Islam Occupies Unique Position In India, Says NSA Ajit Doval: His Speech At The India Islamic Centre Also Addressed By Secy General, Muslim World League
New Age
Islam News Bureau
12 July
20123
National
Security Advisor Ajit Doval being felicitated by Saudi Arabia leader and Muslim
World League Secretary General Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa during
an event, at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)
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India
• Why is the visit of Muslim World
League's Sheikh al-Issa to India important?
• Muslim Man In UP Wants To Convert To
Hinduism, Wife Claims He Is Playing Tricks With Laws To Marry Girlfriend
• Telangana's 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb': Temple,
Mosque, Church In Secretariat
• Rural polls: ISF bags 23 of 24 seats
in TMC strongman Arabul Islam's panchayat
• CPM gets major Muslim groups on board
to attend UCC seminar
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Arab World
• Kuwait's Parliament Backs Ban On Sales
Of Products From Quran Burning Countries
• Saudi FM lambastes using freedom of
expression to disseminate hate as burning Qur’an continues
• Muslim states request action after
‘Islamophobic’ Quran burning
• Qatar reaffirms its rejection of all
forms of discrimination, religious hatred against Muslims
• Pilgrims Appreciate Efforts of Serving
Pilgrims at Two Holy Mosques, Holy Sites
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Europe
• Muslim parents must stand firm against
schools over sex education
• Birmingham brothers admit planning to
join Islamic State
• Military aid to Ukraine makes World War
III more likely – ex-Russian president
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North America
• French Muslim Explains Paris Riots —
What He Says Will Make Your Stomach Churn
• Man charged with smashing windows in
St-Michel, including at Muslim community centre
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South Asia
• Afghan Interior Minister Warns of ISIS
Attacks on Taliban Officials
• International Community has Increased
Pressure on Afghan Govt, Says Muttaqi
• Chinese Company to Invest $10 Million
in Medicines Production in Afghanistan
• EU Provides Over €5.7 Million to
Support Livelihood in Afghanistan
• International Islamic Trade Finance
Corp signs $1.4 billion deal to fund Bangladesh oil imports
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Pakistan
• 'Attack On Muslim Faith': Pakistan
Seeks Action Against Quran Burning Incident At UN
• Islamabad court fumes at Imran’s
frequent absences from Toshakhana case hearings
• IMF board to meet today to decide on
$3bn loan agreement
• Need no advice by Israel on how to
protect rights: FO
• In IMF good books, Pakistan gets $2bn
from Saudi Arabia
• Imran named in three more terror cases
--------
Mideast
• Bahrain King Thanked By Pope Over
Success Of Muslim- Christian Committee Meeting
• Rifi From Dar Al-Fatwa: Our Experience
With Dialogue Is Not Encouraging
• Inheritance departments for
non-Muslims are established in Dubai
• Türkiye, Pakistan urge world to stand
against anti-Muslim hatred
• Iran censures double standards over
Qur'an desecration
• Dozens of settlers renew storming of
courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque
• Kuwaitis will have 4-day long weekend
to celebrate Islamic New Year
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Africa
• Allow Islamic, Quranic Experts To
Develop Curriculum, National Council For Curriculum And Assessment Urged
• Kenya: Visit of the President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran
• Ghana Hajj Board holds talks with
Nigeria Hajj Commission in Mecca
• Court stops construction of Islamic
centre funded by Turkish embassy
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Southeast Asia
• DAP Sec-Gen Challenges Sanusi To Back
Claim Non-Muslims Main Source Of Corruption In Malaysia
• Non-Muslim lifestyle to remain the
same under Perikatan rule, says PAS’ Sanusi
• Sexual assault acquittal of
ex-principal to stand, Butterworth High Court rules
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/nsa-doval-islamic-centre-muslim-world-league/d/130198
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Islam Occupies Unique Position In India,
Says NSA Ajit Doval: His Speech At The India Islamic Centre Also Addressed By Secy
General, Muslim World League
National
Security Advisor Ajit Doval being felicitated by Saudi Arabia leader and Muslim
World League Secretary General Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa during
an event, at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)
------
July 12, 2023
Doval’s assurance came during his speech
at the India Islamic Centre here which was also addressed by Dr Mohammad Bin
Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General, Muslim World League.
Among India’s numerous religious groups,
Islam occupies a unique and significant position of pride, reflected over the
fact that India was home to second largest population of Muslims globally, the
NSA said.
“India, the world’s largest democracy
and the mother of democracies, is a land of incredible diversity. It is a
melting pot of cultures, religions, and languages that coexist in harmony. As
an inclusive democracy, India has successfully managed to provide space for all
its citizens, regardless of their religious, ethnic or cultural background,”
Doval observed.
To give an idea of the scale we are
talking about, the NSA stated, India’s Muslim population is almost equal to the
combined population of over 33 member states of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC).
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
He was of the view that “The philosophy
of cooperation and dialogue in Islam has, over the centuries, merged seamlessly
with the ancient Hindu civilisational tradition of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the
world is one family”. He further outlined that India, by being open to
accommodating various worldviews and ideas, interactions and assimilations of
various cultures, beliefs, and practices, emerged as a sanctuary of persecuted
people of all faiths from across the world since time immemorial.
Al-Issa, who was also former Minister of
Justice of Saudia Arabia, stated that India was “a great model of coexistence”
given its diversity and it can send a message of peace to the world.
“We talked about the different
components of the Indian society and we have been in the past few days engaging
with them. And I know that the Muslim component of the Indian society. They
are, as I said, proud of their Constitution and proud of their nation and they
are proud of the brotherhood that they share with the rest of the components of
the Indian society,” the Secretary General of Muslim World League said.
He also appreciated Indian wisdom for
contributing to humanity. “We know that here coexistence is very important. we
also work on promoting stability and harmony all over the world. We know that
the Indian component, with all its diversity, is a great model for coexistence
not only in just mere words but also on the ground,” said Al-Issa. The Saudi
leader is on a five day tour of India from Monday.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
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Dr. al-Issa, Muslim World League Chief:
Muslim Component Of Indian Society Is Proud Of Their Constitution
Muslim World
League Secretary General Al-Issa meets PM Modi (Photo: Twitter)
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11 July, 2023
Priyanka Sharma
New Delhi: Muslim world league chief
Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim al-Issa, who is on a 6-day visit to India, said that
the “Muslim component” of India are proud of their Constitution, nation, and
brotherhood that they share with other community.
The former justice minister of Saudi
Arabia, regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on moderate Islam, said
on Tuesday that India, with its variety, is a “great model of coexistence” and
that the nation can spread peace worldwide.
“We talked just moments ago about the
different components of Indian society, and we have engaged with them in the
past few days. And I know that the Muslim component of the Indian society is,
as I said, proud of their Constitution and proud of their nation, and they are
proud of the brotherhood that they share with the rest of the components of the
Indian society,” al-Issa said in the national capital on Tuesday.
Al-Issa, a former Saudi justice
minister, is currently in charge of the Intellectual Warfare Center, a
department of the Saudi defense ministry tasked with battling extremist and
terrorist ideology. People who know the situation indicated that he is likely to
speak on religious tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and preventing
radicalization.
It Is believed that Al-Issa’s five-day
travel to India starting on July 10 is a part of the Indian government’s
ongoing outreach to critical religious leaders from the Islamic world. Al-Issa
is also anticipated to meet with Smriti Irani, the minister for minority
affairs, and S Jaishankar, the minister for external attend Friday prayers at
the Jama Masjid and visit the Akshardham shrine as part of his obligations in
New Delhi.
Source: newsx.com
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Top UN Rights Body Opens Debate: Quran Burning
Designed To Stoke Hatred, Violence
Foreign
Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari virtually addressing a session of an urgent
debate held by the Human Rights Council on July 11, 2023. — APP
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July 12, 2023
GENEVA/ISLAMABAD: The UN Human Rights
Council Tuesday said hate speech was on the rise everywhere, as it held an
urgent debate on the recent desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden.
“These appear tailor-made to inflame anger
and divide communities,” said the UN human rights chief Volker Turk while
opening the debate.
A copy of the Holy Quran was burnt
outside the Swedish capital’s main mosque on June 28, triggering a diplomatic
backlash across the Muslim world.
Pakistan and other nations called for a
discussion on “the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious
hatred as manifested by the recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in some
European and other countries.”
Pakistan and other members of the OIC hoped
to get a resolution passed on the issue on Tuesday or later in the week.
Turk said the recent Quran burning
incidents “appear to have been manufactured to express contempt and inflame
anger; to drive wedges between people; and to provoke, transforming differences
of perspective into hatred and, perhaps, violence”.
He said irrespective of the law or
personal belief, “people need to act with respect for others”.
He said hate speech needed to be
combated through dialogue, education, raising awareness and inter-faith
engagement. “Powered by the tidal forces of social media, and in a context of
increasing international and national discord and polarisation, hate speech of
every kind is rising, everywhere,” Turk said. “It is harmful to individuals,
and it damages the social cohesion necessary to the sound functioning of all
societies.”
APP adds: Meanwhile, Foreign Minister
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday called upon the world to stand united against
hatred, discrimination, intolerance, and promote mutual respect, understanding
and tolerance.
Addressing a virtual session of an
urgent debate held by the Human Rights Council on acts of religious hatred,
including the desecration of the Holy Quran, the foreign minister said
unfortunately deliberate desecration of the Holy Quran had continued under
government sanction and with impunity. Increasingly, he said these acts were
designed to maximize propagating hate.
“We must see this incitement to hatred,
discrimination and attempts to provoke violence. We must join hands to condemn
it. We must isolate those who stoke hatred,” he said.
He said three months ago, the first
international day to combat Islamophobia was observed where the first-ever
session was held to mark the occasion at the UN General Assembly. The minister
said the Holy Quran was a spiritual anchor for two billion Muslims.
“It is important to understand the deep
hurt that at public and premeditated act of Quran’s desecration causes to
Muslims,” he remarked.
Terming the desecration of the Holy
Quran an attack on the Muslim faith, Bilawal said the call in the draft text
presented before this council for prevention and accountability was reasonable
and necessary. The minister said hate speech and free speech must be
segregated, as free speech was as indispensable as was hate speech. “There is
not a single Muslim country on the planet that allows the desecration of the
holy text of other religions,” he said, adding that such an act was unthinkable
to any Muslim. “It is forbidden by faith, by culture and by law,” he said.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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UN Rights Council Split After Debate
Called Over Quran Burnings
The group of
27 countries called for an end to the 'disproportionate attention' given to
Israel. (Photo: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)
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July 11, 2023
Robin MILLARD
The UN Human Rights Council is heading
towards a divisive vote on Wednesday on religious hatred following recent Quran
burnings, with some Western nations reluctantly feeling the draft resolution
encroaches too far on free speech.
Pakistan and other Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation countries secured an urgent debate at the UN’s top rights
body on Tuesday after a Quran was burnt outside Stockholm’s main mosque,
triggering a diplomatic backlash across the Muslim world.
Pakistan’s draft resolution condemns all
manifestations of religious hatred, including “public and premeditated acts of
desecration of the Holy Quran”, and underscores the need to hold those
responsible to account.
It urges states to adopt laws to
“address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that
constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”.
It also wants the UN rights chief Volker
Turk to identify gaps in countries’ laws in light of Tuesday’s Quran burning
debate.
Worried about freedom of expression —
however distasteful — some Western nations on the 47-member council were
holding out for revised wording that would allow them all to reach a consensus.
But with Pakistan submitting its
resolution, the European Union countries, the United States and Britain — while
condemning Quran burnings — resigned themselves to a vote instead, with London
and Washington saying they would vote against the draft resolution.
After four hours of debate, the council
in Geneva was on the brink of voting on Tuesday. However, it narrowly ran out
of time, meaning they will return at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Wednesday.
– ‘Deliberate desecration’ –
“The deliberate desecration of the holy
Quran has continued under government sanction and with a sense of impunity,”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told the council, via
video-link.
“Free speech is as indispensable as hate
speech should be indefensible. Our vigour to protect free speech must not lose
sight of the imperative to reject hate speech.”
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi
added: “These provocations deeply insult Muslims around the world. You cannot
hide behind freedom of expression.”
In a brief intervention, Sweden’s
representative said Stockholm “strongly rejects any Islamophobic acts”.
Some countries feel existing resolutions
go far enough.
France’s ambassador Jerome Bonnafont
noted: “Human rights protect people — not religions, doctrines, beliefs or
their symbols.
“It is neither for the United Nations
nor for states to define what is sacred.”
Opening the debate, UN rights chief Turk
said recent Quran-burning incidents seemingly “manufactured to express contempt
and inflame anger”.
“Powered by the tidal forces of social
media… hate speech of every kind is rising, everywhere,” he said.
Turk said that “people need to act with
respect for others”, with inflammatory acts against religions being “offensive,
irresponsible and wrong”.
But, he stressed, limitations on free
speech “must, as a matter of fundamental principle, remain an exception”.
– Western hopes for consensus –
US ambassador Michele Taylor said she
had “so hoped” the council could “speak with one consensus voice”.
“While we abhor expressions of religious
hatred, we do not believe freedom of expression can or should be abridged to
outlaw them. Accordingly, we regret that we must vote against this text,” she
said.
British ambassador Simon Manley said it
was difficult to determine where free speech becomes unacceptable.
“We don’t accept that, by definition,
attacks on religion, including our religious texts or symbols, constitute
advocacy for hatred,” he concluded.
Belgium’s ambassador Marc Pecsteen,
speaking for the EU, deeply regretted there was “no will” to keep negotiating
for a consensus and the bloc therefore “has no other choice than to ask for a
vote”.
On June 28 in Stockholm, SalwanMomika,
37, who fled from Iraq to Sweden several years ago, stomped on the Muslim holy
book and set several pages alight.
His actions came as Muslims around the
world began marking the Eid al-Adha holiday.
The Swedish government condemned the
Quran burning as “Islamophobic”, but added that Sweden had a
“constitutionally-protected right to freedom of assembly, expression and
demonstration”.
Source: digitaljournal.com
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Sri Lankan President Denounces The
Burning Of The Quran Outside A Mosque In Sweden
July 12, Colombo: President Ranil Wickremesinghe
has denounced the burning of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden.
President Wickremesinghe has described
the act as a violation of the Freedom of Worship.
The Sri Lankan President urged Western
nations to respect the Global South’s value system and not allow the spread of
disorder under the pretense of Freedom of Expression.
The burning of the Islam’s holy book by
an Iraqi Christian immigrant outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim
holiday of Eid al-Adha triggered widespread condemnation from Islamic world.
Source: colombopage.com
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India
Why is the visit of Muslim World League's Sheikh al-Issa to India important?
Jul 12, 2023
After having intensive discussions with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Issa,
the Secretary General of Muslim World League will call upon Indian President
Draupadi Murmu and meet other political and Islamic and non-Islamic religious
dignitaries in India till July 15.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval hosted
a lavish dinner for Sheikh Issa on Tuesday with leading Islamic clerics such as
Maulana Mehmood Madani, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, and Maulana Asghar
Ali Mehdi, head of Ahle-Hadees, attending the show apart from Sufi clerics from
Ajmersharif Dargah. Prior to that, Sheikh al-Issa addressed a large
congregation at Islamic Center in Delhi, where he publicly appreciated the
history and diversity of India and maintained that Indian Muslims were proud of
their country. He said that India is a great model of co-existence to the
entire world and it was the duty of all Indians to be patriotic.
Speaking at the same function, NSA Doval
said that terrorism was not linked to any religion and that spiritual leaders
were needed to counter extremism. He said it was no coincidence that despite
India having 200 million Muslims, the involvement of Indian citizens in global
terrorism was incredibly low.
While India’s adversaries like Pakistan
and its allies in the Middle-East are trying to accuse the Modi government and
India of Islamophobia, the timing of Sheikh Issa visit is very significant as
he is close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and represents the
reformative phase of Islam in the Royal Kingdom. Voice and face of moderate
Islam, Sheikh Issa has given religious sanctity to the major empowerment of
women in the Saudi kingdom under the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. Today,
steps have been taken in Saudi Arabia to take into account the convenience of
its citizens while offering prayers with a big no to loudspeakers and
restricting the prayers to homes and mosques. Now women can drive in Saudi
Arabia and have been radically empowered by the present Crown Prince.
While all the schemes announced by Prime
Minister Modi are non-discriminatory and beneficial to all, his adversaries in
the country and the west often raise the “Hindutva” agenda to threaten the
minority community in India. Opposition parties also force multiply into this
minority agenda to secure their vote banks and ensure that Indian Muslims stay
away from the ruling BJP despite minorities being beneficiaries of all
government welfare schemes.
Apart from extending all DBT and Health
schemes to all citizens including minorities, PM Modi has also made significant
efforts to counter the anti-Muslim narrative being spread around by Pakistan
and its Muslim brotherhood allies in the Middle-East. He invited Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as chief guest for the 2023 Republic Day and
then visited Cairo last month for the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM
since 1997. He is travelling to the United Arab Emirates on July 15 to meet
President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expand bilateral ties. And there is
diplomatic buzz about PM Modi travelling to Kuwait later this year.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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Muslim Man In UP Wants To Convert To
Hinduism, Wife Claims He Is Playing Tricks With Laws To Marry Girlfriend
The woman claimed her husband opted for
the conversion route to avoid a triple talaq case and stay clear of ‘love
jihad’ charges after he submitted an application for conversion to the
Moradabad district magistrate.
Written by Amit Sharma
July 12, 2023
A 22-year-old Muslim man’s application
for conversion to Hinduism has kicked up a storm in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad
district after his wife alleged that he wanted to convert to marry a Hindu
woman. She also said her husband opted for the conversion route to avoid a
triple talaq case and stay clear of ‘love jihad’ charges.
In his application to the district
magistrate (DM), Aamir Ali sought security in the apprehension of attack from
his community members over the matter.
“As per the law, there is no need for
any permission from an officer if adults are willing to change their religion.
But in this case, his wife, too, has moved an application. She claimed that her
husband was playing tricks with the existing laws. I have asked the additional
district magistrate (ADM) and the senior superintendent of police to look into
the issue to ascertain the truth before taking any action,” said DM Shailendra
Kumar Singh.
The Moradabad police said Aamir Ali
works as a sales executive in a private firm in Ghaziabad and is a resident of
the Prince Road under the Mughalpura police jurisdiction.
“We have been informed that he had moved
an application to the higher-ups seeking permission to convert but we have yet
not received any orders in this regard. A police constable has been placed
outside his residence to ensure security,” said Amit Kumar, the incharge of
Mughalpura police station.
Ali’s wife Gulphansa, 19, who has a
four-month-old daughter with him, addressed the media Tuesday and claimed her
husband had been having a relationship with the Hindu woman since 2014.
“I was married in February 2022 and
learned about his relationship six months later. I objected, and he assured me
he would distance himself from her. His girlfriend has threatened to make their
affair a case of ‘love jihad’. My family will lodge a case under the triple
talaq law against him if he divorces me. This explains why he is playing tricks
by seeking permission for conversion,” she said. Triple talaq, the process of
divorce under the Sharia law where a husband can divorce his wife by
pronouncing ‘talaq’ three times, has been outlawed in India and made a criminal
offence.
Gulphansa said she sent a letter to
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking his intervention in the matter.” I am
your daughter and do hope that you will come to my rescue to protect your
daughter in this issue,” she appealed to the chief minister.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Telangana's 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb':
Temple, mosque, church in Secretariat
Jul 12, 2023
HYDERABAD: Four months after chief
minister K Chandrasekhar Rao opened the new secretariat, a new temple, mosque
and church will be thrown open on August 25 on its premises. KCR had opened the
newly-built secretariat on April 30.In another move, the CM has also decided to
absorb 20,000 village revenue assistants (VRAs), working with the revenue
department, into other departments.
The three religious structures will be
made available to secretariat employees so that they can take part in various
festivities. "The Telangana government believes in equality of all
religions, reflecting the secular spirit enshrined in the Constitution and
spreading Telangana's 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb' across the world," KCR said.
The CM, who held a meeting with senior officials
on Tuesday, decided to reopen the temple, church and mosque after consulting
religious leaders of various faiths.
The old secretariat housed a
NallaPochamma temple and a masjid. Both were razed along with several other
buildings. This led to widespread criticism from various quarters, but KCR
promised then that structures of three religious faiths would be built on the
new secretariat premises. "CM has fixed August 25 muhurat for their
inauguration by performing rituals," officials said.
While the VRAs would be absorbed into
other departments like irrigation, junior panchayat secretaries, who have
completed four years of their probationary service, will also be regularised.
The CM constituted a cabinet
sub-committee headed by IT minister KT Rama Rao as chairman and ministers G
Jagadish Reddy and SatyavathiRathod as members. The sub-committee will hold
consultations with VRAs association from Wednesday and recommend on utilisation
of their services. To complete the process, the CM fixed one week deadline for
the sub-committee to give recommendations.
The government abolished the VRA and
village revenue officer (VRO) system in the revenue department two-and-a-half
years ago. "District-level committees will examine performance of
panchayat secretaries and those who achieve targets would be regularised,"
CM said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Rural polls: ISF bags 23 of 24 seats in
TMC strongman Arabul Islam's panchayat
12.07.23
Trinamul Congress strongman Arabul Islam
suffered a jolt in his backyard of Bhangar on Tuesday when the Indian Secular
Front (ISF) and Jomi, Jibika, Bastutontro O Poribesh Raksha Committee together
bagged 23 of 24 seats in Polerhat 2 gram panchayat.
Arabul is a resident of Polerhat 2 gram
panchayat and since 2006 when he won the Bhangar Assembly seat for first time,
this patch in Bhangar 2 block has been his stronghold.
Bhangar, located around 30km east of
Calcutta, was the epicentre of violence that convulsed rural Bengal in the run
up to the July 8 panchayat elections.
Trinamul could bag only one seat in the
Polerhat 2 panchayat, which had witnessed violent protests against a power
project in 2017. The committee was formed to protest against land acquisition
for the project in Bhangar.
“We have lost many seats by negligible
margins of five, seven and 10 votes. But we have won nine of 10 gram panchayats
in Bhangar 2 block,” Arabul said while stepping out of the counting centre.
Arabul though won his seat in panchayat samity.
The ISF won several seats in
Bhagabanpur, Bamanghata, Shanpukur and Bhogali gram panchayats.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/rural-polls-indian-secular-front-bags-23-of-24-seats-in-trinamool-congress-strongman-arabul-islams-panchayat/cid/1951433
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CPM gets major Muslim groups on board to
attend UCC seminar
12th July 2023
By MP PrashanthExpress News Service
KOZHIKODE: Even as Indian Union Muslim
League (IUML) turned down the CPM’s invite to its seminar on the Uniform Civil
Code, major Muslim organisations in Kerala, many of whom are traditionally
loyal to the Muslim League, have decided to attend the programme.
Two factions of the Sunnis and three
Muhajid groups besides the Muslim Education Society (MES) will be sending their
representatives to the seminar.
All organisations have deputed their
senior leaders to the programme. The Kanthapuram faction of the Sunnis will be
represented by Kerala Muslim Jama’at state vice-president C Muhammad Faizy and
general secretary N Ali Abdulla.
Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama
secretary Umar Faizi Mukkam and mushawara member P M AbdusalamBaqavi, Kerala
Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) state president T P Abdullakoya Madani and
vice-president Hussein Madavoor, KNM Markazudawa general secretary C P Umar
Sullami, Haj committee member I P Abdusalam, Wisdom Islamic Organisation
general secretary T K Ashraf and MES president Dr Fazal Gafoor are the other
invited guests. Thamarassery Bishop Mar RemigioseInchananiyil and Rev Fr T I
James, representative of CSI, will be delegates from the Christian community.
Yechury to inaugurate seminar
Addressing a news conference, CPM
district secretary and organising committee convener P Mohanan said CPM general
secretary SitaramYechury will inaugurate the seminar at Calicut Trade Centre on
July 15.
MLA O R Kelu of Adivasi KshemaSamithi,
Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha general secretary Punnala Sreekumar, K Ramabhadran of
Kerala Dalit Federation and eminent personalities from the field of art and
culture will also participate.
CPM state secretary M V Govindan, CPI
leader PanniyanRaveendran, Elamaram Kareem, MP, M V Sreyamskumar, ministers P A
Mohamed Riyas, A K Saseendran and AhamedDevarkovil will also be present.
Meanwhile, KNM president T P Abdullakoya
Madani told the media that the CPM’s seminar need not be viewed with suspicion.
“There is no need to inquire into the
stand taken by organisations in the past. Stand on an issue taken in the past
can be reviewed and corrected according to the needs of the present,” he said.
On IUML keeping away from the seminar,
Madani said it is a political decision. There is no practice of religious
organisations following the line of political parties, he said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/jul/12/cpm-gets-major-muslim-groups-on-board-to-attend-ucc-seminar-2593838.html
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Arab World
Kuwait's parliament backs ban on sales
of products from Quran burning countries
July 11, 2023
CAIRO, July 11 (Reuters) - Kuwait's
parliament has instructed the trade ministry to ban the sale of products made
by countries involved in Quran burning, the parliament said in a statement on
Tuesday.
It also instructed the ministry to ban
exports to countries that "violate Islam's principles".
The statement said the information
ministry should also take action against websites and applications that
"promote such violations".
Reporting By Moaz Abd-Alaziz in Cairo
Editing by Mark Potter
Source: reuters.com
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https://www.reuters.com/world/kuwaits-parliament-backs-ban-sales-products-Quran-burning-countries-2023-07-11/
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Saudi FM lambastes using freedom of
expression to disseminate hate as burning Qur’an continues
July 11, 2023
RIYADH — Foreign Minister Prince Faisal
Bin Frahan lambasted using freedom of expression as a tool for disseminating
hatred and cultural confrontation as burning Qur’an repeated continuously.
He said that freedom of expression
represents a moral value that spreads respect and coexistence among peoples.
Prince Faisal made his remarks at the
emergency discussion session in the Human Rights Council on the incident of
burning the Holy Qur’an on Tuesday.
He said that the incidents of burning
copies of the Qur’an contribute to inciting hatred, violence, and hostility.
“These acts exploit freedom of opinion and expression, in a way incompatible
with human rights.”
“Global culture of tolerance and peace
can only be sustained through concerted international efforts to promote the
principles of respect and acceptance of religions in all societies,” he added.
Prince Faisal renewed Saudi Arabia's
strong condemnation of the incidents of burning copies of the Qur’an.
He stressed that these acts cannot be
accepted with any justification, and that they incite hatred and racism, and
directly contradict with international efforts seeking to spread the values of
tolerance.
He said: “The Kingdom is looking forward
to adopting the proposed draft resolution “combating religious hatred that
constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence” in accordance
with human rights.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/634147/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-FM-lambastes-using-freedom-of-expression-to-disseminate-hate-as-burning-Quran-continues
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Muslim states request action after
‘Islamophobic’ Quran burning
11 July ,2023
Muslim states including Iran and
Pakistan on Tuesday said desecration of the Quran amounted to inciting
religious hatred and called for accountability, as the UN rights body debated a
contentious motion in the wake of a Quran burning in Sweden.
The motion, brought by Pakistan in response
to last month’s incident, seeks a report from the UN rights chief on the topic
and calls on states to review their laws and plug gaps that may “impede the
prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred.”
For all the latest headlines, follow our
Google News channel online or via the app.
The debate highlighted rifts in the UN
Human Rights Council between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and
Western members concerned about the motion’s implications for free speech and
challenges posed to long-held practices in rights protection.
An Iraqi immigrant to Sweden burned the
Quran outside a Stockholm mosque last month, sparking outrage across the Muslim
world and protests in several Pakistani cities.
“We must see this clearly for what it
is: incitement to religious hatred, discrimination and attempts to provoke
violence,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told the Geneva
council via video, saying such acts occurred under “government sanction and
with the sense of impunity.”
His remarks were echoed by ministers
from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia with the latter calling it an act of
“Islamophobia.” “Stop abusing freedom of expression,” said Foreign Minister
RetnoMarsudi. “Silence means complicity.”
Germany’s ambassador Katharina Stasch
called the burning a “dreadful provocation” and condemned it. But she added
that “freedom of speech sometimes also means to bear opinions that may seem
almost unbearable.” France’s envoy said human rights were about protecting people,
not religions and their symbols.
Diplomats said intense negotiations had
not led to a break through on Tuesday and expect a vote. Such a vote would
almost certainly pass since OIC countries make up 19 members of the 47-member
body and also have support from China and others.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk told
the council that inflammatory acts against Muslims, as well as other religions
or minorities, are “offensive, irresponsible and wrong.”
Source: english.alarabiya.net
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https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2023/07/11/Muslim-states-request-action-after-Islamophobic-Quran-burning
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Qatar reaffirms its rejection of all
forms of discrimination, religious hatred against Muslims
11 Jul 2023
Doha: The State of Qatar has reiterated
its condemnation in strongest terms over incidences of burning of copies of the
Holy Qu'ran which intentionally transpired in several European countries
recently, affirming that all sane independent observers, when seeing these
incidences, and run a background check on their perpetrators and the nature of
their general rhetoric, will definitely see agendas lurking behind them that
intentionally plant hatred and fuel seditions among Muslims and their communities'
people, in addition to provoking the belief of billions of human beings
worldwide.
This came in a recorded remark delivered
by Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs HE Lolwahbint Rashid Al Khater on Tuesday during the urgent 53rd
session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on "the alarming rise in
premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by recurrent
desecration of the Holy Quran in some European and other countries".
Regarding the positions of some European
governments towards facilitating and enabling the recurrence of such incidences
on legal claims related to freedom of speech and individuals' rights, Her
Excellency said that it has become perplexed as such incidences accumulated for
all people coming from far and near that such a standard is not purely
selective since all these countries strictly prohibit any antisemitic
legislative, speech and acts to name a few.
She outlined that many of these
countries operate a magnifying glass on religious minorities in the predominant
Muslims states and through this glass they inflate everything that afflicts
every single individual from those valued ones, hold the governments of these
states responsible and demand them to make change even if it is not a
systematic act approved by governments.
Minister of State for International
Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in the context of the
justification and facilitation of the act of hate speech by some governments
towards Muslims in their countries, Islamic states and communities cannot
reciprocate, not because they fear the attack that would have been launched by
those governments on them, but because of Islamic states' compliance with their
conviction and laws after the Islamic values that prohibit them from provoking
others or hurting them in their beliefs.
She outlined that the State of Qatar
considers promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms and repudiation of
hate speech and discrimination among people based on religion a responsibility
of states and international institutions concerned with human rights
spearheaded by this esteemed council, pointing out that the State of Qatar
stresses the importance of taking a clear position by the council and its
mechanisms to condemn all forms of racism, hate speech against religions and
their followers, as well as prevent their recurrence.
In this context, HE Lolwahbint Rashid Al
Khater reaffirmed the State of Qatar's call on the governments of states to
uphold their obligations under the United Nations charter that calls for
developing cordial relations among nations based on respect for the principle
that advocates for settlement of rights among nations and respect for human
rights and fundamental rights of all people, in addition to the State of
Qatar's call on states, where these practices have been committed, to take
national measures to counter them, hold their perpetrators accountable and
prevent their future recurrence.
Her Excellency said such a vital session
is an opportunity to highlight a major problem besetting religious minorities
worldwide and is not confined to a certain area, but just for the sake of
equity and objectivity, adding that there are many laudable practices and
legislations towards racial diversity in the aforementioned European countries,
along with Muslims whether they are citizens, or migrants in those countries.
However, there is a deeper, more violent
and ferocious problem that besets Muslim minority in some countries of the Far
East and around it represented in discrimination in religious and civil practices
and rights where racism blends with religion whose maximum demonstrations
culminate in incarceration, torture, forced eviction and taking innocents
lives.
HE Minister of State for International
Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the State of Qatar's
welcome to the unanimous approval of member states in Human Rights Council to
hold this urgent debate which addresses a vital topic within the council's
terms of reference to counter religious hatred that conspicuously started to
infiltrate creating a fertile ground that justifies hostility, discrimination
and violence in the east and west towards followers of certain religions.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
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https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/11/07/2023/qatar-reaffirms-its-rejection-of-all-forms-of-discrimination-religious-hatred-against-muslims
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Pilgrims Appreciate Efforts of Serving
Pilgrims at Two Holy Mosques, Holy Sites
11 Jul, 2023
Pilgrims have stated that they
appreciated all efforts exerted by agencies involved in serving them in
Madinah, including providing care and all necessary facilities that help them
perform their worship with ease and facilitating pilgrims' movement from their
residences to the Prophet's Mosque, great mosques and historical landmarks in
Madinah.
In an interview with SPA, a Yemeni
pilgrim Issam Mujahid, explained that he felt comfortable and reassured after
performing Hajj rituals this year. He also thanked the relevant Hajj agencies
that relentlessly provide their services to pilgrims to ensure a comfortable
journey.
Another Yemeni pilgrim Khaled Mohammed
Ismail also thanked and appreciated the welcoming reception and hospitality he
and his family received in the Kingdom. He said that he wished the best for all
individuals working in service of the pilgrims.
From Egypt, pilgrim Tariq Abbas was
thankful for the great services provided to pilgrims. He said that he had seen
a remarkable development in the expansion and development works of the Two Holy
Mosques and the holy sites.
Egyptian pilgrim Mohammed Jumaa, who
performed the Hajj for the first time, expressed his thanks and appreciation to
the wise Saudi leadership for all services and facilities provided and for
exerting great efforts in harnessing capabilities for the comfort of pilgrims
to help them perform their worship smoothly.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/de7a64562a62409c84866e27234f3e8f
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Europe
Muslim parents must stand firm against
schools over sex education
11th July 2023
inappropriate sex education or
un-Islamic ideologies must stand their ground and fight for the sake of their
children’s iman.
It is shocking how parents’ rights are
being reduced and neglected while schools breach their own processes. The
guidance on Relationship and Sex Education teaching is very clear and states
that parents must be consulted and their religious perspectives must be taken
into due consideration.
Yet schools in this country are
increasingly marginalising parents. This disenfranchisement must stop as
parents are one of the trio of educating stakeholders – the other two being the
children and the school, respectively.
Nevertheless, the conflict continues.
Has the government got this wrong? Yes, massively. And what is crystallising
now across the country will be even worse in years to come. Even our non-Muslim
peers and associates are aghast at what is being taught and are livid about the
lack of transparency, accountability and their loss of rights.
The debate has even escalated into the
law courts. Last year parents in Wales lost a legal bid to have the right to
remove children from such age-inappropriate lessons. Extreme humanists concluded
that this was “a victory for children.”
Those parents who oppose the LGBTQ+
agenda are often regarded as intolerant and anti-gay. This whataboutery is a
distraction and an attempt to silence genuine critics and concerned parents.
Most religious and like-minded groups have no issue learning about differences
of lifestyle, cultures and religion. The issue is when this LGBTQ ideology is
forced and in many ways openly promoted in schools.
The government and others nonsensically
argue that the new “imposed” curriculum will “promote equality and
inclusivity,” but schools were already duty bound by the Equality Act and other
mediums, such as Citizenship and PSHE lessons, to do this.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
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https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/07/11/muslim-parents-must-stand-firm-against-schools-over-sex-education/
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Birmingham brothers admit planning to
join Islamic State
Two brothers have admitted planning a
trip to Afghanistan to join a branch of Islamic State (IS).
Muhammad Abdul Haleem Heyder Khan, 21,
and Muhammad Hamzah Heyder Khan, 18, from Ward End in Birmingham appeared at
the city's crown court on Monday.
Less than a week into their trial they
both pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism.
The pair are due to return to Birmingham
Crown Court for sentencing on 11 September.
Opening the Crown's case on 5 July,
Harpreet Sandhu KC said the brothers had become "increasingly
radicalised" over the course of 2022.
The court heard the brothers had bought
clothes and equipment and had researched how to travel to Afghanistan to join
the terrorist organisation known as Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP).
They had completed application forms to
join IS, the court was told.
IS was proscribed by the Home Secretary
in 2014 and ISKP is recognised as one of its "regional branches", Mr
Sandhu told the jury.
Following the guilty plea, DetCh Supt
Mark Payne, said: "The weight of evidence against them clearly gave them
no choice but to admit they were preparing to join and fight for a terrorist
organisation."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-66162611
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Military aid to Ukraine makes World War
III more likely – ex-Russian president
12 Jul, 2023
The continuing Western military aid to
Kiev only increases the risk of escalating the standoff with Russia, edging the
world closer to a global war, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has
warned after NATO members gathered for a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on
Tuesday.
In a post on his Telegram channel,
Medvedev blasted the new defense packages announced by Ukraine’s supporters.
“The completely crazed West could not
come up with anything else,” Medvedev, who is currently the deputy chairman of
Russia’s Security Council, wrote. “In fact, it is a dead end. World War III is
getting closer.” He added that the aid decisions were “highly predictable, to
the point of idiocy.”
“What does it all mean to us? Everything
is obvious. The special military operation will be continued, with the goals
remaining the same,” Medvedev wrote, referring to the military action launched
by Russia in Ukraine in February 2022.
Medvedev’s comments came as experts on
both sides have been voicing concerns that current tensions between Russia and
the West could lead to a new global war and even trigger the use of nuclear
weapons.
Although Ukraine was denied an immediate
NATO membership out of fear that it would spiral into an open war between
Russia and the US-led alliance, Kiev’s major supporters pledged additional aid.
Last week, US President Joe Biden
authorized the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite the White
House having previously condemned the use of such weapons as war crimes. France
plans to provide Kiev with SCALP long-range cruise missiles, while Germany
pledged 25 additional Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks and 40 Marder armored
vehicles, as well as two US-made Patriot air defense batteries.
Russian officials have repeatedly warned
that shipments of heavy weapons and other military aid to Ukraine make NATO
members de facto direct participants in Moscow’s conflict with Kiev. Moscow
also insisted that Western support would not change the course of the fighting
and not derail the Russian forces from achieving their goals on the
battlefield.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/579574-medvedev-slams-ukraine-aid/
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North America
French Muslim Explains Paris Riots —
What He Says Will Make Your Stomach Churn
July 11, 2023
People around the world are growing
increasingly concerned about the anarchy occurring in France — and rightfully
so. The rioting, looting, and utter chaos is ravaging cities across the country
— France is, quite literally, burning.
However, the situation may be even more
dire than we thought.
A recent interview with a French Muslim
immigrant has gone viral for the ominous warning it contains.
Dave Rubin plays the clip of the man
bluntly saying, “They colonized us for 132 years, and now we will colonize them
for life, until death, until the end of time.”
Such a statement might conjure an image
of someone dressed in traditional Muslim attire speaking in an Arabic language.
But not in this case. This man speaks
fluent French, is dressed in Western clothing, and is sitting at what looks to
be a typical French cafe. He’s the type of person you’d pass by on the street
without a second thought.
“France has a problem,” Rubin says.
However, Dave doesn’t assume this man’s
harrowing message is harbored in the hearts of all French Muslims.
He certainly hopes not, anyway.
“But clearly he’s saying … ‘Oh, you did
something to our ancestors way back when; now we’re here for payback,”’ Rubin
explains.
Dave also thinks there’s a takeaway for
Americans in this disturbing interview:
“From an American perspective,” he says,
“do we have every right to protect our border and say, ‘Here are the things we
believe in this country — we believe in individual rights, we believe that
women should be treated fairly, we believe that minorities should be treated
fairly … so you can’t then bring in a whole bunch of people who … not only
don’t believe those things but then are also a tax on the system?”
If we can’t draw some healthy boundaries
and protect what our country stands for, we may “end up in a really horrific
situation like what France has right now,” Rubin warns.
Want more from Dave Rubin?
To enjoy more honest conversations, free
speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest
multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and
live the American dream.
Source: theblaze.com
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https://www.theblaze.com/shows/the-rubin-report/french-muslim-explains-paris-riots-what-he-says-will-make-your-stomach-churn
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Man charged with smashing windows in
St-Michel, including at Muslim community centre
Jul 11, 2023
A 42-year-old man has been ordered to
undergo a mental health evaluation at the Philippe Pinel Institution following
his arrest after several buildings, including a Muslim community centre, were
damaged in St-Michel.
Bo Sam, a Montreal resident, appeared
before Quebec Court Judge SilvieKovacevich at the Montreal courthouse Monday evening
where he faces seven mischief charges in all, including one alleging that he
smashed a window at the Muslim Community Centre of Montreal on Cremazie Blvd.
E. on July 1.
He is also charged with damaging seven
vehicles and the window of the main entrance to a truck rental agency, also on
Cremazie Blvd. E., on the same day.
The other five charges involve a series
of events that took place on July 9. Sam is alleged to have smashed the windows
of three restaurants, a CHSLD and a school.
The judge ordered that Sam undergo an
evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial. The case returns to court
on July 17.
Article content
Sam has a lengthy criminal record and
when he was charged with three counts of breaking and entering in January, he
listed a shelter for unhoused men as his address.
According to the Montreal police, on
July 1 at around 12:10 a.m., someone smashed the window of the truck rental
agency by throwing a rock through it and then proceeded to damage seven
vehicles in the agency’s parking lot. A few minutes later, the same person
stood in front of the Muslim Community Centre of Montreal and threw a small
block of concrete at the window of the building.
On July 9, police officers arrested a
man after he smashed the windows of three restaurants. An investigation led
investigators to believe the same person caused the damage on July 1 as well as
the damage to the CHSLD and the school.
The Montreal police are inviting anyone
else with a business in St-Michel that has suffered similar damage to “report
the situation by contacting 911 or their neighbourhood police station. It is
also possible to submit a report anonymously and confidentially with Info-Crime
Montréal at 514 393-1133 or via the report form available on the
infocrimemontreal.ca website.”
Source: montrealgazette.com
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https://montrealgazette.com/news/crime/man-charged-with-smashing-windows-in-st-michel-including-at-muslim-community-centre
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South Asia
Afghan Interior Minister Warns of ISIS
Attacks on Taliban Officials
July 12, 2023
Taliban’s Interior Minister in a letter
stated that Islamic State (ISIS) militants are planning to launch attacks
targeting senior Taliban leaders, provincial governors, officials and
more.
Abdul Mateen Qaneh, Taliban’s
spokesperson for the interior ministry on Tuesday, July 11, confirmed the
content of the letter but avoided providing further details about the potential
threats.
The letter was delivered on July 9 to
the Taliban’s police command throughout Afghanistan – stating that ISIS
fighters want to target provincial governors, chiefs and civilian leaders of
the group in their offices and residential houses by means of suicide attacks
and bombs.
Some senior Taliban members including
Mullah Yaqoob, the Acting Defense Minister had traveled to Saudi Arabia to
offer Haj pilgrimage.
Prior to this, a separate letter from
the Taliban interior ministry had gone viral on social media, claiming that a
group of fighters affiliated with ISIS were planning to enter the country from
Pakistan.
Previously, the Taliban had officially
underestimated the security threats of ISIS, however, now the de facto
authorities of Afghanistan consider ISIS as a major threat than other
anti-Taliban groups.
According to Western security officials,
the Khorasan branch of ISIS had lost the ability to operate within Afghanistan,
but now it seems that ISIS insurgents are trying to target senior Taliban
officials via suicide attacks and showcase their abilities.
Killing former Balkh governor, Mohammad
Dawood Muzamil and former Deputy Governor of Badakhshan provinces in two
separate suicide attacks are clear examples of ISIS fighters’ operations in
different parts of the country.
Over the past twenty years, Taliban
fighters pursued the same tactic to kill former government officials and
political figures, and have always praised its effectiveness.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghan-interior-minister-warns-of-isis-attacks-on-taliban-officials/
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International Community has Increased
Pressure on Afghan Govt, Says Muttaqi
July 12, 2023
Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir
Khan Muttaqi met with the Norwegian charge d’affaires and said despite ‘major
achievements’ the international community has not yet had meaningful
interactions with the group.
In a meeting with Paul Kloman Bakar, the
Norwegian charge d’affaires, Muttaqi said the world governments have increased
pressure on the Taliban-run administration.
Taliban’s spokesperson for the foreign
ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, on Tuesday in Tweet claimed that the Norwegian
chief diplomat praised the achievements of the Taliban government.
According to the Taliban official, the Norwegian
diplomat ‘expressed satisfaction’ with the group’s achievements in providing
security, monetary stability, and fighting against drugs in Afghanistan over
the past nearly two years.
He further added that Paul Kloman
expressed gratitude over the improvement in the humanitarian situation and
women’s access to work in the private sector in the country. However, the
Norwegian Embassy has not commented on this meeting so far.
While quoting from the Norwegian chief
diplomat about the recent development, the Taliban have bared Afghan women from
working for government and non-government organizations and restricted them
from accessing to education.
Meanwhile, the Taliban-run
administration is accused of violating human rights on different occasions,
since the group seized power in August 2021.
The overwhelming pressure from the world
countries has prevented the group from ‘building trust’ with the international
community and has injected a negative perception into the minds of the common
people, Amir Khan Muttaqi said.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/international-community-has-increased-pressure-on-afghan-govt-says-muttaqi/
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Chinese Company to Invest $10 Million in
Medicines Production in Afghanistan
July 11, 2023
A Chinese company named TNA has
expressed a keen interest in investing $10 million in Afghanistan’s
pharmaceutical sector, according to the National and Drug Authority (AFDS).
The Chinese company announced its
willingness to donate $10 million to the construction of a pharmaceutical
factory in the country, according to a statement from NFDA. For Afghanistan’s
pharmaceutical sector, this development offers a significant prospect.
“The executive director of TNA, who had
a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Food and Drug Authority, showed interest
in investing $10 million in Afghanistan,” said Mohammad JavidHazheer, a
spokesman for NFDA.
“They demanded to ensure their security
and give them the land.”
In June, A company named Snow Pharma was
sponsored by 71 shareholders at a $50 million investment in the Southern
province of Kandahar.
The company has taken six years to
complete and will produce tablets, capsules and Syrups for the country.
According to officials, the company will
create 5.6 million pills, 2 million capsules, and 60,000 bottles of syrup
within a single eight-hour shift.
“If foreign investors invest in
Afghanistan, one good thing is that we will become self-sufficient; secondly,
the quality of treatment will increase, and thirdly, it will affect the
prices,” according to members of the Drug Manufacturing Companies Union in the
country.
They said that the environment for the
investment of local and foreign investors is ready and urged investors to invest
in the sectors.
According to officials, more than $300
million has reportedly been invested in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical
manufacturing sector.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/chinese-company-to-invest-10-million-in-medicines-production-in-afghanistan/
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EU Provides Over €5.7 Million to Support
Livelihood in Afghanistan
July 11, 2023
The Dutch Committee for Afghanistan
(DCA) livestock programme received more than €5.7 million from the European
Union (EU) on Tuesday in support of needy Afghan citizens.
According to the EU, this program will
improve the livelihoods of 350,000 households spread across 16 provinces in
Afghanistan.
The statement said the program will aim
to increase food security, boost community resilience, and enable rural
communities to transition from reliance on aid to self-sufficiency.
“I am very glad to see how our European
funding to rural communities can make a real difference. Jointly with the Dutch
Committee for Afghanistan, we ensure that 350,000 households will be more food
secure and less dependent on international aid assistance,” RaffaellaIodice,
the EU Chargéed’Affaires to Afghanistan, expressed her delight with the effect
of EU financing on rural areas.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Committee for
Afghanistan’s programme director, Abdul Qadir Fakhri, underlined their
commitment to enhancing the diversity of food and nutrition, resource
management, value chain development, income production, and job creation.
“We are committed to improving food and
nutritional diversity, extension services, natural resource management, value
chain development, income production, and job creation for 350,000
disadvantaged households through this cooperation with the European Union,”
Fakhri said.
He added, “DCA takes a unique approach
to resilience building by utilising technically competent private sector such
as professional para vets who provide services for a fee more sustainably. I am
extremely grateful to the European Union for putting their faith in the DCA and
supporting this project.”
Due to a lack of animal feed, poor
animal health, and an economic crisis, the farmers in the country are compelled
to sell their cattle for less than market value: the EU-Funded program support
private sector actors, pastoralist households, and rural youth and women.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/eu-provides-over-e5-7-million-to-support-livelihood-in-afghanistan/
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International Islamic Trade Finance Corp
signs $1.4 billion deal to fund Bangladesh oil imports
09 July, 2023
The International Islamic Trade Finance
Corp (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, has signed a $1.4
billion financing plan with the Bangladeshi government to fund the country's
oil imports, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday (8 July).
"This financing plan will enable
the Bangladesh Petroleum Company to import oil products from July to June
2024," the statement on SPA said.
Recently a high-level delegation from
Bangladesh came for an official visit to the ITFC headquarters in Jeddah, the
signing of the agreement took place then.
The agreement "reflects the
successful long-term partnership between the two parties and will contribute to
ensuring energy security for one of the fastest-growing economies in South
Asia."
It "demonstrates the corporation's
commitment to supporting the economic development of its member states and
providing financing solutions that meet the needs of its customers," the
statement added.
Source: tbsnews.net
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Pakistan
'Attack on Muslim faith': Pakistan seeks
action against Quran burning incident at UN
July 11, 2023
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on
Tuesday termed the desecration of the Holy Quran as an "attack on the
Muslim faith", calling on the world to stand united against hatred,
discrimination, and intolerance.
Last month, a person — who migrated from
Iraq to Sweden — burned pages of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm
on the first day of Eid ul Adha, prompting outrage in the Muslim world and
condemnation from Pope Francis.
Bilawal condemned the desecration of the
Holy Quran, saying that it had continued under government sanction and with a
sense of impunity the UN Human Rights Council held an urgent debate to address
recent incidents related to the Quran.
Pakistan and other nations called for a
discussion of "the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of
religious hatred as manifested by recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in
some European and other countries."
Pakistan and other members of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation hope to get a resolution passed on the
issue on Tuesday or later in the week.
Virtually addressing a session of an
urgent debate held by the Human Rights Council on acts of religious hatred,
Bilawal called upon the world to stand united against hatred, discrimination,
and intolerance, and promote mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance.
“We must see this incitement to hatred,
discrimination and attempts to provoke violence. We must join hands in
condemning it, we must isolate those who stroke hatred,” he said, adding that
these acts were designed to maximise propagating hate.
FM Bilawal said three months ago the
first international day to combat Islamophobia was observed where the
first-ever session was held to mark the occasion at the UN General Assembly.
The minister remarked the Holy Quran was
a spiritual anchor for two billion Muslims. “It is important to understand the
deep hurt that the public and premeditated act of Quran’s desecration causes to
Muslims."
Terming the desecration of the Holy
Quran as an attack on the Muslim faith, Bilawal said the call in the draft text
presented before this council for prevention and accountability was reasonable
and necessary.
The minister said that hate speech and
free speech must be segregated as free speech was as indispensable as hate
speech was indefensible.
"There is not a single Muslim
country on the planet that allows the desecration of the holy text of other
religions," he said adding such an act is unthinkable to any Muslim.
“It is forbidden by faith, by culture
and by law,” he added.
Meanwhile, UN human rights chief Volker
Turk said that these attacks appear tailor-made to inflame anger and divide
communities as he opened the debate at the UN's top rights body in Geneva.
Turk said recent Quran-burning incidents
"appear to have been manufactured to express contempt and inflame anger;
to drive wedges between people; and to provoke, transforming differences of
perspective into hatred and, perhaps, violence".
He said that irrespective of the law or
personal belief, "people need to act with respect for others", adding
that hate speech needed to be combated through dialogue, education, raising
awareness and inter-faith engagement.
"Powered by the tidal forces of
social media, and in a context of increasing international and national discord
and polarisation, hate speech of every kind is rising, everywhere," Turk
said.
"It is harmful to individuals, and
it damages the social cohesion necessary to the sound functioning of all
societies."
Source: thenews.com.pk
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--------
Islamabad court fumes at Imran’s
frequent absences from Toshakhana case hearings
July 12, 2023
An Islamabad court judge on Wednesday
expressed displeasure at PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s frequent absences in the
Toshakhana case hearings, noting that the accused had only appeared before the
court once during the seven-month-long trial.
Additional District and Sessions Judge
(ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar made this observation as the hearing of the reference
re-commenced today a week after the court ruled that the case filed by the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI chairman was
maintainable.
Imran had challenged the session court’s
decision in the Islamabad High Court yesterday, arguing that the ECP did not
follow the prescribed procedure in filing the complaint and requested the IHC
to set aside the session court’s decision.
As the hearing commenced, Imran’s
counsel Niazullah Niazi informed the court that his client had already
challenged the session court’s July 8 verdict in the Islamabad High Court, and
the hearing for the plea was scheduled for today.
“Where is the accused,” the judge asked.
In response, the counsel stated that he
intended to file a plea for his client’s exemption from appearing in court and
requested a two-day adjournment of the hearing.
The judge then said: “As a criminal case
lawyer, have you ever seen a situation where a case has been ongoing for over
seven months and the accused has only appeared in court once?”
ADSJ Dilawar instructed Imran’s legal
team to provide a copy of the IHC verdict, and adjourned the hearing till
12:30pm.
Toshakhana case
The case, filed by ruling party
lawmakers, is based on a criminal complaint filed by the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP).
The case alleges that Imran had
“deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana
— a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign
officials are kept — during his time as the prime minister and proceeds from
their reported sales.
Imran has faced a number of legal issues
over his retention of gifts. The issue also led to his disqualification by the
ECP.
On Oct 21, 2022, the ECP concluded that
the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect
declarations” regarding the gifts.
The Toshakhana is a department under the
Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by
heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. According to Toshakhana
rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom
these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.
The watchdog’s order had said Imran
stood disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution.
Subsequently, the ECP approached the
Islamabad sessions court with a copy of the complaint, seeking proceedings
against Imran under criminal law for allegedly misleading officials about the
gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his tenure as the prime
minister.
Source: dawn.com
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IMF board to meet today to decide on
$3bn loan agreement
July 12, 2023
The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF)
executive board will meet today (Wednesday) to review the $3 billion stand-by
agreement for Pakistan, which was finalised at the end of June.
Pakistan expects the board to also
release the first tranche of $1.1bn as part of the loan programme. The initial
disbursement is contingent upon the board’s approval.
Pakistan was absent from an earlier
schedule released in June, igniting speculation that the IMF was not going to
release funds from the previous programme that expired on June 30. On June 29,
the IMF and Pakistan reached a stand-by arrangement to ease the country’s
financial crisis.
The board’s approvals are generally
granted once a staff-level agreement is done. The Pakistan government was
expecting about $2.5bn from the IMF, but it was given $3bn. Pakistan had
earlier cleared eight of the 11 listed programme reviews, with the ninth review
pending since November last year.
Earlier, Pakistan also submitted a letter
of intent to the IMF, assuring the lender that no new tax amnesty would be
introduced in the next nine months.
The letter, signed by Finance Minister
Ishaq Dar and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor, guaranteed the removal
of trade barriers and upholding commitments to other financial institutions and
bilateral donors that have provided loans to the country.
The IMF meeting comes a day after
Pakistan received $2bn in financial support from Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Dar
said Saudi Arabia had deposited the funds with the SBP, boosting foreign
exchange reserves.
“I thank Saudi Arabia on behalf of the
prime minister and the army chief,” the finance minister said in a recorded
video statement, terming it a “great gesture” from the longtime ally.
Riyadh had pledged the funds in April
but had held off depositing the money with the SBP until it was sure that the
IMF bailout would be forthcoming.
The minister said that some more good
developments would follow and lead the economy towards growth, adding that the
economy of the country had already stabilised through the efforts of the
incumbent government.
Source: dawn.com
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Need no advice by Israel on how to
protect rights: FO
July 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The UN Human Rights Council
on Tuesday adopted Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Report unanimously. Several
states and civil society organisations commended Pakistan on the progress
achieved in promoting human rights, announced the spokeswoman at the Foreign
Office.
There was a very harsh statement from
the Israeli representative against Pakistan’s human rights record to which the
spokeswoman responded, “Israel’s politically-motivated statement is
fundamentally at variance with the otherwise positive tone of the session and
the statements made by a vast majority of states. Given Israel’s long history
of oppression of Palestinians, Pakistan can certainly do without its advice on
protecting Human Rights”.
Presenting its case at the UN Human
Rights Council, Pakistan said the government accorded high importance to the
Universal Periodic Review process as a productive mechanism of the Council that
enabled states to meet their human rights obligations through constructive
engagement and in a largely non-politicised manner.
In the discussion, some speakers
commended Pakistan for accepting many recommendations, showing its commitment
to the promotion and protection of human rights.
“Pakistan’s human rights profile
remained on an upward trajectory through the four cycles of the Universal
Periodic Review process.
“The fourth review afforded an
opportunity to showcase the progress being made and also the challenges faced
in Pakistan’s abiding quest to advance rights, freedoms, dignity and better
standards for everyone in the country,” said Pakistan’s representative.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Climate
Change and Environmental Coordination Sherry Rehman strongly condemned the
statement of Israel regarding Pakistan at the United Nations, saying
Israel-India support for PTI and its chief had fully exposed the sinister nexus
behind the May 9 violence. Addressing a press conference flanked by Special
Assistant to the Prime Minister on Interior and Legal Affairs Attaullah Tarar,
Sherry Rehman lambasted the PTI chairman for his reported venomous campaign
against the state who, she claimed, was ever ready to do anything to please
Israel. “He (Imran Khan) believes that Israel’s violations in Palestine are
fine. Today Israel also becomes an ambassador of human rights, but in reality
it is doing the opposite,” the minister said. She denounced the PTI chairman
for criticising and opposing his arrest. “He asks why the government did this
to me? He says he was arrested in a disgraceful way, but he should know that no
one is above the law,” she said. “Israel’s blaming of Pakistan in favour of PTI
at the UN meeting is highly condemnable. Imran Niazi is part of the camp that
is violating the rights of Palestinians. Israel did not speak even on the
arrest and indictment of those involved in the Capitol Hill attack. “What is
the motive that Israel is giving recommendations in favour of attacks on
Pakistan’s sensitive installations? Why Israel does not speak about human
rights violations by India in the Occupied Kashmir?” she questioned. In fact,
it was not about human rights, but about “special sympathy” of Israel with the
PTI and its chairman, she added. She said Israel itself had been violating the
basic rights of Palestinian people every day for the last 60 years.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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In IMF good books, Pakistan gets $2bn
from Saudi Arabia
July 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) has provided an additional $2 billion in deposits to help the State Bank
of Pakistan (SBP) for jacking up its foreign exchange reserves just ahead of
the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Executive Board meeting.
Pakistani authorities insisted that the
IMF board would hold a meeting in Washington, DC, on Wednesday (today) for
considering the approval of $3 billion Standby Arrangement (SBA) programme. A
top Pakistani official Tuesday night confirmed that IMF Executive Board was
taking up Pakistan’s request for the $3 billion approval of SBA in its today’s
meeting. The official also said that the UAE’s additional deposit of $1 billion
was also expected within this week. When The News sought comments late Tuesday
night regarding the meeting, IMF chief in Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz said July
12 is confirmed. If the IMF grants its approval in its board meeting, then
Pakistan will receive the first tranche of $1.1 billion within the next few
days. With an additional $2 billion from the KSA, the total package will be
increased to $6.2 billion -- $5 billion deposits and an ongoing oil facility of
$1.2
billion on deferred payments. During the
last two fiscal years, Saudi Arabia provided deposits and oil facilities to the
tune of $7.4 billion to help Pakistan during its difficult economic situation.
This scribe also sent out questions to
the IMF’s headquarters in Washington for seeking an official version but got no
response till the filing of this report. The sources said that the IMF has
estimated that Pakistan was facing a financing gap of $6 billion, which would
be bridged by seeking loans from multilateral and bilateral creditors as well
as commercial financing. It included $2 billion from the KSA, $1 billion from
the UAE, $1 billion from Islamic Development Bank, $450 million from World
Bank’s RISE-II programme and $250 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank. The remaining amount will be obtained from commercial loans in the
current fiscal year.
Earlier, Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar
announced in his televised address that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had placed
$2 billion in additional deposits in the SBP, which would help jack up the
country’s foreign exchange reserves. The overall foreign exchange reserves,
which stood at $9.6 billion, would be increased to $11.6 or $11.7 billion, he
added. “I am thankful to Saudi Arabia’s leadership, including King Salman and
Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman, on behalf of the prime minister, Chief of
Army Staff and myself as they stood with Pakistan at every difficult moment,”
Dar said. He said that Saudi Arabia’s fulfilled their commitment which they had
announced a few weeks ago. “In days to come, there will be positive
developments,” he said and added that the economic stability has been achieved
and now moved towards a growth trajectory.
Multilateral and bilateral funds were a
major obstacle in the way of Pakistan’s deal with the IMF — which remained
stalled for more than nine months and expired. The standby agreement has now
provided the nation with a breathing space, avoiding a sovereign default, and
helped the government streamline fiscal policies. With sky-high inflation and
foreign exchange reserves barely enough for a month of controlled imports,
analysts say Pakistan’s economic crisis could have spiralled into a debt
default in the absence of the IMF bailout. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,
meanwhile, also expressed his deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for
depositing $2 billion with the SBP which, he said, will strengthen Pakistan’s
foreign exchange reserves. “On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I would like
to extend my deep gratitude to the leadership and brotherly people of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the US$2 billion deposit with the State Bank of
Pakistan,” the prime minister in a tweet said. He especially thanked Saudi
Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman for ensuring financial
support. Shehbaz said the support reflects the growing confidence of our
brotherly countries and the international community in Pakistan’s economic
turnaround. He said the government remains committed to making all necessary
efforts to improve Pakistan’s economy. The prime minister also thanked Ishaq
Dar and COAS General Asim Munir for the valuable efforts they made in this
regard. In a related development, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan
Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy had an important meeting with Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif here at the PM House. They discussed cooperation between the two
brotherly countries in various fields. The prime minister hailed the Saudi
leadership for its generous and unwavering support for Pakistan which, he said,
was particularly instrumental in securing the deal with the IMF. He asked the
Saudi envoy to convey his special gratitude to Crown Prince MBS for the deposit
of $2 billion with the State Bank of Pakistan. He apprised Ambassador Al-Malkiy
about the formation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council to
facilitate and fast-track potential investments from the GCC member states,
including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He emphasised that mutually rewarding
Pakistan-Saudi cooperation in key areas, including IT, energy, infrastructure
and labour must be fast-tracked and augmented. Ambassador Nawaf, while
expressing satisfaction on the current trajectory of bilateral relations
between the two brotherly countries, noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were
bound in a fraternal relationship marked by mutual trust and understanding,
close cooperation and an abiding tradition of supporting each other through
thick and thin. The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan eagerly looked
forward to the visit of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at his earliest convenience.
Separately, addressing a ceremony in Peshawar, Shehbaz said that the deal with
the International Monetary Fund loan was not taken with ease of mind, but under
compulsion. “Loans are no solution. Pakistan has all natural resources
including precious lands for agriculture, and mineral wealth and only strong
will is required to take it out of existing challenges,” he added. He said that
corruption had ruined the country. “When Pakistani officials or I visit other
countries, their dignitaries receive us. When I see them their facial
expressions tell that we are there to beg money,” he added, according to Geo
News. The prime minister questioned that as a nation for how long they would
continue to depend upon foreign loans. “It is the pricking question,” he added.
He said a neighbouring country of Pakistan in the year 1991 sought the last IMF
programme and then did not require any other financial programme. The prime
minister underscored the need they had to streamline their affairs by learning
lessons from the past and “like an active nation have to move ahead”. He said
that the recurrence of the May 9 vandalism incident must never be allowed to
happen and should be countered through the promotion of education. Meanwhile,
the Pakistani rupee appreciated Rs1.23 against the US dollar in the interbank
market on Tuesday, closing at Rs278.57, up from Rs279.80 on Monday. The dollar
shed one rupee in the open market, closing at Rs282. The Saudi deposit news
also had a positive impact on the stock market. A bullish Pakistan Stock
Exchange 100 index crossed 45,000 points after 14 months. After gaining 550
points, the index reached the 45,155 mark.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Imran named in three more terror cases
July 12, 2023
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Chairman Imran Khan has been named in three more cases of terrorism, Geo News
reported.
Police sources said the PTI chairman has
been named in Jinnah House and Askari Tower attack cases. Besides, he has also
been nominated in an attack on the Prime Minister’s Model Town Secretariat.
According to the police, there were
seven cases registered against him in Lahore under terrorism provisions. Now
after nomination in more cases, the number of terrorism cases against him has
increased to 10.
The police said that Imran had been
nominated in three cases of terrorism in Lahore in the light of statements of
the arrested accused. He also faces 19 cases of terrorism in other districts of
Punjab.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Mideast
Bahrain King Thanked By Pope Over
Success Of Muslim- Christian Committee Meeting
JULY 12, 2023
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al
Khalifa yesterday received a cable of thanks from His Holiness Pope Francis of
the Vatican in reply to HM’s letter in which he praised the outcomes of the
first meeting of the Permanent Committee of the Muslim-Christian
Dialogue, bringing together the Muslim
Council of Elders and the Vatican. In the letter, HM the King expressed thanks
to HH Pope Francis for appointing an Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia,
residing in Bahrain. HH Pope Francis expressed thanks and appreciation to HM
King Hamad for his benevolent efforts and noble humanitarian initiatives for
the good of all mankind.
His Holiness also recalled his
successful historic visit to the Kingdom last year, which contributed to
strengthening the close cooperation relations with the Vatican and
consolidating the values of tolerance, fraternity, love, peace and human coexistence.
HH Pope Francis wished HM the King
abundant health and happiness and the people of Bahrain continued prosperity,
progress and prosperity.
Source: newsofbahrain.com
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Rifi from Dar al-Fatwa: Our experience
with dialogue is not encouraging
2023-07-11
Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic,
Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, received on Tuesday in Dar al-Fatwa, MP AchrafRifi,
who said after the meeting, "I was delighted this morning to visit His
Eminence to congratulate him on his safe return from Hajj and on performing the
pilgrimage."
"Your role was extremely crucial in
extinguishing the flames of the potential conflict in Qornet al-Sawda as His
Eminence took the initiative to contact all Christian and Islamic references
and served as a cover to prevent any painful incident from turning into a
conflict between us and the people of Bcharri," Rifi said addressing the
Mufti.
Regarding the political file, in
response to a question, he said, "The constitution is clear, before the
end of any presidential term, two months should be given to call for the
election of a president. When the term ends, we become an electoral body, not a
legislative body. The constitution is clear. We need to find a radical solution
that begins with electing a president for the republic."
He continued, "I address Berri and
say to him, Your Excellency, we want to elect a president according to the
constitution. Don't push us to engage in dialogue and impose privileges on us
that you have obtained through your weapons, and you want to legitimize them
legally or practically."
Rifi also noted that this country could
only continue if the partnership is equal.
"I say to Berri, whom I greatly
respect, that we need to hold continuous sessions, knowing that the first
session requires 86 deputies for a quorum and 86 for voting, and the second
session requires 86 for a quorum and 65 for voting. There may be a one or
two-hour interval for the parties to consult," he continued.
He also believed that "Berri knows very
well that it is not the first time he has called for dialogue, and the results
of previous dialogues have not been respected. Our experience with dialogue is
not encouraging, so we are not enthusiastic about dialogue."
"It's as if we are violating the
constitution by engaging in dialogue," he concluded by saying.
Source: lbcgroup.tv
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Inheritance departments for non-Muslims
are established in Dubai
July 11th, 2023
Mansour Al-Maswari
ALBAWABA- Dubai Courts have established
a dedicated division for the inheritance and execution of wills of non-Muslims,
emphasizing their commitment to cultural diversity and efficient service
provision.
Headed by Judge Mohammed Jassim Al
Shamsi, the Special Court of Inheritance aims to apply personal laws and streamline
procedures for non-Muslims. The department specializes in regulating
inheritance cases, requiring applicants to provide specific documents. Using a
single-session system, the court aims to issue decisions promptly.
However, the court refrains from opening
probate files for wills authenticated by the Dubai International Financial
Centre courts. Law No. 15 of 2017, issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, governs all non-Muslim wills and probate matters in Dubai, including
the Dubai International Financial Centre.
This initiative showcases Dubai's
dedication to providing comprehensive legal services and safeguarding the
rights of non-Muslims who represent the majority of the UAE residents.
Source: albawaba.com
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Türkiye, Pakistan urge world to stand
against anti-Muslim hatred
JUL 12, 2023
Türkiye and Pakistan called on the world
to take necessary action to prevent anti-Muslim attacks, including desecration
of the Quran, as the U.N. Human Rights Council convened to discuss measures to
be taken in the aftermath of repeated incidents.
Addressing an urgent session on Acts of
Religious Hatred at the U.N. Human Rights Council via a video message, Yasin
EkremSerim, Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister, said, "We deeply condemn
recent public burnings of the Holy Quran, which are clear manifestations of
growing religious hatred."
He emphasized that any form of
disrespect toward any holy book contradicts the principles of tolerance, social
peace and respect for human dignity.
"Freedom of expression is a
cornerstone of society, but it cannot be misused to spread hatred. It is unacceptable
to allow these acts on the grounds of freedom of expression. We call on all
authorities to take necessary action against perpetrators of these acts and to
prevent recurrence of such incidents," he said.
Serim added, "Türkiye, with vast
majority Muslim population and as a member and partner of all Western
organizations like Council of Europe, NATO and also an EU candidate, will
continue to support initiatives against anti-Islam sentiments."
Reaffirming Türkiye's commitment to
combat hatred and discrimination, the Turkish official expressed Ankara's
willingness to collaborate with all countries at bilateral and multilateral
levels to address this issue.
"We call on all countries to
support this resolution to give a clear united message against acts of hatred
which threaten not only Muslims, but all humanity," he said.
Pakistan also urged the world to stand
united against a rising tide of Islamophobia and religious hatred, including
incidents like the burning of Islam's holy book, the Quran, in Sweden.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
virtually addressed the urgent debate held by the Human Rights Council on acts
of religious hatred, where he called on the global community to "stand
united against hatred, discrimination, intolerance, and promote mutual respect,
understanding, and tolerance," state-run Pakistan Television reported.
Islamabad's top diplomat said that the
deliberate desecration of the Quran has continued under the "government
sanction and with the sense of impunity," an apparent reference to the
Swedish government that allowed the burning of a copy of the Quran earlier this
month.
"We must see this as incitement to
hatred, discrimination, and attempts to provoke violence. We must join hands in
condemning it; we must isolate those who stroke hatred," Zardari added.
"The Holy Quran is a spiritual
anchor for 2 billion Muslims. It is important to understand the deep hurt that
the public and premeditated act of Quran's desecration causes to Muslims,"
he said.
Dubbing the Sweden incident as an attack
on the Muslim faith, Zardari said that hate and free speech must be segregated
as free speech is "indispensable, but hate speech was indefensible."
He added that Muslim countries do not
allow the desecration of the holy text of other religions, and such an act is
unthinkable to any Muslim.
"It is forbidden by faith, by
culture, and by law," he said.
Last month, a person identified as
SalwanMomika burned a copy of the Quran under police protection in front of the
Stockholm Mosque in Sweden.
His provocative act was timed to
coincide with Eid al-Adha, one of the major Islamic religious festivals
celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
It elicited widespread condemnation from
across the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, and Mauritania.
Source: dailysabah.com
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--------
Iran censures double standards over
Qur'an desecration
Jul 12, 2023,
Speaking on Tuesday at the 53rd session
of the UN Human Rights Council, Amir-Abdollahian said the latest desecration of
the Qur’an in Sweden was the sixth incident of its kind in European countries
in 2023 and described it as “an act that brazenly incites violence, hatred,
discrimination and hostility against Muslims.”
“Burning the Qur’an is not only a
violation of human rights, but also an infringement on the rights of more than
two billion Muslims across the world. Such abhorrent actions must be
immediately condemned by all advocates of human rights,” the top Iranian
diplomat said.
Amir-Abdollahian underlined the need for
identifying and eliminating the “legal loopholes” both at the national and
international levels so as to prevent the recurrence of the insult to the Holy
Qur’an as soon as possible.
“We adamantly urge the authorities of
Sweden and other European countries to take immediate and effective measures
against the perpetrators of such appalling acts in order to prevent their
recurrence in the future,” he said.
Amir-Abdollahian also called on the
world countries to combat acts of religious hatred that incite discrimination,
hostility and violence.
“Any kind of doubt or delay in
condemning or preventing such actions will only reinforce perceptions of double
standards and justify the abuse of freedom of expression,” the Iranian foreign
minister underlined.
On June 28, SalwanMomika, a 37-year-old
Iraqi immigrant stomped on the Qur'an before setting several pages alight in
front of Stockholm's largest mosque. The insult to the Muslim holy book was
made under the authorization and protection of the Swedish police.
The incident, coinciding with the start
of the Muslim Eid al-Adha and the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia, drew the anger of Muslims from across the world.
Following the incident, several thousand
Iraqis gathered near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in protest against the
Qur’an burning and demanded the expulsion of the ambassador.
People in other Muslim countries also
took to the streets in protest against the move.
The perpetrator of the sacrilegious move
told a Swedish newspaper later that he intended to repeat his protest in July.
Sweden has repeatedly permitted Qur'an
burnings in recent years. In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist
burned a copy of the Qur'an near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
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Dozens of settlers renew storming of
courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque
[11/July/2023]
OCCUPIE AL-QUDS July 11. 2023 (Saba) -
Dozens of Zionist settlers on Tuesday renewed the storming of the courtyards of
the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque from Mughrabi Gate, under the protection of the
Zionist enemy forces.
The Palestinian News Agency (Wafa)
quoted the Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds as saying "Dozens of
settlers stormed al-Aqsa, in groups and carried out provocative tours in its
courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals near its gates."
Old al-Quds and its gates are witnessing
strict security measures represented in the thorough inspection of residents
and worshipers in l-Aqsa, in addition to a number of provocations by Zionist
soldiers against young men.
Source: saba.ye
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Kuwaitis will have 4-day long weekend to
celebrate Islamic New Year
July 11, 2023
Dubai: Kuwaitis are in for a treat with
a four-day long weekend to commemorate the upcoming Islamic New Year.
The Council of Ministers has announced
that Wednesday, July 19, will be marked as a holiday, followed by Thursday,
July 20, which will serve as a day of rest.
This means that ministries,
institutions, agencies and government entities will observe a two-day
suspension of work followed by regular weekend (July 21 & 22).
The decision aims to provide citizens
with ample time to observe and celebrate the New Hijri Year, a significant
occasion on the Islamic calendar.
The extended break will allow
individuals to spend quality time with their families, engage in religious
activities, and partake in festivities.
According to the Council of Ministers,
the official working day for ministries, institutions, agencies, and government
entities will resume on Sunday, July 23.
However, for agencies with special work
requirements, their holidays will be determined by the relevant authorities,
ensuring that the public interest is taken into consideration.
The Islamic New Year, also known as the
Hijri New Year or the Islamic Hijri Calendar, marks the beginning of the
lunar-based Islamic calendar year.
It is based on the migration (Hijra) of
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 CE.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar
consisting of 12 months, with each month determined by the sighting of the new
moon.
Source: gulfnews.com
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Africa
Allow Islamic, Quranic Experts To
Develop Curriculum, National Council For Curriculum And Assessment Urged
Jul - 11 - 2023
The National Council for Curriculum and
Assessment (NaCCA), has been urged to allow only Islamic and Quranic experts to
develop curriculums for Islam studies.
A
Founder member of Talim Ghana, a Muslim organisation, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid,
said currently, the practice was that educational experts who had no basic
understanding of the Islamic religion were given the opportunity to develop a
curriculum for Islamic and Quran studies without any recourse to experts in the
sector.
“Islamic and Quran studies is a
specialised area, I am not saying it’s sacrosanct but we must be committed to
engage experts who have basic understanding in the sector to develop our
curriculum.
We have a lot of Muslim scholars and
Arabic experts in the country who can craft a curriculum for us.
” Dr Abdul-Hamid added.
Dr Abdul-Hamid, who is also the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), was speaking
at a seminar on Islamic teaching and learning in Accra yesterday.
The event was organised by Talim Ghana,
a non-governmental organisation committed to improving the standard of living
in various Muslim communities in the country.
It was attended by some Muslim leaders
and Islam scholars who deliberated on developing a curriculum for the Muslim
community in the country.
Engagement
Dr Abdul-Hamid further said, “If you
want to know about Catholicism, ask a Catholic, I am not going to read a book
on Catholicism written by a Presbyterian.
If you want to know about Islam, ask a
Muslim, so it is we Muslims who must own our curriculum and we must have a say
in the development and review of our curriculum as the years go by”.
He also urged Muslim experts to be
assertive and let the Ministry of Education know that there were experts within
the Muslim community who had the capacity to develop a curriculum and also
review it periodically.
Dr Abdul-Hamid said the Constitution had
given every citizen the right to profess the religion of their choice and to manifest
such belief.
“Therefore, the Muslim community must
begin to engage with the government more thoughtfully and also give themselves
a benchmark below which they would not accept,” he added.
Eternity of Quran
Even though it was believed that the
Quran was eternal, Dr Abdul-Hamid said many Muslims sometimes misunderstood the
eternity of the Quran.
He said the Quran was able to speak to
every time and age and that there was enough technology in the Quran to answer
questions of technological nature.
So as the world evolves, Dr Abdul-Hamid said crafters of Islamic
curriculum should be able to find principles in the Quran to bring it in tune
with modern times.
“So don’t be nervous when somebody says
that the world has changed and , therefore, the Islamic curriculum must change
with the times; don’t misunderstand the person to mean that Islam has changed.
It means that you can have enough
principles in the Quran to answer the changes that are taking place in the
world,” he said.
The President of the Nigerian Centre for
Arabic Research, Nigeria, Professor Alkhidru Abdul Baaq Mohammed, also said
there was the need to reconsider the relationship between Islam and modernity
and develop curriculums that related to Muslim lives.
Also, he said the curriculum must be
connected to the national identity so that students would know about their
national history and not be introduced to a curriculum that could lead to
alienation.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/allow-islamic-quranic-experts-to-develop-curriculum-allow-islamic-quranic-experts-to-develop-curriculum.html
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Kenya: Visit of the President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 11, 2023/APO Group/
-- The President of Iran His Excellency Ebrahim Raisi was scheduled to arrive
in the country for a visit today.
The visit was to provide the two
countries with an opportunity to review and re-energize their bilateral
relations for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.
The schedule of the President has now
been reviewed to allow for finalization of key MoUs that are central to the
furtherance of relations. The Iranian President will now arrive tomorrow for a
State Visit.
The President will be at State House at
7.00am tomorrow for a bilateral meeting.
He will, thereafter, proceed to lay a
wreath at the Mausoleum of the late MzeeJomo Kenyatta before proceeding to tour
other African countries.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya.
Source: africa-newsroom.com
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Ghana Hajj Board holds talks with
Nigeria Hajj Commission in Mecca
Jul - 12 - 2023
In a bid to enhance their respective
Hajj operations, the Ghana Hajj Board and the National Hajj Commission of
Nigeria (NACOHN) recently held bilateral discussions in Mecca on Tuesday, July
11, 2023.
The meeting aimed to foster knowledge
sharing and learn from each other's experiences, as both countries conclude
their 2023 Hajj operations with the successful repatriation of pilgrims.
The Ghanaian delegation, led by the
Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Ben Abdallah Banda, expressed the board's
admiration for the Nigeria Hajj Commission's extensive experience.
Chairman Banda emphasized the importance
of interaction and exchange of ideas between the two organizations to improve
Hajj operations and services in their respective countries.
He stated, "Our purpose is to learn
a lot from Nigeria, considering your experience and the number of pilgrims you
manage. This is also a reciprocal visit since you called on my predecessor,
Sheikh I. C. Quaye, in Ghana in 2021."
Acknowledging the complexities of Hajj
operations, Chairman Banda highlighted the significance of continuous
improvement and expressed optimism that such meetings would address challenges
faced during the process.
He provided insights into the history
and role of Ghana's Hajj Board in organizing Hajj operations within the
country.
AlhajiZikrullahKunle Hassan, Chairman of
the Nigeria Hajj Commission, elaborated on the establishment and
responsibilities of NACOHN.
He shared that NACOHN coordinates
Africa's largest Hajj operations, which ranks as the fifth largest in the
world. Nigeria, with a contingent of nearly 100,000 pilgrims participating in
this year's Hajj, ranked fifth in terms of the number of pilgrims, trailing
behind Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
During the meeting, Chairman Hassan
revealed various strategies and policies implemented by NACOHN and expressed
the commission's readiness to collaborate with the Ghana Hajj Board for
improved operations. He also extended an invitation to the Ghana Hajj Board to
visit Nigeria's Hajj Institute, which offers training programs in Hajj
Management.
AlhajiAbdulahiHardawa, a senior
executive of NACOHN, expressed delight at the meeting, highlighting the
significance of the two leading African nations sharing ideas to enhance Hajj
operations. He suggested the possibility of forming a Pan African Hajj Union,
encompassing Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries in the sub-region. Such a
union, he believed, would provide a stronger collective voice to negotiate for
improved services.
Members of the Ghanaian delegation
included board members Masaudu Osman, Abdul Aziz HarunaFuta, and Ahmed Abdulai
Abu. Representing NACOHN were senior members, including some State Hajj
Commissioners.
The meeting concluded on a positive
note, with both parties expressing optimism about the outcomes of their
collaboration and the potential for enhanced Hajj operations in the future. The
exchange of ideas between the two African countries marks a significant step
toward fostering cooperation and ensuring better services for pilgrims from the
region and beyond.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-hajj-board-holds-talks-with-nigeria-hajj-commission-in-mecca.html
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Court stops construction of Islamic
centre funded by Turkish embassy
11 July 2023
A
Lands Court in Malindi has temporarily stopped the construction of an
ultra-modern Islamic training institution in Kilifi following claims that it is
being built on a grabbed parcel of land.
Justice Millicent AkinyiOdeny said
Holistic Educational Trust should not dispose of, damage or in any way deal
with the land situated in Kilifi.
The development of the project was
funded by the Turkish Embassy in Kenya at a cost of Sh4.2 million.
The Judge granted the order following a
suit filed by one Daula Mohammed Omar, who is trading as Nairobi BahatiNjema
Investment.
She told the court that she is the
lawful owner having purchased the property in 2014 from one Salim AbdallaHemed
for Sh1.5 million.
She appointed one Khalid Mohamed Ali, a
property broker introduced to her by her ex-husband in a bid to assist in
buying and investing in land in the coastal region.
Daula told the Judge that Khalid was
acting as her agent.
He was receiving all the conveyance
completion documents from the vendor's advocate in order to enable him to
facilitate the transfer of the suit property to Daula.
But Daula in her court documents states
Khalid betrayed her.
She claims he forged and fraudulently
uttered the signature of the vendor of the suit property and thereafter
illegally transferred the title to his name.
He would later sell the property to one
Khalfan Mohamed who in turn sold it to the trust.
“When I learnt that Khalid had illegally
alienated the suit property, I reported the matter to the police and sought to
place a caution over the property,” she said.
But she was advised by the lands
registrar that the registration of the caution could not be actuated as it had
been overtaken by events since the property had been transferred to a third
party.
The registrar advised her to seek court
intervention in the circumstances.
Way after, DCI Coast region placed a
caveat on the suit property following investigations regarding the fraudulent
transfer of the property by Khalid.
It barred any subsequent dealings in the
suit property pending the conclusion of the investigation into the matter.
But the Land Registrar in Kilifi says
she illegally lifted the caution, causing the property to be transferred to the
trust.
“The registrar knew or ought to have
known that the ownership of the property was in dispute and thus it was
improper to sanction its transfer,” she said.
Khalid has since been charged before a
Mombasa court with forgery and uttering false documents that culminated in the
transfer of the suit property from the lawful owner.
The Judge directed the parties to file
responses within 14 days.
The matter will be mentioned on
September 26, this year.
Source: the-star.co.ke
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Southeast Asia
DAP sec-gen challenges Sanusi to back
claim non-Muslims main source of corruption in Malaysia
By R. Loheswar
Wednesday, 12 Jul 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — DAP
secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook today challenged caretaker Kedah
menteribesar Datuk Seri Muhammad SanusiMd Nor to prove his claims that
non-Muslims are the source of corruption in Malaysia.
Loke said Sanusi’s comments could incite
racial hatred and demanded that the latter apologise if he cannot substantiate
those claims.
“I challenge Sanusi to back up his claim
that non-Muslims are the biggest facilitators of corruption. This is such an
irresponsible and dangerous statement coming from the Perikatan Nasional (PN)
election chairman.
“Such sweeping statements incite racial
hatred. So where are the facts then? How did he come to that conclusion?
“Why don’t you prove it? And if you
can’t, you should apologise publicly. Corruption does not recognisecolour or
race. A crime is a crime,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday during a live telecast event,
Sanusi claimed that most sources of corruption originated from non-Muslims.
Source: malaymail.com
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Non-Muslim lifestyle to remain the same
under Perikatan rule, says PAS’ Sanusi
By John Bunyan
Wednesday, 12 Jul 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — Caretaker Kedah
menteribesar Datuk Seri Muhammad SanusiMd Nor sought to assure non-Muslims that
their lifestyles would not change under a Perikatan Nasional (PN) government
that includes PAS.
Appearing as a guest in last night’s
KeluarSekejap podcast episode, Muhammad Sanusi said his Islamist party has no
issues with how people live their lives, as long as it didn’t go against Shariah
law.
He was replying to hosts Khairy
Jamaluddin and ShahrilSufianHamdan who asked how PAS would break the perception
held by non-Muslims that the party would change their way of life should it
rule.
Khairy pointed out that Shariah law is
only applicable for Muslims and asked Muhammad Sanusi for his view on the
recent case in PAS-ruled Kelantan in which a non-Muslim woman was fined for
wearing allegedly indecent clothing inside her shop in Kota Baru.
Muhammad Sanusi answered that the locals
did not object to the by-laws when it was introduced, and that the incident
only blew up afterwards in an attempt to portray PAS as an extreme party.
“The woman was fined for wearing shorts
that were barely visible. But when the pictures were taken, she was holding the
fine receipt with a different pair of shorts,” he said, pointing to the change
in clothing that made the incident go viral on social media.
He added that the fine imposed on the
woman was only RM50, “not a big deal”.
“But the Local Government Development
Minister NgaKor Ming wanted to play hero and told the woman not to pay the
fine.
“What kind of minister are you? Do you
want to uphold the law or your personal view?” he asked.
Muhammad Sanusi also said the Kota Baru
Municipal Council was not given the chance to explain why the fine was issued
in the first place, adding that this was unfair.
Khairy then asked Muhammad Sanusi about
rumours that PAS – if it is elected back to power in Kedah – would ban alcohol
sales and consumption in Langkawi, a popular tourist island.
The PAS politician replied that alcohol
is still being sold at duty-free shops and licensed restaurants there and the
issue was yet to be raised.
“What we worry is that it could be sold
at shops that don’t have the licence and can be bought by anyone. If you’re
Muslim you can’t buy it, but if you non-Muslim then you can consume alcoholic
beverages.
“However, I think alcohol is not the
main attraction in Langkawi. There are several other attractions,” he said.
Muhammad Sanusi also said that whatever
is currently allowed in non-Muslim religions and cultures can carry on if PN
and PAS return to power, but added that this practice should not be abused.
“They said gambling is part of Chinese
culture. I totally disagree on this and this is why gambling has been banned in
Kedah.
“This is not Chinese culture; only DAP
does it. And the Chinese community in Kedah have accepted the gambling ban and
there is no problems,” he said.
Khairy then referred to a recent
statement by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang on Malays in PakatanHarapan
who the latter claimed aim to control politics to the point they are willing to
“berwala” – an Islamic term meaning help and protect – non-Muslims, a move
allegedly forbidden by Allah, which he deemed to be extreme.
Khairy said such statements could bring
more harm to PAS than the stereotypes purportedly portrayed by the DAP.
He also reminded Muhammad Sanusi that
PAS had worked with the DAP in the past.
Muhammad Sanusi replied that as long as
Abdul Hadi’s comments are in accordance with Shariah law and the Quran, then it
is true and the opinion should not be withheld.
“Previously, when PAS worked together
with DAP, there were certain regulations. DAP’s Lim Guan Eng had signed certain
agreements that they would not hinder PAS from implementing an Islamic country.
“However, what is happening now is
whatever DAP has asked, they are doing it. This is what berwala refers to
here,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
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Sexual assault acquittal of ex-principal
to stand, Butterworth High Court rules
Wednesday, 12 Jul 2023
BUTTERWORTH, July 12 — The High Court
here today upheld the decision of the Sessions Court to acquit and free a
former principal of a secondary school on four counts of committing physical
sexual assault against four male students in 2018.
Judge Fathiyah Idris made the ruling on
Zainuren Mohamed, 59, after studying all the facts and was satisfied with the
trial judge who had made a maximum and appropriate examination of all the
testimony of prosecution witnesses.
“Examining the testimony of the sixth
prosecution witness (SP6) in the examination-in-chief and later
cross-examination, there appeared some contradictions — there was an allegation
of a series of sexual incidents, but when cross-examined, SP6 admitted that the
incidents did not happen.
“The High Court is of the view that the
matter could only be determined by SP6 but SP6 could not determine the matter.
There appeared some contradictions in SP6’s testimonies,” she said.
As such, the prosecution had failed to
prove a prima facie case against Zainuren.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad
ShahrezalMohdShukri appeared for the prosecution while the accused was
represented by lawyers E. Gnasegaran, Audrey Wee Li Ye and VikneshwaranSehgar.
On May 24 last year, Zainuren was freed
by the Sessions Court here without ordering him to enter his defence over the
charges.
In January 2019, Zainuren pleaded not
guilty to four counts of committing physical sexual assault on four male
students, aged between 11 and 14, at a school in PermatangTok Jaya here,
between April 16 and Oct 10, 2018. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/nsa-doval-islamic-centre-muslim-world-league/d/130198