Saudi Regime Executes Shia Political Activist, Haider Nasser al-Tahaifa, From Qatif In A Blatant Disregard For Human Rights
New Age Islam News Bureau
08 March 2023
Haider Nasser al-Tahaifa, an
executed resident of the Qatif region in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province (Photo
via social media networks)
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• Hindu Students Playing Holi In University Of Karachi
Attacked By Radical Islamic Group, Islaami Jamiat Tulba
• Delhi High Court Refuses to Advance Hearing on Plea
Against Stopping Namaz in Mughal Mosque in Mehrauli
• Empire State Building Lit Up With Turkish Flag’s
Colours For Earthquake Victims
• Tashkent Hosts Meeting of Special Representatives of
Afghanistan’s Neighbouring Countries
Arab World
• UAE President meets Ukraine’s First Lady, directs $4
mln aid to children of war
• Israeli minister call for Palestinian home
demolition may escalate matters in Ramadan: Al-Azhar
• UN rights chief calls for ‘serious’ Lebanon blast
investigation
• UN rights chief calls for ‘serious’ Lebanon blast
investigation
• Three dead in Israel strike on Syria’s Aleppo
airport: monitor
• Egypt seeks to attract Islamic investors with debut
sukuk, EGX Sharia index
• Iraq’s Fatah says no hesitation over US troop
expulsion as Pentagon chief visits Baghdad
--------
Pakistan
• Federal Shariat Court: ‘No Place For Domestic
Violence In Islam’
• KP Police Set Up Unit To Probe Terror Financing
Through Extortion Money
• Pakistan, US reaffirm commitment to address common
terrorism threat
• Non-bailable arrest warrant against Pakistan's
ousted PM Imran Khan suspended till March 13 in Toshakhana case
• ECP issues arrest warrants for PTI chief, Fawad in
contempt case
• School canteens in Sindh barred from selling fizzy
drinks in glass bottles
• Afghan delegation expected in Pakistan soon: Asif
• Maryam seeks accountability of ‘people who harmed
country’
--------
India
• Coimbatore, Mangaluru Blasts: Police To Examine
Claims Made By Islamic State Of Khorasan Province Mouthpiece On Attacks
• Karnataka: Muslim Leaders Seek Nod To Play
Loudspeakers For ‘Azaan’ During Ramzan
• Muslim Groups In Kerala Plan Counter-Campaign To
Inheritance Law
• India slams Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto
for raking up Kashmir at UNSC debate
• India to send 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to
Afghanistan via Chabahar port
• PFI terror funding case: NIA busts multi-state
hawala network, 5 arrested
• BJP to hold conferences in Western UP to connect
with Muslims
• Al Mahad Al Aali Al Islami: A seminary where modern
subjects are also taught
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North America
• Pentagon Chief Vows To Continue US Military Presence
In Iraq
• Pakistan, US to work jointly against global,
regional threats
• Biden thanks Oman for help in releasing Americans
detained in Iran, Yemen truce
• US bemoans Beirut blast probe, calls for judicial
reform in Lebanon
• Lawyers of Abraaj’s Naqvi says fresh evidence may
block US extradition
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South Asia
• EU Sanctions Two Acting Ministers of Afghan Interim
Government
• Afghan Interim Govt Meets Every Condition for
Recognition, Says FM Muttaqi
• Afghan Territory Must Not Be Used For Terrorist
Activities: India And 5 Central Asian Countries
• 17 killed, over 100 injured in explosion at crowded
Dhaka market
• Pakistan, six other nations urge Western states to
unfreeze Afghanistan’s assets
• Bangladesh criticized for failing to protect
Ahmadiyya Muslims
• Fresh $40 Million Cash Arrives Kabul, DAB to Auction
$16 Million on Wednesday
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Southeast Asia
• Selangor Sultan: Key Administrators Of Islamic Religious
Institutions Must Be Above Politics
• PAS MP calls on Malaysian government to 'control'
number of concerts by foreign artistes like Blackpink
• Indonesia freezes accounts linked to taxman amid
public anger over disproportionate wealth
--------
Mideast
• Iran Starts Mass Production of High-Velocity
Ballistic Missile Able to Smash Moving Naval Targets
• Israel’s Lapid slams ‘Jewish terrorists’ after
settler attack on Palestinian town
• Iran accuses school poisoning suspects of links to
foreign media, riots
• Senior Official: Several Suspects Arrested in
Schoolgirl Poisonings Case
• FM Underlines Iran's Determination to Play Active
Role in SCO
• Turkey earthquake survivors reconsider election
loyalty to President Erdogan
• Turkey earthquake damage set to exceed $100 billion:
UN agency
• Israeli troops kill at least six, wound 11 others
during raid in West Bank’s Jenin
• Israeli military reservists refuse to return to
service in protest at new far-right government
--------
Africa
• World Bank Halts Talks With Tunisia Amid Uproar Over
Anti-Migrant Remarks
• African Union postpones conference in Tunisia amid
crackdown on migrants
• KSrelief continue aid efforts in Yemen and Sudan
• Turkish, Sierra Leonean presidents meet in Ankara
for talks
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Europe
• Muslims Across Europe Urged To Boycott Israeli Dates
This Ramadan
• Afghan boy murdered ‘in cold blood’ on London
street, court finds
• Quake solidarity strengthens ties between Bulgaria’s
Turks, Türkiye: Senior official
• Belgium raises over $1.9M in single day for quake
victims in Türkiye, Syria
• Quake victims in Türkiye, Syria continue to receive
assistance: Danish NGO
• UK school embroiled in Quran desecration row
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-execute-shia-haider-nasser-tahaifa/d/129276
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Saudi Regime Executes Shia Political Activist, Haider Nasser al-Tahaifa, From Qatif In A Blatant Disregard For Human Rights
Haider Nasser al-Tahaifa, an
executed resident of the Qatif region in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province (Photo
via social media networks)
------
07 March 2023
In yet another indication of Saudi Arabia’s blatant
disregard for human rights and speech freedom, the regime in Riyadh has
executed an imprisoned political activist from the Shia-majority Eastern
Province.
Saudi authorities carried out early on Tuesday a death
sentence against Haider Nasser al-Tahaifa, a resident of the oil-rich Qatif
region in Eastern Province, according to the London-based and Arabic-language
Nabaa television news network.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry was cited by the news
network as saying that the activist was executed on charges of participation in
anti-Riyadh activities as well as protests against the ultra-conservative
kingdom.
The Ministry accused Tahaifa of joining what it
claimed to be a “terrorist cell” aimed at undermining the country's internal
security, destroying public property and carrying out acts of vandalism.
Tahaifa was arrested in Qatif in early September 2017
and was transferred to a detention center near the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The political activist was sentenced in the first
instance in September 2021 to “death by discretion” and the Court of Appeal
upheld his sentence. The death penalty came after five years of arbitrary
detention in South Arabia's eastern city of Dammam.
Reacting to Tahaifa’s execution, activists and Twitter
users from Arab and Muslim countries expressed their indignation at the crime,
which is added to Saudi Arabia's crimes against prisoners of conscience.
Adel al-Saeed, a researcher at the European Saudi
Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR), said that Saudi Arabia's criminality and
disdain for blood have no limits.
“The confessions were extracted from Haider al-Tahaifa
under torture during the interrogation period, and some of them were during the
childhood period,” Saeed said, adding, “The Saudi authorities deprived him of
all his basic rights, such as seeking the assistance of a lawyer.”
Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province has been the scene of
peaceful demonstrations since February 2011. Protesters have been demanding
reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end
to economic and religious discrimination against the region.
The protests have been met with a heavy-handed
crackdown, with regime forces increasing security measures across the province.
Ever since Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s
crown prince and de facto leader in 2017, the kingdom has arrested dozens of
activists, bloggers, intellectuals, and others perceived as political
opponents, showing almost zero tolerance for dissent even in the face of
international condemnations of the crackdown.
As a result, Islamic scholars have been executed,
women’s rights campaigners have been put behind bars and tortured, and freedom
of expression, association, and belief continue to be denied.
In January 2016, Saudi authorities executed Shia
cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, who was an outspoken critic of the Riyadh
regime. Nimr had been arrested in Qatif in 2012.
Source: Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Hindu Students Playing Holi In University Of Karachi
Attacked By Radical Islamic Group, Islaami Jamiat Tulba
People from the Pakistani Hindu community perform
rituals to celebrate Holi in Karachi. (AP/PTI)
------
07 MAR 2023
In second such incident in two days, Hindu students
playing Holi were attacked by a radical Islamic group in Pakistan's Karachi on
Tuesday.
At least 15 students from the minority Hindu community
playing Holi in University of Karachi were injured when they were attacked by
radicals.
Pakistan is a Muslim-majority country and Hindus are a
minority amounting to around 1.6 per cent of the population. Pakistan has a
poor track record with religious minorities as harassment and targeted crimes
are rampant, ranging from attacks on temples and abduction and forced
conversion of Hindu girls and women.
A University of Karachi official confirmed there had
been an incident in the Sindhi department where Hindus and other students were
celebrating Holi and throwing colours at each other when some students attacked
and injured them.
"We are looking into the incident which is
totally against our policies," he said.
An unnamed Hindu girl student, wearing a mask along
with other students, later released a video on Twitter outlining the entire
incident.
She said, "The Islaami Jamiat Tulba (IJT)
activists came and attacked students celebrating Holi in the hall. They beat
some of us...They also harassed female students and we had to leave the place.
We had assembled to celebrate the Holi festival. I want the government and
varsity to take action against those responsible."
Earlier on Monday, 15 students were injured at the
Punjab University campus when IJT activists allegedly stopped them from
celebrating Holi. The incident took place at the Law College of Punjab
University on Monday when around 30 Hindu students gathered to celebrate Holi.
When contacted by PTI, IJT (Punjab University)
Spokesperson Ibrahim Shahid denied the involvement of its students in the
incident.
Human rights organisations have flagged issues faced
by Hindus in Pakistan. Amnesty International in 2020 noted that attacks on
Hindu temples and false blasphemy cases had increased in recent years.
The Amnesty said, "In recent years, they have
faced increasing marginalization, with individuals facing false accusations of
'blasphemy' – a crime that carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan –
attacks on temples and shops, and the horrific abduction, forced conversion and
forced marriage of hundreds of young Hindu women. In 2019, in two separate
incidents, mobs attacked Hindu properties and places of worship in the southern
Sindh province after allegations of 'blasphemy' were made against a Hindu
school principal and a Hindu veterinarian."
Upon Partition of India in 1947, Pakistan became an
Islamic country whereas India became a secular country. While non-Muslims
migrated to India in large numbers, several families stayed or could not leave
present-day Pakistan. Most Hindus today live in the Sindh province.
The Associated Press in 2020 reported that around
1,000 girls are forcibly converted to Islam every year. It noted that most of
the converted girls are impoverished Hindus from Sindh province.
Source: Outlook India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Delhi High Court Refuses to Advance Hearing on Plea
Against Stopping Namaz in Mughal Mosque in Mehrauli
Mughal Masjid, Mehrauli
-----
MARCH 07, 2023
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to advance the
hearing of a plea by the Managing Committee of the Delhi Waqf Board against the
Archaeological Society of India (ASI) stopping Namaz at Mughal Mosque in the
city’s Mehrauli area.
The counsel for the petitioner said the matter was
“ripe for final disposal”, and in view of the upcoming religious occasions, the
hearing scheduled for August 21 should be advanced.
The central government counsel opposed the request and
said he would file a response to the rejoinder filed by the petitioner.
“List on date already fixed,” said Justice Manoj Kumar
Ohri.
The grievance of the petitioner before the high court
is that the officials of the ASI completely stopped the offering of namaz in
the Mughal mosque on May 13, 2022, in an “absolutely unlawful, arbitrary and
precipitous manner”, without serving any notice or order.
In its reply to the petition, the Archaeological
Survey of India said the mosque comes within the boundary of Qutub Minar and is
within the protected area where prayers cannot be permitted.
During the submissions, petitioner’s counsel M Sufian
Siddiqui emphasised that the Mughal mosque was distinct from the “contentious”
Quwattul Islam Mosque which is the subject matter of a suit before a lower
court in Saket.
A plea, pending before a Saket court, has prayed for
restoration of Hindu and Jain deities inside the Qutub Minar complex on the ground
that 27 temples were partly demolished by Qutubuddin Aibak, a general in the
army of Mohamad Gauri, and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex
by reusing the material.
In the early hearing application, the petitioner said
the next date of hearing is almost six months later, and with each passing day,
its rights were getting transgressed and devotees were looking forward to
offering namaz in the Mughal Masjid on the occasion of ‘Shab-e-barat’ and then
the holy month of Ramadan.
Responding to the Centre’s stand, the petitioner
asserted that the mosque is not “protected”, is outside the fenced area and at
a distance from the Quwwatul Islam Masjid.
“That the respondents have not denied or even disputed
those documents and are, in a mischievous manner, trying to create an illusion
that the subject matter of the present petition is ‘Quwwatul Islam Masjid’,”
the rejoinder filed by the petitioner said.
The petitioner, in the rejoinder, said there is
overwhelming evidence to prove that the mosque was under religious use and
regular prayers were held there when the other structures in adjacent area were
declared as centrally protected monuments.
In its reply, the ASI has said that allowing prayers
at the Mughal mosque will “not only set an example but it may also impact other
monuments too”.
It cautioned that the decision of the high court would
“have a significant bearing/influence” on the matter before the Saket court.
“The instant matter is liable to be dismissed on the
grounds that the Petitioners are misleading the Hon’ble Court by stating that
the Mosque in question is not a Centrally Protected Monument,” the reply said.
“Qutub Minar is a Monument of National Importance and
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is submitted that it is not a place of worship,
since the time of its protection the monument or any part of it, has not been
used for any type of worship by any community. It is submitted that the Mosque
in question comes within the boundary of Qutub Minar Complex,” added the reply.
The plea has sought restraining the authorities from
“causing any obstruction or interference in the performance of ‘namaz’ at the
mosque in question, that is, a waqf property notified as ‘Masjid adjacent to
Eastern Gate of Qutab Minar, Mehrauli’ in Delhi Administration’s Gazette
Notification.
Source: News18
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original story:
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Empire State Building Lit Up With Turkish Flag’s
Colours For Earthquake Victims
Empire State Building Lit Up With Turkish Flag’s Colours
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Rabia İclal Turan
07.03.2023
WASHINGTON
New York’s Empire State Building was lit with the red
and white colors of the Turkish flag Monday evening in a show of support after
major earthquakes hit the country’s southern provinces on Feb. 6.
The move came in partnership with Turkish Airlines on
the one-month anniversary of the earthquakes to honor those affected by the
tragedy.
Empire State Realty Trust, which owns the iconic
building, also shared information on an aid campaign launched by the Turkish
Consulate General in New York, calling on people to help the quake victims.
More than 46,100 people have been killed in the two
quakes that shook Türkiye on Feb. 6, according to officials.
The strong tremors, which were centered in
Kahramanmaras province, have affected around 13.5 million people across 10
other provinces: Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis,
Osmaniye, Sanliurfa and Elazig.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Tashkent Hosts Meeting of Special Representatives of
Afghanistan’s Neighbouring Countries
Photo: aa.com
----
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 7, 2023
The first meeting of special representatives of
Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries was held on Tuesday, in Tashkent, the
capital of Uzbekistan.
Representatives from Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan,
China, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan participated in the meeting, aimed
at discussing the current situation in Afghanistan.
The representatives of the neighboring countries
discussed the current situation in Afghanistan, emphasized finding solutions to
the existing issues, and establishing long-lasting peace in the war-torn
country. Continuing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of
Afghanistan during these difficult times also conversed during the meeting.
The meeting was held in the absence of the Taliban
representatives in Tashkent. Besides, several neighbouring countries including
Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan have officially handed over the Afghan
Embassies to the Taliban diplomats, but the group is still not invited to such
meetings on regional levels.
Afghanistan’s neighboring countries have repeatedly
called on the Islamic Emirate authorities to respect human rights, lift the
restrictions on women and girls attending education, and form an all-inclusive government
so that everyone can see them represented in the regime. However, the Taliban
officials have their own priorities and policies regarding these major
challenges.
The de facto regime of Afghanistan has neither
internal legitimacy nor external recognition so far, which is why the Taliban
representatives and diplomats are not invited to major international
conferences.
On the one hand, the Taliban-run administration is
accused of violating human rights, the rights of women, girls, religious
minorities, and ethnic groups, and on the other hand, they call on the
international community to recognize the interim regime and engage with the
Taliban group.
Source: Khaama Press
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original story:
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Arab World
UAE President meets Ukraine’s First Lady, directs $4 mln aid to children of war
08
March ,2023
UAE
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Olena Zelenska, the First
Lady of Ukraine, on Tuesday and has ordered $4 million of humanitarian aid to
children affected by the conflict in the war-torn country.
Zelenska
– the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Chairwoman of the
Olena Zelenska Foundation - is visiting the UAE to participate in the Forbes
30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi this week, state nws agency WAM reported.
Sheikh
Mohamed greeted Zelenska at the Qasr Al Bahr majlis and was briefed on the
human consequences of the Ukrainian crisis, particularly with regard to
children.
The
UAE President directed that $4 million be allocated for the care of children
affected by the crisis in support of one of the Foundation’s projects, known as
‘Family-Type Orphanages’, which will contribute to the construction of 10
buildings that will house about 100 children.
Sheikh
Mohamed reiterated the UAE’s commitment to the people of Ukraine through
ongoing humanitarian aid, while stressing the importance of international and
regional efforts aimed at reaching a political solution to re-establish
security, stability and peace.
Zelenska
thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his support and humanitarian position throughout the
crisis, as well as the UAE’s provision of aid to Ukrainian refugees in
neighboring countries.
During
her visit, the Ukrainian First Lady will meet with members of the Ukrainian
community living in the UAE.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Israeli
minister call for Palestinian home demolition may escalate matters in Ramadan:
Al-Azhar
7
Mar 2023
Al-Azhar
warned on Tuesday that the recent statements of the Israeli Minister of
National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for the continuation of the
demolition of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem could lead to a flare up in
confrontations between the two sides during the holy month of Ramadan.
In
a statement on Tuesday, the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE)
warned that "Despite the suspension of demolitions of unlicensed buildings
of Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan in fear of
flaring up of the situation and a possible third Palestinian intifada, still,
the statements made by the security minister could ignite confrontations in the
city."
The
observatory stressed that “the statements of the extremist Zionist Ben-security
minister Gvir's remarks in which he called for continuing to demolish
Palestinian homes comes in the same context of what Jerusalem faces in terms of
a systematic Zionist plan to force a new reality on the city and its sacred
sites and ignores the sanctity of the holy month.”
The
statement cited a report in the Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth which indicated
that the occupation forces plan to evict six Palestinian families from their
homes in the neighbourhoods of Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah during the month of
March under the pretext that the land belongs to a settlement association and
settlers’ families.
“This
is an unprecedented number of evictions in one month,” the statement warned.
In
recent months, repeated deadly Israeli raids in the West Bank and the continued
demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem have led to
major confrontations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.
The
statement also cited a leaked audio recording in which Ben-Gvir can be heard
rejecting the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque to Israeli settlers during the last ten
days of Ramadan - which is set to start on 23 March - claiming that such
closure amounts to “a surrender to terrorism.”
The
far-right government of PM Benjamin Netanyahu has triggered widespread anger in
the occupied territories and beyond after it announced to build thousands of
new settlement units in the West Bank.
However,
under pressure from Arab and world leaders, Netanyahu agreed in late February
to put the construction of new settlement units in the West Bank on hold for
six months.
In
January, Ben-Gvir led a group of Israeli settlers in storming Al-Aqsa under the
protection of Israeli police.
Source:
Ahram
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/491275.aspx
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UN
rights chief calls for ‘serious’ Lebanon blast investigation
March
07, 2023
GENEVA:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for a “serious
investigation” into the disastrous 2020 Beirut port explosion in a call that
was echoed by dozens of other countries on Tuesday.
Families
of victims, rights groups, and even some political parties in Lebanon have
lambasted political stonewalling of the local investigation into the blast that
killed some 220 people. The investigating judge has tried to resume his inquiry
after a 13-month suspension due to high-level interference but Lebanon’s top
prosecutor has told clerks not to process his decisions.
“Serious
investigation into the explosion of August 2020 is urgently needed, without
political interference or further delay,” Volker Turk said in his global
address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Shortly
afterwards, Australia’s envoy read out a statement on behalf of 38 countries
including many European states, Canada, Britain and Israel calling for a
“swift, independent, credible and transparent investigation.”
It
said the investigation to date had been “hampered by systematic obstruction,
interference, intimidation, and a political impasse.”
Lama
Fakih, Middle East and North Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, said
governments from around the world stood up on Tuesday to defend the rights of
the victims of the Beirut port explosion. She added that more work needs to be
done.
“Time
is running out for an effective investigation. Member states should support a
resolution at the Human Rights Council establishing a fact-finding mission as
soon as possible,” Fakih said.
The
HRW also stressed that further steps must be taken, calling on the UN Human
Rights Council to “pass a resolution which establishes and dispatches, without
delay, an independent and impartial fact-finding mission for the Beirut
explosion.”
Separately,
the US ambassador to the council, Michele Taylor, said that a timely and
transparent investigation was required and said the lack of progress to date
underscored the need for judicial reform.
Paul
Naggear, father of Alexandra Naggear, a toddler who died in the explosion, told
Reuters he was pleased with the broad support for the statement.
“The
most important thing is a general acknowledgment that the Lebanese authorities
have been systematically blocking justice. It’s not just us that are saying
this now — it’s international,” he said.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2264271/middle-east
--------
UN
rights chief calls for ‘serious’ Lebanon blast investigation
07
March ,2023
The
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for a “serious
investigation” into the disastrous 2020 Beirut port explosion in a call that
was echoed by dozens of other countries on Tuesday.
Families
of victims, rights groups, and even some political parties in Lebanon have
lambasted political stonewalling of the local investigation into the blast that
killed some 220 people.
The
investigating judge has tried to resume his inquiry after a 13-month suspension
due to high-level interference but Lebanon’s top prosecutor has told clerks not
to process his decisions.
“Serious
investigation into the explosion of August 2020 is urgently needed, without
political interference or further delay,” Volker Turk said in his global
address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Shortly
afterwards, Australia’s envoy read out a statement on behalf of 38 countries
including many European states, Canada, Britain and Israel calling for a
“swift, independent, credible and transparent investigation.”
It
said the investigation to date had been “hampered by systematic obstruction,
interference, intimidation, and a political impasse.”
Separately,
the US ambassador to the council, Michele Taylor, said that a timely and
transparent investigation was required and said the lack of progress to date
underscored the need for judicial reform.
Paul
Naggear, father of Alexandra Naggear, a toddler who died in the explosion, told
Reuters he was pleased with the broad support for the statement.
“The
most important thing is a general acknowledgment that the Lebanese authorities
have been systematically blocking justice. It’s not just us that are saying
this now - it’s international,” he said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Three
dead in Israel strike on Syria’s Aleppo airport: monitor
March
08, 2023
BEIRUT:
: Israeli warplanes killed three people in a raid on Syria’s Aleppo airport
Tuesday, a war monitor said after the strike which, according to a Syrian
official, halted earthquake aid flights.
The
airport has been a major conduit for relief flights since a February 6
earthquake devastated swathes of southeastern Turkiye and neighboring Syria.
A
transport ministry official in Syria said the aid flights were among those
brought to a stop from Aleppo, Syria’s second city.
The
British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of
sources in war-torn Syria, said “a Syrian officer” and two people of unknown
nationality were killed in the air strike.
Syria’s
defense ministry said the strike occurred at 2:07 am (2307 GMT Monday).
“The
Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the Mediterranean west of Latakia
targeting Aleppo international airport,” a ministry statement said.
It
added that the damage forced authorities to close the airport to all flights.
More
than 80 aid flights have landed in Aleppo over the past month with relief
supplies for quake-hit areas, transport ministry official Suleiman Khalil told
AFP.
“It
is no longer possible to receive aid flights until the damage has been
repaired,” he said, adding the strike had put the runway out of service.
Aid
deliveries have been diverted to Damascus and Latakia airports, a ministry statement
said.
State
news agency SANA said Syrian air defenses had gone into action against “enemy
missiles.”
An
Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment on the reported strike.
The
Observatory said the airport was expected to reopen in a few days after repair
work.
Syria’s
foreign ministry decried a “double crime,” saying the strike targeted “a
civilian airport... and one of the key channels for the arrival of humanitarian
aid” to victims of the quake which killed around 6,000 people in Syria.
It
marked the second Israeli attack on government-held areas since the
7.8-magnitude quake that killed more than 50,000 people in the two countries.
On
February 19, an Israeli air strike killed 15 people in a Damascus district
housing state security agencies, the Observatory said.
Damascus
ally Iran condemned the latest strike as “a “crime against humanity.”
“While
the Syrian earthquake victims in Aleppo are experiencing difficult conditions,
the Zionist regime (Israel) is attacking Aleppo airport,” foreign ministry
spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement.
Israel
has attacked Aleppo and Damascus airports several times in recent years.
A
strike on the Aleppo facility last September put it out of service for a few
days. That attack targeted a warehouse used by Iran-backed militias, the
Observatory said at the time.
Since
civil war erupted in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air
raids against its neighbor, primarily targeting positions of the Syrian army
and its Iranian and Hezbollah allies.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2264401/middle-east
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Egypt
seeks to attract Islamic investors with debut sukuk, EGX Sharia index
Hassan
Jivraj
March
7, 2023
Egypt's
Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) is allowing domestic companies to sell
traditional and Islamic bonds — known as sukuk — without the need for a credit
rating, according to an official statement made on Monday. The move aims to
reduce the cost of listing and issuing bonds and sukuk, and encourage more
Egyptian companies to access debt instruments to fund their expansion and
investment plans.
This
comes after Egypt issued its first ever sovereign sukuk on Feb 21. The
three-year $1.5 billion Sharia-compliant debt issuance, which offers an annual
profit rate of 10.875%, was four times oversubscribed. The issuance is part of
a $5 billion three-year sukuk program that the Ministry of Finance established
Feb. 14 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Some
250 global investors including asset managers, pension funds, insurance
companies and investment banks from the Gulf, Asia, Europe and the United
States subscribed to the debt offering, according to a statement by Finance
Minister Mohammed Maait.
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Fakrizzaki
Ghazali, fixed income manager at Riyadh-based SNB Capital, told Al-Monitor that
Egypt's sukuk program will be "well-received" given the dearth of
US-dollar denominated Sharia assets. "It will give investors more options
to pick within the high yield sovereign [sukuk] market, in addition to Turkey,
Bahrain, Oman and Sharjah,” he said.
Egypt’s
sukuk is its first foray in international bond markets since March 2022. With
Egypt’s public finances having deteriorated over the past year, Cairo
reportedly used the sukuk to repay a $1.25 billion Eurobond that matured Feb.
21.
The
Arab world’s most populous nation is dealing with a severe currency crisis,
high inflation and interest rates as well as unsustainable external debt
levels. The cash-strapped country signed a new four-year $3 billion rescue
package with the International Monetary Fund in December 2022.
Egypt’s
debut sukuk will join a larger global Islamic bond market worth around $750
billion, according to some estimates. S&P Global forecasts that global sukuk
issuance will be around $150 billion in 2023, compared to $155.8 billion in
2022 and $170.4 billion in 2021.
Mohamed
Damak, global head of Islamic Finance at S&P Global Ratings, believes that
while Egypt’s first sovereign sukuk may open the door for similar future
transactions from the government or other private sector issuers, the material
impact may be limited.
“By
establishing its sukuk issuance program, the government has diversified its
funding sources,” he said. “However, the contribution of Islamic finance to the
Egyptian economy is still limited. There are few Islamic banks in Egypt. It
remains to be seen if the sovereign sukuk will open the door for private sector
sukuk issuances.”
In
August 2021, Egypt ratified its sukuk law that enables entities to issue local
or international sukuk.
Rania
Abdelfattah, associate professor of finance at the British University in Egypt,
told A-Monitor, “We have seen local currency corporate sukuk issuances. These
issuances have been successfully structured by major investment banks in Egypt
such as EFG Hermes. I don’t see a flurry of Egyptian corporates issuing sukuk
because these entities — besides the government — rarely issue bonds in the
international market."
One
Islamic debt origination banker based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said
that it is highly unlikely that other Egyptian issuers will tap the
international sukuk market anytime soon. “There is no market for any level
below the sovereign,” he told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "It’s
very similar to Turkey. None of the corporations or financial institutions can
get a deal done other than the sovereign."
In
addition to the sukuk, the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), the country’s stock
exchange, is working on developing a new Islamic index. The new index would
offer investors and funds access to specific Sharia-compliant stocks on the
EGX. Rami El-Dokany, chairman of EGX, reaffirmed this commitment at a recent
conference in late February.
A
new EGX Sharia index would join a growing number of Islamic indices that track
regional and global equities as well as other asset classes. The most notable
global Islamic indices include Dow Jones Islamic Market index and MSCI World
Islamic Index.
At
present, S&P Egypt BMI Shariah offers a Sharia-compliant version of the
S&P Egypt BMI, a broad-based benchmark covering large-, mid- and small-cap
Egyptian stocks.
“The
development of the Sharia index is part of its current initiatives to enhance
the financial sector,” Abdelfattah noted. “The EGX is also working on raising
financial awareness to the public about investments in the capital market.”
According
to Mohamed al-Beltagy, president of the Egyptian Islamic Finance Association,
the lack of knowledge and understanding of Islamic products and how they differ
from conventional finance is one of the key challenges facing the industry.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iraq’s
Fatah says no hesitation over US troop expulsion as Pentagon chief visits
Baghdad
07
March 2023
The
Fatah (Conquest) Alliance in the Iraqi parliament says the country’s resistance
and political groups agree on the need to expel all American troops, noting
that this is a “definitive” and “national” decision rather than a factional
one.
“Efforts
continue at the public and political levels to wrap up the case of the presence
of US forces on Iraqi soil. There will be no negligence or hesitation in
expelling the Americans,” Fatah Alliance lawmaker Karim Aliwi told Iraq’s
al-Maluma news agency on Tuesday.
The
remarks came after Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to the
Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
The
visit came just days before the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of the
Arab country under the false pretext that the regime of Saddam Hussein
possessed weapons of mass destruction.
The
US withdrew soldiers from Iraq between 2007 and 2011 but redeployed them in
2014 along with other partners to allegedly counter the threat of the Daesh
terrorist group.
Iraq
managed to end the territorial rule of the Takfiri outfit in the country thanks
to the sacrifices of the national army as well as the anti-terror Popular
Mobilization Units (PMU), which had the backing of Iran.
However,
Washington kept its forces inside Iraq in defiance of a resolution that
required its withdrawal. The resolution was passed by the Arab country’s
parliament in January 2020, following the US assassination of Iran’s legendary
anti-terror commander General Qassem Soleimani and his Iraqi trenchmate Abu
Mahdi al-Muhandis, the PMU deputy head.
The
US military declared the end of its combat mission in Iraq in December 2021,
but it still maintains a number of troops there under the guise of playing an
advisory and training role.
“Iraqi
resistance, popular mobilization and political groups share a view on the
expulsion of all American forces from Iraqi soil, and if this is not done,
other ways to expel the Americans will be on the agenda,” Aliwi said.
He
also urged the Iraqi parliament to implement the 2020 resolution on the expulsion
of US military personnel.
“The
continued presence of American forces is a violation of UN decisions. The
expulsion of the US troops is not a decision by a certain political faction,
but rather a national option,” the lawmaker said.
Austin’s
Baghdad visit came two days after US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Mark Milley paid an unannounced visit to Syria, where he met with US
occupation troops.
Syrian
Foreign Ministry strongly condemned “the illegal visit of the American chairman
of the chiefs of staff to an illegal American military base in northeast
Syria.”
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/07/699447/Iraq-Fatah-expelling-US-
--------
Pakistan
Federal
Shariat Court: ‘No Place For Domestic Violence In Islam’
By
Myra Imran
March
08, 2023
Islamabad:
Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court, Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer has said
that there is no place for domestic violence in Islam.
He
was speaking at the launch of a ‘policy brief on Domestic Violence’ by the
National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), in collaboration with UN Women, on
Tuesday.
He
said that in a diverse society like Pakistan, many issues are overlapping and
culture is confused with religion. “Same is with the issue of domestic
violence. People were convinced that domestic violence has something to do with
Islam, On the contrary, it is nothing to do with Islam. He said that
eliminating the menace of domestic violence is a continuous and steady process.
He quoted Quran and gave examples from the life of the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) when he forbade all kinds of domestic violence.
Launched
as part of a wider campaign against domestic violence, the policy brief
provides a detailed view of how domestic violence affects Pakistani citizens,
particularly women. Furthermore, it analyses possible interventions that can be
made against domestic violence, citing the establishment of federal domestic
violence legislation as a crucial step in addressing this ‘urgent matter.’ The
brief also examines the international commitments made by Pakistan and provides
recommendations for legal and socio-economic actions that can be taken by the
government to tackle the issue.
Speaking
on this occasion, NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha said that following
nationwide consultation and meetings with various stakeholders from civil
society and state institutions, the NCHR took note of the alarming rise in
domestic violence cases in the country and lack of protection for women who
find themselves in an increasingly precarious position as Pakistan reels from
COVID-19 pandemic, the devastating floods and now rising inflation, all which
disproportionally affect women far more than their male counterparts.
The
Chairperson said besides working on a Policy Brief, the Commission has launched
a helpline (1413) for the protection of women's marriage rights in Punjab. “In
addition to that, the NCHR has a complaint redressal mechanism and continuously
follows up on rules and implementation of provincial domestic violence Acts in
Sindh and Balochistan.”
Source:
The News Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1047674-no-place-for-domestic-violence-in-islam
--------
KP
police set up unit to probe terror financing through extortion money
March
8, 2023
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have established the Counter Terrorist Financing
Unit (CTFU) to “reduce and investigate” the growing cases of extortion to
finance terrorist activities.
“Extortion
is taking place at a huge scale. This was a low priority area. There was
confusion on who would deal with it in the first place,” KP Inspector General
of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan told Dawn about the initiative.
A
standing order issued by the Central Police Office said the volume of terror
financing, extortion and transfer of money through illegal means, inland and
across the borders, was higher than the number of registered cases.
It
added that the cases reported to the police were just a tip of the iceberg.
IGP
says even 30pc success of initiative will make a difference
The
IGP said the police had created the fiscal space to get specialised equipment
and gadgets and the required personnel to prop up the unit and get it going.
“I
hope to see it [CTFU] up and running by the middle of next month,” he said.
Data
shared with Dawn revealed that the province recorded 155 cases of extortion
payment in 2022 alone and that 60 extortion payers disclosed the amount to the
police but a bigger number declined to do so.
According
to it, the amount paid to extortionists was estimated at Rs41 million.
“The
scale and amount of extortion is, of course, much bigger than we know,” the
police chief said.
However,
in a recent background briefing, a top security official put the figure at
Rs1.06 billion. It is not clear how the law-enforcement agency reached that
sum.
The
standing order, while outlining the objectives of the CTFU was to reduce the
threat of terrorist financing by ‘detecting, preventing, deterring and
disrupting the flow of terrorist finance.’
“I
am banking on a 30 per cent success rate,” Mr Khan said.
“Even
if we are able to reduce it by 30 per cent, it would certainly dent the
terrorists’ ability to finance their activities. Less money means less
activity. It is better to do something than fighting it with meagre resources.
At the moment, we are doing nothing.”
The
standing order said the CTFC would undertake to understand terrorist finance
activity by exploiting intelligence to prevent and detect illicit activity and
investigate to disrupt and deter it by holding extortionists to account.
According
to it, the CTFC will also review its legislative framework and propose new laws
or amendments in the existing instruments with the view to enhance legal powers
of law- enforcement agencies to disrupt and pursue terrorism financing in the
face of more technological and complex threats that Pakistan and its interest
might face.
Currently,
Pakistan has several laws dealing with terrorist financing, including the NACTA
Act, Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 2947,
Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
As
part of the effort, the police chief said he was formally setting up the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Financial Intelligence Cell that would be linked with financial
units to receive suspicious transaction reports, work on them, and initiate
their own suspicious activity reports.
“We
are going to procure highly sophisticated technology and digital systems. We
need to have a technological edge over terrorists financing their activities
through extortion. If we can squeeze them, it will have an impact on the
ground. Better technology and better methods will yield better results,” he
said.
The
IGP said increasing the police’s digital footprint was high on his agenda.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan,
US reaffirm commitment to address common terrorism threat
March
8, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and the United States on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to
address the common threat of terrorism, according to a press release by the
Foreign Office (FO).
A
US delegation had arrived in Islamabad on Sunday for counterterrorism talks,
days after an official US report warned that terrorist groups were once again
regrouping in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region.
The
FO said the Pakistan-US Counter-Terrorism Dialogue took place on Monday and
Tuesday in which the two sides “reaffirmed their commitment to address the
common threat of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and shared
their experiences in countering terrorist financing.
They
also agreed to continue the counterterrorism dialogue and develop a “better
understanding of the terrorist threat”.
“The
two-day discussions covered a range of topics, including counter-terrorism
cooperation at multilateral forums, assessment of regional counterterrorism
landscape, cyber security and countering violent extremism.
“The
US assistance projects in Pakistan were discussed, with a particular focus on
capacity building in anti-money laundering and the justice sector. Both sides
highlighted the importance of these projects in enhancing Pakistan’s capacity
to counter terrorism,” the FO said.
Pakistan
was led by FO Additional Secretary Syed Haider Shah and the US delegation was
headed by State Department Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Christopher
Landberg.
Diplomatic
sources previously told media that US-Pakistan defence talks, held in
Washington last month, also focused on issues like counterterrorism, terrorism
financing and intelligence sharing.
The
United States expects Pakistan to back its efforts to prevent terrorist groups
from renewing their roots in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.
After
recent terrorist attacks in Peshawar and Karachi, the United States assured
Pakistan of its full support in fighting banned extremist groups such as the
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan who claimed
responsibility for the attacks.
Over
the past few months, the law and order situation in the country has worsened,
with terrorist groups executing attacks with near impunity across the country.
Since
the talks with the TTP broke down in November, the militant group has
intensified its attacks, particularly targeting the police in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and areas bordering Afghanistan. Insurgents in Balochistan have
also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the TTP.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Non-bailable
arrest warrant against Pakistan's ousted PM Imran Khan suspended till March 13
in Toshakhana case
Mar
7, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended till March 13 the
non-bailable arrest warrant against Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan
for his failure to appear before a sessions court here for the fourth time in
the Toshakhana case.
The
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, announcing the verdict that he reserved earlier
in the day, directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief to appear before
the district and sessions court on March 13, rejecting a plea by Khan's lawyer
to give four weeks for appearance before the court in the case.
Khan,
70, has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff
wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state
depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit.
Khan
on Tuesday for the fourth time skipped a hearing at the sessions court, citing
health and security reasons.
The
former premier's counsel Sher Afzal Marwat, who appeared before the court, said
Khan was unwell and “disabled” after being injured in the Wazirabad attack.
Marwat
said a "global spectacle” was created regarding the PTI chief, whose party
on Monday challenged in the IHC the arrest warrant issued against him for not
appearing before the court.
Requesting
the court to give a date next week for hearing the matter, Marwat maintained
that he would provide the power of attorney within “a day or two”.
Taking
to Twitter on Tuesday, Khan slammed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government
and said it was behind a total of 76 legal cases - so far - raised against him.
“This
is what happens when a bunch of criminals is imposed on a nation by those who
are devoid of intelligence, morality, and ethics,” he tweeted.
The
PTI chief on Monday moved the IHC against the non-bailable arrest warrant
ordered by the Islamabad sessions court in the Toshakhana case.
His
lawyer Ali Bukhari in the petition before the IHC requested a cancellation of
the warrant, arguing that it was “illegal” to issue a non-bailable warrant.
The
IHC then gave Khan another opportunity to choose a date to appear before the
courts in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.
The
court also remarked that the warrants were not issued for arrests but to frame
charges against Khan.
“You
appear in court for the framing of charges and then request for an exemption,”
Justice Farooq said. “The law is the same for everyone. What can the court do?
“The
court has to adopt a legal procedure,” he added, maintaining that Khan had to
appear in the sessions court today (Monday) but he did not.
“You
tell, when will he appear?” the judge asked. “Imran Khan has to appear before
me as well. He can come on March 9 and appear before the sessions court too.”
Here,
the PTI lawyer said that Khan had severe security threats to which the judge
replied that the court's judges received threats "every day" and
asked if he should shut down the IHC because of it.
Khan's
lawyer stated that he would consult with the PTI chief and get
"instructions" on what to do next "within half an hour".
The counsel announced that he would speak to Khan over video-link due to
"security concerns".
The
court adjourned the hearing for half an hour.
The
Islamabad sessions court had earlier on Monday rejected the request to cancel
Khan's arrest warrant.
Khan
had argued that the withdrawal of the summons would enable him “a fair
opportunity to appear and defend himself” in the case, but the justice said the
PTI chief "willfully avoided" his appearance.
Khan
has earlier thrice skipped indictment hearings in the Islamabad sessions court
in the case.
In
his assets declarations, he is accused of concealing details of the gifts he
retained from the Toshakhana — a repository where presents handed to government
officials from foreign officials are kept.
The
Islamabad sessions court judge had on February 28 issued arrest warrants
against Khan and adjourned the hearing till March 7.
On
March 5, an Islamabad police team was sent to Khan's Zaman Park residence in
Lahore with the court summons. However, the police returned empty-handed after
the PTI chief evaded the arrest.
Separately,
Islamabad Police on Monday registered a case against Khan and 150 of his party
workers for obstructing law enforcement agency officials from implementing a
court order against the ousted prime minister in the Toshakhana case.
The
police faced stiff resistance from PTI activists outside Khan's Zaman Park
residence.
The
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in October last year ruled that he made
“false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding Toshakhana gifts.
The
ECP, later on, asked the Islamabad sessions court to proceed against Khan under
criminal law for hiding the sale of gifts.
Khan
was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his
leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him
because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and
Afghanistan.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
ECP
issues arrest warrants for PTI chief, Fawad in contempt case
Asif
Chaudhry | Iftikhar A. Khan Published March 8, 2023ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Annoyed by
their persistent absence, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday
issued bailable arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan and senior party
leader Fawad Chaudhry in a case pertaining to contempt of the ECP and chief
election commissioner (CEC).
Separately,
Lahore police registered another case against senior PTI leaders for delivering
incendiary speeches and accusing the state of hatching conspiracy to
assassinate Imran Khan.
A
four-member ECP bench headed by member from Sindh Nisar Durrani noted that the
former prime minister was not appearing before the electoral watchdog despite
being summoned persistently, which amounts to insulting the commission.
The
bench directed the Islamabad police chief to arrest Mr Khan and Fawad Chaudhry
and produce them before it the on March 14.
Dismisses
plea seeking Imran’s removal as party chairman; police book party leaders in
another case
The
ECP had issued show-cause notices to the PTI chief and party leaders Asad Umar
and Fawad Chaudhry for using intemperate language against the commission and its
head last year. While Mr Umar appeared before the ECP bench for the first time
last week, the two others never turned up.
The
PTI chief in his objections said the notice as well as show-cause notice had
also been challenged by him in the Lahore High Court. He said the orders of the
high court shall have a blanket effect on the legality of these proceedings.
“Neither the notice nor the show-cause notice have been issued by the rightful
authority and the secretary of ECP or the DG of Law cannot assume authority to
issue any notice or show-cause notice without express provision of law
authorising them,” Mr Khan said.
The
response filed by Asad Umar also contained similar arguments.
Plea
dismissed
Also
on Tuesday, the ECP dismissed a plea seeking removal of Imran Khan as the
chairman of PTI following his disqualification in Toshakhana case, after the
petitioner Afaq Ahmad misbehaved with the bench.
When
Barrister Gohar, Mr Khan’s lawyer, argued that the Lahore High Court had barred
the commission from issuing any verdict in the case, CEC Sikander Sultan Raja
said the high court had barred the electoral watchdog from issuing the verdict
and not discontinuing the hearing.
Afaq
Ahmed said the ECP had been serving “false notices” on him, adding that the
notices issued to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar were being sent to him. “The
notices could not reach me on time due to the negligence of the deputy director
of the law department,” he added.
The
CEC rebuked him, saying he should not point finger at anyone, lower his voice
and talk about the relevant case.
The
petitioner asked who was responsible for serving a notice after the case had
been taken up for hearing. The CEC remarked what he (petitioner) meant by that
to which the latter stated he would not say what Mr Raja wanted to listen to.
Upon
this, the CEC ordered police to send Mr Ahmad out of the courtroom. Later, the
ECP dismissed the plea.
Another
case against PTI leaders
Meanwhile,
Lahore police registered another case against senior PTI leaders, including
Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry, along with 50 party activists on
charges of delivering speeches inciting the public against the government and
accusing the state of hatching a plot to assassinate former PM Imran Khan.
The
case was registered a day after Lahore police lodged an FIR against the PTI
chairman, his chief of staff Shibli Faraz and 150 other party workers for
harassing the Islamabad police during a raid on Zaman Park residence of the
former prime minister.
This
time, police applied seven sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in the
FIR, which was registered on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Mohammad Waseem of
the Race Course police station.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741001/ecp-issues-arrest-warrants-for-pti-chief-fawad-in-contempt-case
--------
School
canteens in Sindh barred from selling fizzy drinks in glass bottles
March
8, 2023
KARACHI:
The Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh
(DIRPIS) has ordered that fizzy drinks in glass bottles be banned at private
school canteens.
The
order follows the unfortunate and heartbreaking incident in which a class five
student at a private school lost his life due to the explosion of a glass
bottle filled with Limca Soda. The soft drink was sold in the school canteen.
Therefore,
the Directorate has issued an order in the form of a notification to all
principals and administrators of all privately managed schools to ensure that
no soda drinks be allowed at their canteens.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Afghan
delegation expected in Pakistan soon: Asif
March
7, 2023
Defence
Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said an Afghan delegation was expected in
Pakistan soon in continuation of talks related to various issues including
regional security and counter-terrorism measures.
The
minister’s statement comes more than a week after a high-level Pakistani
delegation, led by Asif, visited Kabul to meet with officials of the Afghan
interim government to discuss a variety of issues from security to bilateral
cooperation.
The
two sides had specifically discussed the growing threat of terrorism in the
region, particularly from the banned militant groups Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), in the high-level talks.
“Pakistan
and Afghanistan are neighbours and should have cordial relations. The Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan wants expansion of commercial and economic relations
with Pakistan as such relations are in the interest of both countries,” the
official statement from Afghanistan had said on February 22.
Afghanistan’s
Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar had noted that political and
security issues should not affect trade and economic matters between the two
countries and be kept separate from political and security problems.
Addressing
a press talk in Islamabad today, Asif emphasised that the Afghan territory must
not be used by terrorists, especially in light of the agreement signed in Doha.
“We
asked them to honour the accord and they agreed to our request,” the minister
added.
In
February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in
Doha, Qatar, to bring an end to the 2001–2021 war in Afghanistan. The agreement
ultimately led to the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan on Aug 15, 2021.
Asif
said Pakistan fought hard to rein in terrorism and vowed the government would
do so again. “We will fight as we did in the past.”
He
insisted there would be accountability for people who agreed to fight
“America’s war” in the 80s.
Turning
his guns on his top political rival Imran Khan, Asif claimed the former premier
had made no political decisions without the establishment’s help.
He
went on to allege that Imran wanted to appoint the army chief of his choice to
keep clinging on to power for another five years.
The
minister also rebuffed reports of the government’s alleged plan to arrest him,
saying “we are not in a hurry as he is getting exposed in front of his
supporters [with his own actions].”
He
urged the courts to “treat” the PTI chief as it did to politicians in the past.
“It
shouldn’t look like he is being accommodated. The treatment he has received
will bring us (PML-N) political dividends.”
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/03/07/afghan-delegation-expected-in-pakistan-soon-asif/
--------
Maryam
seeks accountability of ‘people who harmed country’
SHEIKHUPURA:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz has slammed
former prime minister Imran Khan and his facilitators for “causing harm to the
country” and called for holding them accountable.
“The
PML-N is prepared for the polls, but the accountability will be held first and
the elections will follow,” she said while addressing PML-N workers convention.
Maryam
claimed that the PML-N will win the elections but a few things must be placed
in order first.
She
bitterly criticised the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar
alleging that he (Saqib) set his own ‘standards of justice’. Nawaz Sharif, the
three-time prime minister, was subjected to political persecution, she said.
She highlighted injustices meted out to her family members and the PML-N
leaders. She said the former CJP Saqib Nisar has withdrawn the certificate of
‘Sadiq and Ameen’ given to Imran Khan. Referring to former chief justice’s
claim of ‘WhatsApp hack’, Maryam said that the nation’s future has been hacked,
not Nisar’s WhatsApp. “The infamous JIT [Joint Investigation Team] was also
constituted on WhatsApp,” she said.
Why
ex-PM Nawaz Sharif was made to serve a year in jail for no reason and why
‘criminal’ Imran Khan has been walking free, she questioned?
In
April 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified the three-time prime
minister Nawaz Sharif for life and in April 2022, ex-PM Imran Khan was ousted
from power after losing a no-confidence vote, she said. She also questioned her
disqualification though she was not holding a public office.
“Why
did you hand over the destiny of the nation to an addict? Why an addict was
made Prime Minister? He is not only ineligible and dishonest but is the most
coward person,” she remarked.
She
alleged that Faiz Hameed approached Justice Shaukat Siddiqui and told him that
if Nawaz is not disqualified, their two-year manoeuvring will be a futile
exercise.
She
said the people wanted to know why popular leaders were put behind the bars.
She said the public has the right to know the truth.
Speaking
about PTI's "Jail Bharo Tehreek", Maryam said that no movement was a
bigger failure than this one. "PTI leadership kept telling their workers
to fill up the jails and were sitting at home themselves out of fear," she
said, adding: "There was no comparison between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif
and Imran Khan as Nawaz was a "brave person because he faced jail in a bad
condition while Imran had never been to jail".
Source:
Brecorder
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40230121
--------
India
Coimbatore,
Mangaluru Blasts: Police To Examine Claims Made By Islamic State Of Khorasan
Province Mouthpiece On Attacks
March
07, 2023
WILSON
THOMAS
The
Tamil Nadu police are looking into a claim made by the Islamic State of
Khorasan Province (ISKP), in a recent issue of its propaganda magazine Voice of
Khurasan, stating that it had a role in the car explosion in front of
Sangameswarar temple in Coimbatore on October 23 2022, and, possibly, the
pressure cooker blast in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru on November 19, 2022.
Coimbatore
City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan said the police were checking the
claim.
“Know
that the spark (of war) has already been lit. Do you not consider our attacks
in Coimbatore (Tamilnadu) and Karnataka (Bangalore), where our brothers took
revenge for the honor of our religion and terrorized kufar and its followers?
Thus we promise you that this is just the beginning,” read a paragraph of an
article titled ‘A message to the inhabitants in the land occupied by cow and
mice worshipping filths’ in the magazine.
Though
the write-up named the place in Karnataka as Bangalore, security agencies
suspect it could be a reference to the pressure cooker blast reported in an
autorickshaw in Mangaluru on November 19, 2022.
The
article, which claims to be a message to Hindus, the BJP and the police and
military, also mentioned mujahedin (those engaged in ‘holy war’) in south India.
“Our
second message is to mujahedin all over the world, especially to mujahedin in
south India. O brothers! O muwahhidin and mujahedin! O you who have been guided
to the straight path, the path of truth, the path of triumph and the path of
salvation,” the message said, calling for stern and harsh action towards
disbelievers and for revenge to be taken on them for their actions.
Another
portion read that Kashmir, the Babri Masjid [demolition] and the Gujrat riots
among other incidents were not forgotten. “We have not forgotten how your
military and police arrested their brothers and sisters, imprisoned them, and
martyred them. O kuffar in south India, O BJP and police and military officers,
by Allah we promise you a bloody revenge in return,” it said.
Source:
The Hindu
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Karnataka:
Muslim leaders seek nod to play loudspeakers for ‘Azaan’ during Ramzan
7th
March 2023
Chikkamagaluru:
Muslim organisations have submitted a memorandum to the District Commissioner
and BJP MLA, national General Secretary C.T. Ravi to allow them to use
loudspeakers for Azaan early in the morning during the Ramzan period in
Chikkamagaluru district.
The
Muslim organisations are demanding that they should be allowed to use
loudspeakers between 5 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. in the backdrop of the beginning of
the Ramzan festival on March 22. The use of loudspeakers for Azaan early in the
morning is prohibited in the state following agitations.
The
memorandum has been submitted to Deputy Commissioner K.N. Ramesh and
Chikkamagaluru constituency MLA and National General Secretary C.T. Ravi on
Tuesday.
The
memorandum says, “Ramzan season is sacred for the Muslim community. The
festival is celebrated with peace, co-existence, fasting, and generous
donations, meticulously as per the Islamic traditions.
“Azaan
is also a part of the Ramzan festival celebration. We request you in this
background to allow the use of loudspeakers on behalf of all Muslim people.”
The
permission has been granted for the use of loudspeakers during special
occasions, religious functions, sports meets during night and early in the
mornings. Likewise, during the sacred month of Ramzan, between 5 a.m. and 5.30
a.m., permission should be given for a maximum of five minutes for performing
Azaan, the memorandum stated.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Muslim
groups in Kerala plan counter-campaign to inheritance law
08th
March 2023
KOZHIKODE:
Muslim organisations are planning to hold counter campaigns against the move
that seeks amendments to the succession laws that are part of the Muslim
Personal Law in the country. The issue, which was discussed only in isolated
corners, has become a point of live debate after advocate C Shukkur and his
wife Dr Sheena Shukkur decided to go for remarriage under the Special Marriage
Act to ensure that their daughters get full share of their property.
Ithihadu
Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM), the youth wing of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen
(KNM), is organising a programme in Kozhikode on March 15 titled ‘Inheritance,
Sharia, Islam.’
KNM
state president T P Abdullakoya Madani, IUML state secretary Dr M K Muneer, KNM
secretary Haneef Kayakkodi, ISM president S, Shareef Melethil, N V Sakkariyya
and Musthafa Thanveer will address the meeting. “The move has come at a time
when there is an all-out onslaught on all that is related to Muslims and Islam. And the secular, liberal
and the so-called progressive sections have become tools in the hands of
Hindutva forces,” writer and scholar Musthafa Thanveer told TNIE.
Thanveer
said Islam is not merely inheritance laws, but this aspect is being projected
with a clear intention. “There is a well-defined methodology for bringing in
changes in the Muslim society. But what is happening now is a kind of
secularisation and forcible implementations of the modernist ideology, which
amounts to a kind of violence,” he said.
Sunni
Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), the youth wing of the Kanthapuram faction of Sunnis, is
also envisaging strategies to counter the pro-reform groups. “We firmly believe
that Islamic laws are divine and therefore perfectly logical. There is
absolutely no need for any changes in the laws,” said Faisal Ahsani Randathani,
a Sunni scholar.
“Women
are given lesser share from their ancestral property because they don’t have
any financial responsibilities. At the same time, the male members have
additional burden,” he said.
Randathani
said there is a concerted move to project that the voice for change is coming
from Muslims themselves. “These voices are not from the community, but from
persons who have already renounced the religion,” he said. “People have the
freedom to go out and follow any law that is suited to them,” Randathani said.
Source:
New Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
slams Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto for raking up Kashmir at UNSC
debate
Mar
8, 2023
NEW
DELHI: India on Tuesday responded strongly to Pakistan's foreign minister
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari comments on Jammu and Kashmir at a UN Security Council
debate on women, peace and security.
India's
Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, dismissed
Zardari's statement as "baseless and politically motivated." “Before
I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated
remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu
and Kashmir,” she said. Kamboj said that her delegation considered it
"unworthy" to respond to "such malicious and false
propaganda."
She
emphasized the importance of the women, peace and security agenda and
reaffirmed India's commitment to positive and forward-looking efforts.
Kamboj's
sharp retort came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Zardari referred to Jammu and
Kashmir in his remarks to the Council debate held under Mozambique's Presidency
for this month, on the eve of International Women's Day.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
to send 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar port
Mar
8, 2023
NEW
DELHI: India on Tuesday announced a fresh tranche of assistance of 20,000
metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.
The
consignments will be sent through the Chabahar Port in Iran.
The
announcement was made at the first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint
working group on Afghanistan.
India
said that it will extend wheat assistance to the war-torn nation in partnership
with the UN World Food Programme.
Post
the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, India announced an
assistance of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghan people as they were
reeling under a severe food crisis.
Subsequently,
the consignments were sent to Afghanistan using the land route through
Pakistan.
Islamabad
had granted the transit facility after nearly months of discussions.
"The
sides took note of the current humanitarian situation and agreed to continue to
provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people," the statement said.
'Afghan
soil shouldn't be used for terror'
At
the meeting, India as well as five central Asian countries also asserted that
Afghanistan's soil must not be used for any terrorist activities and called for
formation of a "truly inclusive" political structure in Kabul that
respects rights of all Afghans including women and minorities.
A
joint statement said the meeting emphasized the importance of formation of a
"truly inclusive and representative political structure" that
respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures equal rights of women, girls and
members of minority groups, including access to education.
In
December, India joined several other leading countries in criticising the
Taliban's decision to ban university education for women in Afghanistan.
The
statement said the officials at the deliberations discussed regional threats of
terrorism, extremism, radicalisation and drug trafficking and also deliberated
on the possibilities to coordinate efforts to counter these threats.
It
said they emphasised that the "territory of Afghanistan should not be used
for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and
reaffirmed that no terrorist organizations including those designated by the UNSC
resolution 1267 should be provided sanctuary or allowed to use the territory of
Afghanistan".
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
PFI
terror funding case: NIA busts multi-state hawala network, 5 arrested
Mar
7, 2023
NEW
DELHI: The National Investigation Agency has busted a multi-state hawala
network -- running across Kerala, Karnataka and Bihar, with roots in the UAE --
that was allegedly funding the terror activities of the outlawed radical outfit
Popular Front of India (PFI).
Five
persons were arrested on Tuesday in the PFI Phulwarisharif case for collecting
illegally generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handing them over for
depositing in the bank accounts of various accused and suspects.
While
tracing and tracking the funds being moved by PFI across the country, as part
of its probe into the PFI Phulwarisharif case, NIA unearthed a large network of
hawala operatives in South India.
The
PFI funding-by-hawala module operating out of Bihar and Karnataka was busted
following extensive searches by NIA teams in Kasargod, Kerala and Dakshin
Kannada, Karnataka since Sunday. These searches were across eight locations and
led to the seizure of multiple digital devices and incriminating documents
containing details of transactions running into crores of rupees.
Five
members of the PFI -- identified as Mahammad Sinan, Sarfaraz Nawaz, Iqbal and
Abdul Rafeek M, all from Dakshin Kannada district of Karnataka; and Abid K M
from Kasaragod, Kerala -- were arrested from Dakshin Kannada and Kasaragod for
alleged involvement in PFI's criminal conspiracy to move and channelise illicit
funds procured from outside India for distribution among PFI cadres and
leaders. While Iqbal and other associates are alleged to have illegally
generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handed them over to Mahammad
Sinan, Abdul Rafeek M and Abid K M, arrested accused Md Sarfraz Nawaz and Md
Mahammad Sinan -- were found making deposits in the bank account of accused and
suspects in PFI case, said NIA.
PFI
was declared as an "unlawful association' under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act on September 27 last year. However, NIA, while pursuing
investigation leads in PFI cases since July 2022, found that its leaders and
cadres, undeterred by the ban, were continuing to propagate the ideology of
violent extremism and also arranging arms and ammunition for the radicalised to
commit crimes against a particular community.
PFI
cadres in Phulwarisharif and Motihari too had vowed to continue PFI activities
in a clandestine manner in Bihar and arranged a firearm and ammunition recently
to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar’s East Champaran
District. Three operatives of the module were arrested on 5.2.2023.
Seven
accused persons were arrested earlier when they had gathered in the
Phulwarisharif area of Patna in July last year for training and to carry out acts
of terror and violence.
Pursuing
the investigational leads since July 2022, the NIA team had "followed the
money", only to reach Md. Sarfraz Nawaz and Md. Mahammad Sinan, who had
been found making deposits in the bank accounts of accused and suspects in the
PFI case.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
BJP
to hold conferences in Western UP to connect with Muslims
7th
March 2023
Lucknow:
With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling BJP is planning to hold
conferences in various parliamentary constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh
starting from Muzaffarnagar next month to woo Muslim communities having an
influence in the region.
The
conferences on the theme “Sneh Milan: Ek Desh, Ek DNA, Sammelan” will try to
drive home the point that everyone’s DNA is the same and together they can take
the country forward.
“Muslim
Jat, Muslim Rajput, Muslim Gurjar, and Muslim Tyagi communities have a sizeable
number of voters in western Uttar Pradesh. In almost every Lok Sabha
constituency of Western Uttar Pradesh, their population is on an average 2.5
lakh,” Uttar Pradesh BJP Minority Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali told PTI.
“The
party will try to connect with these voters by organising ‘Sneh Milan: Ek Desh,
Ek DNA, Sammelan’ in various West Uttar Pradesh districts,” he said, adding
these conferences would start after Eid next month and the first convention
will be held in Muzaffarnagar.
He
said Hindu leaders of Jat, Rajput, Gurjar, and Tyagi communities would be on
stage at these conferences. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, State BJP President
Bhupendra Chaudhary, Muzaffarnagar MP Sanjeev Balyan, and State Minister
Somendra Tomar will be prominently involved, he said.
“Holding
these conferences is an attempt to establish a cordial relationship among
Hindu, Muslim Jats, Rajputs, Gujjars, and Tyagi fraternities. Trying to
convince them that we are all one, born in the same place. Everyone’s DNA is
the same and together we have to take the country forward,” he said.
Muslim
Jat, Muslim Rajput, Muslim Gurjar, and Muslim Tyagi fraternities in western
Uttar Pradesh maintain cordial ties with people of these castes of Hindu
society.
“There
is no division of Hindus and Muslims among them. Meetings, panchayats and
community feasts, etc. are all decided on the basis of the fraternity. Keeping
this in mind, the BJP has intended to organise these conferences,” he said.
“It
is true that whether Hindu or Muslim, everyone’s DNA is the same. We are
talking on the basis of this DNA only. Our ancestors were the same. When this
happens, it will strengthen the social fabric and they will connect with their
leaders. Since the leaders belong to the BJP, the party will benefit from it,”
he said.
In
the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party had won Nagina, Amroha,
Bijnor and Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh.
Apart
from this, Samajwadi Party candidates had won the Moradabad and Sambhal seats
in western Uttar Pradesh.
The
BJP is making a comprehensive strategy to win the Lok Sabha seats lost in the
last polls and these conferences are also part of this strategy.
“Yes,
of course we can call it a part of the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha
elections,” Ali said.
Presently,
out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the ruling BJP has 65 seats.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/bjp-to-hold-conferences-in-western-up-to-connect-with-muslims-2542092/
--------
Al
Mahad Al Aali Al Islami: A seminary where modern subjects are also taught
JS
Ifthekhar
7th
March 2023
Hyderabad:
It is a madrassa with a difference. It is not the run-of-the-mill seminary
where just Islamic studies and the teachings of Quran and Hadith are imparted.
Along with these basic subjects, the Al Mahad Al Aali Al Islami keeps its
pupils abreast with the latest developments in different fields. They know all
about micro-blogging, zero finance, digital currency, banking, genetic
engineering, finance and stock exchange. They may not be thorough in these
subjects but they have sufficient knowledge about them.
In
its 23rd year of establishment, this institute of higher Islamic studies
situated at Shaheen Nagar beyond Barkas, is breaking new grounds. In keeping
with its motto of offering ‘deen with duniya’ (benefits of religion and the
material world), Mahad is empowering its students with both religious and
modern education. “We want our students to develop well rounded personalities
and emerge as confident and responsible citizens,” says Maulana Khalid
Saifullah Rahmani, Mahad founder and also general secretary of All India Muslim
Personal Law Board.
Modern
subjects are not taboo here. Students are even told about surrogacy and LGBT
concepts, something strictly no-no in the conventional madrassas. A fine blend
of Islamic and modern education is on display here. Interestingly, students
here are encouraged to gain knowledge of other religions as well like Hinduism,
Christianity, Buddhism and Sikhism. The sprawling library of Mahad is home to
sacred books of other faiths also.
A
strong votary of English language, Maulana Rahmani believes in adopting a
holistic approach to knowledge and is all for acquisition of ‘Ilm-e-Nafe’
(useful education). He wants the madrassa pupils to have enough modern day
knowledge to face the present day challenges.
Apart
from the routine studies, Mahad holds workshops, extension lectures, curricular
and co-curricular activities to help students attain intellectual and social
growth. Unlike other madrassas, students here are encouraged to explore and
clarify their own beliefs and values, speak for themselves and be in a position
to respond to individual and institutional prejudice, both overt and covert,
based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic
status. And in tune with the present times, the institute offers both on site
and offline mode of learning.
This
is not all. The Mahad authorities are doing their best to bridge the gap
between Ulema and intellectuals. They plan to have dialogue with members of the
judiciary and civil services. As such from time to time people from different
walks of life are invited to the madrassa to see and interact with the Mahad
students. At its 20th graduation ceremony held recently, invitees were
pleasantly surprised by the activities of Mahad and the expertise gained by the
students in different spheres of life. Maulana Salahuddin Saifi, a motivational
speaker from Gujarat, who was the chief guest, was taken aback by the knowledge
and skills of oratory displayed by the Mahad students.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
Pentagon
chief vows to continue US military presence in Iraq
07
March 2023
The
Pentagon chief on Tuesday made an unannounced visit to Iraq where he announced
Washington's intent to maintain the military presence that began with the US
invasion in 2003 and continued for the 20 years since, leaving hundreds of
thousands of people dead.
"The
United States will continue to strengthen and broaden our partnership in
support of Iraqi security, stability, and sovereignty," US Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin said upon arrival in Baghdad.
Austin
is the most senior official in the Biden administration to visit the country.
His visit comes as the Iraqi nation prepares to mark the 20 anniversary of the
US-led invasion and occupation that resulted in years of bloodshed and
instability in the Arab country.
On
March 19, 2003, the US and Britain invaded Iraq in blatant violation of
international law and under the pretext of finding Weapons of Mass Destruction,
but no such weapons were ever discovered in Iraq.
More
than one million Iraqis were killed as the result of the US-led invasion, and
occupation of the country, according to the California-based investigative
organization Project Censored.
"I'm
here to reaffirm the US-Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more
secure, stable and sovereign Iraq," Austin tweeted as he landed in
Baghdad.
Since
the US-led forces ousted Saddam's regime, Iraq has been self-governed under a
power-sharing system. The US withdrew its forces in 2011, claiming it had ended
its combat mission in Iraq; however, some 2,500 US troops still remain inside
the Arab country on what Washington describes as an “advisory” mission. Austin,
who was a former head of all US military troops in the Middle East, claimed in
2011 that the US forces had achieved their military objectives in Iraq.
In
the meantime, Successive Iraqi governments in the past two decades have forged
close political, military and economic ties with the neighboring Tehran
government, while Baghdad also maintains its relations with Washington.
The
present Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said his government's
policy is to maintain balanced relations with regional and international
governments based on shared interests and respect for sovereignty, and that
"the stability of Iraq is the key to the security and stability of the
region."
Both
Washington and Tehran provided extensive support to Iraqi forces during their
fight against the Daesh takfiri forces who seized huge swathes of northern and
western Iraq in 2014.
Earlier
this year, the Iraqi prime minister paid tribute to top Iranian anti-terror
commander General Qassem Soleimani and his Iraqi military comrade Abu Mahdi
al-Muhandis, who were killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport three
years ago.
Sudani
described the targeted US killings of the two high commanders as “a brazen
attack” on Iraq's sovereignty.
“The
crime of assassinating the ‘Commanders of Victory’ and their companions
represented a flagrant violation of Iraq’s territorial integrity and national
sovereignty. The targeted killings of the commanders, who had a leading role in
elimination of the scourge of terrorism, is an utter disrespect to bilateral
agreements [signed between Baghdad and Washington],” Sudani said during a
ceremony in commemoration of the two
legendary commanders held in the capital Baghdad on January 5, 2023.
Both
General Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution
Guards Corps (IRGC), and Muhandis, the second-in-command of the Popular
Mobilization Units (PMU), were highly revered across the Middle East because of
their key role in fighting the Daesh terrorist group in the region, particularly
in Iraq and Syria.
The
two commanders were targeted along with their companions near Baghdad
International Airport in a US assassination drone strike on January 3, 2020 in
a cowardly terrorist attack authorized by then-US president Donald Trump.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/07/699460/US-Iraq-Austin-American-Troops
--------
Pakistan,
US to work jointly against global, regional threats
Iftikhar
A. Khan
March
8, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The United States and Pakistan have resolved to increase dialogue on regional
and global threats, improving cooperation, preventing and countering violent
extremism, and combating terrorism financing, the Foreign Office said on
Tuesday.
In
recent months, as threats from actors such as the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan and the militant Islamic State-Khurasan (IS-K) groups have intensified,
Washington has made several overtures of cooperation with Islamabad. The US has
supported Pakistan’s right to defend itself from terrorism, which Islamabad
claims is originating from Afghan soil.
The
US has also been critical of Afghan Taliban’s failure to ensure that their
territory would never be used as a launchpad for international terrorist
attacks.
A
statement, issued at the conclusion of a two-day counterterrorism dialogue,
said the talks provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss the
counterterrorism landscape in Pakistan and the broader region, with a focus on
areas where the two can better collaborate to counter regional and global
threats.
The
policy-focused meeting was chaired by the Christopher Landberg, acting
coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department, and Syed Haider Shah,
additional secretary for the UN and Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Afghan
delegation due in Islamabad to continue security talks, says Asif
The
dialogue comes amid a spike in terrorism incidents in Pakistan, and Washington
has repeatedly assured the country of help in dealing with the worsening law
and order situation.
“These
are among the very commitments that the Taliban have been unable or unwilling
to fulfil to date,” Ned Price said about the Kabul regime at a briefing earlier
this year.
Afghan
delegation due Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told a press
conference on Tuesday that an Afghan delegation was expected in Pakistan soon
to continue talks on various issues including, regional security and
counter-terrorism measures, Dawn.com reported.
The
statement comes more than a week after a high-level Pakistani delegation
visited Kabul to meet with officials of the Afghan interim government to
discuss a variety of issues from security to bilateral cooperation.
“Pakistan
and Afghanistan are neighbours and should have cordial relations. The Islamic
emirate of Afghanistan wants expansion of commercial and economic relations
with Pakistan as such relations are in the interest of both countries,” the
official statement from Afghanistan had said on Feb 22.
During
his press talk in Islamabad today, Mr Asif emphasised that the Afghan territory
must not be used by terrorists, especially in light of the agreement signed in Doha.
“We
asked them to honour the accord and they agreed to our request,” the minister
added.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741026/pakistan-us-to-work-jointly-against-global-regional-threats
--------
Biden
thanks Oman for help in releasing Americans detained in Iran, Yemen truce
07
March ,2023
US
President Joe Biden thanked Oman on Tuesday for its role in securing the
release of Americans detained in Iran and for Muscat’s help in achieving a
truce in Yemen.
The
White House said Biden and the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, had a
call where the two reaffirmed the historical ties between the two countries.
They
also discussed mutual efforts to forge a more prosperous, peaceful, and
integrated Middle East region, the White House said in a readout of the call.
“President
Biden thanked Sultan Haitham for his personal leadership and support for the
UN-mediated truce in Yemen, which over the past year has witnessed its longest
period of calm since the war began over a decade ago,” the statement read.
The
internationally-recognized Yemeni government and the Houthi militia have been
locked in a yearslong war after the Iran-backed group seized control of the
capital Sanaa in 2014.
A
UN-brokered truce that began on April 2 last year expired on October 2 after
the Houthis refused to extend.
Separately,
Biden welcomed Oman’s move to open its airspace to all civilian aircraft,
including ones from and to Israel.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
bemoans Beirut blast probe, calls for judicial reform in Lebanon
07
March ,2023
The
US ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council Tuesday called on Lebanese
officials to allow an investigation into the catastrophic Port of Beirut
explosion to proceed, lamenting the lack of progress.
Ambassador
Michele Taylor’s comments came at the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council.
“The
victims of the Beirut explosion and their families have demanded justice, and
those responsible for a disaster that killed more than 200 people and injured
and displaced thousands more should be held accountable,” Taylor said.
The
US and the international community have repeatedly called for a transparent
investigation into the August 2020 blast, but Hezbollah and its allies in the
country have blocked the judge tasked with the probe from carrying out his
work.
The
Iran-backed group has reportedly gone as far as threatening “to remove” the
judge, Tarek Bitar.
Bitar
has received death threats, been issued a travel ban by Lebanese courts, and
had charges filed against him for efforts to question sitting and former
officials.
“In
the absence of accountability in Lebanon, victims of the blast will continue to
call for alternative paths to justice. One way or another, they deserve a
peaceful path to justice,” the US ambassador said on Tuesday.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Lawyers
of Abraaj’s Naqvi says fresh evidence may block US extradition
08
March ,2023
Lawyers
for Abraaj Group’s Arif Naqvi, the founder of what was once the Middle East’s
largest private equity fund, said there was “fresh evidence” that could
overturn the UK’s decision to extradite him to the US to face fraud and
racketeering charges.
There
is new evidence on “serious deterioration in the detention facility, where he
would be housed in the US,” his lawyer argued in a London court on Tuesday.
Naqvi is also at risk of suicide if held in those conditions, he said.
Naqvi
is seeking the UK High Court’s permission to appeal a 2021 court decision that
said he should be sent to the US to face criminal charges. He is accused by
prosecutors of hiding a liquidity crisis at his firm, while siphoning off
hundreds of millions of dollars for his family.
Lawyers
for the US countered that any changes to his detention would not materially
alter the his conditions of stay. Naqvi is attempting to raise new arguments
“smuggled under the guise of updating evidence, they said.
Pakistan-born
Naqvi has consistently denied the charges. His lawyer said at an earlier
hearing that he has an “unshakable conviction is that he is entirely innocent
of these allegations.
Founded
in 2002 Abraaj grew to become one of the world’s most influential
emerging-market investors but collapsed after investigations into alleged
mismanagement of money in its health-care fund. Naqvi himself was forced to
surrender control after it was revealed that the firm’s main revenues hadn’t
covered operating costs for years.
By
the time of its collapse in 2018, Abraaj owed creditors over $1 billion. He
faces as many as 30 years in prison in the US.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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South Asia
EU
Sanctions Two Acting Ministers of Afghan Interim Government
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March
8, 2023
The
European Union Council announced on Tuesday it had sanctioned nine individuals
and three entities, including two Taliban Ministers allegedly accused of
committing serious human rights violations and abuses.
According
to EU Council, two acting Taliban ministers for Higher Education, Neda Mohammad
Nadim, and for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, Mohammad
Khalid Hanafi, who are behind the decrees banning women from higher education
and gender-segregated practices in public spaces, are among the nine sanctioned
individuals.
The
announcement comes right before March 8, which marks International Women’s Day.
while announcing the sanctions list, Josep Borrell, High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, said the time has come to move
from words to action, and punish those individuals who have been oppressing
women wherever they are.
“The
listed individuals and entities will now be subject to an asset freeze in the
EU and will be subject to a travel ban to the EU. Moreover, persons and
entities in the EU will be prohibited from making funds available, either
directly or indirectly, to those listed,” the EU said in a statement.
Last
year, the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan announced a complete ban
on female students’ university education, which prompted massive reactions from
the international community. Ever since then, the UN agencies, foreign governments,
and the people of Afghanistan have been calling on the Islamic Emirate
authorities to remove the bans, nothing has changed for the better. Moreover,
the Taliban officials describe it as a ‘temporary ban’.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/eu-sanctions-two-acting-ministers-of-afghan-interim-government/
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Afghan
Interim Govt Meets Every Condition for Recognition, Says FM Muttaqi
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March
7, 2023
Afghanistan’s
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the Taliban government
meets every condition for recognition, and it is up to the international
community to make a decision.
Amir
Kham Muttaqi in an interview with BBC said that no single government in the
world is not recognized due to the closure of schools or the existing
conditions set by the world on the Taliban-run administration.
“We
can see dictatorial, Kingdom, Republican, and Emirate governments being
recognized by the international community. Is there a single regime in the
world that is not recognized based on the conditions the world has put in place
on the Taliban regime?” Muttaqi said.
He
further added, that out of ten issues having been discussed by the foreign
governments, only girls’ education has not been resolved, and this is a great
achievement for the current regime.
In
response to the question regarding the ban on female students’ education,
Muttaqi did not comment on whether the group will lift the ban or not.
In
his remarks, Muttaqi highlighted that major challenges including drug and
security issues have been resolved, there are no cross-border issues with neighboring
countries, and Afghani is the only stable currency in the region.
Furthermore,
Muttaqi said that Afghanistan should not be compared to the first world
countries, and despite all the odds, the achievements of the past year and a
half definitely outweigh the drawbacks.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-interim-govt-meets-every-condition-for-recognition-says-fm-muttaqi/
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Afghan
territory must not be used for terrorist activities: India and 5 central Asian
countries
Mar
7, 2023
NEW
DELHI: India and five central Asian countries on Tuesday asserted that
Afghanistan's soil must not be used for any terrorist activities and pressed
for formation of a "truly inclusive" political structure in Kabul
that respects rights of all Afghans including women.
The
situation in the war-ravaged country came up for extensive deliberations at the
first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint working group on Afghanistan that
took place in Delhi.
A
joint statement said the meeting emphasized the importance of formation of a
"truly inclusive and representative political structure" that
respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures equal rights of women, girls and
members of minority groups, including access to education.
Last
December, India joined several other leading countries in criticising the
Taliban's decision to ban university education for women in Afghanistan,
It
said the officials at the deliberations discussed regional threats of
terrorism, extremism, radicalisation and drug trafficking and also deliberated
on the possibilities to coordinate efforts to counter these threats.
It
said they emphasised that the "territory of Afghanistan should not be used
for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and
reaffirmed that no terrorist organizations including those designated by the
UNSC resolution 1267 should be provided sanctuary or allowed to use the
territory of Afghanistan".
Besides
host India, the meeting was attended by special envoys or senior officials of
the Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Country representatives of the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and UN
World Food Programme (UNWFP) also participated in the meeting.
The
joint statement said the officials exchanged views on the current situation in
Afghanistan, including the political, security and the humanitarian aspects.
"While
emphasising the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and
non-interference in its internal affairs, the sides reiterated support for a
peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan," it said.
It
said the country representative of the UNWFP in Afghanistan briefed the
participants on the India-UNWFP partnership to deliver foodgrain assistance to
Afghan people and made a presentation on the current humanitarian situation,
including the aid requirements for the year ahead.
India
announced the supply of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat assistance to Afghanistan
in partnership with UNWFP through Chabahar Port. the statement said.
"The
sides took note of the current humanitarian situation and agreed to continue to
provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people," the statement said.
It
said the country representative of the UNODC in Afghanistan highlighted the
partnership of India and UNODC in fighting the menace of narcotics in Afghanistan
and thanked New Delhi for "providing humanitarian aid for the Afghan drug
user population."
"Upon
their request, India offered capacity building training courses for the
relevant stakeholders/partner agencies of UNODC and the relevant
officials/stakeholders of Central Asian Republics in the field of countering
illegal drug trafficking," the statement said.
It
said the participants thanked India for holding the first Joint Working Group
Meeting on Afghanistan at senior officials level and agreed to continue
consultations in this format on a regular basis.
India
has not yet recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching
for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul besides insisting
that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any
country.
India
has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to
address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.
In
June last year, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by
deploying a "technical team" in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
Source:
Times Of India
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17
killed, over 100 injured in explosion at crowded Dhaka market
Mar
7, 2023
DHAKA:
At least 17 people were killed and over 100 injured in an explosion at a
building in Bangladesh's Dhaka, local media reported.
Five
firefighting units were rushed to the spot after the blast, which occurred
around 4:50 pm (local time), the bdnews24 news portal reported, citing the fire
service control room.
The
cause of the blast was not immediately known but fatal building fires and
explosions are common in Bangladesh, where safety enforcement is often lax.
The
blast shook the fourth and fifth floors of a seven-storey building in Gulistan,
a major hub for wholesale goods in the capital Dhaka, shortly before 5 pm local
time (1100 GMT).
The
building has several stores for sanitary products on the bottom floor and a
branch of BRAC Bank was located in the building adjacent to it.
The
blast shattered the glass walls of the bank and also damaged a bus standing on
the opposite side of the road, reports said.
No
fire broke out in the building but more than 150 firefighters were at the site
to assist in rescue efforts, a fire services spokesperson said.
Source:
Times Of India
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Pakistan,
six other nations urge Western states to unfreeze Afghanistan’s assets
March
8, 2023
TASHKENT:
Russia and six nations bordering Afghanistan have set up a club to discuss ways
to achieve long-term peace in the war-torn nation, with diplomats at the
inaugural meeting on Tuesday calling for a freeze on Afghan central bank assets
to be lifted.
Special
representatives from Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and
Turkmenistan convened in Tashkent and plan to meet regularly to discuss issues
facing Afghanistan, Uzbekistan’s foreign ministry said.
The
group urged Western nations to lift the freeze on the Afghan central bank’s
assets, Uzbek special representative Ismatilla Ergashev said.
“The
representatives of these countries emphasised that the return of the money of
the Central Bank of Afghanistan should be used primarily to pay the salaries
of… school teachers and doctors, and at the same time to support the part of
the population which is in a difficult situation,” he told a briefing.
“They
also emphasised that nearly 25 million people in Afghanistan are starving and
deprived of food.”
According
to Khaama Press, the meeting was held in the absence of the Taliban
representatives in Tashkent. Besides, several neighbouring countries have
officially handed over the Afghan Embassies to the Taliban diplomats, but the
group is still not invited to such meetings on regional levels.
Bilal
Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate said it welcomes any meeting
which benefits Afghanistan: “All meetings held for cooperation and assistance
with Afghanistan in the field of humanitarian issues, and for strengthening the
government, and in all other areas which are effective for the country”, Tolo
news reported.
Afghanistan’s
neighbouring countries have repeatedly called on the Islamic Emirate
authorities to respect human rights, lift the restrictions on women and girls
attending education, and form an all-inclusive government so that everyone can
see them represented in the regime.
Walif
Frozan — an international relations analyst says, “In such regional
competition, Afghanistan is used as a strategic location and every country
tries to take advantage of it for its side.”
The
United States froze some $7 billion in central bank assets after the Afghan
government was toppled by Taliban forces in 2021, with a further $2bn frozen in
European banks.
Washington
has said that some of the funds would go to a foundation to benefit ordinary
Afghans.
Source:
Dawn
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Bangladesh
criticized for failing to protect Ahmadiyya Muslims
March
07, 2023
Bangladesh’s
largest religious minority forum has criticized the ruling Awami League
government for failing to protect Ahmadi Muslims from mob attacks, accusing it
of tolerating Islamic radicals and making the country an increasingly dangerous
place for minorities.
Islamic
radical elements within the government allow “compromise with extremism and
fanatics” and it leads to saddening communal violence that pushes the society
“backward,” said Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council in a press
statement.
The
council reacted after hundreds of Sunni Muslims attacked minority Ahmadiyya
Muslims in the Panchagarh district of northern Bangladesh on March 3.
The
Ahmadiyya sect which originated in 19th-century British India is seen as a
heretic sect by mainstream Sunni Muslims, a majority in South Asia.
At
least two Ahmadiyya people died, 50 people were injured and 50 houses were
burnt down allegedly after the mob attempted to stop an annual Ahmadiyya
religious gathering in the town, close to the Indian border. The government
deployed hundreds of police and border guards to quell violence.
Neem
Chandra Bhowmik, a Hindu and a president of the council, told UCA News that
such attacks against minorities continue because the government has failed to
ensure security and religious freedom for all amid threats of extremism.
“Such
communal incidents are happening because the government is not able to suppress
the extremism that lurks in the government. We want freedom of every citizen to
practice their religion, freedom of expression for everyone but the government
is failing to ensure it,” Bhowmik said on March 7.
He
alleged that ethnic and religious minorities continue to face abuses and
violence in Bangladesh as justice was not done for a series of communal attacks
in the past.
Shafiq
Ahmad, 41, an Ahmadiyya Muslim and
primary school teacher said that he lost his house and valuables worth 50,000
Taka (US$480) in the attack.
Ahmad
said that his community has been attacked again because past cases of violence
against them have not seen justice.
He
said since the attack, Ahmadiyya people including women and children have been
passing through hard times under the open sky and living in fear, without any
relief measures.
“We
demand that the government guarantees our religious freedom, to observe our
religious ceremonies. Those who attacked us should be prosecuted. We do not
want anything else,” Ahmad told UCA News.
In
2019, Ahmadiyya people in the same town came under attack from Sunni Muslims,
leaving at least 25 injured.
Ahmadiyya
sect is one of the 73 sects of Islam and it has about 20 million members in
over 200 countries, according to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of Canada.
Ahmadiyya
people face attacks in several countries. In Pakistan, Ahmadiyya Muslims were
declared “non-Muslims” by the state in 1984.
Islamic
radicals in Bangladesh have repeatedly demanded Ahmadiyya sect be declared
non-Muslim.
There
were several mob attacks on Ahmadiyya gatherings and mosques over the past
decades in Bangladesh.
Since
2013, when Bangladesh saw a rise in Islamic militancy, armed extremists
murdered atheists, foreigners, liberal Muslims, and religious minorities
including the Ahmadiyya sect before a heavy anti-militancy crackdown was
launched.
Ahmadiyya
Muslims in present-day Bangladesh trace their origins to the 1900s, when the
country was part of British India, according to Human Rights Watch. There are
roughly 100,000 Ahmadiyya Muslims in Bangladesh today.
A
police official said since the violence 10 cases have been filed and at least
130 people have been arrested.
“The
situation in the district is currently normal and under the control of police
and law enforcement officers. Police and joint forces are working to nab more
culprits,” S. M. Sirajul Huda, chief of Panchagarh district police told UCA
News.
Human
rights organization, Article 19, deplored the violence against the Ahmadiyya
people and called on the government to ensure religious freedom for all as
guaranteed in the country’s constitution.
Source:
UCA News
Please
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https://www.ucanews.com/news/bangladesh-criticized-for-failing-to-protect-ahmadiyya-muslims/100590
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Fresh
$40 Million Cash Arrives Kabul, DAB to Auction $16 Million on Wednesday
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March
7, 2023
Da
Afghanistan Bank (DAB) on Tuesday announced that a $40 million cash aid package
had reached Kabul, and has been transferred to a commercial bank.
Afghanistan’s
central bank welcomed the aid, as part of the United Nation’s humanitarian cash
aid, and called on the international community for more cooperation across
fields.
According
to the central bank, this is the 60th aid package that has been dispatched to
Afghanistan. Since the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021, the
international community’s cash aid has reached nearly $2 billion.
The
central bank has stated that the government appreciates the international
community’s support in shipping cash into the country aimed at helping
vulnerable families during these difficult times. The central bank is trying
its best to strengthen private banking and other sectors respectively.
Meanwhile,
Afghanistan Central Bank will auction $16 million on Wednesday, as part of the
continuous efforts to stabilize Afghani against foreign currencies in the local
markets.
The
winners of the auction are obliged to liquidate their accounts by the end of
the day. As per the announcement, partial settlement of transactions is not
allowed and the winners of the auction are obliged to transfer the payable
amount to the central bank in cash within a certain time.
Despite
the massive criticisms the ruling regime receives from the people of
Afghanistan and the international community regarding the strict policies, the
de facto authorities have been able to manage the economy and keep the value of
the local currency stable. This positive sign highlights that efforts are
underway to find solutions to the financial and economic challenges the country
is currently faced with.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/fresh-40-million-cash-arrives-kabul-dab-to-auction-16-million-on-wednesday/
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Southeast Asia
Selangor
Sultan: Key administrators of Islamic religious institutions must be above
politics
07-03-
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has decreed that
key administrators of Islamic religious institutions must comprise of scholars
and professionals who are free of influence from political parties.
His
Majesty said that the National Council for Islamic Affairs’ role was to ensure
those appointed could carry out their duties in accordance with the Al-Quran
and the Sunnah.
“Islam
should be placed highest, higher that any competition that could cause conflict
and disunity among the ummah,” His Majesty in his capacity as council chairman
said in conjunction with the council’s 69th meeting at Istana Melawati,
Putrajaya on Monday.
Sultan
Sharafuddin also thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on behalf of
the Council of Malay Rulers for appointing a non-politician as Religious Affairs
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
The
Sultan said it would ensure the principle of separation of powers enshrined in
the Federal Constitution in respect to the administration of Islam between the
Executive and the Malay Rulers, in accordance with the constitutional monarchy
system practised by the country.
“With
the appointment of the new Religious Affairs Minister, it is hoped that
cooperation between federal and states in matters of administering Islam will
grow closer in line with the teachings of the Al-Quran and Sunnah,” the Sultan
said.
His
Majesty reiterated that the Council of Malay Rulers were above party politics,
as they served as trustees who commanded the fealty of their people.
The
Sultan also expressed hope that the council meeting today would be a watershed
moment to return the role of administering Islam to those who were worthy.
“I
have great hopes that all parties will respect the provision of the Federal
Constitution that ensures the rights and powers of the Malay Rulers.
“I
am confident that with this new beginning, the Council of Malay Rulers as the
voice of the Rulers in Malaysia can play their necessary roles to develop
Islam’s administration at the federal level and to foster closer ties with the
states,” the Sultan said.
The
Sultan of Selangor also wished that all Malaysians and ministers would focus
efforts to resolve various public issues and restore prosperity to the country.
“I
urge all parties to support efforts to strengthen Islam and the council and to
place the administration of Islamic institutions at the federal level on the
right track.
“Representatives
in every state should present suggestions that have been implemented at state
level that should be shared for the betterment of our country and fellow Muslims,”
His Majesty said.
The
Sultan also advised all council members to respect the views of states and to
preserve good relations to ensure that the administration of Islam in the
country would progress smoothly.
Source:
The Sun Daily
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PAS
MP calls on Malaysian government to 'control' number of concerts by foreign
artistes like Blackpink
Najmi
Syahiran Mamat
08
Mar 2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: An opposition lawmaker from the Islamist party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia
(PAS) has urged the Malaysian government to “control” the increasing number of
concerts and performances held by foreign artistes - such as the Korean girl
group Blackpink - in the country.
Citing
the example of the girl group’s recent concert in Kuala Lumpur over the
weekend, Mr Nurul Amin Hamid told parliament on Tuesday (Mar 7) that the
concert was against the values of the country’s Muslim-majority population.
“Can’t
the government control the organising of such foreign concerts, which are
increasingly being given space in our country?” he asked during the ninth day
of the debate session on the Supply Bill at the policy level in parliament.
The
Padang Terap Member of Parliament said that such concerts had caused “a bit of
unease” among Muslims in the country.
“I
would like to raise the concern of the Muslim community in the country about
the concerts and performances from foreign artistes that are increasingly being
held in the country,” he said in parliament.
“Among
them are artistes such as Westlife, OneRepublic, Mamamoo, Jay Chou, and the
most recent, the K-pop group Blackpink.”
Commenting
on the “flood" of concertgoers at Blackpink’s recent performance, Mr Nurul
Amin said that it should not have been allowed in light of the major floods
affecting the states of Johor, Pahang and Melaka in Peninsular Malaysia.
Local
media reported that Blackpink’s concert at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in
Kuala Lumpur on Saturday drew more than 60,000 fans.
This
is not the first time that the Islamist party has made calls to oppose concerts
by international performers held in Malaysia.
According
to Free Malaysia Today, the PAS youth wing had previously called on the
government to cancel concerts featuring international artistes last August.
PAS
youth wing chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari’s statement on Facebook was issued less
than 24 hours after the American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish held her
concert at Bukit Jalil National Stadium last year.
It
also warned of nationwide protests, saying that such events encourage
“hedonism”, Free Malaysia Today reported.
Source:
Channel News Asia
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Indonesia
freezes accounts linked to taxman amid public anger over disproportionate
wealth
2023.03.07
Indonesian
authorities have frozen dozens of bank accounts with recorded transactions
totaling U.S. $32.5 million linked to a mid-level tax official, as part of an
investigation into his wealth amid a public outcry over his family’s lavish
lifestyles.
The
accumulated wealth of Rafael Alun Trisambodo, a former taxation official at the
Finance Ministry, came under scrutiny after police arrested his high-living son
last month for allegedly assaulting a teenager and putting him into a coma, in
a case that has attracted nationwide attention.
The
Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has blocked 40
accounts connected to Rafael, his family and other parties involved, said the
agency’s head, Ivan Yustiavandana.
“The
value of transactions made using these accounts between 2019 and 2023 is about
500 billion rupiah U.S. $32.5 million),” Ivan told BenarNews.
The
agency had also received complaints from the public that a tax consultant
linked to Rafael had fled abroad, Ivan said. He also said there were suspicions
that two former tax employees worked for the consultant.
Rafael’s
son, 20-year-old Mario Dandy Satriyo, allegedly attacked the teenage son of a
member of the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama, on
Feb. 20.
The
teen, Cristalino David Ozora, is being treated in a hospital for head injuries.
On Tuesday, he was beginning to regain consciousness, his father said via posts
on social media.
Dandy
flaunted images of his luxury cars and motorcycles via social media, in shows
of wealth that outraged an Indonesian public fed up with officials’ perceived
excesses in a country where tax evasion is rampant and many people live in
poverty.
The
video in which Dandy was shown allegedly beating and kicking the 17-year-old
circulated widely online.
Rafael,
who is a third-level official at the tax office, had assets worth 56 billion
rupiah, or about $4 million, according to his wealth declaration. In Indonesia,
high-ranking civil servants receive a monthly salary of about $2,500 including
benefits.
But
the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said that some of his assets,
including a high-end Jeep Wrangler and a Harley Davidson motorcycle, were not
declared because they were not under his name.
Last
week, the KPK summoned Rafael for clarification about his wealth and then
opened an investigation into his case.
The
anti-graft body has also cooperated with the PPATK to trace his financial
activity.
The
case has raised questions among the public about the integrity of the tax
office, which has been trying to improve its image and performance in recent
years.
After
widespread public condemnation, the Finance Ministry removed Rafael from his
post as the head of general affairs at a South Jakarta tax office.
Sri
Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s finance minister, has said she will take firm
action against subordinates found to have amassed ill-gained wealth, and will
cooperate with law enforcement agencies. She has also urged the ministry’s
employees to comply with the code of ethics and to report their wealth
accurately and transparently.
Transparency
International’s annual report in January showed that Indonesia fell 14 spots to
rank 110th on the group’s 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which
measures perceptions of public sector corruption.
Source:
Benar News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/taxman-investigated-03072023050305.html
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Mideast
Iran
Starts Mass Production of High-Velocity Ballistic Missile Able to Smash Moving
Naval Targets
2023-March-7
Speaking
to reporters on Monday, Maj. Gen. Baqeri said Iran is now capable of producing
ballistic missiles destroying moving marine targets at high speeds.
“This
missile has been successfully tested and its mass production has started,” he
added.
“After
production of this missile, Iran will be among the three countries possessing
the [technical] know-how to make such missiles,” the top general stated.
He
noted that the new ballistic missile can hit its target with a speed of Mach 8
and with a final range of 1,500 kilometers and is capable of delivering
precision strikes.
“From
now on, invading airplane carriers and [foreign] fleet will not be safe at a
distance of 1,500 kilometers of our shores and this is an achievement reached
by our elite youths,” Baqeri continued.
Back
in November, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Commander
Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that the country has manufactured a
hypersonic ballistic missile which enjoys advanced technologies to penetrate
all types of advanced air defense systems.
The
top commander stated that the missile is very fast and able to maneuver both in
the space and outer space.
"The
hypersonic missile can travel at Mach 12-13 and is capable of exoatmospheric
maneuvering," he remarked, adding the projectile is outfitted with an
engine that starts within 500 kilometers (310 miles) or a shorter distance of
the target's location to enable its maneuverability.
The
Islamic Republic’s military doctrine holds that the country’s armed capability
solely serves defensive purposes.
Military
comanders say Iran stands among the world's top states manufacturing drones and
precision-striking missiles, and add different types of domestically-built
military equipment are favored by world powers.
Iranian
military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway
in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces
self-sufficient in the weaponry sphere.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israel’s
Lapid slams ‘Jewish terrorists’ after settler attack on Palestinian town
Abdelraouf
Arnaout
07.03.2023
JERUSALEM
Israeli
opposition leader Yair Lapid on Tuesday termed a new settler attack on the
Palestinian town of Huwara as “criminal violence by Jewish terrorists.”
Four
Palestinians, including a child, were hurt on Monday when dozens of Israeli
settlers attacked the town, south of Nablus. Damage was also reported in the
attack.
"Another
night of criminal violence by Jewish terrorists in Huwara, Nablus," Lapid
said. "These people do not represent us. They are not part of us."
"The
[Bezalel] Smotrich and [Itamar] Ben Gvir militias are the real anarchists. They
must be arrested and prosecuted," he added, in reference to the finance
and national security ministers.
Monday’s
attack came a few days after Israeli settlers savagely attacked the same town
on Feb. 26, burning several Palestinian homes and vehicles. A Palestinian was
also killed.
The
settler violence followed the killing of two Israelis in a shooting in the
town.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
accuses school poisoning suspects of links to foreign media, riots
08
March ,2023
Iran
arrested several people it said were linked to a wave of school poisonings and
accused some of connections to “foreign-based dissident media” and recent
riots, according to an Interior Ministry statement shared by state media on
Tuesday.
Over
1,000 girls have fallen ill after being poisoned since November, according to
state media and officials, with some politicians blaming religious groups
opposed to girls’ education.
“Three
members of a team of four people arrested have a history of being involved in
recent riots and their connection to foreign-based dissident media has been
ascertained,” the statement said without elaborating.
The
statement added that authorities arrested several people in six provinces in
relation to school poisoning.
On
Monday, Iran’s supreme leader said that poisoning schoolgirls was an
“unforgivable” crime that should be punished by death if deliberate, amid
public anger over a wave of suspected attacks in schools.
The
Interior Ministry said one of the arrested individuals had transferred
irritants to a school through their own child and shared footage of the
aftermath with what the government called “hostile media.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Senior
Official: Several Suspects Arrested in Schoolgirl Poisonings Case
2023-March-7
"Based
on the intelligence and research measures of the intelligence agencies, a
number of people have been detained in five provinces and the relevant agencies
are conducting a full investigation," Mirahmadi stated.
"As
soon as clear results are obtained, [the public] will be notified," he
added.
These
are the first arrests announced by Tehran over the schoolgirl poisonings case.
Hundreds
of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past months among
Iranian schoolgirls in several cities, with some needing hospital treatment. In
most cases, students suffered respiratory problems, nausea, fatigue and
dizziness.
Mohammad
Hassan Asafari, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, has
confirmed that around 230 schools in 25 out of Iran’s 31 provinces have been
affected, and that more than 5,000 schoolgirls and boys have been poisoned.
On
Monday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
called on Iranian officials to seriously investigate the case, and urged
authorities to hand the perpetrators behind the heinous crime the severest
punishment possible.
The
Leader described the poison attacks affecting hundreds of girls at schools
across several cities in Iran as "a major and unforgivable crime".
"If
it is proved that the students were poisoned, the perpetrators of this crime
should be severely punished," he underlined.
The
Supreme Leader underscored that “no amnesty” will be offered to such people.
Denouncing
the mysterious poisoning cases across Iran as a "crime and an inhumane
act" committed by the enemies, President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi has called
for accurate and timely information on the incidents.
Iran's
president warned on Sunday that the act is “another link in the chain of the
enemy’s plots” which has been carried out to create chaos in the country,
manipulate public opinion, and instill fear among the students.
The
chief executive said the enemy, as part of a psychological war, is “seeking to
create stress and anxiety among students and parents so that chaos is formed”.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
FM
Underlines Iran's Determination to Play Active Role in SCO
2023-March-7
Amir
Abdollahian made the remarks during a meeting with SCO Secretary-General Zhang
Ming, who is currently in Tehran at the head of a delegation.
The
foreign minister affirmed Tehran's "serious determination" to play an
active role in the SCO, which is in the process of accepting Iran's full
membership.
"The
Islamic Republic enjoys a host of technical, industrial, technological,
tourism, cultural and other capacities, which it can employ towards realization
of the organization's goals," the official noted.
The
top diplomat said Tehran believes the SCO can play an "important role in
the new international security and economic arrangements", adding,
"Development of economic cooperation [among the body's members] can
contribute to sustainable security."
He
appreciated the efforts made by the SCO's secretary-general and secretariat to
facilitate Iran's membership in the organization.
Zhang,
for his part, said it was clear from the start that Iran takes a special
approach to the SCO membership.
"There
is no doubt that Iran's presence [in the body], as one of the powerful and
influential countries in the region and the world, can be an important step
towards realization of the organization's goals and help promote Tehran's
relations with the member states," the SCO secretary-general added.
He
hoped that the organization's next summit, which is slated to be held in India,
would help promote Iran's role within the organization and develop bilateral
interactions, especially in economic, technical, industrial, transit, and
energy fields.
"We
are certain that Iran's experience in the face of international challenges can
prove very beneficial for the organization's members," Zhang concluded.
The
SCO was founded by China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and
Tajikistan in 2001, and currently forms the world's biggest regional market
with eight official and four observer members.
The
organization accounts for 40 percent of the world's population and 28 percent
of the global gross domestic product (GDP).
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14011216000255/FM-Underlines-Iran's-Deerminain-Play-Acive-Rle-in-SCO
--------
Turkey
earthquake survivors reconsider election loyalty to President Erdogan
08
March ,2023
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could have relied on strong voter backing from
Cigdemtepe and other villages and towns across southeast Turkey in the past, but
a huge earthquake and a slow rescue response has made once loyal support more
uncertain.
There
are signs his AK Party (AKP) is increasingly aware that it cannot take past
votes for granted, as officials talk of accelerating rebuilding plans before
elections in May, which may prove the toughest of Erdogan’s more than two
decades in power.
“This
whole village has voted AKP even though no one knows why,” said a truck driver
in Cigdemtepe, which is perched above cotton and garlic fields in Kahramanmaras
province, a region where whole urban centers were destroyed.
“The
earthquake definitely changes our opinion because the first responders and
tents were very late to arrive,” he said.
How
big a challenge Erdogan faces is difficult to determine, given the lack of
polling in the region. In addition, the opposition has dithered before finally
agreeing on a candidate to challenge Erdogan, unsettling voters, while experts
say those affected by the quake could swiftly change their minds.
But
Reuters interviews with nearly 30 residents in the past week in Kahramanmaras,
Adiyaman and Gaziantep - provinces where white tents dot the landscape of
buckling or collapsed buildings - suggest political loyalties, even among once
diehard Erdogan backers, are shifting.
“My
mind is completely changed,” said a student in rural Kahramanmaras, who like
others was reluctant to give their name. “We breathe AKP here, but this
earthquake changed everything for us. These people don’t know what they are
doing.”
The
deadliest disaster in Turkey’s modern history devastated cities and towns and
killed tens of thousands of people a month ago, mostly in a conservative
stronghold that has heavily backed Erdogan and the AKP for two decades.
While
only a tiny sample of the 14 million people affected by the earthquakes in
southeastern Turkey, the opinions of those interviewed shed light on how these
mostly rural and working class voters could affect presidential and
parliamentary polls.
Many
resented years of permissive AKP construction policies that allowed up to
eight-story concrete apartments to be built - thousands of which were destroyed
in the tremors.
Some
were irked by what they saw as insensitive statements by political leaders
including Erdogan, who asked for forgiveness last week for a response to the
earthquake that could have been faster, while some others ridiculed the
government’s plan to rebuild the region in just a year.
But
people also struggled to imagine voting for opposition parties and their
newly-named candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
The
AKP has ruled Turkey with little serious electoral challenge since 2002, and
party insiders told Reuters they are aware of the anger among their voter base
in the southeast but confident a combination of swift rebuilding and a confused
opposition will deliver victory.
One
party official said they would “re-direct” residents’ focus to efforts to
rebuild and stress no one but Erdogan could do this quickly. Another said they
would showcase reconstruction in an area where 227,000 buildings collapsed or
face demolition.
Pollsters
have mostly avoided surveying those in the disaster zone, while national
surveys found the AKP has maintained its support. They point to a tight
election contest despite a cost-of-living crisis that had gripped Turks long
before the magnitude 7.8 quake and aftershocks brought more criticism of the
government.
Unconvincing
opposition
The
centrist opposition bloc finally on Monday named former civil servant
Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) since 2010, as its
candidate.
The
region voted 65 percent or more for the AKP and its nationalist ally the MHP in
the last election in 2018. Many residents told Reuters that opposition parties
were late to name a candidate and that they would only support one with nationalist
roots, such as Ankara mayor Mansur Yavas - who is slated to be one of
Kilicdaroglu’s vice presidents should he win.
One
construction materials trader in Adiyaman, a city of 650,000 whose downtown is
a wasteland of crumbled concrete, laughed at the idea of Kilicdaroglu as
president.
Umur,
a young accountant in the city, said he intended to cast his first-ever ballot
for the opposition but only if the candidate was “a low-profile and effective
person like Yavas.”
‘Not
wise to hold elections’
Officials
briefly floated the idea of delaying elections - before backtracking and
pressing ahead with a date of May 14, a decision some find hard to comprehend.
“It
is not wise to hold elections in May. People hurt, we still hurt,” said Mahmut,
an insurance worker in the town of Besni, where after the quake he said he
could hear his cousins under the rubble for two days before their voices
stopped.
Erdogan’s
request for forgiveness had been poorly received, he said, adding he normally
votes for the MHP.
“There
are many who want to vote for the opposition...and I could too, but I wouldn’t
vote for Kilicdaroglu because he has not won a single election,” he said.
Mehmet,
52, a construction subcontractor living with his wife and child in a tent in
Adiyaman, said “everyone” votes for Erdogan as president and he would too, but
he would punish the AKP party by voting for the MHP.
Mehmet
Ali Kulat, chairman of MAK polling company, said based on previous earthquakes
survivors tend to blame the government at first, then later back whomever
rebuilds homes.
There
are only about 55 buildings in Igdeli, where villagers erected their own tents
and intend to rebuild themselves.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkey
earthquake damage set to exceed $100 billion: UN agency
Mar
7, 2023
GENEVA:
Damage caused by a devastating earthquake in Turkey will exceed $100 billion, a
U.N. Development Programme official told a press briefing on Tuesday.
"It's
clear from the calculations being done to date that the damage figure presented
by the government and supported by ... international partners would be in
excess of $100 billion," said the UNDP's Louisa Vinton, by video link from
Gaziantep.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israeli
troops kill at least six, wound 11 others during raid in West Bank’s Jenin
07
March ,2023
Israeli
forces on Tuesday raided a refugee camp in the volatile West Bank city of
Jenin, killing at least six Palestinians, including a gunman suspected of
shooting two brothers from a Jewish settlement near the village of Huwara last
week.
Footage
circulating on social media showed helicopters over a column of military
vehicles entering Jenin, one of the major centers of armed Palestinian factions
in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the individual suspected of the killings in
the Jewish settlement, which triggered a violent rampage by settlers against
the nearby Palestinian village of Huwara, had been killed by Israeli forces
operating “surgically in the heart of the murderers’ den” on Tuesday.
The
Israeli military identified him as Abdel-Fattah Kharusha, a member of the group
Hamas, and said his two sons had been arrested in a raid at the same time on
the city of Nablus, another center of militant activity in the West Bank.
Last
week, settlers torched dozens of cars and houses in Huwara after two brothers
were shot by a presumed Palestinian gunman as they sat in their car at a
checkpoint nearby.
The
rampage, described as a “pogrom” by a senior Israeli commander, triggered
worldwide outrage and condemnation, which was increased when ultra-nationalist
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has responsibility for aspects of the
West Bank administration, said Huwara should be “erased.” Smotrich later
offered a partial retraction.
At
least 16 Palestinians were wounded in Tuesday’s gun battle, which broke out
after Israeli forces surrounded a house in the camp, using shoulder-fired
missiles against fighters inside, who returned fire.
At
the same time, others in the camp threw stones and explosive devices against
the soldiers.
Tuesday’s
operation comes after a major reinforcement of Israeli forces in the West Bank
following the violence in Huwara, which sits near a major road junction where
settlers and Palestinians have frequently clashed.
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken overnight reiterated calls for both sides to
de-escalate tensions in the West Bank, and the violence is also expected to be
raised by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin when he visits Israel this week.
However,
there has been no sign of any let up in the violence, ahead of the start of the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover festival.
More
Huwara violence
Overnight
on Monday, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the village.
Israeli
army and border police forces dispersed crowds of what the military described
as “a number of violent rioters” in Huwara.
Videos
shared on social media showed a group of black-clad youths attacking a Palestinian
car before its driver manages to pull away.
“My
wife was sitting in the back and she hugged our daughter to cover her,” said
Omar Khalifa, who had just finished shopping at a supermarket and had got into
the car with his family when the assault took place.
“We
could have lost her, there was real danger to our lives.”
Other
footage appeared to show Israeli soldiers dancing together with Jewish settlers
in the town on what was the Jewish festival of Purim.
“Huwara
has been conquered, gentlemen!” a voice is heard saying in Hebrew.
The
military did not address a question about the footage of soldiers dancing with
settlers when it responded to a request for information on the incident. Nor
did it immediately respond to a Reuters query on whether there had been any
arrests.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israeli
military reservists refuse to return to service in protest at new far-right
government
March
07, 2023
LONDON:
Israel’s military reservists are increasingly refusing to return to service in
protest at the country’s new far-right government, The Guardian reported on
Tuesday.
Reservists
play an important role in the Israeli military and are summoned to serve for as
many as 60 days a year.
All
but three of the 40 reservist pilots in Israel’s elite 69 Squadron said that
they would not report for training on Sunday, arguing they will not serve a
“dictatorial regime,” The Guardian reported.
The
F-15I pilots form a strategically crucial squadron capable of flying long-range
missions.
Security
officials are reportedly concerned that their opposition may lead to
insubordination within the ranks of the serving military.
“It
is inconceivable for me that I would ever do something like this. I was in the
air force for 31 years, 16 of those were under Netanyahu, even though I never
voted for him,” former F-15 fighter jet navigator Omer Denk, 51, told the
Guardian.
Although
pilots and intelligence operatives have participated in boycotts over issues
such as Gaza disengagement and the second Lebanon war, the growing number of
these types of incidents is unprecedented.
Denk
added: “This isn’t about politics or policy. This is about a crisis in trust in
a leadership that wants to destroy Israel as a liberal democracy.”
Thousands
across Israel are taking part in protests against the government’s plan to
overhaul the country’s judicial system.
Critics,
which include influential business leaders and former military figures, say
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing the country toward authoritarian
rule and has a clear conflict of interest in targeting judges as he stands
trial on corruption charges.
Anti-government
protests in Israel turned violent on Wednesday for the first time as police
fired stun grenades and a water cannon at demonstrators who blocked a Tel Aviv
highway.
Netanyahu
on Monday called the reservists’ refusal to report for duty unacceptable and an
“existential” threat, The Guardian reported.
He
has also shared a picture of his military ID to social media, with the caption:
“When we’re called for reserve duty, we always turn up. We are one nation.”
Former
military officials have expressed concern that the proposed judicial changes
may subject them to international prosecution, The Guardian reported.
Israel
is not a member of the International Criminal Court, claiming that its own
legal system adequately investigates allegations of wrongdoing by the armed
forces.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2264231/middle-east
--------
Africa
World
Bank halts talks with Tunisia amid uproar over anti-migrant remarks
Alaa
Hammoudi
07.03.2023
TUNIS,
Tunisia
The
World Bank has temporarily suspended its future engagement talks with Tunisia
amid uproar over recent statements by the country’s president against migrants.
The
two sides have engaged in talks for providing Tunisia with loans up to $520
million.
In
an internal message to staff, outgoing World Bank President David Malpass
attributed the decision to recent statements about migrants by Tunisian
President Kais Saied.
“Given
the situation, management has decided to pause the Country Partnership
Framework and withdraw it from Board review," Malpass said in the message.
Last
month, Saied called for ending the flow of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa
into his country, saying irregular migration aims to change Tunisia's
demography.
The
statements triggered tension between Tunisia and the African Union Commission
with its chairperson terming Saied’s comments as “shocking”.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
African
Union postpones conference in Tunisia amid crackdown on migrants
Hassan
Isilow
07.03.2023
The
African Union has postponed a conference that was scheduled to take place in
Tunisia this month amid mounting criticism of a government crackdown on
migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
“The
Pan-African Network Conference on Fighting Illicit Financial Flows in Africa
that was scheduled to convene in Tunisia from 15-17 March 2023 has been
postponed,’’ a spokeswoman for the AU said in text messages to Anadolu on Tuesday.
The
AU did not give a reason for the postponement, but it has been critical of the
North African country’s treatment of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
Tensions
escalated last month between Tunisia and the African Union amid a flow of
irregular migrants into the North African country.
In
February, Tunisian President Kais Saied called for ending the flow of migrants
from sub-Saharan Africa into his country, saying irregular migration aims to
change the country’s demography.
His
statements, however, drew the ire of Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the
African Union Commission, who termed the Tunisian president’s comments as
“shocking.”
Rights
groups have documented a rising number of attacks on sub-Saharan Africans
following Saied's comments, including evictions, assault and racist slurs.
In
a statement, AU said a meeting was held with the Tunisian envoy to express the
“African Union’s deep shock and concern at the form and substance of the
statement targeting fellow Africans, notwithstanding their legal status in the
country.”
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
KSrelief
continue aid efforts in Yemen and Sudan
March
08, 2023
RIYADH:
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief ) humanitarian
efforts in Yemen, and Sudan continue to provide services to help people in
need.
In
Sudan the center distributed 470 aid packages to 2632 effected by the floods.
Meanwhile
in Yemen, the agency signed an agreement with the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) to kick start a project to
re-enroll girls who dropped out of school in the governorates of Hadramout,
Lahj, Al-Dhalea, Marib, Abyan, Hajjah and Socotra, as part of a grant from
Saudi Arabia to support the education sector in Yemen.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2264556/saudi-arabia
--------
Turkish,
Sierra Leonean presidents meet in Ankara for talks
Diyar
Guldogan
07.03.2023
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday met with his Sierra Leonean
counterpart Julius Maada Wonie Bio in the capital Ankara for talks.
Erdogan
and Bio held a closed-door meeting at the presidential complex.
No
further information was released about the meeting.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/turkish-sierra-leonean-presidents-meet-in-ankara-for-talks/2839273
--------
Europe
Muslims
across Europe urged to boycott Israeli dates this Ramadan
7th
March 2023
Friends
of Al Aqsa has launched its annual campaign to urge Muslims across Europe to
boycott Israeli dates that are being sold in shops and supermarkets this
Ramadan.
The
#CheckTheLabel campaign aims to make sure that Muslims are not breaking their
fasts with a “taste of apartheid.”
All
you need to do is check the label to avoid buying dates from Israel – including
dates labelled “from Israel,” the “West Bank” and the “Jordan Valley.”
“By
choosing not to buy Israeli dates this Ramadan the Muslim community can send a
clear and powerful message of condemnation of Israel’s illegal occupation and
apartheid in Palestine,” said Shamiul Joarder of Friends of Al-Aqsa.
Israel
is the world’s largest producer of Medjoul dates, with 50% of Israel’s dates
being exported to Europe. These dates are then sold in major supermarkets as
well as local shops across the continent.
Major
UK supermarkets like ASDA, Tesco, Iceland and Waitrose all sell dates from
Israel as well as local grocery stores.
The
UK is the second-biggest importer of Israeli dates in Europe. In 2020 it
imported over 3,000 tonnes of dates from Israel, worth roughly £7.5 million.
The
Netherlands, France, Spain and Italy also import huge quantities of the dried fruit.
There
are two peaks of date consumption in Europe – one is during the month of
Ramadan and the other is during New Year’s Eve and Christmas.
So
far in 2023 Israel has killed at least 62 Palestinians including 13 children –
the equivalent of one child every 5 days.
The
Israeli regime is increasing home demolitions at an alarming rate and has
promised to expand illegal settlements at an unprecedented level.
The
world’s leading human rights organisations (Amnesty International and Human
Rights Watch) have said that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid, but
European states are still failing to impose sanctions on Israel.
“It’s
time to renew our commitment to BDS this Ramadan. We must remember that as a
community we are powerful – we can make our voices heard through the simple act
of putting Israeli dates back on the shelf. All we need to do is #CheckTheLabel
and not buy dates from apartheid Israel,” Shamiul Joarder added.
Source:
5pillarsuk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/03/07/muslims-across-europe-urged-to-boycott-israeli-dates-this-ramadan/
--------
Afghan
boy murdered ‘in cold blood’ on London street, court finds
March
07, 2023
LONDON:
A 16-year-old Afghan boy was murdered on a London street after being mistaken
for someone else and stabbed 15 times by a pair of teenagers, The Independent
reported.
Rishmeet
Singh, who was killed in late November 2021, had moved to Britain two years
earlier with his mother and grandmother to claim asylum after his father was
killed by the Taliban.
The
16-year-old was murdered by Vanushan Balakrishnan and Ilyas Suleiman, both 17
at the time, after the pair chased him down and stabbed him while he “lay
defenseless on the floor,” the Old Bailey found on Monday.
Singh
had left his friends in west London after an evening socializing, but saw the
two teenagers running toward him.
He
tried to return to his friends, shouting “run, run,” but tripped and was
stabbed in the back by one of the males at least five times.
The
second male then caught up to Singh, stabbing him at least 10 times. The two
teenagers left the scene of the attack, which lasted just 27 seconds, the court
heard.
Police
and ambulance workers were unable to save the 16-year-old, who died at the scene.
Investigators
later found an image on Balakrishnan’s phone of a bloody knife, captured on the
evening of the attack.
Balakrishnan
and Suleiman were identified using CCTV footage and will be sentenced on April
28 at the Old Bailey.
Singh’s
mother, Gulinder, said in a statement: “Rishmeet was my only child, and he had
his whole life ahead of him. No words could ever explain or put into context
how I have felt since Rishmeet was taken from us.
“He
has been raised with so much love and now he’s gone. I am struggling to
understand as to how and why this happened to my baby boy. I feel I have lost
everything and my life is over.
“I
will never get over losing him in this way. I will not see him grow up into a
young man. I will not see him leave college. I will not see him fulfill his
aspirations. I will not see him learn to drive. I will not see him fall in love
and get married. I will not become a grandmother and see my son grow old. I
have been robbed of so many future events.
“Rishmeet
was attending college completing a public service course and his ambition was
to become a police officer, all he wanted to do was to help people. Rishmeet
was well loved by all that knew him, he was a faithful boy and was very caring
in his nature.
“I
have lost my husband and now I have lost my only child, my son. Justice is
finally served for Rishmeet, but their sentence will never be enough for me.
They have taken my whole life away from me and Rishmeet will never come home
again.”
Metropolitan
Police Detective Inspector Laura Semple said: “Rishmeet was an innocent, young
16-year-old who had his whole life ahead of him. He had just spent an enjoyable
evening with his friends and was making the short walk home when he was
callously chased down and knifed to death by Balakrishnan and Suleiman.
“Between
them, they stabbed him 15 times while he was defenseless on the floor. There is
never an excuse to murder someone in cold blood, but this case is made even
more tragic by the fact that Rishmeet was wrongly targeted by his attackers.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2264141/world
--------
Quake
solidarity strengthens ties between Bulgaria’s Turks, Türkiye: Senior official
Ahmet
Gencturk
08.03.2023
Quake
solidarity has reinforced the strong ties between Bulgaria’s Muslim Turkish
population and Türkiye, said a senior official.
"Even
though we did not know the precise magnitude of the quake that jolted southern
Türkiye, we knew it was big. Consequently, we moved to mobilize our network of
850 imams and associations of the 1,600 mosques across the country," said
Celal Faik, the general secretary of Bulgaria’s Grand Mufti’s Office, in an
interview with Anadolu.
By
noon on Feb. 6, we had already mobilized our network and initiated our aid
drive for those who were affected by the quakes, he added.
Moreover,
many Turkish health professionals contacted the Turkish Embassy in Sofia to
tell them they are ready to go to the quake-stricken areas if and when needed.
“It
couldn’t be otherwise as our hearts always beat together with the hearts of our
Turkish brothers and sisters,” Faik said.
He
also underscored that the Turkish minority, in coordination with the Turkish
Embassy, acted united in collecting aid and sending it to Türkiye.
Especially,
the executives of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (HOH) party, Turkish
Ambassador to Bulgaria Aylin Sekizkok have worked hard to help us and inform
the Bulgarian public about the quake-related development in Türkiye, Faik said.
According
to him, wholehearted contribution to the aid drive by Bulgarians of other
ethnicities and religions is also noteworthy since it shows the strong bonds
between the country’s 1.25 million strong Muslim Turkish population and
non-Muslim compatriots.
As
such, the $1.6 million we have collected in our campaign included generous
donations from our compatriots, Faik added.
“We,
as the Turkish Muslim minority, were so touched by their enthusiastic
solidarity. They showed they are more than neighbors to us, they are brothers
and sisters,” he said.
Moreover,
Bulgarian state institutions, particularly the Defense Ministry, Interior
Ministry, and presidency quickly and efficiently responded to the quakes in
Türkiye, Faik underlined, drawing attention that President Rumen Radev was
among the first world leaders who called his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
Likewise,
he added, the search and rescue team of the Sofia Municipality was among the
first which arrived in Türkiye.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Belgium
raises over $1.9M in single day for quake victims in Türkiye, Syria
Agnes
Szucs
08.03.2023
BRUSSELS
Over
€1.8 million ($1.9 million) was raised in a single day in Belgium to help the
victims of last month’s earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria in response to a call
by the country’s biggest charities.
In
a statement Tuesday, the 12-12 Consortium, assembling Belgium’s seven most
important charity organizations, said that “€1.8 million has been raised in
favor of the victims of the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria at the big day of
solidarity on March 6.”
Marking
one month since the disaster, all Belgian media outlets dedicated programs or
content on the disastrous effects of the earthquakes and called on people to
make donations.
“The
day of solidarity ended with an impressive result,” said Gilles Van Moortel,
the consortium’s coordinator, explaining that they received three times more
donations than in an average day due to the media coverage.
The
amount collected Monday represents 15% of the funds, bringing the total to
€11.6 million.
Caritas
International, Red Cross Belgium, Handicap International (Humanity &
Inclusion), Medecins du Monde, Oxfam Belgium, Plan International Belgium and
UNICEF Belgium are members of the consortium.
The
charities raised over €8.27 million in the first two weeks after the
earthquakes, according to their data.
More
than 46,100 people were killed in Türkiye by magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes that
struck on Feb. 6, according to officials.
The
strong tremors, which were centered in Kahramanmaras province, also hit 10
other provinces: Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis,
Osmaniye, Sanliurfa and Elazig.
Some
13.5 million people have been affected in Türkiye by the massive quakes, which
struck in less than 10 hours.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Quake
victims in Türkiye, Syria continue to receive assistance: Danish NGO
Burak
Bir
07.03.2023
LONDON
People
in Türkiye and Syria continue to receive emergency assistance and psychosocial
support following last month’s "horrific earthquakes," the Danish
Refugee Council (DRC) said Monday.
In
a statement, the non-profit organization said thousands of people in the two
countries are still in need of humanitarian aid a month after the twin
earthquakes shook communities across the region.
"Both
adults and children are clearly very affected by having gone through an
unimaginable, traumatizing experience,” Charlotte Slente, secretary general of
the DRC, said after visiting Antakya district in Hatay province.
The
DRC noted that it has been responding in both Türkiye and Syria with emergency
assistance and psychosocial support to help heal the wounds from the
earthquakes.
"Our
response seeks to support host communities, refugees and internally displaced
families that have been affected, but the needs are significant," it
added.
More
than 46,100 people have been killed in the two quakes that shook Türkiye on
Feb. 6, according to officials.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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UK
school embroiled in Quran desecration row
Tuesday,
07 March 2023
Robert
Carter
A
heated debate has been sparked following the news of four teenage students
being suspended from a school in Wakefield, North England, over a Quran
desecration incident.
Right-wingers
in the media have condemned the suspensions. Alleging that pressure comes from
Muslims, trying to enforce defacto-blasphemy laws.
The
students at Kettlethorpe High School were removed after a copy of the Islamic
holy text was partially torn and scuffed. It was brought into the school by a
10-Year pupil, reportedly as part of a dare.
Rumors
quickly spread about the incident, some claiming the Quran had been burned.
With a protest planned outside the school gates.
Amid
growing community distress, police and religious leaders intervened - staging a
press conference at a local Mosque.
A
mother of one of the pupils involved apologized for her son's conduct.
After
debunking some of the myths surrounding the story and after realizing the
distress caused to an autistic teenager, the local protest was quickly
abandoned. Local religious leaders called for calm and forgiveness.
Right-wing
pundits, however, were not content to rest. Accusations of the family being
forced to an apology sparked an online firestorm, with Islamophobic trolling in
abundance.
News
of a death threat circulated the headlines, with few reports adding the
important context; the threat came from another student - not from Muslims in
the wider community.
Home
Secretary Suella Braverman adopted the idea of Muslims enforcing de facto
blasphemy laws.
Onlookers
have expressed concern over the Islamophobic spin being added to the story and
a failure to properly represent the Muslim reaction.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/07/699484/UK-school-embroiled-in-Quran-desecration-row
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