciated the Pakistani
government’s efforts for ensuring religious freedom for minorities and
safeguarding sacred places and gurdwaras of the Sikh community.
Evacuee
Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal said the
board, in collaboration with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
and the district administration, had made security and accommodation
arrangements for Indian and local Sikh yatrees.
Security
measures were taken in and around the Sikh temple where dozens of officials
from security agencies were deployed.
Regional
Police officer (Rawalpindi region) Ishfaq Ahmed Khan reviewed arrangements and
told journalists that multi-layered security plans were made to ensure that
visiting pilgrims’s safety.
“The
police will provide foolproof security to Sikh yatrees,” Mr Khan said, adding
that, “around 700 policemen will perform security duties, including four
district superintendents, six inspectors, 11 sub-inspectors, 23 assistant
sub-inspectors, 33 head constables, 506 constables, 40 female constables and
plainclothes officers.”
Poetry
recital
A
Punjabi poetry recital was organised at the Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) on
the occasion of Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary to promote inter-faith
harmony on Sunday.
The
recital was presided over by renowned poet Prof Dr Arshad Mahmood Nashad while
Dr Farhat Abbas and Naseem Sehar participated as guests of honour in the
gathering. People belonging to the literary circle participated in the concert.
Source:
Dawn
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Protests
erupt in Pakistan's Gwadar amid growing backlash against CPEC
Nov
21, 2021
KARACHI:
Massive protests have erupted in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar against
unnecessary checkpoints, a severe shortage of water and electricity and threats
to livelihoods from illegal fishing, part of a growing backlash in the country
against China's multibillion-dollar belt and road projects.
The
protests organised by workers of some political parties, civil rights
activists, fishermen and concerned citizens have been going on for a week at Y
Chowk on Port Road in Gwadar, a coastal town in the restive Southwest
Balochistan province of Pakistan.
The
protesters demand the removal of unnecessary security check posts, availability
of drinking water and electricity, eviction of big fishing trawlers from Makran
coast and opening of the border with Iran from Panjgur to Gwadar, Jang
newspaper reported on Sunday.
Head
of the ‘Give rights to Gwadar' rally Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman said the
protests would continue until their demands are met, asserting that the
government has not been sincere in resolving the problems of the local people
living in the region.
Rehman
has strongly criticised the government in the past for failing to resolve the
basic problems of the people of Gwadar.
“We
are demanding the rights of Gwadar, which were usurped by the rulers and the
people were even deprived of basic needs. The fishermen were not able to earn
their livelihood as big trawlers were allowed for fishing at Makran Coast,” he
said at a public meeting last month.
Rehman
said despite building the Gwadar Deep Sea Port, the people of the city were
still jobless and the government has done nothing about it.
"It
is an insult for the sons of soil when they are stopped at checkpoints and
inquired about their whereabouts," he was quoted as saying by The Express
Tribune.
The
protests are part of growing discontent with China's presence in Gwadar, whose
port is an integral part of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
project (CPEC), the flagship project of China's multi-billion-dollar Belt and
Road Initiative (BRI).
India
has protested to China over the CPEC as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK). The massive infrastructure project connects China's Xinjiang
province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
Gwadar
port has long been portrayed as the jewel in the CPEC crown, but in the
process, the city has become the very embodiment of a security state.
The
authorities' priorities are geared towards securing the port and its ancillary
interests; the welfare of those for whom the area is home counts for little.
Far from the port being a harbinger of an economic boom, the opposite has
happened, The Dawn newspaper reported on Friday.
Existing
privations have deepened; people's mobility is restricted by security forces
and there is unwarranted questioning of their activities. Many say they are
made to feel like strangers in their own land, it said.
Adding
to the miseries of a large number of fishermen among the populace, the
government, they complain, has issued licences to Chinese trawlers to fish in
the waters off the coast. Their small boats cannot possibly compete, as a
result of which their livelihoods are being squeezed. This is the petri dish of
discontent from which have sprung the recent protests, it added.
Balochistan
is home to a long-running violent insurgency, and China's presence in Gwadar
has been the cause of much social unrest and led to anti-Chinese sentiment.
It
has also given a fillip to Baloch militant insurgent groups, who have carried
out terrorist attacks in protest at CPEC projects.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Pakistan,
IMF reach staff-level agreement on steps for revival of package
November
22, 2021
The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement
on policies and reforms needed to complete the sixth review under the $6
billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) which has been 'in recess' since April,
the Fund announced in a statement on Monday.
The
agreement is subject to approval by the Fund's Executive Board, following the
implementation of prior actions, notably on fiscal and institutional reforms,
the IMF said. The approval of the agreement will make available 750 million in
Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to $,1059m, it added.
This
would bring the total disbursements under the programme to $3,027m and help
unlock funding from bilateral and multilateral partners, according to the IMF
statement.
The
SDR is a basket of mixed currencies made available to member countries of the
IMF.
In
its statement following discussions with Pakistani officials, the IMF acknowledged
the country's progress in implementing the programme "despite a difficult
environment".
"All
quantitative performance criteria (PCs) for end-June were met with wide
margins, except for that on the primary budget deficit," the Fund noted,
adding that finalisation of the National Socio-economic Registry (NSER) update,
adoption of amendments in the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
(Nepra) Act, notification of all pending quarterly power tariff adjustments,
and payment of the first tranche of outstanding arrears to independent power
producers (IPPs) were "notable" achievements on the structural front.
The
Fund also acknowledged Pakistan's progress in improving its anti-money
laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. However,
additional time was needed to strengthen its effectiveness, according to the
statement.
'Strong
economic recovery has gained hold'
"Available
data suggests that a strong economic recovery has gained hold, benefiting from
the authorities' multifaceted policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic that has
helped contain its human and macroeconomic ramifications," the IMF said.
It noted that the tax revenue collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
had also been strong.
"At
the same time, external pressures have started to emerge: a widening of the
current account deficit and depreciation pressures on the exchange rate —
mainly reflecting the compound effects of the stronger economic activity, an
expansionary macroeconomic policy mix, and higher international commodity
prices."
It
observed that the government had gradually started to unwind
coronavirus-related stimulus measures in response.
The
Fund said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had "taken the right
steps" by starting to reverse the accommodative monetary policy stance,
strengthening some macroprudential measures to contain consumer credit growth,
and providing forward guidance.
The
SBP had raised its benchmark interest rate by 150 basis points to 8.75 per cent
last week as it grappled with surging inflation and uncertainty.
The
government's policies would help safeguard the positive near-term outlook, the
Fund stated, predicting that Pakistan's economic growth rate would reach or go
beyond four per cent in the current fiscal year and 4.5pc in FY23.
It
noted that inflation in the country remained high, adding that it "should
start to see a declining trend once the pass-through of rupee depreciation is
absorbed, and temporary supply-side constraints and demand-side pressures
dissipate".
Regarding
the current account deficit, the IMF said it was expected to widen in FY22.
Discussions
between the IMF and government officials also focused on policies to help
Pakistan achieve sustainable and resilient growth, according to the statement.
"On
the fiscal policy front, staying on course on achieving small primary surpluses
remains critical to reduce high public debt and fiscal vulnerabilities.
Continued efforts to broaden the tax base by removing remaining preferential
tax treatments and exemptions will help generate much-needed resources to scale
up critical social and development spending."
Monetary
policy
The
IMF emphasised that the monetary policy needs to remain focused on curbing
inflation, preserving exchange rate flexibility, and strengthening
international reserves.
As
economic stability deepens and the SBP Amendments Act is passed by parliament,
the central bank should "gradually advance the preparatory work to
formally adopt an inflation targeting regime in the medium term, underpinned by
a forward-looking and interest-rate-focused operational framework", the
Fund said.
It
also underscored the importance of reforms in the electricity sector to make it
financially viable and tackle its adverse effects on the budget, financial
sector and real economy.
"In
this regard, steadfast implementation of the Circular Debt Management Plan
(CDMP) will help guide the planned management improvements, cost reductions,
timely alignment of tariffs with cost recovery levels, and better targeting of
subsidies to the most vulnerable," it noted.
Increased
focus was needed to strengthen economic productivity, investment and private
sector development, including improving the governance, transparency, and
efficiency of the state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector, fostering the business
environment, governance, and the control of corruption, boosting
competitiveness and exports, promoting financial deepening and inclusion and
stepping up to climate change, the IMF said.
Commenting
on the development, Finance Ministry spokesperson Muzzammil Aslam said the
agreement — which was achieved after 45 days of discussions between the IMF and
the government — would "remove a lot of uncertainties".
Sources
had earlier told Dawn that discussions between the two sides had concluded on Friday.
The announcement of policy rate by the SBP was the last administrative and
policy action in the domain of the economic team and stood accomplished.
"Everything is agreed to, ready and finished, except legislative
part," the sources said.
Source:
Dawn
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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South Asia
Chabahar
sees increase in traffic as Taliban backs trade via port
Nov
20, 2021
NEW
DELHI: The Chabahar port in Iran developed by India seems to be resuming normal
operations after assurances by the Taliban that they want good diplomatic and
trade ties with India and that they were going to support the role of the port
in facilitating regional and global trade.
After
operations were hit initially by the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the
port is now seeing an increase in traffic with Russia emerging, after India, as
a key contributor to this transit trade surge.
Developed
by India to boost regional connectivity, while bypassing Pakistan, the port is
seen as a more "economical, stable and secure route" for access to
India and to the global market by Afghanistan and landlocked Central Asian
countries.
Despite
instability in Afghanistan, traffic at Chabahar is increasing, official sources
said. While operations were affected by the Taliban takeover of Kabul on August
15, work resumed on September 2 and the Shahid Behesti Terminal since then is
said to have handled cargo from Russia, Qatar, Romania and Australia. The cargo
has included food products like barley, wheat and corn.
The
increase in traffic followed assurances by then head of Taliban political
office Sher Abbas Stanekzai in late August that Taliban wanted to have good
trade and diplomatic ties with India and his appeal to traders to use the port.
Since
September this year, Russia has sent 8 shipments to Chabahar comprising, among
other things, 5.3 lakh tons of wheat.
In
the past 2 months, the port is also said to have facilitated exports to UAE,
Kuwait and, for the first time, to Bangladesh. The Indian government sees it is
as a significant achievement. As per latest government data, the port has
handled shipments and transshipments from Russia, Brazil, Thailand, Germany,
Ukraine, Qatar, Australia, Kuwait, Romania, Bangladesh and UAE. Commodities
mostly handled included wheat, maize, barley, corn, sugar and livestock.
Iran
is also learnt to have also agreed "in principle" to allow Afghan
traders to export fresh and dried fruits to India via the Dogarun-Chabahar
route which was shut after the Taliban takeover.
Source:
Times of India
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Muslim
mason sculpts shrines for Bangladesh’s Hindu dead
22
Nov 2021
A
Muslim artisan has devoted his talents to shepherding the dead among
Bangladesh’s Hindu minority along a peaceful journey to the next life.
Taher
Ali Khan has crafted thousands of shrines to departed loved ones around the
tranquil grounds of Barisal Mahashashan, the country’s largest Hindu
crematorium.
The
devout mason prays five times a day and adheres to all the precepts of the
Islamic faith, but has often found himself fending off criticism from people
who question his calling.
“My
prophet said to find bread by honest work. And he advised us to refrain from
stealing, hurting others or committing any crimes,” Khan, 60, told the AFP news
agency.
“I
work here constructing tombs,” he added. “I don’t see anything that would
jeopardise my religion.”
Hindus
account for about 10 percent of the majority-Muslim nation’s 169 million people
and are well represented in politics, business and the civil service.
But
their numbers have dwindled from approximately a quarter of the population in
1947, when millions of Hindus and Muslims fled to India and Pakistan respectively
after the partition of the subcontinent into two separate nations along
religious lines.
Another
mass exodus coincided with the nine-month Bangladesh war of independence in
1971.
News
of the recent religious violence, in which at least six people including two
Hindus were killed, upset Khan, who spent the following days calling on Hindu
friends to ask about their safety.
“I
consider Hindus to be my brothers and sisters,” he says.
“They
love me because of my work. I pour my heart out into constructing tombs because
everyone wants to build something beautiful for their dead.”
Khan
spends most of his time at the crematorium, labouring away at ornate samadhi
shrines that crisscross the grounds around the funeral pyre.
The
more humble monuments are small and unassuming concrete slabs, similar in style
to Western tombstones, with ashes from the dead buried underneath.
The
largest are elaborate, multitiered edifices with colourful spires that tower
over the small man-made pond that greets visitors at the graveyard’s entrance,
which can sell for up to 250,000 taka ($3,000).
“If
I build a beautiful Samadhi for the dead, it gives me enormous satisfaction,”
he says. “I feel like I have done something to help them feel good and to mourn
their dead well.”
Khan
learned his trade 35 years ago and by his estimation has built more than 10,000
samadhis in the time since – most of those around Barisal crematorium are his
handiwork.
“Look
at this beautiful one,” he says, gesturing at one of the shrines during a tour
of the graveyard.
“The
family wanted something beautiful for their young boy, who died suddenly. I did
it with all my love and care.”
His
work is in high demand from Hindus living in Barisal and from far-flung farming
communities around the southern river port.
“It
doesn’t matter whether he’s a Muslim, he does a solid job,” said Gouranga Das,
who came to the grounds to cremate his mother and again seek Khan’s services.
“He
made my grandfather’s tomb and it was very nice.”
Source:
Al Jazeera
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/22/muslim-mason-sculpts-shrines-for-bangladeshs-hindu-dead
--------
Africa
Sudan
military to reinstate ousted PM Hamdok after agreement reached
21
November ,2021
Sudan’s
military plans to reinstate ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok following an
agreement reached in the late hours of Saturday, Fadlallah Burma Nasir, the
head of the Umma Party, told Reuters.
Hamdok
will form an independent cabinet of technocrats and all political detainees
will be released under the agreement between the military and civilian
political parties, Nasir said on Sunday.
Nasir
said he took part in a meeting late on Saturday in which mediators reached a
deal.
The
Sovereign Council will hold an urgent meeting on Sunday before announcing the
agreement, said a source with knowledge of the talks.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Car
bomb blast near Somali Security Ministry kills 1 journalist, wounds another
Mohammed
Dhaysane
20.11.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
Al-Qaeda-affiliated
terror group al-Shabaab through a car bomb blast targeted a vehicle carrying
state media journalists in the Somali capital Mogadishu, killing a journalist
and wounding another on Saturday, officials said.
A
car bomb blast targeted the vehicle near the country's Security Ministry
building in Mogadishu, according to police.
Al-Shabaab
claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had carried out a revenge
attack targeting Somali government-owned radio's Mogadishu Director Abdiaziz
Guled, known as Abdiaziz Afrika.
"We
are devastated and shocked as our Radiomuqdisho Director, Abdiasis Afrika was
killed and our @sntvnews1 Director Sharmarke was wounded in cowardly terrorist
blast," a statement by the Somali national television said.
"The
attack was a car bomb blast parked near the Security Ministry building in
Mogadishu, targeting a vehicle carrying state media senior journalists,
including veteran journalist Abdiaziz Afrika, who was seriously wounded,"
a police officer earlier told Anadolu Agency over the phone after the attack.
The
two journalists -- Abdiaziz Afrika and Sharmarke Warsame -- were traveling in
the Shangani district when the explosion hit their vehicle. Police forces and
paramedic crews were rushed to the scene, he added.
He
said the police sealed the road leading to the headquarter of the country's
national security and intelligence agency and the investigation into the attack
is underway.
The
attack came a day after eight people were killed and over 13 others wounded in
a bomb blast in the town of Berdale in Somalia’s South West State.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Protests
block French army convoy in Burkina Faso
Aurore
Bonny
20.11.2021
Demonstrators
in the town of Kaya, north-central Burkina Faso, have tried to prevent the
progress of the military convoy of Barkhane, the French anti-terrorist military
force, local sources reported on Saturday.
"The
French army was cornered and carried out some warning shots in the middle of
the day on Saturday. But demonstrators who had fled, returned on their steps,
determined to turn back the French military convoy coming from Ivory Coast to
Niger," according to the Burkina Faso News Agency (AIB).
The
source said the demonstrators found containers they said belonged to the French
army.
They
wanted to inspect the French convoy, suspecting that the members of the French
anti-terrorist force have weapons and motorcycles in their containers that are
used to supply the terrorists, according to the reports.
"Thus,
after Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, the convoy has been blocked since
Thursday morning at the entrance to Kaya at the tollbooth by people gathered
from various localities holding up signs saying 'France get out', 'Go back
home'," according to the local media.
The
AIB also reported that the intervention of local authorities was not enough to
calm the demonstrators.
This
unprecedented demonstration in Burkina Faso was initiated by members of the
Coalition of Patriots of Burkina Faso. One of the leaders told Anadolu Agency
that the demonstrators do not know the destination of the convoy and are just
determined to prevent any French convoy on Burkinabe territory.
"We
are not against the French people. The French people are our friends. We need
France to come back so that we can revisit our agreements. We have the feeling
that they are interested in our resources and not us," he added, saying
the convoy is still blocked at the entrance of Kaya.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/protests-block-french-army-convoy-in-burkina-faso/2426312
--------
Sudanese
protester dies of wounds, death toll rises to 40: Medics
20.11.2021
KHARTOUM,
Sudan
A
Sudanese protester died of his wounds on Saturday, taking the death toll from
protests against last month’s military takeover to 40, according to medics.
The
independent Central Doctors Committee said Mohamed Adam Hadoun, 16, was shot in
the head and leg during protests on Nov. 17 and breathed his last on Saturday.
At
least 15 protesters were killed during the Nov. 17 protesters, according to the
Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded demonstrations that led
to the ouster of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Sudanese
police have denied opening fire on protesters.
On
Oct. 25, the head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Gen. Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan, declared a state of emergency and dissolved the transitional
Sovereign Council and government amid rival protests and accusations between
the military and politicians in the country.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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--------
23
people submit applications to run in Libya presidential polls
Walid
Abdullah
20.11.2021
TRIPOLI,
Libya
Twenty-three
people have submitted applications to run in Libya’s presidential election,
according to the elections commission.
In
a statement, the commission said its office in the capital Tripoli received
seven applications while one application was submitted in the eastern city of
Benghazi.
This
brings "the total number of presidential hopefuls (so far) to 23,"
the statement read.
Libya’s
presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place on Dec. 24 under
a UN-sponsored agreement reached by Libyan political rivals during meetings in
Tunisia on Nov. 15, 2020.
Applications
for running in the presidential polls will be accepted until Nov. 22 and Dec. 7
for parliamentary polls.
The
electoral commission pointed out that submitting applications for candidacy “is
a preliminary acceptance” after which they will be referred to the Attorney
General, the Criminal Investigation Agency, and the General Administration of
Passports and Nationality to ensure they are in line with the requirements of
the electoral laws.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Jordanian
lawmakers slam UK terror label of Hamas
Laith
al-Jounaidi
21.11.2021
AMMAN,
Jordan
Jordanian
lawmakers on Sunday denounced a British decision to designate Palestinian
resistance group Hamas as a "terrorist organization".
In
a statement, 75 members of the 130-seat House of Representatives described the
British move as "an aggression on the Palestinian people and the Arab
nation."
The
statement said the UK decision was a “reward to the Zionist (Israeli)
occupation which kills the Palestinian people…and besieges the people of
Gaza."
The
MPs called on the UK Parliament to overturn the government move as “it
represents siding with [Israeli] aggression and oppression."
On
Friday, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said she had banned Hamas as a
“terrorist” organization.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/jordanian-lawmakers-slam-uk-terror-label-of-hamas/2426817
--------
North America
US
encouraged by Sudan deal, warns against excessive force on protesters: Blinken
22
November ,2021
The
US is “encouraged” by the Sudan deal reinstating the country’s deposed prime
minister and reversing the military takeover, Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said on Sunday, warning the authorities against the use of excessive force
against protesters.
“I
am encouraged by reports that talks in Khartoum will lead to the release of all
political prisoners, reinstatement of Prime Minister Hamdok, lifting of the
state of emergency, and resumption of coordination,” Blinken said.
“I
also reiterate our call for security forces to refrain from excessive force
against peaceful protesters,” he added.
Prime
Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed on Sunday a deal with General Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan that will see Hamdok reinstated and allow him to form an independent
cabinet of technocrats, until an election can be held.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Pentagon
chief Austin reiterates commitment to security in the Middle East
20
November ,2021
US
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought on Saturday to reassure allies in the
Middle East that President Joe Biden’s administration was committed to the
region despite Washington increasingly turning its attention towards countering
China.
It
was unclear how much impact Austin’s speech would have with Washington’s allies
in the Middle East, since it was not backed by any announcements of further
deployments or new weapon sales in the region.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Gulf
Arab states, heavily reliant on the US military umbrella, have expressed
uncertainty about Biden’s focus on the region, especially after the US
withdrawal from Afghanistan.
They
are now closely watching efforts to revive a global-powers nuclear pact with
Iran.
In
a speech in Bahrain during a trip to the Gulf, Austin acknowledged concern in
the region and globally that the United States was solely focused on China’s
challenge.
“Let’s
be clear: America’s commitment to security in the Middle East is strong and
sure,” Austin said.
He
said the United States was committed to countering Iran, even as Washington
works to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
“We
remain committed to a diplomatic outcome of the nuclear issue. But if Iran
isn’t willing to engage seriously, then we will look at all the options
necessary to keep the United States secure,” Austin said.
The
Pentagon chief said that Washington would be coming to the indirect
negotiations on reviving the deal starting on Nov. 29 in Vienna in good faith.
“But
Iran’s actions in recent months have not been encouraging -- especially because
of the expansion of their nuclear program,” he Austin said.
Gulf
states have asked for any deal to address what they call Iran’s ballistic missile
program and destabilizing behavior in the region.
While
a number of US administrations have tried to move the focus away from the
Middle East and towards the Pacific, Biden in August ended the longest US war,
in Afghanistan.
“There’s
dismay that the United States is on its way out the door. I’m not sure
messaging addresses that sense of impending American abandonment,” said Jon
Alterman of the Washington CSIS think-tank.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Turkish,
US presidential aides discuss ties, regional matters in telephone call
Busra
Nur Cakmak, Zafer Fatih Beyaz
20.11.2021
Turkish
presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin and US National Security Adviser Jake
Sullivan exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional issues during a
telephone call Friday.
The
two officials spoke about political and economic relations, cooperation in
defense, global and regional matters, the Turkish Presidency said in a
statement.
They
also discussed the humanitarian and political situation in Afghanistan, the
territorial integrity of Syria and clearing of terrorists, the political
process and upcoming elections in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, developments on
Ukraine’s borders, the migrant crisis on the Poland-Belarus border and
developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Details
of a joint strategic mechanism agreed during the meeting between Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of
the G20 Summit in Rome were also discussed.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Arab World
Grand
Imam of Al Azhar: Prince Charles is a wise and responsible leader
Kamal
Tabikha
Nov
21, 2021
Dr
Ahmed Al Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Egypt’s highest Islamic authority,
has called Britain’s Prince Charles a "wise and responsible leader” after
the pair met in Cairo on Thursday.
Charles
arrived in Egypt with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, last week for the
second leg of his Middle East tour, which started with a visit to Jordan.
It
was the first time the pair had been to Egypt since 2006. The Middle East tour
was their trip overseas since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They
visited some of Egypt’s famous landmarks, including the Pyramids at Giza and Al
Azhar Mosque, where they met Dr Al Tayeb.
Charles
and Dr Al Tayeb discussed interfaith dialogue and climate change.
After
being received by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his wife Entissar
El Sisi at the presidential palace, Charles and Camilla visited Al Azhar, where
they were greeted by a delegation of Muslim and Coptic Christian
representatives.
In
a Facebook post, Dr Al Tayeb said he was pleased to hold talks with Prince
Charles.
During
a speech at a newly constructed restaurant overlooking the Giza plateau, the
Prince of Wales emphasised the importance of nature in the Abrahamic faiths and
urged Egyptian authorities to prioritise sustainability.
On
their second day in Egypt, Charles and Camilla attended a sustainability event
at the Greek Campus of the American University in Cairo, before travelling to
Alexandria to visit the city’s historic library.
Source:
The National News
Please
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Islamic
Council elects Sheikh Osama Al-Rifa'i as Syria's Grand Mufti
Nov
21, 2021
The
Syrian opposition's Islamic Council has elected Sheikh Osama Al-Rifa'i as the
Grand Mufti of Syria, following the dismissal of the Grand Mufti position by
Bashar al-Assad in a swoop on the Sunni majority stature and a move to enhance
Shiism in the war-torn country, scholars said.
The
spokesman for the council, Mutee Al-Bateen, in a video statement, said that the
council decided to unanimously elect Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai to be the Grand
Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, calling on the Syrian people to rally around
its unified reference.
Al-Assad
abolished the position of Mufti of the Republic last Monday.
The
president issued legislative decree No. 28 stipulating the abolitionment of
Article No. 35 of the law regulating the work of the Ministry of Endowments,
according to which the Grand Mufti of the Republic is named.
No
reasons were given for the decision, however, in so doing, Al-Assad
strengthened the powers of a jurisprudential council within the Ministry of
Endowments.
The
decision effectively forces Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, the
highest Islamic authority in Syria, into retirement. Hassoun had held the
position since 2005 and has been known for his support for Al-Assad.
The
fatwa is one of the pillars of the Syrian identity, so the scholars had to
stand in the face of this attack on the identity of Syria. In order to preserve
this historical position from the futility of the criminal gang, to restore
matters to their historical record by keeping this position and returning the
choice in it to the hands of the senior scholars and jurists of this country as
it was before.
Al-Bateen
said that no one dared to touch it until this sectarian gang took control of
Syria, so it emptied it of its content and made it an appointment after it was
an election from Senior scholars who deserve this position.''
Al-Rifai,
77, is the head of the League of Scholars of the Levant , the head of the
Syrian Islamic Council, was born in Damascus, and graduated from Damascus
schools and high schools. He joined the University of Damascus and studied
Arabic language and its sciences at the Faculty of Arts, Department of Arabic
Language, from which he graduated in 1971.
Assad's
decree assigned the tasks the mufti was entrusted with, which are "setting
the dates of the beginnings and endings of the lunar months … and declaring the
consequent jurisprudential rulings related to Islamic religious rituals and
worship," as well as "issuing fatwas… and laying down the
foundations, standards, and mechanisms necessary to organise and control
them."
Source:
Zamanalwsl
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https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/article/63900/
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Lebanese
navy rescues distressed boat carrying migrants
20
November ,2021
Lebanon’s
navy rescued a boat carrying migrants that had left the country heading west
across the Mediterranean, but broke down off the coast, the prime minister’s
office said Saturday.
It
was the latest case of desperate people — mostly Lebanese, Syrians and
Palestinians — sailing toward European Union member Cyprus, and sometimes
Turkey, seeking to escape Lebanon’s worsening economic meltdown. Some 75
percent of the country now lives in poverty.
Prime
Minister Najib Mikati’s office said the migrants had left Lebanon illegally,
and that the navy was towing the boat shoreward. It did not say how many
migrants were aboard but said some were children.
It
added that there would be an investigation into the incident. Smugglers in
Lebanon have made a business out of selling passage to Europe for thousands of
dollars per person.
On
Friday, the Internal Security Forces stormed a beach resort in the northern
town of Qalamoun, where they foiled an attempt to smuggle 82 men, women and
children to Europe. Police said that passengers had paid $5,000 per person, and
that they had detained one of the smugglers.
EU-member
Cyprus is approximately 107 miles (172 kilometers) from the northern city of
Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
UAE
welcomes signing of agreement to complete transitional phase in Sudan
22
November ,2021
The
United Arab Emirates foreign ministry said on its Twitter account on Monday it
welcomes the signing of a political agreement to complete the transitional
phase in Sudan.
Sudan’s
military reinstated Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday and promised to
release all political detainees after weeks of deadly unrest that were
triggered by a coup, although large crowds took to the streets to reject any
deal involving the army.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
In
UAE, French finance minister warns of climate action cost
21
November ,2021
Just
over a week after some 200 nations struck an agreement aimed at intensifying
global efforts to fight climate change, the finance minister of France warned
on Sunday that the cost of the energy transition will be “much higher than
expected.”
“We
should never underestimate the price of the climate transition,” Bruno Le Maire
told reporters in Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Reveling
in France’s strong economic rebound from the devastation of the pandemic, Le
Maire was in the Gulf Arab sheikhdom to discuss joint investments in a wide
range of fields, from port infrastructure to hydrogen fuel and renewable
energy.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
UAE has publicly pledged to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050, among a
list of countries that made the long-range, still-vague commitment before the
climate summit in Glasgow opened earlier this month. Even as the country with
the region’s first nuclear power plant tries to position itself as a leader on
environmental issues, the hydrocarbon-rich UAE’s economy feeds on petrodollars.
Le
Maire noted the challenges facing industrialized economies if they shift away
from the cheap fuel pumped out of the Persian Gulf toward renewable energy
sources.
“We
don’t want the people with the lowest income to pay for the climate
transition,” he said, acknowledging lessons learned from the carbon tax aimed
at encouraging alternative energy use that sparked France’s mass so-called
Yellow Vest protest movement in 2018.
To
help bridge the energy transition, Le Maire stressed the need to fund new
energy technologies, adding that France’s “faster cooperation” with the UAE in
the field “is of the highest value.”
The
UAE and France have become increasingly aligned in recent years, sharing a
mistrust of political Islam across the Middle East. Major French aviation and
defense companies have powered growth in the emirates, home to over 30,000
French citizens. Le Maire on Sunday toured Abu Dhabi’s outpost of the Louvre,
which draws visitors to artifacts on loan from the Paris museum.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Saudi
defences intercept Houthi drone launched toward Najran airport
November
21, 2021
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi
militia toward the Kingdom’s southern region, state TV reported on Sunday.
The
Arab coalition said the drone was targeting Najran airport, adding that drone
fragments and shrapnel landed in Al-Araysah neighborhood in Najran, however no
casualties have been reported.
The
drone that was intercepted was launched from Sanaa airport to carry out the
attack on Najran airport, the coalition said.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1972456/saudi-arabia
--------
Southeast Asia
Anwar
needs to bow out eventually, says analyst
November
21, 2021
PETALING
JAYA: A political analyst has proposed various ways for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to
make a comeback following its poor showing in the Melaka polls yesterday.
For
a start, Wong Chin Huat suggested that PKR president Anwar Ibrahim step down
and merge his party with Amanah.
He
said Anwar’s leadership had been called into question again after PKR’s wipeout
in the polls, losing all 11 seats it contested.
He
said the most realistic solution might be a two-step transition, with Anwar
bowing out as part of the second step.
“The
first step is to form a shadow Cabinet that can offer a collective leadership
for PH’s 89 MPs.”
It
could draw up an effective policy to compete with Barisan Nasional (BN) and
Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Wong
said this would allow PH to offer an agenda that could appeal to its non-Muslim
and liberal base while attracting Malay-Muslim middle-ground voters.
Some
pro-Dr Mahathir Mohamad leaders would push for the return of the former prime
minister or, more appealingly, Warisan president Shafie Apdal as his proxy, but
Wong described both as “political gamblers”.
He
said these two leaders would not be able to fix the fundamental problems in PH.
Wong
warned that if PKR and Amanah tried to be more conservative or nationalist, as
Parti Melayu Semangat 46 had done in 1995, they would be buried in the next
general election.
“The
most viable solution may be for PKR and Amanah to merge and impress Malay
voters who think ‘we should have fewer parties, not more’.”
Wong
also said PH’s “backdoor government” narrative and obsession to “restore the
GE14 mandate” was pronounced dead last night.
“PH’s
state seats in Melaka dropped from 11 to five because of its obsession to
restore the GE14 mandate.”
Now,
PH needs to move forward and build a social coalition that could carry it in
GE15 instead of just counting on anti-Umno or anti-PN sentiments.
Despite
analysts framing PN’s performance as a bad defeat, Wong said PN had done
“exceptionally well” in Melaka.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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--------
Melaka
poll: BN’s two wins by MCA candidates meaningful to party, says Wee
20
Nov 2021
BY
BEN TAN
MELAKA,
Nov 20 ― MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the party will return the
favour to the people in appreciation for being voted into two seats in today’s
Melaka state election.
He
said the relatively small victory was still meaningful to the party.
“Rest
assured, we will take care of the people (in the two constituencies) in
appreciation of their support,” said Wee when met outside the Barisan Nasional
(BN) Command Centre in Ayer Keroh here tonight.
Earlier,
unofficial results saw MCA’s two candidates under the Barisan Nasional banner
win in the Kelebang and Machap Jaya state seats.
Wee,
who is also the Ayer Hitam MP, said the two wins were good for the party and he
was happy with the overall majority that both candidates tallied.
“We
(BN) managed to win comfortably this time round,” he said.
Later
on his official Facebook page, Wee said the two victories were clear evidence
that the people have rejected Pakatan Harapan (PH) which failed to govern Melaka
well after being given the mandate in the last general election.
He
said PH’s failure to fulfill its manifesto promises also led to the public
rejecting them.
“MCA’s
success in winning the two seats from PH is a proud achievement.
“Hopefully,
this momentum will be maintained and we will continue to redouble our efforts,”
wrote Wee.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Any
1MDB director who said ‘no’ to Najib would likely have to quit, ex-director
tells court
18
Nov 2021
BY
IDA LIM
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Any directors of the government-owned 1Malaysia Development
Berhad (1MDB) would probably have to give up their positions if they had said
“no” to what the prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wanted, the High Court
heard today.
Tan
Sri Ismee Ismail, a former director in 1MDB, today appeared to suggest that
1MDB board members would not be able to disagree with Najib’s request.
Ismee
was testifying as the 13th prosecution witness in Najib’s trial involving money
laundering and power abuse charges in relation to more than RM2 billion of
funds misappropriated from 1MDB.
Lead
prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram today zoomed in on the 1MDB board’s
September 26, 2009 meeting, where Low Taek Jho — popularly known as Jho Low and
seen by Ismee as Najib’s adviser for 1MDB — was present and had handed over his
handphone to 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh.
Yesterday,
Ismee said Bakke had then informed everyone at the meeting that “PM call” and
left to take the call, and that Bakke had returned several minutes later and
informed the board that he had just spoke to Najib who wanted the board to
speed up its decision on a proposed joint venture with PetroSaudi International
Ltd (PSI).
Despite
having only been shown the proposal paper for the 1MDB-PSI joint venture idea
just days earlier in a September 18, 2009 1MDB board meeting, the 1MDB
directors had at the September 26 meeting agreed to approve the joint venture
despite reservations and despite having wanted more studies to be carried out
first, Ismee had said yesterday.
Today,
Sri Ram asked Ismee if the 1MDB board members could have said no.
Sri
Ram: My question to you is, when Tan Sri Bakke told the meeting that the prime
minister wants us to go ahead, were you in a position as a member of the board
to say no?
Ismee:
I guess at that time, I guess if the board members say no to the wishes of the
prime minister, I guess we just have to leave as board members.
Ismee
went on to explain how the proposed 1MDB-PetroSaudi deal was seen as a
government-to-government deal then between the Malaysian government and the
Saudi Arabian government.
“I
think if I can recall correctly at the moment of time in 2009, when Datuk Seri
Najib had just recently become prime minister, the perspective on my part, the
excitement, the expectation was high, and I believed we wanted to do the deal
to fulfil the prime minister’s wishes.
“So
that’s why due to the urgency, we tried to put all the conditions to ensure the
G2G is really airtight, so that is the position I believed the board took then.
“And
personally in 2009, being CEO of Tabung Haji, I’m very sensitive about the
relationship to the Saudi government. That time pun, I myself felt excited, we
can enhance the relationship between Malaysia and Saudi,” he said.
Tabung
Haji is a fund for Malaysia’s Muslim pilgrims, while holy sites for Muslim
pilgrimages are located in Saudi Arabia.
Ismee
agreed with Sri Ram however that the conditions that the 1MDB board had set for
the joint venture had not been met and had been violated.
As
for the funds that were taken out of 1MDB, Ismee confirmed that he did not
receive any of these funds and further confirmed that he had not received any
money from Low.
Yesterday,
Ismee had also said the 1MDB directors might have asked the 1MDB management to
postpone the joint venture to enable further studies to be carried out instead
of approving it on September 26, 2009, if Najib had not intervened and given
instructions to Bakke and the 1MDB board at that meeting.
Ismee
had yesterday also said the 1MDB board of directors does have the powers to
stop or reject the proposed joint venture with PSI but noted that the chairman
of 1MDB’s board of advisers — who was Najib as the prime minister then — has
the powers under the 1MDB company constitution’s Article 117 to override their
decision and could also appoint new directors if dissatisfied with any of the
directors.
Article
117 of 1MDB’s company constitution states that the prior written approval of
the prime minister was required for any amendments to the M&A, for the
appointment and removal of the company’s directors and senior management team.
According
to Article 117, the prime minister’s prior written approval was also required
for any financial commitments by 1MDB, including investments or other matters
likely to affect government guarantees, national interests, national security
or government policies, with the government to make the “final and conclusive”
decision on what amounts to national interests, national security and national
policies.
Among
other things, Ismee had yesterday also said that the 1MDB board had — after
hearing Najib’s wishes via Bakke — then tried to find the best way to protect
the company’s interest while carrying out the joint venture by imposing
conditions on the joint venture company.
Based
on the September 26, 2009 meeting minutes, the 1MDB board had instructed the
1MDB management to carry out several steps, including to ensure that US$1
billion that 1MDB was pumping into the joint venture be sent to the joint
venture company.
But
at the next 1MDB board meeting on October 3, 2009, the board found out that its
instructions had not been complied with.
The
October 3 meeting minutes recorded the 1MDB board as raising multiple concerns,
including the board not being consulted of the change of plans such as the US$1
billion not being sent to the joint venture company and with US$700 million of
that amount instead already sent to PSI’s alleged “affiliate” Good Star
Limited.
Ismee
yesterday said the 1MDB board disagreed with the US$700 million having been
sent to Good Star, and said the board was disappointed with 1MDB management
ignoring the board’s previous instructions.
Ismee
said none of the 1MDB directors knew then that the US$700 million that 1MDB had
paid had went into a bank account owned by Low.
Ismee
also said yesterday that Bakke had instructed then 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral
Ibrahim Halmi to go to London to meet PSI and seek to have the money returned.
Ismee
yesterday said Bakke was very angry at the meeting as the joint venture was not
carried out according to the previous approval by the 1MDB board and as several
insertions into the joint venture agreement did not seem right and there seemed
to be hidden matters.
“But
once again we had to be careful since we wished to take care of the G2G ties
told to us,” he had said yesterday.
Source:
Malay Mail
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Indonesia
Muslim council calls for review of loudspeaker use at mosques
November
22, 2021
JAKARTA:
Indonesia's highest Muslim clerical council has called for a review of
guidelines on the use of loudspeakers at mosques, following concerns and
complaints from members of the public in the world's largest Muslim-majority
country.
There
are nearly 625,000 mosques across the vast Indonesian archipelago, where over
80 percent of the 270 million population professes Islam. Most of the mosques
use loudspeakers to play the azan, or call to prayer, and sermons. Many of them
have poor acoustics and set the volume high, resulting in complaints over noise
pollution.
The
country's Religious Affairs Ministry released a decree in 1978, which serves as
guidelines on the use of mosque loudspeakers. In the fatwa issued earlier this
month, the Indonesian Ulema Council said it was necessary to “refresh” these
guidelines for present social dynamics and to prevent discord.
The
edict was welcomed by the country's Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil
Qoumas as “very important to provide a greater insight for mosque management to
use loudspeakers more wisely.”
Masduki
Baidlowi, one of the council’s leaders and spokesperson for Indonesian Vice
President Ma’ruf Amin, told Arab News over the weekend that religious scholars
had identified uncontrolled use of mosque loudspeakers as a growing public
concern.
“We
took note that it has become a problem, especially in heterogenous, urban
spaces,” Baidlowi said. “The guidelines have been there for long but are not
executed properly.”
He
gave as an example Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, where the population was more
homogenous decades ago, but times have changed as the country’s biggest city
has since become home to new residents of various religious backgrounds.
“Contextually,
for example, Jakarta used to have a homogeneous population of Betawi people,
but now it has developed into a heterogeneous society,” Baidlowi said,
referring to the city’s native inhabitants, who are predominantly Muslim.
In
Jakarta, there are nearly 7,000 mosques in an area of 661.5 square kilometers
that is home to some 11 million people — currently, about 20 percent of them
are non-Muslim.
“We
have to use (the speakers) properly, we can’t do it as we please,” Miftahul
Huda, the council's fatwa commission secretary, told Arab News. “Even though
the intention is good, it could be disturbing, and we don’t want that to
happen.”
The
issue of mosque loudspeaker volume has also been repeatedly raised by
Indonesia's former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who chairs the Indonesian Mosque
Council.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1972601/world
--------
Indonesian
Muslim cryptocurrency enthusiasts find a way around Islamic fatwa
By
Erwin Renaldi and Hellena Souisa
Trading
of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has been declared forbidden for Muslims by the
national council of Islamic scholars in Indonesia, as the popularity of digital
currencies grows in the world's largest Muslim-majority country.
During
a recent online forum, Indonesia's quasi-governmental Ulama Council declared a
fatwa, or a non-binding religious ruling, that cryptocurrency is haram —
forbidden under Islamic law.
An
Ulama is a Muslim scholar who is recognised as having specialised knowledge in
Islam.
According
to Islamic law, a transaction should follow certain requirements, such as having
a physical form and definite value.
"Cryptocurrency
as currency is forbidden because it has elements of uncertainty, harm and
doesn't meet the Islamic requirement according to Shariah [law]," KH
Asrorun Niam Sholeh, the council's head of religious decrees, said in the
forum.
However,
Mr Sholeh added that although cryptocurrencies as a currency is forbidden, it
could be traded as a commodity or digital assets if they meet requirements.
The
council has served as an authority on Shariah compliance in Indonesia, but they
have been criticised for other controversial fatwa.
In
2018, it issued a fatwa raising concerns about a measles-rubella vaccine due to
it containing traces of pork and human cells.
The
council also issues halal certificates — the opposite of haram — for food and
other consumed products in the country.
Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) is one of the world's biggest Islamic organisations with around 90
million members and followers.
In
October, its East Java branch also issued a fatwa declaring cryptocurrencies
haram.
Deputy
Chairman of the East Java NU, Ahmad Fahrur Rozi, known as Gus Fahrur, told the
ABC the fatwa was based on the results from a forum discussion of issues on
Islamic jurisprudence.
One
of the conclusions that came from the discussion, attended by both crypto and
Islamic legal experts, was that crypto trading tends to involve
"fraudulent practices and gambling".
"Just
like it's not allowed for a person to buy indistinct objects, like 'fishes in
the sea' or 'birds in the air'," Gus Fahrur told the ABC.
He
said cryptocurrencies was also similar to gambling because people speculate
about the value without knowing the cause.
Practices
such as gambling are not allowed in Islam, since the value and price are
indefinite and could financially and physiologically harm those involved.
In
comparison, he said stocks had a clear value and the price increased or
decreased depending on the company’s performance.
Because
of the huge elements of speculation over the value of cryptocurrencies, they
considered it "inappropriate to be used as an investment instrument",
he said.
The
booming trend of crypto in Indonesia
According
to Indonesia's Ministry of Trade data, the number of crypto investors in the
country had grown from 4 million people at the end of 2020, to 6.5 million
people by the end of May 2021.
It
has exceeded the number of investors in the share market, which is around 2.4
million according to Bank Indonesia — the central bank.
Putri
Madarina, a certified financial planner and founder of Halal Vestor, a Shariah
financial planner and education service in Jakarta, said the flourishing
interest in crypto investing in Indonesia was partly due to social media,
especially TikTok.
"It
is even booming during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are actually in the second
wave of the crypto trend," Ms Madarina told the ABC, referring to the
crypto boom three years ago.
Ms
Madarina has been investing in crypto since 2017 and said the Islamic decree
hadn't deterred her from continuing to invest in crypto.
"What
we bought is a digital commodity, like a collection that we consider
valuable," she said.
She
also considered crypto as a 'mal' — an Islamic term for property — which can
take in many forms.
"So,
as a medium of exchange, I think it's not a problem," said Ms Madarina,
who is also a treasurer of an Islamic fintech association in Indonesia.
"As
a property, I don't see any Islamic ruling being violated, unless it was made
to be a means of deception, which is also an external factor that we can't
control."
'I
am a Muslim, I follow the fatwa'
Ainun
Najib is an Indonesian NU member based in Singapore who works in IT.
He
only started investing in cryptocurrencies in January 2021.
He
said he knew about the halal and haram controversy, but there was no official
fatwa from any religious organisations at that time.
He
considered buying Bitcoin just like buying land or gold, but in a digital form
which was protected by "mathematically impenetrable encryption".
"I
initially intended [to keep bitcoin] as an asset, as my long-term savings. By
long term, I'm talking about 10 to 20 years."
But
in less than a year Mr Najib decided to release all his bitcoin assets worth
$45,000 in total.
"Because
of the fatwa [from NU East Java]," he said, explaining the reasons behind
his decision.
He
said although he understood the blockchain technology used in cryptocurrencies,
for him the fatwa was an "expert recommendation", like how doctors
recommend a patient with a high risk of cancer to quit smoking and drinking
alcohol.
He
feels that given he has no knowledge on religious law, he needs to hand those
decisions over to experts in the field, like the Kyai — an expert in Islam — or
religious scholars.
"I
am a Muslim. In the context of Islam, I follow the fatwa," he said.
"[But]
it's our choice whether to follow it or not. But I think the right decision
would be to follow it."
Fatwas
may change in the future
Cryptocurrency
is still being discussed widely among Islamic scholars and institutions around
the globe.
In
2018, the Grand Mufti of Egypt banned Bitcoin trading as it was prone to risks
for the traders due to the price fluctuations.
Haitham
al-Haddad, a British Muslim scholar, also considered cryptocurrencies not halal
since it is a virtual currency with "no tangible worth".
Similar
views have also shared by individual Muslim scholars in countries such as
Turkey, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.
But
others have taken the opposite view, including South Africa's Darul Uloom
Zakariyya, Pakistan-based Shariah Adisory Muhammad Abu Bakar, and other Muslim
scholars in Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
Ms
Madarina said cryptocurrency was such a "hot topic" in the Muslim
world.
Source:
ABC News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-21/cryptocurrency-is-considered-haram-in-indonesia/100630646'
--------
Mideast
IRGC
Navy Commander: US Slapped 9 Times by Iran in Persian Gulf
2021-November-21
Admiral
Tangsiri made the remarks at a gathering of Basij students at the former US
embassy compound in Tehran while referring to the period since the US
assassination of Iran's anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem
Soleimani in Baghdad.
The
admiral said the IRGC Navy has sustained 9 deaths in confrontations against the
US in the Persian Gulf, "and thanks God, we have given them 9 unforgettable
slaps, that is one for each of our martyrs that has lost his life in direct
battle against the Americans, some of which have not been revealed to the media
for certain considerations".
"They
have come to realize the Islamic Republic's superiority in the sea," he
added.
The
IRGC Navy commander also pointed out that six of these defeats have been
sustained by the Americans in one and a half years.
He
cited the IRGC Navy's intervention last month to prevent US forces from
stealing an Iranian oil cargo in the Sea of Oman in a dramatic operation that
involved Iranian forces rappelling to the ship's deck, calling it the latest
slap.
“The
tanker was carrying Iranian oil, but with the support of the Americans, it was
refusing to deliver its cargo to our country; of course, this was the second
ship we confiscated and the previous one was not reported,” the IRGC Navy
commander pointed out.
Six
Iranian speed boats and two vessels were then dispatched to the scene, warning
away a US helicopter which fired chaff as it fled, thinking it might be
targeted by Iranian missiles, Admiral Tangsiri said.
In
relevant remarks in August, Rear Admiral Tangsiri said that Iran was watchfully
monitoring the traffic of all vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and stressed full
security in all water borders of the Persian Gulf.
"There
is full security in all water borders of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of
Hormuz, and we always stand ready to ensure the security of the Islamic
Republic's interests in international waters,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri said.
He
added that Iran fully monitors the movements of every vessel that enters or
exits the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Palestinian
man kills one, wounds three in Jerusalem
November
22, 2021
JERUSALEM:
A member of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement opened fire on Sunday in
Jerusalem’s Old City, killing one person and wounding three before he was shot
dead, Israeli officials, police and medics said.
Prime
Minister Naftali Bennett ordered security to be boosted and called for people
to be on “heightened alert” over the risk of further attacks.
The
four wounded, two police officers and two civilians, were rushed to Jerusalem’s
Hadassah hospital, where one of the civilian victims died.
“This
morning there was a serious shooting attack in the Old City of Jerusalem,”
Bennett said in a statement. “At the moment we have one dead and three wounded.
“Two
policewomen and one policeman quickly neutralised the terrorist.”
The
Western Wall Heritage Foundation identified the victim as Eliyahu Kay, an
immigrant from South Africa, who was employed by them as a guide at the Western
Wall plaza.
The
immigration ministry said he was 25 and had come to Israel in 2019. His funeral
was set to take place on Monday morning in Jerusalem.
Police
said the attacker had fired a “Carlo-type weapon”, a type of submachine gun.
After
the shooting, dozens of police officers were deployed to the narrow streets of
the historic walled city, as workers hosed pools of blood from the
cobblestones, said a reporter.
The
Old City is in the Israeli-annexed eastern part of Jerusalem, which
Palestinians claim as the capital of their future state.
Israel
captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, in a move
not recognised by most of the international community.
Rightwing
lawmakers from opposition parties organised a march on Sunday through the site
of the attack.
Source:
Dawn
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Three
more Iran police dead in week of violence: Report
20
November ,2021
Three
Iranian police have been killed this week, Tasnim news agency said Saturday,
bringing to six the number of officers to have lost their lives in reported
violence over the same period.
On
Friday, a captain was killed in the southwestern province of Khuzestan during a
raid on a “base of armed robbers,” Tasnim reported.
A
day earlier, another policeman died of wounds sustained during clashes with
“armed thugs” in the central province of Isfahan, the news agency said.
Another
policeman was run over Wednesday by a vehicle transporting smuggled fuel in the
southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, according to Tasnim.
The
province lies on the border with Pakistan and is a flashpoint of clashes
between security forces and armed groups.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Gunman
kills one in Jerusalem’s Old City, shot dead by Israeli police
21
November ,2021
A
gunman killed one person and wounded three others in Jerusalem’s Old City on
Sunday before being shot dead by Israeli police, a police spokesperson said,
describing it as a terrorist attack.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
incident, the second attack in Jerusalem in four days, occurred near one of the
gates to the flashpoint al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the third-holiest site in
Islam. Jewish people revere the site as the remnant of two ancient temples.
A
police spokesperson did not identify the gunman but said he was armed with an
improvised submachine gun often used by Palestinian militants. Two of those he
shot were civilians, and two were police, the spokesperson said.
A
Jerusalem hospital said one of the wounded civilians had died.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Iran’s
second-largest airline Mahan Air says hit by cyber attack
21
November ,2021
Iran’s
second-largest airline, Mahan Air, said it had been hit by a cyber attack
Sunday, the latest in several targeting the company.
“Mahan
Air’s computer system has suffered a new attack,” the company said in a
statement.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“It
has already been the target on several occasions due to its important position
in the country’s aviation industry.”
All
of its flights were on schedule, the statement added, but the company’s website
was down.
“Our
internet security team is thwarting the cyber attack,” spokesman Amir-Hossein
Zolanvari told state television.
Mahan
Air is Iran’s main private airline and the second biggest after the national
carrier Iran Air.
It
has been on the blacklist of Iranian companies targeted by US sanctions since
2011.
In
addition to a domestic network, it also serves destinations in Europe and Asia.
Iran
last month accused Israel and the US of a cyber attack on its petrol
distribution system that caused havoc at fuel pumps nationwide.
Israel’s
internet infrastructure has meanwhile been hit by cyber attacks by the Black
Shadow hacking group, including against the largest Israeli LGBTQ dating site
and an insurance firm.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Ultraconservative
Iran MP’s office torched after protest remarks
20
November ,2021
Unidentified
assailants torched the office front of an ultraconservative Iranian lawmaker
whose recent comments on deadly anti-government protests in 2019 caused an
outcry, local media reported Saturday.
“The
office front of hodjatoleslam (middle-ranking cleric) Hassan Norouzi,
representative for the Robat-Karim electorate (in southern Tehran), was set on
fire on Friday evening,” the conservative Fars news agency said, adding that
the assailants were “unknown.”
Protesters
took to the streets across Iran in November 2019 after a surprise fuel price
hike, in Iran’s most vocal eruption of public dissent in a decade.
Petrol
pumps were torched, police stations attacked and shops looted before security
forces stepped in amid a near-total internet blackout.
Iranian
authorities acknowledged a death toll of 230 but experts working for the United
Nations said 400 were killed in that unrest.
“I
was one of those who shot at people. We shot. Who dares put us on trial today?”
Norouzi had said in an interview published last week.
His
remarks came in response to a symbolic four-day “trial” that activists and
opponents of the Iranian regime abroad organized in London this month over the
violence.
His
comments were strongly criticized in Iran, including by ultraconservative media
outlets.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Europe
Egypt
uses French military aid to 'kill civilians' over 'smuggling': Report
Monday,
22 November 2021
Egyptian
security forces have used intelligence supplied by the French military to
allegedly target and kill civilians suspected of smuggling, a new report has
revealed.
According
to a report by investigative website Disclose, based on leaked documents, the
French military was implicated in at least 19 airstrikes carried out by the
Egyptian army against civilians between 2016 and 2018.
The
mission between the two countries was codenamed Operation Sirli, which the
report notes was designed to provide intelligence on militants' movements along
Egypt's western border with Libya.
The
documents, kept confidential under France’s “national defence secrecy”
regulations (“le secret de la défense nationale”), originate from the services
of the presidential office, the Élysée Palace, the French armed forces
ministry, and the French military intelligence services, notes the report by
Disclose.
The
documents, it states, show "how this military cooperation exercise, kept
secret from the public, was diverted from its original mission, that of
reconnaissance of terrorist activity, in favour of a campaign of arbitrary
executions", which involved state crimes about which the French
presidential office was informed, but took no action.
@disclosetv
has obtained 100s of classified French official documents which reveal massive
extrajudicial executions by #Egypt along the Libyan border, perpetrated with
the assistance of France through a secret military operation.
https://t.co/4gs0zY6mfr @soltan @DAWNmenaorg
—
Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) November 21, 2021
“In
principle, the mission...consisted of searching the Western Desert to find
possible terrorist threats coming from Libya", using a light aircraft
designed for surveillance and reconnaissance,” the report said.
“But
very quickly, the (French) members of the team understand that the intelligence
supplied to the Egyptians are used to kill civilians suspected of contraband,”
it added.
Operation
Sirli began in February 2016 during the government of President Francois
Hollande and continued despite the qualms expressed by both French military
intelligence (DRM) and the airforce about the way Egypt was using the
intelligence, report stated.
In
one such instance, a note was addressed to French Defence Minister Florence
Parly on January 22, 2019, before French President Emmanuel Macron's official
visit to Egypt.
The
French military was nevertheless still deployed in Egypt, the Disclose report
revealed.
The
French opposition has called for a parliamentary committee to be set up to
investigate the scandal, while the French Defence Minister Florence Parly has
also ordered a probe.
The
far-left opposition party France Unbowed, in a statement, has called for
foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who served as defense minister from 2012
to 2017 under Hollande, to appear in the parliament for explanation on the
matter.
The
defense ministry also issued a statement, confirming that the two countries had
an agreement in the field of intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism
operations and were working together on it.
France
is a main weapons supplier to Egypt. French arms sales to Egypt increased
considerably when Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took the helm in Cairo in 2014.
Investigation
by Disclose reveals how #France became complicit in strikes by #Egypt military
targeting smugglers in the western desert https://t.co/XMSbUpv3x2 #EgyptPapers
—
Avner Gidron (@AvnerGidron) November 22, 2021
Since
then, Egypt has purchased a vast range of French weapons including Rafale jet
fighters, a frigate, four corvettes and two Mistral helicopter-carriers.
Source:
Press TV
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Traditional
Turkish archery promoted in Brussels
Selen
Temizer
22.11.2021
BRUSSELS
Turkey's
Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) and the Archers Foundation organized an event Sunday
to promote traditional Turkish archery in the Belgian capital Brussels.
The
Kemankes (Archer) Project was launched jointly by the two organizations to
strengthen friendship and cultural relations between the Turkish and European
peoples.
Hungarian-born
Viktoria Angel, who learned Turkish at the Budapest Yunus Emre Institute,
introduced traditional and modern Turkish archery to the participants and
provided training.
“I
learned traditional Turkish archery three years ago for the Kemankes Project. I
am giving traditional archery lessons in Hungary,” said Angel, speaking to
Anadolu Agency.
The
event, where information about the place of archery in Turkish history and
culture was given, attracted people of all ages.
At
the end of the event, where most of the participants had their first experience
of shooting arrows, sets of bows and arrows were presented to those who were
successful in the competition.
-
Event brings Turkey and EU closer
Laura
Batalla Adam, secretary general of the European Parliament’s Turkey Forum, said
she tried to shoot an arrow while attending the event for her personal
interest.
“It
was difficult, but I enjoyed it,” she said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Afghanistan
banking system at risk of collapse, cost could be ‘colossal:’ UN report
22
November ,2021
The
United Nations on Monday pushed for urgent action to prop up Afghanistan's
banks, warning that a spike in people unable to repay loans, lower deposits and
a cash liquidity crunch could cause the financial system to collapse within
months.
In
a three-page report on Afghanistan's banking and financial system seen by
Reuters, the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) said the economic cost of a
banking system collapse - and consequent negative social impact – “would be
colossal.”
An
abrupt withdrawal of most foreign development support after the Taliban seized
power on Aug. 15 from Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has sent the
economy into freefall, putting a severe strain on the banking system which set
weekly withdrawal limits to stop a run on deposits.
“Afghanistan's
financial and bank payment systems are in disarray. The bank-run problem must
be resolved quickly to improve Afghanistan's limited production capacity and
prevent the banking system from collapsing,” the UNDP report said.
Finding
a way to avert a collapse is complicated by international and unilateral
sanctions on Taliban leaders.
“We
need to find a way to make sure that if we support the banking sector, we are
not supporting Taliban,” Abdallah al Dardari, head of UNDP in Afghanistan, told
Reuters.
“We
are in such a dire situation that we need to think of all possible options and
we have to think outside the box,” he said.
“What
used to be three months ago unthinkable has to become thinkable now.”
Afghanistan’s
banking system was already vulnerable before the Taliban came to power. But
since then development aid has dried up, billions of dollars in Afghan assets
have been frozen abroad, and the United Nations and aid groups are now
struggling to get enough cash into the country.
‘Under
the mattress’
The
UNDP's proposals to save the banking system include a deposit insurance scheme,
measures to ensure adequate liquidity for short- and medium-term needs, as well
as credit guarantees and loan repayment delay options.
“Coordination
with the International Financial Institutions, with their extensive experience
of the Afghan financial system, would be critical to this process,” UNDP said
in its report, referring to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
The
United Nations has repeatedly warned since the Taliban took over that
Afghanistan's economy is on the brink of a collapse that would likely further
fuel a refugee crisis. UNDP said that if the banking system fails, it could
take decades to rebuild.
The
UNDP report said that with current trends and withdrawal restrictions, about 40
percent of Afghanistan's deposit base will be lost by the end of the year. It
said banks have stopped extending new credit, and that non-performing loans had
almost doubled to 57 percent in September from the end of 2020.
“If
this rate continues of non-performing loans, the banks may not have a chance to
survive in the next six months. And I am being optimistic,” al Dardari said.
Liquidity
has also been a problem. Afghan banks heavily relied on physical shipments of
US dollars, which have stopped. When it comes to the local afghani currency, al
Dardari said that while there is about $4 billion worth of afghanis in the
economy, only about $500,000 worth is in circulation.
“The
rest is sitting under the mattress or under the pillow because people are
afraid,” he said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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