Construction Work at Hindu Temple Site in Islamabad Halted
New Age Islam News Bureau
6
Jul 2020
•
•
Hyderabad: Fatwa Urges Muslims To Donate If They Are Not Able to Offer
Sacrifice on Bakrid
• Myanmar: Soldiers’ Court-Martial Latest Sham, Say Rohingya Groups
•
Iran Negotiating Strategic Accord with China
•
Saudi Arabia Sets COVID-19 Protocols, Restrictions for Limited Hajj
•
US Opposes ‘All Foreign Intervention’ In Libya: Ambassador to Egypt
•
US Intelligence Involved In ‘Drug Trafficking’ In Afghanistan: Russia Envoy
•
Donald Trump Repeats Promise to Defeat ‘Radical Left’ In July Fourth Speech
Pakistan
•
Construction Work at Hindu Temple Site in Islamabad Halted
•
With army in mind, Pakistan chooses China over United States
•
Pakistan: Opposition leader recovers from COVID-19
•
Pakistan to host 2021 World Tourism Forum
•
$60m Islamic Development Bank aid for polio eradication approved
•
DIG Operations reviews security of Mosques, Imambargahs
•
Mosques witness improvement, markets yet to fully adopt SOPs
•
SAPM Dr Zafar Mirza tests positive for Covid-19, says he has mild symptoms
•
July 5, 1977, darkest day in Pakistan’s history: Bilawal
--------
India
• Hyderabad: Fatwa Urges Muslims To Donate If They Are Not Able to Offer Sacrifice on Bakrid
• India focussed on LAC, Pakistan breaches truce to push ultras
• India-Bangladesh trade via Bengal border resumes
• In a first, two slain Hizbul terrorists test positive for coronavirus
• Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch
• PFI national chairman holds government office in Kerala, sparks row
• China to supply 4 attack drones to Pak, prompts India to revive Predator-B plan
• India, Afghanistan ink 5 agreements to develop educational infra in Afghan provinces
• Militants killed in Kulgam encounter found Covid positive
--------
South
Asia
•
Myanmar: Soldiers’ Court-Martial Latest Sham, Say Rohingya Groups
•
People getting married amid Covid-19 pandemic, actual numbers unknown
•
Clash in Kabul leaves one terrorist dead
•
Abdullah to visit to Pakistan in the near future
•
Taliban violence is unacceptable, it has to go down: NATO SCR
--------
Mideast
•
Iran Negotiating Strategic Accord with China
•
FM Zarif: US Isolated in Anti-Iran Drive
•
Speaker Urges Reduction of JCPOA Commitments
•
Iran to Sue US for Impacts of Sanctions on Coronavirus Spread
•
Iran’s Interpol Chief: Tehran Ready to Cooperate with Seoul to Combat
International Crimes
•
Israel ‘not necessarily’ behind all Iran nuclear site incidents: Gantz
•
Israel to build over 160 new settler units in occupied West Bank
•
Armed Israeli settlers raid Palestinian farm in West Bank, injure two
--------
Arab
World
•
Saudi Arabia Sets COVID-19 Protocols, Restrictions for Limited Hajj
•
Kuwait calls for decisive Arab, intl. stance against Israel's annexation plan
•
Over 40 fighters killed in clashes between ISIS, regime in Syria: Monitor
•
Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch slams politicians as hunger, hardship bite
•
Turkish troops, allied militants cut off drinking water to people in Syria’s
Hasakah, environs
•
Rocket lands near Baghdad’s Green Zone, injures child: Iraqi military
•
Lebanese journalists to demonstrate against US intervention
--------
Africa
•
US Opposes ‘All Foreign Intervention’ In Libya: Ambassador to Egypt
•
At least 11 killed in gunmen ambush in DR Congo’s troubled Ituri region
•
166 killed in Ethiopia protests over killing of musician
•
Nigerian president condemns attack on UN helicopter
--------
Europe
•
US Intelligence Involved In ‘Drug Trafficking’ In Afghanistan: Russia Envoy
•
EU foreign policy chief due in Turkey
--------
North
America
•
Donald Trump Repeats Promise to Defeat ‘Radical Left’ In July Fourth Speech
•
Pandemic ‘Stretches’ Saudi Healthcare, Americans Denied Treatment: Report
•
If US elects a democratic president, American stance towards Egypt won’t
change: Amb
--------
Southeast
Asia
•
Malaysia’s Muhyiddin Eyes Unprecedented Snap Election to Vanquish Mahathir
•
Parlimen Digital: Malaysia's youth earn praise as role models for MPs in Dewan
Rakyat
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/construction-work-hindu-temple-site/d/122301
------
Pakistan
PM Imran Khan inaugurating the Digital Pakistan initiative | Official Facebook
account
-----
Construction Work at Hindu Temple Site in Islamabad
Halted
July 05, 2020
Authorities in Pakistan's capital Islamabad have stopped
the construction work at the site of the first Hindu temple to be built in the
city for not having an approved building plan, according to a media report on
Saturday.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday stopped
construction of the boundary wall on the plot meant for the temple citing legal
reasons, Dawn newspaper reported.
The officials of the Building Control Section (BCS) on
Friday visited the site of the temple and told people busy in construction that
they need to submit a building plan and get the same approved before moving
forward, it reported.
"We abide by the rules, but the construction of a
boundary wall was necessary as some people, backed by a few seminary students,
had set up tents on the plot in 2018. It took several months for us to get the
place cleared with the help of the capital administration," Malhi, the
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Malhi said.
CDA spokesman Mazhar Hussain said the building control
laws of the civic authority clearly stated that no activity could take place on
a plot until the building plan (map) was approved.
Malhi said the Panchayat had submitted the building plan
to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the minister, PirNoorulHaqQadri, had
forwarded it along with a report to Prime Minister Imran Khan for the grant of
Rs 100 million for the construction of the temple.
Meanwhile, the prime minister will direct the religious
affairs ministry to forward the report regarding the allocation of grant for
the worship place to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for advice, the
report said.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), an ally of
Prime Minister Khan's ruling Tehreek-e-Insaf recently opposed the construction
of the temple by claiming that it was "against the spirit of Islam."
The Hindu population in Islamabad is around 3,000, which
includes government and private sector employees, members of the business
community and a large number of doctors.
According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in
Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living
in the country.
The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in
Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with Muslim
residents.
https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2020/07/05/construction-work-hindu-temple-site-islamabad-halted.html
-----
Hyderabad: Fatwa urges Muslims to donate if they are not able to offer sacrifice on Bakrid
Jul
6, 2020
HYDERABAD:
This year’s Bakrid, the second major Muslim festival, is likely to be quite
different after a decree issued by a leading Islamic seminary in the city due
to the pandemic. The festival of sacrifice will fall on either July 31 or
August 1 depending on the sighting of the crescent. The seminary said that if
the situation does not improve by that time, Muslims need not offer sheep in
sacrifice. Instead, they should donate an amount equivalent to the cost of
sheep to those in need.
Keeping
in mind the lockdown restictions due to Covid-19, Jamia Nizamia — south India’s
leading Islamic deemed university, on Saturday issued a fatwa (decree)
clarifying that sheep need not necessarily be sacrificed on Eid-ul-Adha
(Bakrid) if the circumstances are not conducive. The fatwa was issued by
Jamia’s chief mufti, Moulana Mufti Mohammad Azeemuddin.
“Sacrifice
is a deed most loved by the Almighty. But the present conditions due to
Covid-19 restrictions and the increasing number of positive cases, it is
prudent to donate money equal to the cost of the sacrificial animal to the
needy, poor, destitute, widows and charitable organisations,” Mufti Azeemuddin
said.
Every
year, Muslims in Hyderabad spend an estimated Rs 100 crore on sheep for
sacrifice. This year, a major portion of this amount is likely to go to
charity. In normal circumstances, the meat of a sacrificial animal is divided
into three portions. One part is distributed to the poor, one portion to
relatives and friends and the third part is kept for consumption.
With
restrictions on large religious gatherings in place, Eid prayers are likely to
be restricted to mosques and homes this time. The state wakf board is yet to
take decision on allowing congregational prayers at Idgahs.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/fatwa-urges-muslims-to-donate-if-they-are-not-able-to-offer-sacrifice-on-bakrid/articleshow/76803938.cms
--------
Demonstration
in support of Rohingya Muslims in Netherlands
-----
Myanmar: Soldiers’ court-martial latest sham, say Rohingya groups
5th
Jul 2020
By
Md. Kamruzzaman
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA): Rohingya rights groups have denounced the recent court-martial of three Myanmar army officers as “a miscarriage of justice” and another of the country’s “sham attempts” to mislead the international community.
The
three officers were convicted on June 29 for the 2017 massacre of Rohingya
people in the Gu Dar Pyin village of Rakhine state’s Buthidaung township, where
five mass graves were previously uncovered.
The
UK-based Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) rejected the ruling,
saying the secrecy of the trial negates the essential requirement of
transparency and impartiality.
“No
details were provided on the perpetrators, their crimes or sentences, keeping
the people in the dark. This secret trial without transparency is a complete
miscarriage of justice,” read a statement issued on Friday.
The
group reiterated its demand for “a transparent and impartial probe into the
crimes against Rohingya in Myanmar by a competent international independent
commission.”
Referring
to a similar trial in March 2018, the rights body said: “All these were sham
attempts […] aimed at reducing international pressure and to divert the world’s
attention away from the Rohingya genocide. We cannot expect justice from the
perpetrators.”
In
the 2018 trial by court-martial, four Myanmar army officers and three soldiers
were sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing 10 Rohingya men in the Inn Din
village of Rakhine in 2017.
“But
the perpetrators were released in less than one year [November 2018], whereas
the two Reuters journalists who exposed the massacre were detained for more
than 16 months before they were pardoned, following global outcry,” the
statement added.
Rights
activists have long maintained that the Rohingya Muslim community will never
get justice from Myanmar’s justice system under the Aung San Suu Kyi
administration.
“We
can’t trust Myanmar’s judicial system because it has no independent
jurisdiction. According to the 2008 constitution, Myanmar’s military courts and
army chief have supreme power,” AmbiaPerveen, vice chairperson of the European
Rohingya Council, told Anadolu Agency.
She
said the country’s civil courts have no authority over the military tribunals,
and the army chief’s verdict is the final word in Myanmar.
“If
the thief becomes the judge, how can there be justice? We are only hopeful for
justice from the top UN court — we have lost all trust in Myanmar’s judicial
systems,” he said.
Maung
was referring to the Rohingya genocide case being heard by the International
Court of Justice (ICJ), which was filed by the African state of Gambia on
behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
MaungZarni,
co-founder of FRC and rights network Forces for Renewal of Southeast Asia,
stressed that Myanmar’s military had never held its personnel accountable for
any excesses.
“The
military has no tradition of prosecuting its rank and file for killing,
torturing, maiming, slaughtering, and destroying colonized local communities in
so-called operation zones,” he said.
“Burmese
officers are more likely to be punished for extramarital affairs than for
slaughtering or raping scores of Rohingyas, Shans, or Kachins.”
“The
court-martial was carried out to create a bullet point in Myanmar’s report to
the ICJ that there is a functional domestic justice system in the country,”
said Zarni.
“They
want the ICJ to give Myanmar’s civilian and military judicial processes a
chance, as demanded by Aung San Suu Kyi in her genocide denial speech last
year.”
The
Rohingya, described by the UN as the world’s most persecuted people, have faced
heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in
2012.
According
to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and
children, fled Myanmar and crossed into neighboring Bangladesh after Myanmar
forces launched a brutal crackdown in August 2017.
Since
then, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state
forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency
(OIDA).
More
than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires, while over 114,000 others
were beaten, said the OIDA report, titled Forced Migration of Rohingya: The
Untold Experience.
As
many as 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and
police, while over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others
vandalized, it added.
http://muslimnews.co.uk/news/south-east-asia/myanmar-soldiers-court-martial-latest-sham-say-rohingya-groups/
--------
"With confidence, we are negotiating a 25-year strategic accord with China," Mohammad Javad Zarif
-----
Iran
negotiating strategic accord with China
July
06, 2020
TEHRAN:
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Iran has been
negotiating a 25-year accord with China whose terms will be announced once a
deal is struck.
“With
confidence and conviction, we are negotiating a 25-year strategic accord with
China,” Iran’s top trading partner, he told a stormy session of parliament.
China
is also a key market for Iranian crude exports, which however have been
dampened by US sanctions imposed after Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from a
nuclear deal with Tehran.
An
accord with China has been a hot topic on Iranian social media since populist
ex-president Mahmud Ahmadinejad last month denounced negotiations underway with
a foreign country.
But
Zarif, who came under fire over the 2015 nuclear accord which Iranian
conservatives had opposed, insisted there was “nothing secret” about the China
deal.
The
nation would be informed “when an accord has been concluded”, he said, adding
it had already been made public in January 2016 when Chinese President Xi
Jinping visited Tehran.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1567305/iran-negotiating-strategic-accord-with-china
--------
Saudi
Arabia Sets COVID-19 Protocols, Restrictions for Limited Hajj
06
July 2020
Saudi
Arabia’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control issued on Sunday the
coronavirus-related safety protocols and restrictions to be imposed during the
upcoming Hajj pilgrimage season, state news agency SPA reported.
The
Kingdom had announced on June 22 that it will allow a “limited” number of
people to perform Hajj this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that those
individuals will be of different nationalities but already residing in Saudi
Arabia.
Hajj
is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least
once in their lifetime. Approximately, 2.5 million pilgrims typically visit the
holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long Hajj. This year’s
Hajj is expected to start towards the end of July.
Thermal
screening checkpoints should be setup at all entrances (whether for residence,
bus waiting areas, or the Grand Mosque in Meeca).
Group
prayers (Jamaa’a) are allowed, given that worshippers wear face masks while
prayer and maintain a physical distance of 1.5 to 2 meters between each two.
Pilgrims
are banned from crowding. Tents will be assigned to pilgrims to ensure that no
more than 10 pilgrims occupy 50 square meters of space allocated for tents.
As
for “stoning the devil” ritual on Jamarat, pilgrims will be provided with
previously sterilized and packaged pebbles. Pilgrims will perform the stoning
ritual in a staggered schedule such that only a group (maximum 50 people) can
perform the ritual at the same time.
Pilgrims
will be distributed to across all the stories of the Holy Mosque to perform
Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca.
Pilgrims
are banned from sharing personal items such as towels, protective equipment,
communication devices, clothes, shaving products and the like.
Each
pilgrim will be assigned to a specific bus seat throughout the entire Hajj
journey. Family members will be allowed to sit next each other depending upon
availability. Each bus should operate at 50 percent capacity to ensure physical
distancing and at least one empty seat should be left between every two
pilgrims.
Zamzam
water and regular drinking water will be offered in single-use individual
bottles. All water coolers which previously worshippers could access in the two
Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medica have been either removed or disabled.
Pilgrims
who are suspected of being infected with coronavirus, will be allowed to
continue the rest of the rituals given that they get an assessment from a
specialized doctor. The individual will then be placed with a group of other
suspected cases of COVID-19 during Hajj. They will also reside in separate
accommodations from the other pilgrims and will take different transportation
methods and travel routes to continue Hajj rituals.
Other
coronavirus precautionary measures previously announced regarding travel,
residence, prayer in mosques in the Kingdom, hygiene rule for women's salons
and men's barbershops, serving food and beverages and drinks, constantly
washing hands adequately and using sanitizers, etc, all apply.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/07/06/Coronavirus-Saudi-Arabia-sets-COVID-19-protocols-restrictions-for-limited-Hajj.html
--------
US
opposes ‘all foreign intervention’ in Libya: Ambassador to Egypt
05
July 2020
The
United States opposes “all foreign intervention” in Libya and is engaged in
active diplomacy, the US ambassador to Egypt told Al Hadath during an
interview.
“Let
me be very clear, the United States opposes all foreign intervention in Libya,”
Jonathan Cohen said. “We believe that it is imperative that a ceasefire be
respected, that the UN arms embargo be respected, and that the parties reengage
in a political negotiation to bring a Libyan solution under UN auspices to
Libya.”
US
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had recently
discussed Libya with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the Egyptian
foreign minister, according to Cohen.
“We
will continue to engage and use the tools that we have,” he added. “And, we're
giving strong support to the UN mission there, which right now is led… by a
former American diplomat. I think our position on Libya is clear.”
Tensions
between Egypt and Libya’s Government of National Accord have been on the rise
in recent weeks. In June, al-Sisi ordered his army to stand ready carry out any
mission outside the country, if necessary, amid high tensions over Turkey's
intervention in neighboring Libya.
Turkey
has been accused of sending Syrian mercenaries daily to fight with the GNA.
These actions have been widely criticized by the US and other countries.
“The
United States strongly opposes military escalation in Libya – on all sides,”
the US National Security Council said in June. “We urge parties to commit to a
ceasefire and resume negotiations immediately. We must build on progress made
through the UN’s 5+5 talks, the Cairo Initiative, and the Berlin process.”
However,
the United States and Egypt have close ties because of their aligned national
interests, the ambassador added during the interview.
“They
line up through the categories of military, security, economics and trade,
politics and regional issues, people-to-people exchanges and culture,” Cohen
said.
Meanwhile,
the ambassador aims to further strengthen the partnership between the two
countries to work for an “Egypt that is strong, secure and prosperous, because
that’s in America’s interest.”
The
US is working with Egypt to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities,
border security and defense modernization, according to Cohen.
Meanwhile,
the US is continuing its development assistance to try and build “an Egypt that
is economically prosperous in the future,” which will in turn benefit American
companies, according to the ambassador.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/05/US-opposes-all-foreign-intervention-in-Libya-Ambassador-to-Egypt.html
--------
US
intelligence involved in ‘drug trafficking’ in Afghanistan: Russia envoy
Sunday,
05 July 2020
The
Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan says the US intelligence has been
involved in “drug trafficking” in the country, while dismissing accusations by
Washington that Moscow has colluded with the Taliban to kill American troops.
Zamir
Kabulov was quoted by Russia’s TASS News Agency as making the comment on
Sunday, after The New York Times claimed in an article that Russian military
intelligence had offered “rewards” to Taliban-linked militants for attacks on
American soldiers and other coalition troops in Afghanistan.
“Those
wonderful US intelligence officers, who accuse us of different things, are
involved in drug trafficking. Their planes from Kandahar, from Bagram [airfield
near Kabul] are flying wherever they want to - to Germany, to Romania - without
any inspections," Kabulov said.
Kabulov
underlined that US involvement in drug trafficking to Europe through uncharted
planes is an open secret in Afghanistan, saying, "Every citizen of Kabul
will tell you that, everyone is ready to talk about that.”
The
United Nations says more than 80 percent of the world’s opium is produced in
Afghanistan and the bulk of narcotics produced in the country are destined for
European states.
The
United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 shortly after
the September 11 attacks. While the invasion ended the Taliban’s rule in the
country, it has failed to eliminate the militant group.
American
forces have since remained bogged down in Afghanistan through the presidencies
of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now, Donald Trump.
About
2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with unknown numbers of Afghan troops
and Taliban militants. Over 100,000 Afghans have been killed or injured since
2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting
casualties.
There
have been no reported attacks by the militant group on the US positions since
Washington and the Taliban reached an agreement in February.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628951/Russia-Zamir-Kabulov-drug-trafficking-Afghanistan
--------
Donald
Trump repeats promise to defeat ‘radical left’ in July Fourth speech
05
July 2020
US
President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to defeat the “radical left” in an
Independence Day speech at the White House, condemning recent efforts to remove
or rethink monuments to historical figures as attempts to destroy the United
States.
Trump
claimed without evidence that 99 percent of coronavirus cases in the United
States were “totally harmless.” In fact, many US states marked a record number
of new COVID-19 cases. In Texas alone, 7,890 patients were hospitalized after
238 new admissions over the past 24 hours.
While
criticism mounted over his handling of the pandemic, Trump said China must be
“held accountable” for failing to contain the disease.
Peaceful
protesters called for racial equality just steps from where Trump spoke in
Washington, D.C., marching down blocked-off streets around the White House,
Black Lives Matter Plaza and the Lincoln Memorial.
Millions
of Americans have been demonstrating against police brutality and racial
inequality since the May killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who
died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine
minutes. In addition to achieving police reforms in some cities, some
protesters have removed Confederate statues and other symbols of America’s
legacy of slavery.
“There
have always been those who seek to lie about the past in order to gain power in
the present, those that are lying about our history, those who want us to be
ashamed of who we are,” Trump said on Saturday. “Their goal is demolition.”
Trump’s
Fourth of July remarks doubled down on a Friday night speech at Mount Rushmore
in South Dakota where he accused “angry mobs” of trying to erase history and
used the speech to paint himself as a bulwark against left-wing extremism.
Joe
Biden, Trump’s Democratic rival in the November election, wrote a Fourth of
July op-ed piece that struck a contrasting note with the Republican president
and accused him of finding every day “new ways to tarnish and dismantle our
democracy.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/07/05/Donald-Trump-repeats-promise-to-defeat-radical-left-in-July-Fourth-speech.html
--------
India
India
focussed on LAC, Pakistan breaches truce to push ultras
Jul
6, 2020
Pakistan
continues with its incessant ceasefire violations and attempts to push
militants across the line of control while India is locked in the ongoing troop
confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh, reinforcing the collusive threat
from across the two long unresolved borders.
Latest
figures show India has recorded over 2,250 ceasefire violations (CFVs) along
the 778-km LoC by Pakistan already this year, while its security forces have
killed around 130 terrorists — almost 50 in June alone — in counter-insurgency
operations in Kashmir.
On
Sunday itself, in strong retaliation by the Indian Army, two Pakistani soldiers
were believed to have been killed across the LoC in Mendhar sector, while three
others were injured opposite the Poonch and Nowshera sectors.
“Pakistan
obviously wants to fish even more in troubled waters…it wants to push as many
terrorists as possible across the LoC, under with the cover of cross-border
firings, at a time when our attention is diverted towards the Line of Actual
Control (LAC) with China,” said a senior officer.
With
intelligence reports asserting 280 to 300 heavily-armed terrorists are waiting
for an opportune time to infiltrate into Kashmir, the Army has no other option
but to keep its guard firmly up along the LoC as well.
“Given
the situation, the Army cannot afford to move some additional forces from the
LoC to the LAC. Two active fronts are a grim reality now. But we have adequate
forces both in Kashmir as well as Ladakh for any contingency,” said another
official.
Going
by the surge being witnessed in the number of CFVs by Pakistan this year, it
could shatter all previous records. There were 3,479 CFVs and firings across
both the LoC and the 198-km international border in J&K in 2019, which was
the highest number recorded since 2003.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-focussed-on-lac-pakistan-breaches-truce-to-push-ultras/articleshow/76804863.cms
--------
India-Bangladesh
trade via Bengal border resumes
Jul
6, 2020
KOLKATA:
The trade impasse between India and Bangladesh through the Petrapole-Benapole
border came to an end on Sunday afternoon when five trucks from each side
crossed over to the other side, reports Debasish Konar. Indian exports to
Bangladesh via Benapole had come to a standstill from July 2 after Bangladeshi
traders demanded import permits from India.
Petrapole
Land Port Authority manager Suvajit Mandal said around 4.30pm on Sunday, five
trucks carrying readymade garments reached Petrapole in Bengal and three trucks
of fish and two of onions went to Benapole in Bangladesh. “The administration
fixed our operations time from 6am to 6pm, when we can allow export of 300
trucks and import of 150 trucks,” he added.
Petrapole-Benapole
border trade was initially halted following lockdown in March. Export of Indian
goods resumed from June 7 but from July 1, Bangladeshi traders began protesting
against “one-way export” as India was not accepting imports from the neighbour
on grounds of Covid-19.
On
July 1, only 106 trucks were allowed to enter Benapole, while it would normally
be 200-250 on average.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-bangladesh-trade-via-bengal-border-resumes/articleshow/76804687.cms
--------
In
a first, two slain Hizbul terrorists test positive for coronavirus
Jul
6, 2020
SRINAGAR:
Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists who were killed in an encounter on Saturday
were found to be carrying coronavirus according to their test reports which
came in on Sunday. This is the first instance of any terrorist testing positive
for Covid-19 in Jammu and Kashmir.
The
terrorists, identified as Ali Bhai alias Abu Okasha and Hilal Ahmad, were
killed in an operation in Arrah in Kulgam district. Their samples were sent for
examination as part of the revised medico-legal formalities, given a surge in
Covid-19 cases in the Kashmir Valley, which accounts for more than 70% of the
8,429 cases in the Union territory so far.
A
police spokesperson said that the test reports of the two terrorists, which
were received from CD Hospital, Srinagar, confirmed that they were covid positive.
They were ferried in a protective care ambulance and buried as per Covid-19
protocols in Baramulla, the spokesperson added.
Since
the outbreak of the pandemic, the burial of slain terrorists is being carried
out at designated spots to ensure the safety of citizens from an inherent risk
of contracting the infection. In such cases, medico-legal formalities are
strictly followed, which include an autopsy, DNA and Covid-19 tests, a
statement from J&K police said.
A
native of Pakistan, Ali had been active in the Kashmir Valley since 2017 and
was an A++ category terrorist, sources said. The second terrorist, Hilal, was
from Kulgam.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/in-a-first-two-slain-hizbul-terrorists-test-positive-for-coronavirus/articleshow/76803954.cms
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Pakistan
violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch
Jul
6, 2020
JAMMU:
Pakistan violated the ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked firing along the LoC
in forward area of J&K’s Poonch district on Sunday evening, an Army
spokesperson said. This is the second breach of truce in the past 24 hours.
“Around
7.45pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small
arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in Poonch’sBalakote sector. Indian
troops retaliated effectively,” Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col
Devender Anand said.
Late
on Saturday, Pakistan had breached the truce along the LoC in the district and
attracted prompt retaliation from the Indian side. Sources said two Pakistani
soldiers including one subedar were killed in the fire exchange in Mendhar
sector while one each were injured in RakhChikri, Deva in Poonch and Rajouri’s
Bagsa sectors. On July 2, Pakistan had violated the ceasefire and suffered two
fatalities in Indian retaliation. Several Pak bunkers were also destroyed by
Indian troops, sources said.
There
was, however, no official confirmation from Indian Army about the Pakistani
casualties.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-along-loc-in-poonch/articleshow/76803718.cms
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PFI
national chairman holds government office in Kerala, sparks row
Jul
05, 2020
The
Popular Front of India (PFI), which is under the scanner for alleged
anti-national activities and fanning violence during the anti-CAA protests, is
in the news lately after its national chairman Mohammed Abdul Salam Ovungal,
47, better known as OMA Salam, was reported to hold a state government office
in Kerala.
Working
as a senior assistant with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Salam is
currently posted at the Manjeri (Malappuram) SEB circle office, documents with
the Hindustan Times show which was later clarified by the SEB headquarters in
Thiruvananthapuram.
Is
it possible for a government official to be part of an outfit marred by many
controversies? Senior officials of the SEB say a strict no to it, adding that
nobody has made any complaints in this regard and no criminal case is pending
against him, at least in Kerala. Though the SEB vigilance department had made
some inquiries in this regard last year but it was dropped later. The state
service rules stipulate that a government employee should not be an active
member of any organisation other than the service-related recognised trade
unions.
“There
are around 36,000 employees with the state electricity board. Usually, during
the joining period, there is a verification of personal details and
credentials. If any case or complaints surface later, we have an internal
mechanism to check it and take action against the erring,” said a senior SEB
official who did not want to be named.
Salam
joined the SEB in 2000, his records also show he made some seven foreign trips
in the last six years or so under “personal trips” by seeking permission from
the SEB. There are many allegations against the PFI, including one where it is
alleged that it used to get regular funding from some West Asian countries -
some of the foreign trips of its functionaries are also under the intelligence
radar now.
Salam
was elected as the chairman of the PFI in February at its general assembly meet
held in Puthanathani in Malappuram district. A PFI insider said he was active
in the organisation since it was floated in 2006.
“He
is working in our office. Since I joined the Manjeri department office last
month I have no other details about him,” said deputy chief engineer of Manjeri
region P Ramani. Salam was not reachable for his comments.
The
PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006 after merging three Muslim outfits floated
after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 - the National Development Front of
Kerala, Karnataka Forum for Dignity and ManithaNeethiPasari of Tamil Nadu. Now,
the PFI claims it has units in 22 states. Majority of the PFI leaders are from
Kerala and some of them are former members of the banned Students Islamic
Movement of India (SIMI).
The
PFI calls itself a neo-social movement committed to empowering people belonging
to the minority communities, Dalits and other weaker sections of the society.
In a short span of time, it became popular among Muslim youth. “Live with pride
in India” is its guiding principle. On the lines of the RSS, the PFI has
uniforms and often conducts drills at public places. In 2013, the Kerala
government had banned its freedom parade - which it conducts on the
Independence Day - after the police found its cadres were carrying stars and
emblems on the uniform.
Every
year on February 17, it conducts unity marches at all its district
headquarters. It has cadre training centres in many districts and usually
associates with many human rights organizations to get a sombre outlook, police
officials said. It’s religious school ‘Sathya Sarani’ in Manjeri was in the
news after parents of some Hindu and Christian girls alleged that it was a
conversion hub. Akhila Ashokan alias Hadiya Jehan, a dentist who embraced Islam
and later married a Muslim youth, was reportedly converted here.
In
Kerala, the PFI was mired in many clashes and political murders. It was
allegedly involved in at least 30 political murders in the past decade. In
2015, 13 of its workers were awarded life-term for chopping the palm of a
college professor, TJ Joseph, who prepared a question paper which was alleged
to be blasphemous. Two years ago, six PFI activists were held in connection
with the murder of an ABVP leader in Kannur and nine were arrested for
allegedly killing SFI leader Abhimanyu at Maharajas College in Ernakulam. After
last year’s protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act turned violent in
many parts of the country, there was a demand to ban the organisation.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pfi-national-chairman-holds-government-office-in-kerala-sparks-row/story-DtXw2ail3rasTkFKjPT7RL.html
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China
to supply 4 attack drones to Pak, prompts India to revive Predator-B plan
Shishir
Gupta
Jul
06, 2020
China
is in the process of supplying four armed drones to Pakistan, ostensibly to
protect the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the People’s Liberation Army
Navy’s new base at Gwadar port, according to people familiar with the
development said on Sunday.
Gwadar,
in the highly restive southwestern province of Baluchistan, is described as the
crown jewel of China’s $60 billion investment in Belt and Road Initiative
projects in Pakistan.
The
supply of two systems (each has two drones and a ground station) comes ahead of
Beijing’s plan to jointly produce 48 GJ-2 drones, the military version of Wing
Loong II, designed in China for use by Pakistan’s air force.
China
has already been selling the reconnaissance and strike drone Wing Loong II to
several countries in Asia and West Asia and emerged as the largest exporter of
armed drones. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI) arms transfer database, China had delivered 163 UAVs to a dozen-odd
countries including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and United
Arab Emirates from 2008 to 2018.
Unlike
the US that follows an elaborate process to determine and regulate the end-use
of its high-end weapons, China has no such qualms.
China’s
attack drone, said to be armed with 12 air-to-surface missiles, are currently
being used by UAE-backed forces in Libya against the Turkish-backed government
in Tripoli with limited success. Four of them were shot down in the last two
months in Libya, according to data compiled by non profit Drone Wars UK.
China’s
aggressive postures in Ladakh where the two armies are engaged in a standoff
that has lasted two months and its supply to Pakistan has prompted India to
conveyed to the US its renewed interest in the medium-altitude long-endurance
(MALE) armed Predator-B drone, which not only collects intelligence through
surveillance and reconnaissance but also locates and destroys the target with
missiles or laser-guided bombs.
The
Indian Navy has been in negotiations with the US for its unarmed naval variant,
but national security planners feel that due to the prohibitive cost of the
UAV, it would be better to have an all-in-one drone rather than separate ones
for surveillance and targeting. Also called the MQ-9 Reaper, the armed remotely
piloted aircraft is battle-proven in the Iraq, Afghanistan and Syrian theatres
with the capability of carrying four Hell-Fire missiles and two 500 pounds of
laser-guided bombs.
For
the future, Indian private sector companies on the outskirts of New Delhi are
in the process of developing medium-altitude long-endurance drones for India.
But the capacity to acquire armed drones within the country is some distance
away. The Defence Research and Development Organisation also has plans to
produce the Rustom drone prototype by the end of this year.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pakistan-to-get-4-attack-drones-from-china-prompts-india-to-revive-predator-b-plan/story-M5jUeCOLPnyyofzh03LSzI.html
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India,
Afghanistan ink 5 agreements to develop educational infra in Afghan provinces
Jul
06, 2020
India
and Afghanistan on Sunday signed five agreements for developing educational
infrastructure in four Afghan provinces, with the move seen as a reiteration of
New Delhi’s support to Kabul at a time when the war-torn country’s peace process
is confronting challenges.
The
five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed under the high impact
community development projects (HICDP) programme being implemented by India to
further strengthen the bilateral development partnership, said a statement from
the Indian embassy in Kabul.
Since
2001, India has undertaken projects worth $3 billion in Afghanistan, including
$1 billion pledged in 2016 under the “new development partnership” scheme over
a period of five years. These projects are part of India’s commitment to
assisting Afghanistan emerge as a “peaceful, united, prosperous and pluralistic
nation”, the statement said.
The
projects to be taken up under the five MoUs include the construction of
classrooms, a higher education building and a road within the campus of
Albironi University. The projects are spread across the four provinces of
Nooristan, Badakhshan, Farah and Kapisa.
Since
2005, the Indian government has committed $200 million to support more than 550
high impact community development projects across Afghanistan. Of these, more
than 400 projects have already been completed while the rest are in various
stages of implementation. These are usually smaller grassroots projects that
involve a lower financial outlay, but have a direct impact on local
populations.
The
ceremony in Kabul for the signing of the MoUs was presided over by the Afghan
minister of economy, Mustafa Mastoor. Tripartite agreements were signed between
the Indian government, the Afghan ministry of economy and the implementing
ministries, such as the ministry of education.
Two
MoUs were signed by Indian ambassador Vinay Kumar and ministers Mustafa Mastoor
and Abdul TawabBalakarzai, while three were signed by Kumar and ministers
Mastoor and Rangina Hamidi.
“The
government of India remains committed to take forward the India-Afghanistan
Development Partnership based on the national priorities of the government and
people” of Afghanistan, the statement said.
Despite
an agreement signed by the US and the Taliban in February, Afghanistan has
witnessed a surge in terrorist violence even as it grapples with the impact of
the Covid-19 pandemic. The intra-Afghan dialogue, a key component of the peace
process, is yet to get underway.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-afghanistan-ink-5-agreements/story-fxUVUiz5aEDiTeRMlBQagJ.html
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Militants
killed in Kulgam encounter found Covid positive
by
Adil Akhzer
July
6, 2020
The
Jammu amd Kashmir Police on Sunday said that two militants killed in an
encounter in Kulgam district on Saturday have been found Covid positive.
“…It
is further informed that while carrying out the medico-legal formalities the
samples of the killed terrorists were taken and sent for Covid-19 test. Today,
the test reports were received from CD Hospital Srinagar and both the killed
terrorists were confirmed as Coronavirus positive,” a J&K Police
spokesperson said in a statement.
Two
Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a foreigner, were killed and three
Armymen injured in an encounter in Kulgam district on Saturday.
In
April, police decided to stop handing over bodies of militants to family
members after a large crowd gathered to attend the funeral of a
Jaish-e-Mohammed commander killed in an encounter in Sopore on April 8. The
police, which was then pulled up for allowing the funeral, had arrested at
least 10 people for violating Covid protocols.
“Since
the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and to ensure the safety of people from
inherent risk of contracting the infection, the burial of the killed terrorists
is carried out at designated places. Medico-legal formalities are strictly
followed in respect of such killed terrorists which includes post-mortem, DNA
and Covid-19 tests,” police said.
After
the encounter on Saturday, police had said the bodies were sent to Handwara for
last rites, but on Sunday the police said that the burial will take place in
Baramulla district. “The dead bodies of the said killed terrorists shall be
carried through protective care ambulance and buried strictly as per Covid-19
protocol at Baramulla,” police said.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/militants-killed-in-kulgam-encounter-found-covid-positive-6491849/
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Pakistan
With
army in mind, Pakistan chooses China over United States
Shishir
Gupta
Jul
06, 2020
Ever
since the world started pointing a finger at Beijing for the spread of the
coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, Pakistan has gone out of its way to
express solidarity with China. Even to the extent of refusing to let its
1,000-odd students stranded in Wuhan, the original epicentre of the outbreak,
return to Islamabad in February. It is no secret that Beijing had been
soliciting support from all its friends, or clients, as some analysts describe
the relationship between China and Pakistan. Islamabad, indebted to China for
more than one reason, had gone a step further. China was being panned by
countries across the world, particularly the United States, over what was
widely perceived to be gross negligence on the part of China that led to the
rapid spread of the disease that has infected 11 million people across the
world and killed nearly 530,000.
In
the cacophony that followed as countries took sides, Pakistan was
understandably the loudest voice in support of China despite some uneasiness in
the foreign policy circles of Islamabad.
Before
the world was able to visualise the impact of the pandemic, Pakistan was in a
comfortable position on the foreign policy front, particularly the China-US
matrix. It was effectively leveraging its influence over the Taliban to extract
concessions from the US in the global terror financing watchdog Financial
Action Task Force. Washington was soft pedalling on Pakistan’s failure to
comply with the FATF Action Plan and had allowed it extra time at the Paris
Plenary in February. The reprieve, by any standards, was a fair indicator of
the Pakistan foreign office’s successful handling of a tricky situation.
Much
of this effort by Pakistani diplomats to navigate the sensitivities in
Washington appeared to come undone as the Pakistani establishment rushed to
comply with signals from Beijing that it wanted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s
government to continue to back it. The worldly-wise officials at the foreign
office and, some at the Prime Minister’s Office, were the first ones to spot
the change in Washington’s approach. The officials, including the US-educated
special advisor on national security Moeed Yusuf and British-educated Zulfi
Bukhari, special assistant to the PM for overseas Pakistanis and HRD, realised
the impossibility of balancing relations with Washington and Beijing in the
face of the establishment’s inflexible and decades-old mindset characterised by
suspiciousness of the West.
The
Pakistan military’s tunnel vision and stranglehold over key foreign policy
aspects have prevented the country from benefiting from the available expertise
at home and evolving a pragmatic and non-confrontational foreign policy. At a
time when world opinion is sharply against Beijing, Pakistan has chosen to be
the devil’s advocate.
Like
when foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi put out a statement on his phone
conversation with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the foreign ministry had to make
a pointed reference to underline Pakistan’s commitment to the “One-China
policy” and express support to China on its “core interests including Hong
Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang”.
In
Pakistan, the army has been in a pivotal position irrespective of the regime in
power. It also, maybe, doesn’t have anything to lose if Pakistan is again
clubbed with the likes of North Korea. In fact, it has been argued by its
critics that the army’s clout over politics and civilian life tends to
proportionately increase with Pakistan’s marginalisation, as does the access to
material riches for its leadership.
The
army was the biggest beneficiary of the billions that the United States poured
into Pakistan in the name of support for the war on terror.
When
that well seemed to be drying up, it found a willing donor in Beijing for which
the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor became a flagship project for its
ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. It could also lead Pakistan into a debt
trap.
Thousands
of Pakistanis paid with their lives for the establishment’s short-sighted
strategy of arming and nurturing terrorists and turning terror into an
instrument of foreign policy.
What
woes the new strategy of trying to milk China and the CPEC will bring to the
Pakistanis, only time will tell. The more erudite officials of the foreign
office can visualise the implications for Pakistan, such as the heightened
possibility of graduating to the FATF blacklist if it does not deliver on its
action plan.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/with-army-in-mind-pak-chooses-china-over-us/story-FORHrwRxchUJ8OCVMINfZJ.html
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Pakistan:
Opposition leader recovers from COVID-19
Aamir
Latif
05.07.2020
KARACHI,
Pakistan
Pakistan's
main opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has recovered from coronavirus after a
weeks-long battle, the party announced on Sunday.
Sharif,
the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), tested positive for the
novel virus last month.
"By
the grace of Allah, and nation's prayers, President, Pakistan Muslim League
(N), Shehbaz Sharif's (latest) coronavirus test result is negative,"
party's spokeswoman Marriyum Aurungzeb said on Twitter.
The
doctors, she said, advised Shehbaz, who previously served the country's largest
Punjab province as its chief minister thrice, to get his antibodies tests done
for three weeks.
Shehbaz,
a younger brother of three-time Premier Nawaz Sharif, is facing a slew of cases
pertaining to money laundering, corruption, and misuse of authorities.
The
country's corruption watchdog tried to arrest him in a money laundering case
last month, however he was granted bail by the Lahore High Court until July 9.
The
opposition leader, who denies the charges, had been in custody for months for
his alleged involvement in a housing scandal in 2018-19. He has been on bail in
the case since February last year.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-opposition-leader-recovers-from-covid-19/1900253
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Pakistan
to host 2021 World Tourism Forum
Aamir
Latif
05.07.2020
KARACHI,
Pakistan
Pakistan
will host the World Tourism Forum next year to tout the country's tourism
potential around the globe, especially among the countries of the D-8
(developing 8) bloc.
Addressing
a press conference in the capital Islamabad on Sunday, Syed Zulfikar Bukhari,
the prime minister's adviser on tourism and overseas Pakistanis, said the
tourism ministers of all the D-8 member states, including Turkey, willl also
participate in the forum in Islamabad.
The
event had been scheduled for this year but was delayed until next year due to
the coronavirus pandemic. Over 1,000 foreign visitors will attend the five-day
event.
"Pakistan
has a huge tourism potential that we want to introduce to the world, especially
the Muslim world," Bukhari said, adding: "We are inviting the tourism
ministers of D-8 countries, including Turkey, to learn from their experience
promoting tourism."
The
World Tourism Forum is an organization based in Istanbul, Turkey dedicated to
developing tourism around the world with its annual meetings.
Pakistan,
Bukhari added, had drawn up a five-year action plan to boost its tourism, badly
hit by years of terrorism in the country following events related to the 9/11
terrorist attacks in the US.
Islamabad,
he added, will launch a tourism e-portal by the end of this year to better
attract foreign and local tourists.
From
the snow-capped peaks in the north and glistening waters in the south, together
with limitless opportunities to watch wildlife, sail in the mighty Indus river,
and deep-sea diving in the Arabian Sea, Pakistan has a great deal to attract
tourists.
The
northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which borders neighboring China, is home to
six peaks of over 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) tall, including the world’s
second-tallest peak, K2.
The
region also boasts over 5,000 large and small glaciers and more than 100 lakes,
which jointly make up the world’s largest freshwater reservoir.
Eco-lovers
can also witness the endangered snow leopard and brown bear, in addition to 300
species of wildlife in the breathtaking region.
Faith
tourism
Pakistan
is situated in a region that for centuries has been home to three major world
faiths – Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
The
South Asian Muslim state hosts scores of revered pilgrimage sites – dating back
5,000 years – for not only the followers of the three religions but also from
some prehistoric traditions such as the Aryan religion, Barhaman religion, and
ancient Iranian and Greek religions.
The
northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province – once a poster child for terrorism
and suicide bombings – is home to 70% of the sites in the country sacred to
Sikhs and Buddhists.
Punjab,
the country’s most populous province, and the southern Sindh province also host
several sites linked to the three faiths.
Once
known as the heart of the Gandhara civilization, Takhtbai or Takht-i-Bhai (
throne of origins) – a small scenic town located some 160 kilometers (99 miles)
from Islamabad – is the most-visited site by the Buddhists, who flock to see an
ancient monastery dating back to the 1st century.
Northeastern
Punjab is home to five most important pilgrimage sites for Sikhs. They include
the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion who was
born in 1469 in the Nankana Saheb district, and the Gurdwara (monastery) Punja
Sahib in the town of Hasan Abdal, where the handprint of Guru Nanak is believed
to be imprinted on a boulder at the monastery.
The
two sites are visited by thousands of Sikhs every year from neighboring India,
Europe, and America.
The
Katas Raj temple in the northeastern Chakwal district and Sadhu Bela temple in
the southern Sukkur district are the two most-visited religious sites by Hindus
from across the world.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-to-host-2021-world-tourism-forum/1900726
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$60m
Islamic Development Bank aid for polio eradication approved
Amin
Ahmed
July
06, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved a $60 million supplementary
fund to Pakistan as a further contribution to the polio eradication programme.
This
includes a $39m Islamic Development Bank Murabaha and a $21m grant from the
IsDB-managed Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF). The new financing has been
approved by the IsDB Board of Executive Directors at the virtual meeting held
in Jeddah chaired by IsDB President Dr Bandar Hajjar early this week.
As
the Islamic bank had previously contributed $100m to the same project the new
supplementary funding takes its total contribution up to the $160m mark.
In
the meantime, the 25th meeting of the Emergency Committee under the
International Health Regulations on the international spread of poliovirus held
in Geneva has observed that there is still much more work to do to end
transmission in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The polio infrastructure that has
been developed in Pakistan and Afghanistan has been used to assist with the
tracking and tracing as part of the Covid-19 pandemic response.
A
statement issued by the IHR Emergency Committee says in Pakistan transmission
continues to be widespread as indicated by both acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)
surveillance and environmental sampling. WPV1 transmission continues to be widespread,
with southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa becoming a new WPV1 reservoir, and some areas
such as Karachi and the Quetta block having uninterrupted transmission. There
has also been expansion of WPV1 to previously polio-free areas in Sindh and
Punjab.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1567261/60m-islamic-development-bank-aid-for-polio-eradication-approved
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DIG
Operations reviews security of Mosques, Imambargahs
July
06, 2020
LAHORE-
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Ashfaq Khan on Sunday visited different
areas in the city and reviewed the security arrangements of Mosques and
Imambargahs. According to official sources, SP Model Town Ejaz Rashid and SP
Iqbal Town briefed the DIG about the security of the Mosques and Imambargahs of
their respective areas. The DIG Operations also met the organizers of the
Mosques and Imambargahs. Organizers expressed satisfaction over the security
arrangements made by the police. Ashfaq
Khan issued special directions to the police officers and jawans deputed on the
security of worship places. He further said that police personnel should stay
vigilant whereas snipers should keep an eye on all movements in the
surroundings of the worship places. The DIG Operations said that Police
Response Teams and Dolphin Squads should increase their patrolling in
surroundings of Mosques and Imambargahs.
https://nation.com.pk/06-Jul-2020/dig-operations-reviews-security-of-mosques-imambargahs
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Mosques
witness improvement, markets yet to fully adopt SOPs
MANSOOR
ALI
July
04, 2020
ISLAMABAD
- A majority of big mosques in Islamabad have witnessed improvement in
following the SOPs during the month of June. However, markets are yet to fully
adopt SOPs.
According
to a survey conducted by The Nation in 10 mosques, initially the worshipers
were not paying heed towards SOPs. However, the citizens become more sensitive
towards COVID-19 after the cases surged in Islamabad.
While
talking to The Nation, Maulana Saeed ur Rehman said that many were blaming
mosques for the spread of coronavirus which was a wrong perception. He further
added that almost all the mosques across the capital have been following SOPs
strictly.
He
stated that the local committees made by the administration have also played
their important role in spreading awareness among the masses regarding
following the precautionary measures in mosques.
On
the other hand, few markets in Islamabad including Sitara Market, Karachi
Company, Chatta Bakhtawar, Tramri Bazaar and many others in the central city
have been facing the violation of SOPs.
The
mentioned markets are nothing more than a headache for the Islamabad
administration as despite the smart lockdown and frequent warnings, the SOPs
are openly violated without any fear.
While
talking to The Nation, a senior member of businessmen community in G-9 Markaz
said that the smart lockdown in different markets was imposed due to the
increasing number of cases.
He
stated that markets are likely to be blamed for the surge in cases and spread
of Covid-19 in the coming weeks because only a smaller percentage of the
citizens visiting the markets have been following the SOPs.
He
demanded the administration to formulate a strict policy regarding the SOPs in
markets otherwise no one was going to adopt the precautionary measures without
any strict policy from the government side.
He
concluded that reopening markets was the need of the hour but the adaptation of
SOPs was more important than business because the hospitals may not be able to
handle the burden anymore.
Earlier,
smart lockdown was imposed in some sectors of Islamabad which has greatly
helped in decreasing the number of cases in those sectors and this move of
imposing smart lockdown in some sectors and markets has received much
appreciation.
https://nation.com.pk/04-Jul-2020/mosques-witness-improvement-markets-yet-to-fully-adopt-sops
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SAPM
Dr Zafar Mirza tests positive for Covid-19, says he has mild symptoms
July
06, 2020
Prime
minister's aide Dr Zafar Mirza on Monday announced that he was isolating
himself at home after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
In
a tweet, the special assistant to the prime minister on health said that he was
experiencing "mild symptoms" and was taking all precautions. He also
applauded the services of his colleagues, saying "Keep up the good work!
You are making a big difference and I am proud of you."
Several
politicians, including members of the ruling PTI, have been diagnosed with the
virus over the past few months as it continues to spread in Pakistan. More than
223,300 people have tested positive across the country since the first case
emerged on February 26 while more than 4,500 deaths have been reported.
Prominent
political leaders who have contracted the virus so far include National
Assembly Speaker AsadQaiser, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly
Shehbaz Sharif, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, PPP leader Saeed Ghani and
Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid, all of whom have recovered.
Former
Balochistan governor Syed Fazal Agha, PTI Punjab MPA Shaheen Raza, Sindh
Minister for Human Settlements Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, MNA Munir Khan Orakzai
and PTI's MianJamshedud Din Kakakhel are among politicians who passed away
after contracting the virus.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1567337/sapm-dr-zafar-mirza-tests-positive-for-covid-19-says-he-has-mild-symptoms
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July
5, 1977, darkest day in Pakistan’s history: Bilawal
Jul
6, 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday termed
July 5, 1977, as the most shameful and darkest day in the history of Pakistan.
In
his message to the nation, Bilawal said that the people’s elected government
and first directly elected prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted by the
elements who had either vanished into mid-air or living a shameful life.
“The
way all the characters involved in it met their fate proved that crime and sin
have no legacy. Still, every illegitimate ruler of the time, like today’s
puppet, fails to grasp and realise this universal reality,” Bilawal said.
The
PPP chairman said that the constitution was suspended on July 5, 1977, wrapping
the country’s democracy, suspending all the civil rights and forbidding the
process of development and hoisting the colours of the authoritarianism in all
directions.
He
said that just by promoting and protecting the dictator’s personal vested
interests, the foundation of dictatorial rules was laid through inventing
corruption and unleashing intimidation.
Bilawal
said that even today after four decades, the scourge of July 5, 1977, is not
leaving the Pakistani nation behind and democracy is still in its teething
stage, the ground for implementation of provincial autonomy is narrow, the poor
are at the mercy of plagues and locusts, the swords of unemployment hanging
over the heads of the workers, the bread of two times, justice is expensive and
poor is getting poorer by each passing day.
He
said that the present puppet regime is the culmination of the crime of July 5,
1977, and at the same time, now this chapter in Pakistan is about to be closed
forever.
He
said that the day is not far when the people’s right to sovereignty and the use
of religious extremism, militancy, sectarianism and linguistics as weapons in
government buildings to perpetuate their aggressive rule will be removed in the
same way that many racist and hate-mongering societies today are tearing down
statues of fake greats.
Bilawal
said that PPP has made unparalleled struggle and eternal sacrifices for the
constitution and democracy of the country, this struggle will continue till the
final victory of the people.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/07/05/july-5-1977-darkest-day-in-pakistans-history-bilawal/
--------
South
Asia
People
getting married amid Covid-19 pandemic, actual numbers unknown
July
3rd, 2020
There
is no data from the past few months, since Covid-19 entered Bangladesh
There
have been reports of quite a number of people getting married despite the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which has put an indefinite pause to everything that
we know and hold dear.
However,
contacted, the authorities concerned could not provide the exact number of
marriages that took place across the country since the first detection of
coronavirus in early March.
Speaking
to Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh Muslim Marriage Registrar Association Secretary
General Kazi Iqbal Hossain said: “We, on an average, used to perform around 40
marriages evert month in one designated area but in the last three months that
figure has come down to three to five.”
The
association officials however claimed that they do provide the Law Ministry
with the number of marriages conducted by them, but failed to come up with any
data for June.
“But
since the beginning of June, I have conducted a total of 12 marriages. This
number used to be around 40 to 50 for every month before the Covid-19 forced
government holiday started,” he added.
Echoing
the same, KaziMawlana Abu Bakar Chakhari of the Kazi office at Farmgate, said:
“The marriage rate is now around 5% to 10% of what it was before the Covid-19
outbreak. Now, on an average, I hardly conduct one marriage a day. This number
was between 10 to 12 during the pre-coronavirus period.”
Contacted,
the officials in charge of keeping marriage and divorce records for the two
Dhaka city corporations, could not provide any exact data on the marriages that
took place in the capital in the last few months.
A
K M Lutfur Rahman Siddique, social welfare officer at Dhaka South City
Corporation (DSCC), said: “We have records of marriages that took place in the
city corporation community centres, but we don’t have the data on how many
marriages were done every month.”
He
as well as the officials of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) told this
correspondent to speak with the Law Ministry as every enlisted Kazi is
registered with them.
But
when contacted, saying that they do not have any database for marriages
conducted in the country, Law Ministry officials suggested the correspondent
call the Sadar Sub-Registrar’s Office.
Speaking
to Dhaka Tribune, Sub Registrar Mohammad Jahid Hossain said: “We keep records
of a lot of things but nothing is available regarding marriages.”
However,
Dhaka District Registrar Sabikun Nahar failed to provide the necessary figures
concerning the number of marriages that took place in the last few months.
She
told this correspondent to give her some time so that she can send letters to
all the Kazi offices in Dhaka asking them to submit statistics for marriages
conducted in 2019 and 2020.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2020/07/03/people-getting-married-amid-pandemic-actual-numbers-unknown
--------
Clash
in Kabul leaves one terrorist dead
06
Jul 2020
A
clash broke out between security forces and the terrorists in Kabul in the
early hours of Monday, leaving one terrorist dead.
The
Kabul Police Headquarters in a statement said a clash broke out security forces
and the terrorists in Mir Bacha Kot district of Kabul at around 2 am on Monday.
The
statement further added that the clash broke out after two terrorists attacked
a security check post in Sufiyan area of the district.
The
security forces killed one of the terrorists and arrested another terrorist
following the clash, the statement added.
The
Kabul Police also added that the security forces confiscated an RPG launcher
and three rockets of launcher following the clash, the statement said.
The
anti-government armed militants including Taliban have not commented regarding
the incident so far.
https://www.khaama.com/clash-in-kabul-leaves-one-terrorist-dead-08941/
--------
Abdullah
to visit to Pakistan in the near future
06
Jul 2020
The
Chairman of the High Council for Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah will visit
Pakistan in the near future, it has been reported.
Abdullah
is expected to visit the country on an official invitation of Shah Mehmood
Qureshi, the foreign minister of Pakistan.
“Pakistan-Afghanistan
relations are moving forward. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has invited
the Chairman of the Supreme National Reconciliation Council, Dr. Abdullah
Abdullah, to pay an official visit to Pakistan,” Pakistan special representative
to Kabul Muhammad Sadiq was quoted in a report by Daily Times.
Sadiq
further added “Dr. Abdullah Abdullah will visit at mutually convenient dates.”
The
Office of the High Council for Reconciliation has not commented in this regard
so far.
https://www.khaama.com/abdullah-to-visit-to-pakistan-in-the-near-future-08940/
--------
Taliban
violence is unacceptable, it has to go down: NATO SCR
05
Jul 2020
The
NATO called on the Taliban group to decrease violence as the country is going
towards an intra-Afghan peace dialogue.
Stefano
Pontecorvo, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan in a video
message published on his twitter account has said that the Taliban violence has
to go down as it creates an issue for the ongoing peace efforts.
“Taliban
violence has to go down, it is simply unacceptable and it is creating an issue,
a problem for getting to the peace talks”, Stefano said in a twitter message.
Stefano
Pontecorvo, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan and General
Scott Miller, the commander of U.S and Resolute Support forces in Afghanistan
have travelled to Brussels to meet with the NATO allies.
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-violence-is-unacceptable-it-has-to-go-down-nato-scr-79879/
--------
Mideast
FM
Zarif: US Isolated in Anti-Iran Drive
Jul
05, 2020
"The
US has tried to build consensus against Iran, but it has failed to do so,"
Zarif said on Saturday, addressing an open session of the Iranian Parliament.
The
Iranian foreign minister pointed out that the US aims to introduce Iran as a
"security threat" and then to use its power in bodies such as the UN
Security Council to increase international pressure on the country, and said,
"The Trump administration has pushed four UN Security Council session on
Iran over past three years, with the last one being held last week, but it has
been isolated in all sessions."
Zarif
reiterated that the US' failure is because the UNSC member-states have
emphasized on the need to preserve the JCPOA, highlighting that the US is
pursuing a wrong approach.
In
relevant remarks on Friday, Chairman of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign
Relations Kamal Kharrazi blasted Washington for its continued hostilities
towards Iran, and said that the Iranians have shown over the past 40 years that
they would never surrender to the US bullying.
"The
unilateral and misguided policies of the three European member states of the
JCPOA, led by the US, to stop Iran's peaceful nuclear activities have always
backfired, as Iran has been more determined to develop its nuclear
technology," Kharrazi said.
He
reiterated that the US push to extend Iran's arms embargo in the UN Security
Council and the three European countries' anti-Iran move in the International
Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the suspicious behavior of the IAEA director
general will not only fail to deter Iran, but it will undoubtedly lead to the
collapse of JCPOA as well.
"Now
that International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi has met
US Representative on Iran Brian Hook shows the extent of Mr. Grossi's
dependence and his lack of independence," Kharrazi said, adding that the
IAEA chief is recklessly coordinating his actions with the conspiracy center
against Iran.
He
underlined that the West should know that neither economic sanctions nor arms
embargo will deter Iran from pursuing an independent strategic path.
"Iran
has so far pursued its policy of self-sufficiency in the face of maximum
Western pressure and has achieved undeniable successes in producing defensive
weapons it needs," Kharrazi added.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990415000534
--------
Speaker
Urges Reduction of JCPOA Commitments
Jul
05, 2020
“We
request to stand up against the excessive demands of other parties involved in
nuclear deal, so that policies taken for reducing JCPOA commitments should be
into effect,” Qalibaf said.
He
pointed to the role of Foreign Ministry in this field and added, “Iran’s
Foreign Ministry can play a leading and important role in the field of economic
power. To this end, Economic Deputy was formed in the ministry to pursue the
case.”
If
we fail to attract foreign investors through JCPOA, effective steps should be
taken to transfer our people’s money and currency blocked in some other
countries, the speaker noted.
Qalibaf
underlined, “International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Board of Governors
should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran and lawmakers will never allow it
to do whatever it wishes without any restriction.”
In
relevant remarks early in June, Mohammad BaqerQalibaf in reaction to a Twitter
message by US president Donald Trump on talks with Iran said Trump's unilateral
withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Tehran showed that
resistance is the only way to deal with Washington.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990415000505
--------
Iran
to Sue US for Impacts of Sanctions on Coronavirus Spread
Jul
05, 2020
Joneydi
noted that Iran will sue the file in the International Court of Justice.
The
United States has imposed fresh round of illegal sanctions against Iran in the
midst of the country’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
The
new sanctions come despite US President Donald Trump’s claims of Washington’s
readiness to help Iran in the battle against the disease.
In
relevant remarks in April, Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiyee rapped
Washington for lying about exclusion of medical equipment and drugs from
sanctions against Tehran.
“The
US administration should say which banking system it has opened for the
purchase of medicine (by Iran),” Rabiyee told reporters in a press conference
in Tehran on April 20.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990415000370
--------
Iran’s
Interpol Chief: Tehran Ready to Cooperate with Seoul to Combat International
Crimes
Jul
05, 2020
Shirzad
made the remarks in a meeting with the South Korean envoy to Tehran, Jeong-Hyun
Ryuh.
He
added that Iran's law enforcement forces always underline the acceleration of
police missions.
Ryuh,
for his part, said that South Korea is ready for further cooperation with Iran
in different police fields and promotion of relations between the Iranian and
South Korean police is essential to develop and enhance security mechanisms.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990415000247
--------
Israel
‘not necessarily’ behind all Iran nuclear site incidents: Gantz
05
July 2020
Israel’s
defense minister said on Sunday it is not “necessarily” behind every mysterious
incident in Iran, after a fire at the Natanz nuclear site prompted some Iranian
officials to say it was the result of cyber sabotage.
Israel,
widely believed to be the region’s only nuclear power, has pledged never to
allow Iran to obtain atomic weapons, saying Tehran advocates its destruction.
Iran denies ever seeking nuclear arms and says its atomic program is peaceful.
The
underground Natanz site, where a one-story building was partly burned on
Thursday, is the centerpiece of Iran’s uranium enrichment program and monitored
by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.
Asked
whether Israel had anything to do with “mysterious explosions” at Iranian
nuclear sites, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said: “Not every incident
that transpires in Iran necessarily has something to do with us.”
“All
those systems are complex, they have very high safety constraints and I’m not
sure they always know how to maintain them,” Gantz told Israel Radio.
Three
Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters said they thought cyber sabotage had
been involved at Natanz, but offered no evidence. Two said Israel could have
been behind it.
An
article by Iran’s state news agency IRNA addressed what it called the
possibility of sabotage by enemies such as Israel and the United States,
although it stopped short of accusing either directly.
In
2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, widely believed to have been developed by the
United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack Natanz.
Last
month, Israeli security cabinet minister Zeev Elkin said Iran had attempted to
mount a cyber attack on Israel’s water system in April.
Iran
curbed its nuclear work in exchange for removal of most global sanctions under
a 2015 accord with six world powers. It has reduced compliance since the United
States withdrew in 2018.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/05/Israel-says-not-necessarily-behind-all-Iran-nuclear-site-incidents-Gantz.html
--------
Israel
to build over 160 new settler units in occupied West Bank
05
July 2020
Israeli
officials are planning to construct new housing units in the occupied West Bank
irrespective of an international outcry against the Tel Aviv regime’s
settlement expansion policies, besides its contentious plans to annex large
parts of the Palestinian territories.
The
head of the Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Bethlehem, Hassan
Bureijia, said in a statement on Sunday that High Planning Committee of the
Israeli Civil Administration has approved the construction of 164 housing units
in Neve Daniel settlement in southern Bethlehem, Arabic-language Ma'an news
agency reported.
Bureijia
added that the project will create a new neighborhood built on
Palestinian-owned land seized in the town of Khader, located 5 kilometers (3.1
miles) west of Bethlehem, and Nahalin village.
More
than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli
occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem
al-Quds.
Less
than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations
Security Council in December 2016 adopted Resolution 2334, calling on Israel to
“immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied
Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem” al-Quds.
The
last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major
sticking points in those negotiations was Israel’s continued settlement
expansion.
Secretary
General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat says
Palestinian authorities have been mobilizing efforts with the United Nations
General Assembly in order to forge an international coalition against the
Israeli regime’s annexation plans.
Erekat
told the Arabic-language Voice of Palestine radio station on Sunday that the
coalition will hold Israeli authorities to account in case such a measure is
implemented.
He
added that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been reaching out to world
leaders to remind them that any Israeli annexation means the Palestinians would
no longer bear any commitment to agreements struck with Tel Aviv and Washington.
“According
to the annexation plan, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu wants to
downgrade the role of the Palestinian Authority to a servant and a tool for the
perpetuation and continuation of the occupation. This falls within the
framework of the [so-called] deal of the century and will never happen,” Erekat
said.
The
deal of the century envisions Jerusalem al-Quds as “Israel’s undivided capital”
and allows the Tel Aviv regime to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank
and Jordan Valley. The plan also denies Palestinian refugees the right of
return to their homeland, among other controversial terms.
Many
Palestinians believe the Israeli plans to annex one-third of the already
illegally occupied West Bank, including parts of the strategic Jordan Valley,
is only a formality and a de facto Israeli occupation of their land has been
under way for many years.
“Israel's
annexation plan has been in process since 1967,” said Salah Khawaja,
coordinator of an anti-occupation campaign called the Popular Committee to
Resist the Wall and the Settlements.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628956/Israel-settler-units-West-Bank
--------
Armed
Israeli settlers raid Palestinian farm in West Bank, injure two
06
July 2020
Armed
Israeli settlers have attacked a farmland in the occupied West Bank, leaving
two young men wounded in the latest act of violence against Palestinians.
Palestinian
media reports said the settlers attacked Palestinians in the area of Khillat
Hassan which is threatened with takeover, in the town of Biddya, injuring two
young men on Sunday afternoon.
The
Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians with gunshot wounds were
hospitalized, describing their injuries as “moderate”.
Speaking
to the Times of Israel, Iyad Abid, a member of the Biddya Emergency Committee,
identified the two injured people as Mohannad al-Sadiq and Daoud Salameh (Abu
Karim) from Biddya.
“The
settlers say that the land is theirs, and they want to take it by force. But it
belongs to private individuals in Biddya,” he added.
He
also denied Israeli claims that 100 Arabs had attacked Israeli farmers, saying
the two injured were the only ones present on their land. “They shot and fled,”
Abid said, referring to the settlers.
According
to human rights groups, incidents of sabotage and violence by extremist
settlers against Palestinians and their property are a daily occurrence
throughout the West Bank.
More
than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli
occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem
al-Quds.
The
Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli settlers stormed areas near
the town of Sila at noon on Saturday under the protection of the Israeli army.
It
added that clashes also erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces after
the troops stormed the village of Zabouba, west of Jenin, on Saturday night.
The
Palestine Chronicle reported that Israeli forces injured dozens of Palestinians
who protested the raid, adding that a 17-year-old teenager was also arrested.
Also
on Saturday, Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees in the town of Hawara,
south of Nablus, said Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who
monitors settler activity in the northern West Bank.
Israel,
however, failed to launch the scheme on the set date amid openly expressed
differences between Netanyahu and key members of his cabinet, whose consent the
White House says is needed for the annexation to go ahead.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/06/628998/Israeli-settlers-shoot-Palestinians--West-Bank
--------
Arab
World
Kuwait
calls for decisive Arab, intl. stance against Israel's annexation plan
05
July 2020
Kuwait
has strongly denounced the Israeli regime’s plan to annex large parts of the
occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, calling on the international
community to take a united stance against the move.
Kuwait’s
National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim in a press release on Sunday
stressed his country’s rejection of Israel’s ploy to annex the West Bank and
the Jordan Valley, and called for decisive Arab and international reactions
against “Israel’s aggressive unilateral steps”.
Ghanim
expressed his readiness to work with international parliamentary forums to
expose Israel’s vicious practices and rally an international position against
them.
During
a telephone conversation with Jordanian counterpart and chairman of the Arab
Inter-Parliamentary Union Atef Tarawneh, Ghanim also discussed a variety of possible
actions against Israel.
Last
month, an Arab group headed by Kuwait opposed Israel’s nomination bid for a
legal committee at the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in
September. In a letter to the UN chief, Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi
said the group had concerns and considered Israel ineligible for membership in
the bureau because of its ongoing and systematic violations of international
law and many UN resolutions for more than seven decades.
Meanwhile,
an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that a third intifada
(uprising) could be just around the corner if Israel goes ahead with its
highly-contentious annexation plan.
Israel's
ruling coalition, led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had announced July
1 as the date to begin moving forward with the scheme to impose “sovereignty”
over about a third of the West Bank, including settlements and the fertile
Jordan Valley.
The
regime, however, failed to launch the land grab bid on the set date amid
widening differences between Netanyahu and his coalition partner, minister of
military affairs Benny Gantz.
Israeli
labor, social affairs and services minister OfirAkunis stressed that officials
were still working out the details of the plan with their American counterparts.
US
President Donald Trump had already given Tel Aviv the green light for the land
grab in his self-proclaimed “deal of the century,” which was unveiled in
January with the aim of re-drawing the Middle East map.
But,
there have been indications of Trump's waning support for the annexation deal,
with some analysts arguing that the US president has already too much on his
plate to deal with in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis gripping the United
States ahead of the November presidential election, and therefore is not in a
situation to continue his controversial support for Netanyahu's land grab
project.
Israel’s
planned push to illegally consolidate its occupation of Palestine has drawn
fierce international condemnations even from some of the regime's closest
allies.
The
UN, the EU and key Arab countries have all said the West Bank annexation would
violate international law and undermine the prospects of establishing a
sovereign Palestinian state on 1967 boundaries.
At
a joint press conference this week, Palestinian groups of Hamas and Fatah
pledged unity against Israel’s annexation of Palestinian areas and vowed to
“topple” Trump's so-called Middle East plan.
The
plan has faced growing international criticism because Israel intends to annex
the lands that were occupied after the 1967 war. More than 600,000 Israelis
live in over 230 settlements built on the land since the occupation.
All
previous foreign-mediated agreements between Palestinians and Israelis as well
as repeated UN resolutions have mandated Tel Aviv to withdraw behind the 1967
borders.
The
international community views the entire West Bank and the eastern part of the
occupied city of Jerusalem al-Quds as home to an independent Palestinian state
in the future.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628950/Kuwait-Marzouq-al-Ghanim-Palestine-Israel-
--------
Over
40 fighters killed in clashes between ISIS, regime in Syria: Monitor
04
July 2020
Clashes
between Russia-backed Syrian regime forces and ISIS have killed more than 40
fighters on the two sides in just 48 hours, a Britain-based war monitor said
Saturday.
Fighting
and Russian air strikes in the central desert province of Homs since late
Thursday have taken the lives of 18 pro-government fighters and 26 extremists,
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
“The
fighting started in the night of Thursday to Friday with an [extremist] assault
on regime positions” near the town of al-Sukhna, Observatory head Rami Abdel
Rahman said.
ISIS
fighters have retained a roving presence in Syria’s vast Badia desert, despite
losing their last shred of territory last year. They regularly carry out
attacks there.
ISIS
declared a cross-border “caliphate” in large parts of Syria and neighboring
Iraq in 2014, but several military campaigns against it chipped away at that
proto-state and eventually led to its territorial demise.
Syria’s
war has killed more than 380,000 people since it started in 2011 with the
repression of anti-government protests, before evolving into a complex conflict
involving world powers and extremists.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/04/Over-40-fighters-killed-in-clashes-between-ISIS-regime-in-Syria-Monitor-.html
--------
Lebanon’s
Maronite Patriarch slams politicians as hunger, hardship bite
05
July 2020
Lebanon’s
Christian authorities slammed politicians on Sunday for failing to remedy an
economic meltdown that has left many poor, piling pressure on the country’s
leaders as it spirals deeper into crisis.
In
a sermon, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, the top Christian cleric,
accused politicians of thinking only of their own vested interests and urged
the president to take action.
Hopes
of salvation through an IMF deal have retreated, with the government unwilling
or unable to enact reforms, hamstrung by the conflicting agendas of sectarian
leaders who don’t want to yield power or privileges.
The
crisis, which has decimated the local currency and raised fears of mass hunger,
is seen as the biggest threat to Lebanon’s stability since its 1975-1990 civil
war.
Economic
woes, rooted in state waste and corruption, came to the fore last year after
capital inflows slowed and protests erupted against leaders in power since the
war.
Lebanon’s
sectarian political system parcels out state posts based on religious sect,
with the presidency reserved for a Maronite Christian.
The
largest Christian bloc, President Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, is
close to the Iran-backed Shia Hezbollah movement. Both backed the current cabinet,
which took office in January.
“Oh
respected leaders, I address whatever conscience remains in you,” he said. “Do
you sleep comfortably at night while those under your care starve, and die of
thirst and by suicide?”
Earlier
this week, dozens of people mourned a man who killed himself in a busy Beirut
district, blaming the country’s leaders for the hardship which they said caused
his death.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/05/Lebanon-s-Maronite-Patriarch-slams-politicians-as-hunger-hardship-bite.html
--------
Turkish
troops, allied militants cut off drinking water to people in Syria’s Hasakah,
environs
05
July 2020
Turkish
military troops and allied militants have once again cut off drinking water
supplies to about a million people living in and around the northeastern Syrian
city of Hasakah by stopping a border water pumping station, a report says.
In
an interview with Syria’s official news agency, SANA on Sunday, Director
General of Hasakah Water Company Mahmoud al-Ukla said that Turkish soldiers and
Ankara-baked militants stopped Alouk Water Station on Saturday evening and
barred workers of the station from entering the facility.
The
major water station is located in the vicinity of the border town of Ra’s
al-Ayn, which Turkish troops and their allied militants seized in October 2019
during the so-called Peace Spring Operation.
Ukla
warned that the inhumane move was threatening the lives of inhabitants of the
city and its surrounding residential neighborhoods in northeasternHasakah
province.
He
added that the criminal act came as the people of the affected areas are in the
utmost need for the water from the Alouk station, the only source for
guaranteeing the drinking water for them.
Back
in March, the Syrian foreign ministry sent two identical letters to the chief
of the United Nations and the UN Security Council in protest against the
repeated inhumane move. It noted at the time that the Turkish military forces
shelled the water station during their cross-border military operation last
October, putting it out of service.
Furthermore,
Syrian officials, accordingly, presented a briefing to the UNSC in February,
informing the international body of a water outage in Hasakah.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628957/Syria-Hasakah-Alouk-Water-Station-Turkey-militants
--------
Rocket
lands near Baghdad’s Green Zone, injures child: Iraqi military
05
July 2020
A
rocket has struck a home near the heavily fortified Green Zone in the Iraqi
capital Baghdad, which houses some of the main government offices and foreign
diplomatic missions, including the US Embassy.
The
Iraqi military said in a statement on Sunday that the projectile—which failed
to reach its target— caused damage to a house near the high-security district,
wounding a child due.
An
unnamed police source which confirmed the news also said an anti-rocket system
set up near the US embassy shot down the rocket before hitting the Green Zone.
The
military statement further said Iraqi security forces have also managed to stop
a Katyusha rocket from being launched at Camp Taji base, north of Baghdad,
which houses the US-led coalition forces.
Washington,
each time, has been quick to point the finger at popular anti-terror groups,
which are now integrated into Iraq's armed forces.
The
US has time and again targeted positions of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units
(PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, after blaming the major anti-terror
force for the rocket attacks. The popular group has strongly denied any
involvement in the strikes.
Last
week, Iraqi counter-terrorism forces detained the members of Kata'ib
Hezbollah—a military unit operating under the PMU—for allegedly planning a
rocket attack on Baghdad's Green Zone.
But
the raid on Kata’ib headquarters has raised serious questions about Iraq's
direction under the new government, as Iraqi leaders describe it as an attempt
dictated by the US occupiers.
Anti-US
sentiment has been running high in Iraq following the US January 3
assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem
Soleimani and his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, senior Hashd
al-Sha’abi commander in addition to several other comrades outside the Baghdad
airport.
Two
days after the US assassinations, the Iraqi parliament voted unanimously for a
resolution that called for expulsion of all US and other foreign forces from
Iraq.
Washington,
however, has threatened sanctions should US troops be expelled from Iraq
instead of ending the occupation of the Arab country.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628947/Iraq-rocket-attack-Green-Zone-child-injured
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Lebanese
journalists to demonstrate against US intervention
05
July 2020
Lebanese
journalists will hold a demonstration in condemnation of US Ambassador to
Beirut Dorothy Shea’s intervention in the country’s internal affairs following
her comments against the Hezbollah resistance movement.
The
Resistance Media Front released a statement on Sunday, where they called for
the condemnation of the flagrant interference of the US envoy and President
Donald Trump’s administration in Lebanon’s domestic affairs, the economic
blockade imposed on the Arab country, designation of a section of the Lebanese
society as terrorist, and attempt to sow discord among the nation,
Arabic-language al-Ahed news website reported.
The
report added that the protest will be held in an area in the southern suburbs
of Beirut at 5:30 p.m. local time (1230 GMT) on Monday.
“The
Americans are directly interfering in the Lebanese domestic affairs; and this
is unacceptable,” Aoun said in an exclusive interview with Beirut-based and
Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network at the time.
Hitti
met with the US Ambassador the following day to inform her that, under the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, an Ambassador must not
interfere in the domestic affairs of another country, and that her speech must
not seek to pit Lebanese people against each other.
The
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is an international treaty that
defines a framework for diplomatic relations between countries.
In
an interview with Saudi-owned al-Hadath television news network last week, Shea
said Washington has “great concerns” over Hezbollah’s role in the Lebanese
government.
Hezbollah’s
growing popularity in the Arab and Muslim world after the resistance movement
shattered the Israeli military’s myth of invincibility during the 33-day
military offensive on Lebanon in the summer of 2006 has been a matter of
serious concern for the Tel Aviv regime and its Western allies.
The
resistance movement’s heroic defense as well as its vehement opposition to any
foreign intervention in Lebanon’s domestic affairs has turned the group into a
major stakeholder in the country’s political and military domains.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628946/Lebanese-journalists-US-ambassador
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Africa
At
least 11 killed in gunmen ambush in DR Congo’s troubled Ituri region
05
July 2020
Gunmen
have killed 11 people including military and local officials in northeastern
Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said Sunday, an ambush attributed to a
militia accused of a string of massacres.
Two
vehicles coming from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, were attacked
Saturday at the village of Matete, Djugu territory administrator Adel
AlingiMokuba said.
"The
death toll is 11, including the deputy territorial administrator in charge of
economy and finance, three policemen and four soldiers," he told AFP.
The
convoy was carrying "a former provincial deputy, an accountant, police
officers and civilians who were savagely massacred", Ituri governor Jean
Bamanisa said in a video posted online.
On
Friday, DR Congo's army said it had killed seven of the militia's fighters,
which claims to defend the interests of the Lendu ethnic group. The Lendu are
predominantly farmers who have historically clashed with the Hema community of
traders and herders.
Ituri
is one of several provinces gripped by militia violence in eastern DR Congo, a
country the size of continental western Europe.
More
than 1,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Ituri since December
2017, including 375 since March, according to the United Nations.
"These
acts could constitute crimes within the jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court," ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda warned on June 4.
The
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has accused CODECO and
other Lendu fighters of pursuing "a strategy of slaughtering local
residents -- mainly the Hema, but also the Alur -- since 2017" to control
natural resources in the region.
Tens
of thousands of people were killed in Hema-Lendu fighting between 1999 and
2003. The fighting resumed in 2017, for reasons that are not clear.
Just
before Saturday's attack, a delegation of former militia leaders from the
1999-2003 conflict had arrived in Ituri on a peace mission at the request of
President Felix Tshisekedi.
Local
media reported that Germain Katanga was also present. Katanga was released in
March having served nearly 12 years after being convicted by the ICC of war
crimes including attacks on civilians.
The
European Union ambassador to DR Congo, Jean-Marc Chataigner, condemned attacks
in Ituri and neighboring North Kivu on Twitter, calling for support of the army
and the UN mission deployed in DR Congo, MONUSCO, "to prevent (militias)
from doing harm".
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628963/Congo-militia-ambush-Ituri-CODECO
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166
killed in Ethiopia protests over killing of musician
05
July 2020
Police
in Ethiopia say 166 people have lost their lives in violent protests that have
rocked the Horn of Africa country over the past week.
The
unrest was triggered by the murder of popular musician and activist
HachaluHundessa, a member of the Oromo ethnic group, on Monday night and spread
from the capital, Addis Ababa, to the surrounding Oromiya region.
“In
the aftermath of Hachalu’s death, 145 civilians and 11 security forces have
lost their lives in the unrest in the region,” GirmaGelam, deputy police
commissioner of Oromiya region, said in a statement, adding that another 10
were known to have died in Addis Ababa.
Girma
also said a further 167 people had sustained serious injuries and that 1,084 people
had been taken into custody during the protests.
Ethiopian
officials have linked the deaths to a combination of lethal force used by the
country’s security forces as well as inter-ethnic violence.
The
military was deployed in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday as armed gangs with
machetes and sticks roamed the streets in the region and gunshots echoed
through many neighborhoods.
Hundessa’s
music gave voice to Oromos’ widespread sense of economic and political
marginalization during three years of anti-government protests that culminated
in the resignation of the previous prime minister and swept Prime Minister Abiy
Ahmed to power in 2018.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628932/Ethiopia-singer-killing-protests
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Nigerian
president condemns attack on UN helicopter
Felix
Tih
06.07.2020
The
Nigerian president has condemned a Boko Haram terror attack on a UN
humanitarian helicopter that killed at least two people and injured several
others.
"Let
me reassure the international community and Nigerians that this latest cowardly
attack on a UN helicopter which claimed the lives of two people, including a
five-year-old baby, would not go without severe consequences," Muhammadu
Buhari said in a statement late Sunday.
Buhari
said the security of foreigners and Nigerians remain the top priority of his
administration, "and we shall leave no stone unturned until we eliminate
these remorseless enemies of humanity."
He
stressed on the need for all humanitarian and other aid workers in the region
to properly coordinate movements -- air or land -- with the theatre commander
and other military authorities.
"Boko
Haram terrorists are clearly on the back foot and their increasing attacks on
innocent civilians, including UN humanitarian workers, was part of their
desperation to prove that they are strong in order to cover up their dwindling
fortunes," Buhari said.
The
terrorists attacked Damasak, a volatile town along the Lake Chad shores
Thursday, Edward Kallon, UN's humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said. He
also condemned the attack.
More
than 30,000 people have been killed in the region since 2009 by Boko Haram,
according to a report by the National Emergency Management Agency.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigerian-president-condemns-attack-on-un-helicopter/1900872
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Europe
EU
foreign policy chief due in Turkey
Ali
Murat Alhas
05.07.2020
The
European Union foreign policy chief will arrive in Turkey Monday for two days
of talks to discuss EU-Turkey relations and regional developments, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said.
"The
Vice-President of the EU Commission and the High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles will pay a working
visit to Turkey on 6-7 July 2020,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday.
It
added: “During the visit, all aspects of Turkey-EU relations will be discussed
thoroughly and views on regional issues such as Eastern Mediterranean, Libya,
and Syria will be exchanged.”
The
visit comes in the wake of controversial visits by Borrell to Turkey’s neighbor
Greece and Southern Cyprus where Ankara’s concerns about mistreatment of asylum
seekers and equitable treatment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) and Turkey in areas such as Eastern Mediterranean energy resources were
ignored.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-foreign-policy-chief-due-in-turkey/1900610
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North
America
Pandemic
‘Stretches’ Saudi Healthcare, Americans Denied Treatment: Report
05
July 2020
Many
US diplomats and citizens are reportedly leaving Saudi Arabia amid surge in the
country’s coronavirus cases.
According
to a Wall Street Journal report on Friday, a group of diplomats were supposed
to leave on Saturday with others to follow.
“The
diplomats will take a repatriation flight Saturday after the State Department
last week approved the voluntary departure of nonemergency personnel, US
officials familiar with the plan said. More diplomats are expected to follow in
the coming weeks,” read the report.
The
number of the cases in Saudi Arabia has reportedly surged over 200,000, up from
110,000 in May. More than 1,800 people are said to have succumbed to the virus.
The
US State Department reportedly made the decision after House Intelligence
Committee was "contacted by an individual concerned about the spread of
coronavirus in Saudi Arabia," and sent an email to the House Foreign
Affairs Committee about the matter.
The
pandemic "stretches Saudi Arabia's healthcare system to its limits,"
the WSJ reported. "Foreign residents, including Americans, have complained
of being denied medical treatment or coronavirus testing."
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/05/628977/coronavirus-stretches-Saudi-healthcare,-Americans-denied-testing-wsj
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If
US elects a democratic president, American stance towards Egypt won’t change:
Amb
05
July 2020
The
United States will not change its stance towards Egypt even if the US elects a
democratic president in the upcoming elections, US ambassador to Egypt Jonathan
Cohen told Al Hadath in an interview.
“I've
been in the Foreign Service for 35 years. I've worked for every administration
since Ronald Reagan. And every administration has considered the partnership
with Egypt to be strategic and important,” Cohen said.
He
added: “And I'm convinced that the importance of the relationship to both of
our countries transcends the politics of the day. It's also may be interesting
to remember that we started having a strategic partnership really, under Jimmy
Carter, a democratic administration.”
The
US ambassador to Egypt believed described the relationship between Washington
and Cairo as a “strategic partnership [that] has continued, deepened and
strengthened,” adding that the US “has invested billions of dollars and countless
hours of work in partnership to make sure that it stays strong.”
He
also stressed that Washington offered Cairo other aspects of aid: “While we've
invested about $50 billion in Egypt's military, we've also invested about $30
billion in Egypt's development.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/07/05/If-US-elects-a-democratic-president-American-stance-towards-Egypt-won-t-change-Amb.html
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Southeast
Asia
Malaysia’s
Muhyiddin eyes unprecedented snap election to vanquish Mahathir
06
July 2020
Embattled
Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin is considering a snap election,
possibly by March 2021, as he looks to shore up his shaky position in
parliament.
Sources
close to Mr Muhyiddin told the Nikkei Asian Review that the prime minister has
expressed an intention to “straighten the messy political scene by seeking a
fresh five-year mandate from the people”.
Speculation
over an election has been swirling in Malaysia in recent days, with some
suggesting one could be held this year. This would be highly unusual so soon
after Mr Muhyiddin took office: he became the country’s eighth prime minister
only in March after a political coup led by opposition parties forced his
mentor-turned-nemesis, Mahathir Mohamad, to resign.
But
Mr Mahathir has been keeping the pressure on, insisting he still has
parliamentary support and tabling a no-confidence motion. While Mr Muhyiddin
dodged a vote on the motion when the legislature briefly convened in May —
thanks to an immediate adjournment to focus on the coronavirus crisis — he is
believed to be weighing a dramatic move, if not this year then soon after.
Sources
speaking on condition of anonymity said Mr Muhyiddin’s trusted aides and
ministers were quietly laying the groundwork for federal polls, eyeing the
first quarter of 2021. That would be almost three years after the Mahathir-led
Alliance of Hope, which included Mr Muhyiddin, ended the 63-year reign of the
National Front coalition, then headed by Najib Razak.
AzharAzizan
Harun, chairman of the election commission, told Nikkei he had not received any
indication from the government about a snap poll but stressed the agency would
be ready for anything. “Under the current constitutional framework, we have 60
days to run a general election to its completion after parliament is
dissolved,” he said. “It might be challenging but we are always up to it.”
Mr
Muhyiddin apparently hopes to cash in on his government's fairly successful
handling of the pandemic, as well as crowd-pleasing stimulus packages. A swift
lockdown has held the country’s coronavirus cases to about 8,500 as of
mid-June, with a relatively modest death toll of 121, while economic support
measures were worth well more than $60bn combined.
The
prime minister will be counting on the votes of Muslim ethnic Malays for his
party, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu), along with his current
allies, the United Malays National Organization (Umno) and the Malaysian
Islamic Party (PAS). Talks to establish a formal three-way alliance began recently.
“The
Malays are angry with Mahathir because he was under the influence of the DAP,”
one source said, referring to the ethnic Chinese-majority Democratic Action
party. The breakdown of Bersatu’s coalition with the DAP, coupled with Mr
Mahathir’s reluctance to clarify when he would transfer power to heir apparent
Anwar Ibrahim, triggered a two-week political crisis that ended with Mr
Muhyiddin taking office on March 1.
The
source, however, said something had to give. “The prime minister also cannot go
on governing for the next three years with a thin majority of four MPs in Dewan
Rakyat” — the lower house. “None of the important bills will go through and
that would be detrimental for the administration.”
Mr
Muhyiddin’s advantage in the chamber, which has 222 elected representatives,
may in fact be as narrow as three, according to the latest count.
The
source said Mr Muhyiddin thinks a snap election in the next nine months will
guarantee a victory, especially with the opposition struggling to decide on a
prime ministerial candidate as Mr Mahathir and Mr Anwar continue to squabble.
“Bersatu,
Umno and PAS are already moving their election machineries to strengthen their
presence in every parliamentary constituency,” the insider said, adding that
the prime minister had tasked Mr Anwar’s ally-turned-rival, Azmin Ali, with
wooing non-Malay voters.
Mr
Muhyiddin, according to the source, has not ruled out merging Bersatu with
Umno, Mr Najib’s old party, to create a stronger force, even if it means
compromising on power and seat allocations. Many current Bersatu lawmakers are
Umno veterans, including the prime minister himself.
Oh
Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs,
suggested Mr Muhyiddin might have no choice but to merge or bow to the dominant
Umno and PAS. He said Umno, given its influence and vast history, was likely to
play a leadership role in the coalition heading into the election, potentially
leaving Bersatu as the third player and Mr Muhyiddin with no guarantee of
staying as prime minister.
“So
PAS appears to be willing to play second fiddle to Umno, albeit with the
official allowance of creeping advancement of its rabid religious goals as a
condition,” he said. “Muhyiddin is in no realistic bargaining position with
regards to Umno, as his Bersatu candidates, even if allowed to run, would not
win without the combined full support of Umno and PAS.”
Mr
Azmin, seen as Mr Muhyiddin’s confidant and second to him in the government, is
likely to do this to bring in multi-ethnic supporters from his former People’s
Justice party, led by Mr Anwar. Unverified media reports say Mr Azmin could
team up with former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, the current
foreign minister and son of Malaysia’s third prime minister, Hussein Onn.
“Most
likely Bersatu, Umno and PAS cover the Malays while Azmin would be the face for
the non-Malays,” a source said. “This way, Muhyiddin will remain PM for all
Malaysians.”
Sivamurugan
Pandian, a political science professor at Malaysia's University of Science,
told Nikkei that a snap election would provide Mr Muhyiddin’s administration with
political and moral legitimacy, putting an end to opposition criticism that it
is a “backdoor government”.
It
remains anyone’s guess how the voting would unfold, but Mr Sivamurugan sees
potential for Malays to line up behind Mr Muhyiddin’s coalition due to the
racial politics of some parties. The DAP, once a formidable player, is now seen
as a liability when it comes to attracting Malay voters, though it remains
popular with non-Malays.
“We
might see a swing among the Malay voters especially at rural and secondary
cities for the National Alliance (Bersatu, Umno and PAS), as most of them are
inclined toward Malay Muslim-centric political co-operation,” Mr Sivamurugan
said.
Meanwhile,
Mr Oh thinks the Anwar-led forces are likely to dominate urban and suburban
seats, where the Umno’s racial ideology and PAS’s religiosity remain anathema
among more progressive segments of society.
But
he said the “National Alliance is likely to sweep the rural and semi-rural
seats, where the Alliance of Hope’s allegedly more liberal persuasion is simply
not acceptable to a predominantly conservative audience”.
“As
the Malaysian parliamentary composition is heavily skewed toward the latter
seats” the National Alliance’s overall chances of winning are “higher”, Mr Oh
said.
Malaysia
eked out 0.7 per cent growth in the first quarter, and the government expects a
worse result for the second quarter, taking into account the nearly three-month
shutdown due to coronavirus. Unemployment is expected to swell to 5.5 per cent
— the equivalent of 860,000 people — by year-end.
The
last election in May 2018 cost the government $116.9m. According to the
election commission’s Mr Azhar, the next one is expected to cost much more.
“With
many new initiatives that we have taken so far that are focused on creating a
better and improved voter experience, a general election would now cost
substantially higher than the cost of the 14th general election,” he said.
Last
July, Mr Mahathir’s government amended the constitution to lower the voting age
from 21 to 18. This would add as many as 7.8m new voters to the rolls by 2023 —
on top of the 14.9m registered voters in 2018.
Mr
Azhar said a snap election in the medium term would only involve the old
electoral rolls, as the new ones are supposed to coincide with the
implementation of an automatic registration system. He said this would only be
ready by July 2021, though the commission is working to bring it forward.
https://www.ft.com/content/5c3bd717-c147-4b39-b2df-46a246f53f57
--------
Parlimen
Digital: Malaysia's youth earn praise as role models for MPs in Dewan Rakyat
05
Jul 2020
BY
IDA LIM
KUALA
LUMPUR, July 5 — Malaysia’s youth were today praised for their performance in
Parlimen Digital for showing how MPs should behave in the Dewan Rakyat and for
their well-researched and inspiring speeches, as well as for proving that
holding online parliamentary sessions for all the country’s 222 MPs is feasible
and possible.
In
the Parlimen Digital event hosted online over the past two days, its co-organiser
Undi18’s co-founder Tharma Pillai told Malay Mail that the 30.18 per cent of
the 222 representatives in the virtual Parliament for youth are women, with
diversity also seen in the representatives with those from the OKU community,
Orang Asli community and Orang Siam community.
For
Parlimen Digital, which was open to candidates aged between 15 and 35, the
representatives that were eventually picked for the 222 seats had an average
age of 21. As a testament to their youth, 58 per cent of them were not eligible
to vote in the 14th general election in 2018, he said. (At that time, the
voting age in Malaysia was 21 years old.)
The
youngest Parlimen Digital participant was Bintulu representative Marscella Ling
Michael Ling aged 15, while the oldest was aged 33, Tharma said.
When
contacted, social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir told Malay Mail that
she was very “impressed” by Parlimen Digital as it had proved that it is
completely possible to carry out parliamentary proceedings virtually.
“That’s
what they set out to prove when the government gave the Covid excuse not to
have Parliament in June. We’ve all been working online during MCO after all,”
she said, referring to the movement control order (MCO) that controls
activities during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the deferred Parliament
proceedings.
Marina
said she was also impressed by the content of the speeches given by the youth
representatives, which she described as “so much more intelligent and real than
anything we’ve ever heard in the actual Parliament”.
“And
how not to be impressed by all these youth? They have taken their roles very
seriously, have prepared well and have shown great passion to put forward the
issues they are advocating for. No nonsense, no inappropriate jokes. They have
set the bar very high for Parliament and I suspect we’ll all be making
comparisons with real MP behaviour from now on,” she said.
Marina
acknowledged Parlimen Digital’s efforts to ensure 30 per cent of the
representatives are female, naming the female representatives for Selayang,
Bintulu, Padang Besar and Batu as being some of the outstanding ones.
“Also,
Sabah and Sarawak were well-represented and it was good to see them put forward
issues specific to their areas. Plus, the issues of mental health among youth,
the need for better digital access, people with disabilities and migrants and
refugees. It makes me weepy actually, to see what is possible if only we gave
youth the space compared to what we see now,” she said.
Prominent
lawyer and activist Datuk AmbigaSreenevasan on Twitter praised the youth in
Parlimen Digital for their exemplary behaviour with no racist or sexist remarks
made.
When
contacted, Ambiga told Malay Mail that she was very impressed with how prepared
the Parlimen Digital representatives were, as well as their ideas and the way
they delivered their speeches, also complimenting them for being fully engaged
and engaging.
“They
took it seriously, were focused and responsible in what they said. I was
impressed with how much effort they had put into researching the issues. It
confirms we were right to lower the voting age to 18!
“I
would say that many of their suggestions have merit and should get the
attention they deserve. It was also refreshing because suggestions, that would
in our Parliament have been infected by the politics of the day and derailed,
saw mature treatment by the digital Parliament representatives.
“I
would give this venture a big thumbs up and applaud everyone who came up with
the idea, and who were involved in executing it. What a breath of fresh air!
Finally, I hope that the authorities will refrain from questioning these youth.
The authorities need to understand that not everything is about PH or PN. The
digital Parliament gives me hope,” she said.
On
Twitter, activist Datuk Hartini Zainuddin praised the youth representatives: “I
watched our young #ParlimenDigital reps with so much pride and awe. Articulate,
poised and smart. There is hope for our country. Something better, smarter and
good for our country — intelligent thoughtful dialogue. Leave them alone. We
need them. I stand in solidarity.”
Also
on Twitter, Dr Arvinder-Singh HS tweeted: “Great speech by YB Klang. She
touched on a lot of major issues-women in our national workforce, and on how
domestic violence and sexual harassment have been major issues for our ladies
to work/return to work. Wow. Simply amazed with these YBs. Like seriously. Wow.
Inspired.”
Langkawi
MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is a former prime minister and happens to be
the oldest MP at age 94, today also shared how impressed he was with the
initiative shown by youth in Parlimen Digital and also how they had objectively
discussed and debated on the motions brought forward.
“This
proves that in whatever situations including when faced with the Covid-19
pandemic, Parliament sittings can be held through digital platforms by
tele-conferencing without having to be present in the Dewan Rakyat,” he said in
a brief Facebook post, adding that he believes that the Parlimen Digital
initiative would provide opportunities for youths to deliver speeches and
interact in a healthy manner besides also identifying youths who have the
potential to be leaders.
Sandakan
MP Vivian Wong, who last year became the youngest female MP in the current
Parliament when voted in at the age of 30, said she was impressed with the 222
“digital YBs” for coming together over these two days to debate on issues such
as youth unemployment in Malaysia, social mobility for the younger generation,
as well as a post-Covid-19 education system and mechanism to enable more
effective learning amid compliance with all required standard operating
procedures.
“This
clearly shows that age is not a hindering factor for quality engagement in
national issues. It directly justifies that PH government to lower the voting
age from 21 to 18 is a right move.
“What
is more impressive is their conviction and determination to represent their
‘constituency’ and bring the best to the table for discussion. I hope this will
bring a new narrative to our political scene and make Malaysia a better country
for all of us,” she told Malay Mail when contacted.
Rozana
Isa, executive director of women advocacy group Sisters in Islam (SIS), hailed
Parlimen Digital as a positive and constructive initiative, noting that it had
shown that young people when given the platform would not only “rise to the
occasion and challenge but that they made sure that their proposals spoke to
the lived realities that they and their community know, care about and
experience”, which she said was “very powerful”.
“Parlimen
Digital has successfully created a platform that showcased young people in
Malaysia who have so much potential to contribute to the nation. Yes, this is a
controlled platform devoid of the need to toe the line of party politics and
perhaps, that is something that we should pick up and think about in terms of
the urgent need to shift or create a different political environment that meets
the need of the people instead of meeting the needs of those in power — it may
not happen immediately but we shouldn’t be pessimistic about this and rain on
their parade.
DAP’s
Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lim Yi Wei, who had given advice to some of the
youth representatives participating in Parlimen Digital, said the programme has
dispelled the myth that youth are uninterested in politics.
Having
personally encouraged women to apply for the Parlimen Digital programme instead
of second-guessing and underestimating their own abilities, Lim said she was
happy that Parlimen Digital had achieved 30 per cent female representation.
“At
the same time, I’m conscious that election outcomes are quite different from
the selection of female PD YBs. However, PD has been a good platform to
normalise and mainstream vocal female representation in politics and public
discourse, and we can see good feedback on the women YBs’ debates. The YBs
formed a women’s issues caucus using Telegram before 4 July. Male YBs also
joined in. This is a good indicator,” she told Malay Mail.
She
also complimented Parlimen Digital’s organisers for giving voice to the east
Malaysian representatives, also sharing her observation of how these
participants had showcased their culture by wearing their traditional costumes
and used Sabahan or Sarawakian-themed virtual backgrounds during the online
proceedings.
“It’s
a reminder that much youth dialogue has been Malaya-centric. Last year, I
organised a Sarawak-centric forum in PJ featuring YB MordiBimol (MP Mas Gading)
and YB Kelvin Yii (MP Bandar Kuching) to reach out to Sarawakians living in the
Klang Valley. Many thanked me, because they felt like they didn’t have a
platform to engage with their MPs from back home,” the Selangor representative
said of the event that had featured two Sarawakian MPs.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/07/05/parlimen-digital-malaysias-youth-earn-praise-as-role-models-for-mps-in-dewa/1881715
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/construction-work-hindu-temple-site/d/122301