Penang Deputy CM’s Apology Issued for Calling Zakir Naik 'Satan' Was Meant for the Public, Not the Preacher, High Court Hears
New
Age Islam News Bureau
26
May 2023
Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy. -filepic
----
Southeast
Asia
• In a changed Indonesia, some fear a ‘backlash’ against
freedoms
• Malaysia remains largest Islamic banking market in
Asia-Pacific
• Anwar: ‘Allah’ issue should be discussed behind closed
doors to avoid confusion
• Ahmad Maslan tells off critics who labelled him as 'Kafir'
--------
Africa
• Africa must not become ‘geostrategic battleground’
warns AU
• Traditionalists seek equal recognition with
Christians, Muslims
• AbdellahTaïa is Morocco’s first openly gay writer –
his work reimagines being Muslim, queer and African
--------
India
• Three Islamic Countries, Indonesia, UAE, and
Bangladesh, Attended India-Hosted G20 Meet in Jammu and Kashmir
• "Land Jihad" Won't Be Allowed In State, Says
Uttarakhand Chief Minister
• Calligraphy Works Based On the Verses in the Quran on
Display at Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad
• Fresh letter from education ministry fuels ‘minority’
fear in Aligarh Muslim University
• Delhi HC Orders Muslim Man Accused of Forced Religious
Conversion of Woman to Remove Social Media Posts about Her within 48 Hours
• Mob beats up Muslim man, kin in Telangana; video goes
viral
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia ‘Committed To Opening Embassy in Colombia’:
Saudi FM
• Border guards thwart drug smuggling attempt in Jazan
• Wireless laser optics brings hope to expand high-speed
connectivity in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi health minister meets with Iranian, Syrian
counterparts in Geneva
--------
North
America
• Muslim civil rights group demands hate-crime probe
into call to Charlotte mosque
• AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Qatar Islamic Insurance
Group Q.P.S.C.
--------
Mideast
• Iranian Dictatorship Slams Taliban Claiming IEA Regime
Is Un-Islamic
• European Muslim Forum endorses Erdogan in Turkish
presidential election
• UAE condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli
police
• Mosque in Germany gets letter with neo-Nazi threats
--------
South Asia
• Activists, Journalists and Academics Continue To Be
Targeted In Afghanistan
• Heavy Rains, Flash Floods Kill 13 People in
Afghanistan
• Pakistan Releases 60 Afghan Prisoners from Sindh
Central Jail
• Mutual Interactions of Countries with IEA Menas
Recognition, Muttaqi Says
• US Seeking to Destabilize Region Using Terrorists in
Afghanistan: Russia
--------
Pakistan
• Civilians’ Trial by Military Illegal in Peacetime:
Imran
• Conference on ‘Islamic Capital Markets’ on Monday
• SC begins hearing pleas against constitution of panel
probing audio leaks
• Pakistan has not joined ‘China bloc’: FO
• PPP to back bid to ban PTI, Bilawal tells PM
• Nation will never forget sacrifices of martyrs:
President
--------
Europe
• Islamic Centre of England Run as Iran Regime’s UK
Office Shut Down
• Muslim activists disrupt The Kerala Story screening in
Birmingham
• Suspect in linked series of east London Mosque thefts
arrested
• ‘We Want To Participate In the Thriving Change in Saudi
Arabia,’ Czech Republic FM
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/penang-apology-zakir-naik-satan/d/129861
-----
Penang Deputy CM’s Apology Issued for Calling Zakir Naik 'Satan' Was Meant for the Public, Not the Preacher, High Court Hears
Penang
Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy. -filepic
----
By Farah Solhi
-
May 26, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR:
The public apology issued by Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy in which
he called preacher Dr Zakir Naik as "Satan" was actually directed to
the public, and not the preacher.
This was
clarified by Ramasamy when he was crossed examined by Zakir's lead counsel,
DatukAkberdin Abdul Kader, in the High Court today.
He said this in
the trial involving a lawsuit filed by Zakir against Ramasamy in 2019 over
several of Ramasamy's statements.
Ramasamy
further explained in his witness statement that the word "satan" was
used as a metaphor.
However, he
agreed with Akberdin's suggestion that he did not clarify to the public on how
the word was used in his Facebook status on April 10, 2016.
He agreed with
Akberdin's suggestion that the word "satan" is highly derogatory and
it would terribly offend anybody, and that it might be deemed as a provocation.
However, he
took the court by surprise when he revealed that the public apology issued on
April 12, 2016 following his Facebook status was directed to the public.
He said the
apology was issued following a case where a petrol bomb was thrown into his
service centre between April 10 and 12.
"The
apology was meant for the public. I didn't apologise to him, but I apologised
for using the word 'satan' against him.
"I
realised that I shouldn't have used the word against Zakir, so I apologise for
using the word."
Ramasamy then
irked Akberdin again when he refused to agree with the latter's suggestion that
his answers defied any logic.
The politicians
answers also led to the lawyer claiming that Ramasamy was being dishonest.
Ramasamy also
told the court that he had no evidence to prove his allegation on Facebook that
Zakir was banned from entering Canada and the United Kingdom.
Akberdin: He
who asserts must prove. So I put it to you that this allegation of yours is
unjustified because you don't have evidence.
Ramasamy: I
don't have evidence, but that does not mean he was not banned from the United
Kingdom and Canada.
He had also
testified that Ramasamy did not even bother to listen to his talks and had
interpreted what he said out of context.
The preacher,
in October 2019, filed a lawsuit against Ramasamy over four of the politician's
statements that were alleged to be defamatory against Zakir. The statements
were issued between 2016 and 2019.
Zakir, in his
suit, claimed that Ramasamy made the first defamatory statement via a Facebook
post on April 10, 2015.
The second was
in the form of an article titled "Is Malaysia harbouring alleged fugitive
Zakir Naik?" which was published by an online news portal on Oct 1, 2017.
The third
defamatory statement was made on Aug 11, 2019, through the article titled,
"Naik should not question loyalty of Hindus in Malaysia", which was
also carried by the online news portal.
Ramasamy was
also alleged to have defamed Dr Zakir through a video interview on Aug 20,
which was given to India-based media platform, India Today.
He then filed a
second suit against Ramasamy, in December 2019, where he alleged the
defendant's remarks about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had
defamed him.
Zakir was
represented by Akberdin, while Ramasamy was represented by lead counsel Datuk
N. Mureli.
The trial
before High Court Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz continues on June 16.
Source: nst.com.my
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2023/05/913615/ramasamys-apology-issued-calling-zakir-naik-satan-was-meant-public
--------
Somalia: New TV
Series ‘Arday’ Draws Ire for ‘Violating’ Islamic Values
ABDISHUKRI
HEYBE/ Novice Shukri Abdikadir now wants to pursue a career in acting after a
starring role in Arday
------
May 26, 2023
There has been
a lot of public criticism and outcry about the television show Arday (student
in Somali) – a number of civil society organisations have called for the
immediate suspension of the show as soon as its episodes began airing on local
TV stations in Mogadishu. They claim that it violates ethics, adversely affects
the education system in Somalia, and that it is contrary to both Somali
cultural values and Islamic values.
“We call for
the immediate suspension of this film and Bile TV should apologise for its
conduct,” said the statement from several civil society organisations and
Islamic scholars, naming the television network that airs Arday.
As one of the
first series produced and broadcast by a local television channel since the
fall of the central government in 1991, it aimed to educate and entertain
Somalis both within and outside Somalia.
However, civil
society groups say the film is an ‘invasion from the outside’ designed to
destroy the country’s education system. “Those behind it want to hurt Somali
kids’ chances of getting what they’re looking for in life,” said the statement.
The release of the TV series coincides with the period that schools are
preparing for annual exams.
Source: theafricareport.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.theafricareport.com/310663/somalia-new-tv-series-arday-draws-ire-over-claims-of-unethical-values/
--------
Moral Policing:
Hindu Boy and Muslim Girl Harassed In Karnataka; Girl Files Police Complaint
The boy and
girl belonging to different faiths were harassed for having a meal together at
a restaurant in Chikkaballapura.
-----
May 26, 2023
Nagarjun
Dwarakanath
Moral policing
has again reared its ugly head in Karnataka. A boy and a girl belonging to
different faiths were harassed by a group for sharing a meal at a restaurant in
Chikkaballapura. The incident, which took place on Wednesday, was caught on
camera and the video is going viral.
A Hindu boy,
whose identity remains undisclosed, was enjoying a meal with a Muslim girl, his
classmate, when a group of Muslim youths entered the establishment. The
interlopers started questioning the girl about her choice of companion.
The video shows
the men rebuking the girl, asserting that it was inappropriate for her to be
seen in public with someone from a different religious background.
While the video
does not show it, the boy was allegedly roughed up by the self-styled
vigilantes.
However, the
girl refused to be cowed by the group and confronted them. She ripped into them
for interfering in her personal life and defended her right to choose her own
companions, regardless of their religious beliefs.
The incident
prompted the girl to file a complaint at the nearest police station.
Authorities have taken swift action and registered the FIR on Friday morning,
launching an investigation into the matter.
The incident
comes mere days after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah vowed to put an end
to moral policing in the state, and asked police officials to ensure that there
is no discrimination on religious grounds. “No moral policing here on, we will
put an end to thisâ€æ” he had said.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hindu-boy-and-muslim-classmate-harassed-sharing-meal-karnataka-chikkaballapura-viral-video-2384596-2023-05-26
--------
ICRC, Al-Azhar
University Discuss Commonalities between International Humanitarian Law and
Islamic Sharia in Cairo Seminar
ICRC,
Al-Azhar University Discuss Commonalities between International Humanitarian
Law and Islamic Sharia
------
25 MAY 2023
The seminar
included lectures and discussions around the protection of civilians and the
humane treatment of prisoners during armed conflicts from the perspectives of
IHL and Islamic Sharia, with the aim of reinforcing universal acceptance of IHL
and highlighting the humanitarian values and provisions of protection enshrined
in Islamic jurisprudence.
“There are a
lot of commonalities between IHL and Islamic Sharia when it comes to taking
into consideration the welfare of human beings in all circumstances. Islamic
law guarantees victims of armed conflict the right to protection, respect, and
dignified humane treatment,” said Professor Mohamed Fekry Khedr, deputy head of
Al-Azhar University’s girls branch, during the opening ceremony of the seminar.
Mr. OualidBech,
deputy head of the ICRC delegation in Egypt, emphasized the universality of
IHL’s principles, which oblige protection of all people not taking part in the
conflict, as well as limiting the means and methods of warfare. “The rules and
laws of war undoubtedly have deeper historical roots. They are derived from
elementary human values that transcend legal traditions, civilizations, and
cultures,” Mr. Bech said.
The seminar was
attended by 100 students and 35 professors and teachers from the faculty of
Sharia and Law from several governorates across Egypt.
The seminar was
an opportunity for the ICRC and Al-Azhar’s experts and students to exchange
knowledge about the common principles between Islamic Sharia and IHL that aim
to preserve human dignity in armed conflicts.
The seminar is
part of the ICRC Egypt delegation’s ongoing cooperation with Al-Azhar. It is
also part of the wider dialogue that the ICRC maintains with Islamic
intellectuals and academics around the world to emphasize the common principles
and values that apply to all humankind.
The ICRC is an
impartial, neutral, and independent organization ensuring humanitarian
protection and assistance for victims of war and armed violence. It is present
in more than 90 countries around the world, including Egypt, where it has been
working for over 100 years.
Source: icrc.org/
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/icrc-al-azhar-university-discuss-commonalities-between-international-humanitarian-law-and
---------
Nearly 50
Percent Increase In Anti-Muslim Incidents in New Jersey, Report Finds
Muslim men
pray at a mosque in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 7 December 2015 (AFP)
-----
25 May 2023
There was a 46
percent increase in anti-Muslim incidents in the US state of New Jersey in 2022
compared to the previous year, a new report shows.
According to
the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (Cair) new
52-page report, “Beyond the Courts”, the civil rights organisation received 152
complaints last year. In 2021, the number of complaints was 104.
The numbers do
not account for every incident of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bias in New
Jersey, rather they reflect sample data that consists of reports by community
members and greater trends overall, the report stated.
"While it
is true that the tragic events of September 11, 2001, shot Muslims into the
international spotlight overnight, structural anti-Muslim rhetoric and bigotry
and the resulting violence have long preceded the events of 9/11."
One of the main
objectives of the report was to correct the narrative and “dangerous
misinformation” campaigns “given the imploding anti-Muslim rhetoric that,
ultimately, normalizes anti-Muslim bigotry and violence and makes way for
anti-Muslim legislation”.
Nearly 22.4
percent of the complaints, the report found, were related to employment. About
18.4 percent were referrals, which constitute community reports for issues that
fall outside of Cair-NJ’s scope, such as criminal law, immigration law, divorce
and family law, and financial assistance.
According to
the report, nearly 17.8 percent of the complaints were related to schools,
which involved bullying, perceived bias, mistreatment, curriculum issues, and
denial of religious accommodations.
“Discrimination
cases are easier to pursue when the perpetrator is not of a minority group, but
perpetrators of anti-Muslim bias in New Jersey are diverse. The public at large
still needs proactive education on Islam.”
Hate incidents
Several
incidents of anti-Muslim hate have been documented in the state over the past
year.
In August 2022,
a bulldozer was controversially displayed during an India Independence Day
event in New Jersey, something critics say has become a symbol for Hindu
nationalist politicians and a tool to intimidate the country's minority Muslim
community.
“We urged
officials and the public that just because they may not know what Hindutva is,
or have never seen a bulldozer used as a hate symbol, this shouldn't mean they
do not care,” the report said.
“What was
supposed to be a celebration of independence from colonial rule was hijacked by
hate.”
In January
2023, the inclusion of the bulldozer was deemed an act of bias, a joint
investigation by the local county's prosecutor's office and police department
found.
In 2022, a
14-year-old Muslim boy was playing basketball. A group of five high school boys
started allegedly hurling racial epithets at him and told him to leave the
basketball court. He refused and ignored them and then they started throwing
balls and other objects at him.
Also that same
year, a Muslim woman who worked at a bank in Hudson County, New Jersey, was
allegedly called a “piece of shit” by her supervisor who was displeased that
she would not drink alcohol during happy hours, the report stated.
Source: middleeasteye.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/nearly-50-percent-increase-anti-muslim-incidents-new-jersey-report-finds
--------
Southeast
Asia
In a changed
Indonesia, some fear a ‘backlash’ against freedoms
26 May 2023
Medan,
Indonesia – On the morning of May 21, 1998, Indonesia’s then-leader Soeharto
stood in the Presidential Palace and addressed the nation.
For weeks,
protesters had filled the streets amid soaring prices of fuel, cooking oil and
rice as a result of the Asian Financial Crisis.
The unrest had
spread to cities across the country. Shops and businesses of the country’s
ethnic Chinese were attacked and there were violent clashes between protesters
– mainly students – and security forces. On May 12, four students had been shot
dead during a demonstration at Trisakti University in Jakarta. In all, more
than 1,000 people had been killed and there were reports of rapes of ethnic
Chinese women.
After 30 years
in power, the military strongman sometimes called the Smiling General,
announced he was resigning with immediate effect.
Standing next
to Soeharto was his vice president, BJ Habibie, who would take over the top job
and allow Indonesians freedoms that had been denied during Soeharto’s decades
in power – a time when activists disappeared and the military was deployed in
the restive regions of Aceh and Papua.
The
administration of the charismatic Soekarno, who led Indonesia to independence
from the Dutch in 1945, became increasingly chaotic and in 1965, an abortive
coup attempt led to the killing of millions of suspected Communists.
Amid the chaos,
Soeharto’s emergence in 1968 was initially greeted with optimism. Many hoped
his New Order administration would bring calm and prosperity.
But despite its
early promise, the New Order modernisation eventually came to embody a
highly-centralised government that focused on consolidating power, and an
emboldened military designed to support Soeharto and his determination to stay
in the presidential palace, whatever the cost.
Since his
surprise resignation, Indonesia has embraced democracy, if imperfectly, and has
had five different presidents chosen through free and independent elections.
The economy has
also recovered from the 1998 crisis and is now the second-fastest growing in
the G20, behind India and ahead of China. Indonesia hosted the group’s annual
gathering in Bali last year as its current president, Joko Widodo, popularly
known as Jokowi, also tried to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.
There have been
challenges, however, and concerns that legislation including the new Criminal
Code and the Omnibus law – as well as the rise of hardline religious groups –
could erode the hard-won freedoms of the past 25 years. There have also been
accusations that some of the corruption, cronyism and nepotism that blighted
the Soeharto years still runs rife across the country.
On the
anniversary of one of Indonesia’s most significant historical moments and with
the next presidential elections set to take place in February 2024, Al Jazeera
asked activists, academics and human rights advocates how the country has
changed in the 25 years since Soeharto’s dramatic fall from power.
Andreas
Harsono, researcher at Human Rights Watch Indonesia
“We were not
naive when we were trying to topple the Soeharto rule in the 1990s but we
really did not anticipate that we would see the rise of Islamism and religious
zealots in post-Soeharto Indonesia with Shariah-inspired discriminatory
regulations against gender, sexuality, and religious minorities.
“There have
been 45 anti-LGBT regulations and at least 64 mandatory hijab regulations, out
of over 700 rules in post-Soeharto Indonesia. Obviously, the biggest one is the
new Criminal Code.”
DamaiPakpahan,
feminist activist
“Indonesia
changed dramatically for at least the first five years post 1998. A lot of laws
and policies changed that focused on women and the women’s agenda. We got the
Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence in 2004 under former President
Megawati Soekarnoputri and, in 2007, we got the Anti-Trafficking Law during the
SusiloBambangYudhoyono presidency.
“We also had
the Presidential Directive on Gender Mainstreaming in 2000 under President
Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur). We also changed the age for marriage from 16 for
women and 18 for men to 19 years old for both women and men in 2019, after
lobbying from feminist groups. Last year, we got the new Sexual Violence
Eradication Law.
“Women’s
interests are heard by the state now at a legal level. But we are also facing a
backlash where women and girls are not able to freely choose what they want.
The rise of conservative Islam has forced some women, girls and even babies to
wear hijab. We also have a backlash in the form of discriminatory or
unconstitutional local laws around Indonesia which mostly target women and
minority rights.”
Yohanes
Sulaiman, lecturer in international relations at UniversitasJenderalAchmadYani
“At the time, I
was in Madison, Wisconsin in the United States. I remember more about when I
found out about 9/11 but, if I’m not mistaken, I read about the fall of
Soeharto online.
“Back in those
days, when people had demonstrations or public protests, the cities were eerily
quiet in Indonesia. Shops would close down and students were told to go home
quickly and quietly. We feared the military a lot. They were basically the
kings as they were in power.
“Nowadays, I
think they are far less arrogant, more approachable and more respectful of the
law. When I was a kid, I saw an officer who was stuck in a traffic jam. He
simply got out of his car, slapped a traffic policeman and told him to get his
car moving. I was flabbergasted. I think the status of Chinese has changed a
lot too and to some degree for the better. I think people are less
discriminatory nowadays, though of course except for the usual suspects.”
Ian Wilson,
lecturer in politics and security studies at Murdoch University
“I was doing my
PhD at Murdoch University in Perth and watched Soeharto’s resignation on TV on
campus in excitement, but also in apprehension. We just saw this wave of people
say ‘No, we’ve had enough’. It happened so quickly.
“There was no
fundamental electoral democracy in Indonesia pre-1998 and we have seen big
structural reform in that area which has been imperfect but important. More
regional autonomy has meant that a new generation of Indonesians have grown up
with a different set of political expectations about power. There is an
expectation now that the government should be clean and serve the public good.
“While there
has of course been some democratic backsliding, public support for electoral
policy has remained high and people support public elections. This prevents the
wishes of political parties to capture the system so they can control it. It is
harder now for elites to push things forward. The next few years after the
elections in 2024 will be fundamental for Indonesia.”
Source: aljazeera.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/26/in-a-changed-indonesia-some-fear-a-backlash-against-freedoms
--------
Malaysia
remains largest Islamic banking market in Asia-Pacific
Monday, May 22,
2023
Kuala Lumpur
(VNA) – Malaysia, with 62.7% of Asia-Pacific’s total Islamic banking assets,
continues to be the largest Islamic banking market in the region; and is likely
to maintain its position in the next two years, according to S&P Global
Ratings.
As reported by
the Malaysian national news agency Bernama, the rating agency said Islamic
financing in Southeast Asia is expected to grow by 8% over the next two years,
with Malaysia retaining its dominant market position.
“Islamic banks
in core markets of Malaysia and Indonesia have healthy capitalisation and
stable retail deposit bases,” it said in a report on the Asia-Pacific Islamic
banking sector.
On growth
drivers for the region, it said they include the proposed merger of Malaysia
Building Society Bhd and Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd, which
will create a full-service Islamic bank in Malaysia, as well as increasing
digitalisation of banking services in the region.
S&P Global
forecast that Malaysian Islamic banks’ share of Islamic financing in Southeast
Asia will increase to 45% by 2026. It said profitability for Malaysian Islamic
banks is expected to stay flat in 2023.
The rating firm
also said Malaysia’s Islamic banks are leading the way on environmental, social
and governance (ESG) practice./.
Source: en.vietnamplus.vn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/malaysia-remains-largest-islamic-banking-market-in-asiapacific/253434.vnp#:~:text=Malaysia%2C%20with%2062.7%25%20of%20Asia,according%20to%20S%26P%20Global%20Ratings.
--------
Anwar: ‘Allah’
issue should be discussed behind closed doors to avoid confusion
25-05- 2023
SHAH ALAM: The
issue relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’ by the non-Muslims should not be
discussed openly to the extent of causing confusion among Muslims, Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He also
reiterated that the government’s decision to withdraw its appeal in the court
case relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’ was made after seeking the views
of the muftis and referring to the decrees of the Malay rulers.
He said the
matter has been repeatedly explained, including in Parliament, before.
“Meaning that
only the Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia can use the word ‘Allah’ to avoid
confusion and problems with other religions. So, non-Muslims in the peninsula
are not allowed (to use the word). But, for Sabah and Sarawak, there are some
relaxations with restrictions (for non-Muslims to use it) so as not to cause
confusion.
“The issue can
be discussed and debated, but only behind closed doors. It should not be done
openly and confuse the people. However, we are still being accused of betraying
the people’s trust,” he said at the Muzakarah Ulama-Umara held in conjunction
with the Selangor Turath Islami Festival here today. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/anwar-allah-issue-should-be-discussed-behind-closed-doors-to-avoid-confusion-MC11023825
--------
Ahmad Maslan
tells off critics who labelled him as 'kafir'
May 24, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR:
Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has expressed his regret over remarks labelling him as
"kafir" (infidel) following his statement urging Umno members to
support DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections.
The Umno Supreme
Council member described the actions of detractors as immature and
shallow-minded, which should not occur in the first place.
"This is
not a personal issue but instead a principle. You cannot just label someone as
an infidel. Just because I urge (Umno members) to support DAP, such labelling
was thrown against me.
"I am not
pointing fingers at anyone, but it just portrays how shallow-minded they are.
In fact, I would like to remind you that Pas was once 'comrades' with DAP, but
we (Umno) had never labelled them as infidels.
"There is
no connection to faith either, as we are working together as parties under the
unity government, so we need to help each other."
Ahmad said this
in response to a viral Facebook post that shows his face replaced with a
picture of a pig and "kafir" written next to it.
The
Pontianmember of parliament added that several police reports, including by
Umno Youth, had been lodged over the social media posting.
"I believe
that police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
will investigate the matter.
"I don't
want to point fingers but this must be stopped. We need harmony to ensure
political stability."
It was reported
that Ahmad had urged Umno voters in the six states facing state elections to
vote for DAP candidates to strengthen the unity government.
Source: nst.com.my
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2023/05/912940/ahmad-maslan-tells-critics-who-labelled-him-kafir
--------
Africa
Africa must not
become ‘geostrategic battleground’ warns AU
May 26, 2023
Africa must not
become a “geostrategic battleground” for global powers, as it grapples with
several threats to its own peace and security, African Union leaders warn.
The continent
of 1.3 billion people has found itself at the centre of a tussle for influence
among the major powers, which has redoubled since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
15 months ago.
And just as the
AU marked the anniversary of the creation of its forerunner, the Organisation
of African Unity, on this day in 1963, Ukraine itself announced it wanted to
boost ties with Africa.
“In this
international context of confrontation of divergent political interests, the
will of each side threatens to transform Africa into a geostrategic
battleground, thereby creating a new Cold War,” AU Commission chair
MoussaFakiMahamat said.
“In this
zero-sum game, where the gains of others would translate into losses for
Africa, we must resist all forms of instrumentalisation of our member states,”
he added in an address at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Moscow is
seeking deeper political, economic and military ties in Africa as well as Asia
as Russia becomes increasingly isolated on the international stage over the
conflict in Ukraine.
‘Capacity for
resilience’
Ukraine’s
Foreign Minister DmytroKuleba, who is currently on a tour of Africa, on
Wednesday urged certain African nations to end their “neutrality” over the war.
In February, 22
AU member states abstained or did not vote on a UN General Assembly resolution
that called for Russia withdraw from Ukraine.
Two of them –
Eritrea and Mali – voted against the resolution.
And in a
statement to mark the pan-African body’s anniversary, Kuleba also announced a
Ukrainian diplomatic push on the continent.
“We want to
develop a new quality of partnership based on three mutual principles: mutual
respect, mutual interests, and mutual benefits,” he said, announcing plans to
establish new embassies in Africa and hold a Ukraine-Africa summit.
In this
zero-sum game, where the gains of others would translate into losses for
Africa, we must resist all forms of instrumentalisation of our member states.
Moscow itself
has scheduled a Russia-Africa summit in July, following a trip to several African
countries at the start of the year by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
China and the
US have also despatched their foreign ministers to the continent in rival
diplomatic offensives this year.
Beijing has
funded major infrastructure development in Africa but denies Western charges it
is practising “debt-trap diplomacy”, while Russia is a key arms exporter and is
making forays through mining projects, analysts say.
‘Conflicts and
terrorism persist’
Faki meanwhile
also hailed the successes of the 54-nation AU which succeeded the OAU in 2002:
“Independence and victory against apartheid, that of significant economic and
scientific progress, sports, arts, the growing international role of Africa and
so on.”
However, he
also acknowledged “negative factors such as democratic decline through
unconstitutional changes of government, with their litany of oppression and
gagging of freedoms, insecurity, the spread of terrorism, violent extremism,
the uncontrolled circulation of arms, the harmful effects of climate change”.
Despite the
difficulties, Faki said, Africa remains “characterised by its greater capacity
for resilience”, pointing for example to its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The current
head of the African Union, Comoros President AzaliAssoumani also denounced “the
unconstitutional changes of power” which have multiplied in Africa in recent
years.
“Inter and
intra-African conflicts but also terrorism persists and consequently the peace,
security, democracy and development of our continent are threatened in several
of our countries,” he said.
Assoumani spoke
of the conflict between rival generals in Sudan which erupted in mid-April and
has persisted despite several truce agreements.
“We must
convince our brothers in Sudan to favour dialogue so that the fratricidal war
raging in this country ends,” he added.
Source: theafricareport.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.theafricareport.com/310874/africa-must-not-become-geostrategic-battleground-warns-au/
--------
Traditionalists
seek equal recognition with Christians, Muslims
May 26, 2023
Traditional
religion adherents have enjoined the government to accord them the same
recognition given to Muslims and Christians.
They made this
known yesterday at a news conference held in Ibadan to herald the 2023 World
Annual Ifa Festival.
Those who spoke
at the event included the Araba/OluIsese of Ibadanland, High Chief
IfalareOdegbemiOdegbola; Araba/Oluwo of Oyo, High Chief FaleyeKusaanu; Araba of
Oka Akoko in Ondo State, Chief AdewaleOso and JagunmoluAwoAgbaye, Dr.
FayemiFatundeFakayode.
The traditional
religion faithful said they were entitled to the things Muslims and Christians
enjoyed.
They noted that
traditional religion had never waged war against any religion.
“We implore our
monarchs to promote the traditional religion, which is the basis of their
crowns.
“The World
Annual Ifa Festival began two weeks ago with activities, including pilgrimage
to our sacred shrines and grooves in Ekiti State. Activities in Ile-Ife will
commence on June 1 and the grand finale will hold on June 3 at OkeItase,
Ile-Ife, Osun State.
“The new year
Ifa divination will be cast in the early hours of June 4, which is the first
day in Yoruba calendar.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://thenationonlineng.net/traditionalists-seek-equal-recognition-with-christians-muslims/
--------
AbdellahTaïa is
Morocco’s first openly gay writer – his work reimagines being Muslim, queer and
African
AbdellahTaïa
was born in 1973 in Rabat, Morocco. He currently lives in Paris. He is the
first writer from north Africa – and in fact the Arab world – to openly declare
that he is gay. In 2006, he came out in a highly publicised article in the
Moroccan magazine Tel Quel. This was considered scandalous by conservative
Muslims.
Being queer is
often seen as conflicting with being religious. Yet, in African contexts – as
in other parts of the world – religion and queerness intersect in multiple and
productive ways.
Much of the
academic study of religion and queerness in Africa has focused on Christianity.
This runs the risk of reinforcing the idea of Islam as a more homophobic
“other”. However, Islam can be a resource of queer creativity and subjectivity
in contemporary Africa.
A small but
growing body of literary works have represented what queerness means in African
Muslim societies. Taia’s novels are a significant example of this.
We came
together as a scholar of French and queer literature, and a scholar of religion
and African studies to consider Taïa’s work alongside texts by queer Muslim
writers from other parts of the continent. In our research we argue that doing
so recognises the continent’s political, cultural and intellectual diversity.
We also tackle
the problematic historical distinctions between north and sub-Saharan Africa,
which are often imagined as different and diametrically opposed. In fact, they
share many lived Muslim African experiences.
AbdellahTaïa’s
work
Taïa has
published numerous novels, often with a semi-autobiographical element. He also
produced a film, Salvation Army, that details the complexity of being gay in
Muslim societies of Morocco.
Although his
work has received critical acclaim and awards internationally, this has not
been the case in his home country.
His most
notable novels that have been translated into English include Salvation Army
(2009), An Arab Melancholia (2012) and Infidels (2016).
These all
challenge the culture of discretion and silence on queer-related issues in
north Africa and the broader Muslim world.
Taïa’s books
have played a key role in building an archive of African queerness and have
foregrounded the place of Islam in such gender and sexual identities.
Islam is not
inherently homophobic
Taïa’s novels
demonstrate that Muslim cultures and Islamic traditions are not inherently
homophobic. This counters the common perception by Muslim conservatives that
homosexuality is a sin. Rather, Muslim social spaces are portrayed as promoting
physical closeness and contact between bodies – Muslim societies are linked to
considerable levels of homosociality and tolerance for homoeroticism.
For Taïa, queer
bodies can find intimacy, protection and acceptance in the ceremonial and
mystical spaces created by Islamic practices of communal and private prayer.
In Infidels, he
describes how the space of the hammam, or steam baths, is at once homosocial,
intimate and erotic. During his first visit to a hammam, the narrator is
surprised by how men showed off their virility. He sees men “in a new light:
fragile, sensitive, handsome, and open to all experiences”. He says:
An infinite
tenderness passed between their bodies, through their strongly scented,
intoxicating skin. They brushed against each other, they touched. Pure
sensuality.
Writers from
sub-Saharan Africa have supported Taïa’s assertion of how Muslim cultures
generally tolerate queerness. Novels like Fairytales for Lost Children by the
Somali writer Diriye Osman, Confessions of a Gambler by Rayda Jacobs, as well
as Jamil F. Khan’s Khamr: The Makings of a Waterslams highlight how queer
sexuality is tolerated in Muslim communities in different African countries.
Reimagining
Islam
Islam, like the
other Abrahamic religions, can be intolerant of queerness. Different parts of
the Quran are cited in admonishing homosexuality.
Taïa’s novels,
like those from sub-Saharan Africa, show that it’s possible to rethink Islam to
find within it freedom of being and expression. This is a restorative and
liberatory process.
Reimagining
Islam is rooted in specific local contexts and histories. However, when these
disparate histories, texts and contexts are read together, they give a rich
impression of how Islam tolerates queerness on the continent, both historically
and to date.
Why this
matters
Literary texts
are crucial in illuminating the diverse ways queerness exists and is negotiated
in Muslim contexts in Africa. What emerges from examining these novels is that
practising Islamic ritual and faith does not necessarily have to conflict with
queer African lived realities. Rather, Islam can affirm these marginalised ways
of being.
Admittedly,
some queer African Muslims experience considerable levels of religiously
motivated queerphobia. This disparity, however, highlights the importance of
creative and literary writing as a tool for representing, critiquing and
reimagining religious realities and their impact on everyday lived experiences.
Literary texts
do not simply reflect, but model the world. Therefore, they can be seen as
forms of African Muslim queer worldmaking.
Source: theconversation.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://theconversation.com/abdellah-ta-a-is-moroccos-first-openly-gay-writer-his-work-reimagines-being-muslim-queer-and-african-205574
--------
India
Three Islamic
Countries,Indonesia, UAE, And Bangladesh,
AttendedIndia-Hosted G20 Meet In Jammu And Kashmir
May 25, 2023
Sidhant Sibal
In a
significant development for India's diplomatic ties, three Islamic countries —
Indonesia, UAE, and Bangladesh — attended the G20 tourism meeting held in
Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir union territory.
This gathering
marked the first international meeting in the union territory since the
abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two
union territories in August 2019.
Representing
Bangladesh at the meeting was its High Commissioner Mustafizur Rahman, while
the UAE sent two officials from its capital.
The presence of
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country and a member of
the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as the G20, was
particularly noteworthy. All three countries are members of OIC.
The development
highlights the strengthening ties between India and these three nations, as
evidenced by a series of high-level visits and engagements between them.
Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi visited Indonesia's Bali last year to attend the G20
meet. Bangladesh and India have been emphasising the "golden phase"
of ties, and the relationship with the UAE has grown leaps and bounds—from
economy to food security.
The G20
Srinagar meet provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss and
exchange ideas on tourism and related sectors. This engagement can contribute
to the growth and development of the tourism industry in the region and
facilitate the sharing of best practices among countries.
However, it is
worth noting that some G20 member countries and invited guests decided not to
attend the meeting.
Three G20
member countries—China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—and two guests who were
invited by India —Egypt, and Oman—were among those who did not send their
delegations. Though there were some unofficial representations from Saudi Arian
and Egypt.
Pakistan in a
statement welcomed this decision, reflecting the complex regional dynamics at
play.
Source: wionews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.wionews.com/india-news/three-islamic-countries-attended-india-hosted-g20-meet-in-jammu-and-kashmir-596478
--------
"Land
Jihad" Won't Be Allowed In State, Says Uttarakhand Chief Minister
May 26, 2023
Illegal
encroachments in the name of "land jihad" will not be allowed to
vitiate the atmosphere of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said
on Friday, amid an ongoing statewide drive to remove structures built without
permission on government land.
Addressing a
meeting of the Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) KendriyaMargadarshak Mandal here,
Dhami said, "Uttarakhand shares its borders with two countries (China and
Nepal). A particular community had illegally encroached on land and raised
structures in the border areas of the state, which are being removed as part of
a drive." "Illegal encroachments in the name of land jihad will not
be allowed to vitiate the atmosphere in Uttarakhand", Dhami said.
He said the
state government has already appealed to encroachers to remove such structures
on their own, or the administration will demolish them.
Last month,
Dhami warned occupiers of illegally built Mazars (tombs) to remove those on
their own and reiterated that his government would not allow "land
jihad" in the state.
Under a
conspiracy, thousands of shrines have been built illegally on public and forest
land without permission, he said.
"Not a
single illegally built religious structure will be allowed to remain standing
in the state. All illegal structures will be completely demolished," Dhami
said on Friday.
He said
Uttarakhand will be the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
"The committee constituted to prepare a draft of the UCC has done 90
percent of its job and will submit its report to the state government by June
30," he said.
The UCC will be
implemented after being examined, he said, adding that it will apply to people
of all religions and communities.
Uttarakhand's
UCC will become a model for the entire country, Dhami said.
The VHP's
central Margadarshak Mandal is holding a two-day meeting here to debate a range
of issues, including conversion, land jihad, same-sex marriages, and live-in
relationships.
Source: ndtv.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/land-jihad-wont-be-allowed-in-state-says-uttarakhand-chief-minister-pushkar-singh-dhami-4068485
--------
Calligraphy
Works Based On the Verses in the Quranon Display at Salar Jung Museum in
Hyderabad
May 26, 2023
Neeraja Murthy
By Shamim
Qureshi
Islamic
calligraphy is worship for artist Shamim Qureshi who is exhibiting her Quranic
calligraphy works at Hyderabad’s Salar Jung Museum. Titled Rabbana Quranic
Calligraphy, the display at a gallery on the first floor of the Western block
comprises 22 handcrafted pieces of ceramic and terracotta pots and vases, and
mounted canvases, all with verses in calligraphy.
Mumbai-based
Shamim was drawn to art since childhood. In the early 90s, when she did not get
admission to JJ School of Arts, she learnt art from a craft teacher in Mumbai
and taught herself calligraphy in ‘94. “I used to observe, learn and practise
at home,” recalls Shamim. Having carved a niche in the field, the artiste’s
speciality is designing Quranic verses on pots and vases. “I give design
specifications to a kumhar (potter) and choose a verse or hymn from the Quran,
which fits below the vase’s neck like an ornament and gives it an antique
look.”
While she works
in diverse mediums such as photography, painting, ceramics, and calligraphy,
she pursues calligraphy with devotion. Shamim works from a studio at home and
travels to participate in exhibitions. It was an exhibition based on the Quran
in 2008 in Tehran, Iran which brought recognition to her works. “The team in the
then Culture Ministry were surprised to know the work was a handcrafted one and
done by a woman.” Shameem’s exhibits have travelled to Jeddah, Algeria and
Belgium.
Unlike the
calligraphy on paper or canvas, designing it on a pot or vase can be quite
challenging. Creating five pieces at a time, Shamim does everything on her own
— from clearing the rough edges of a pot to adding layers and filling colours
for the design. She says, “Even when I explain the process, others are unable
to visualise the images the way I do. Doing it on my own is challenging as it
is a strain on my eyes and vision is affected, but I manage to do it as I get
sukoon (peace) with every work.”
Shamim feels
fortunate to display her works at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad.
“Yahanpecheezonkoparakhnekikala logon meinhai; Bahut mazaaatahai jab log mujhe
mere kaamkebaaremein vista se poochtehain (Here, people are discerning. I enjoy
it when they ask about my work in detail, )” says Shamim.
Rabbana Quranic
Calligraphy exhibition is on at Salar Jung Museum till May 31.
Source: thehindu.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/artist-shamim-qureshis-calligraphy-works-based-on-the-verses-in-the-Quran-on-display-at-salar-jung-museum-in-hyderabad/article66892138.ece
--------
Fresh letter
from education ministry fuels ‘minority’ fear in Aligarh Muslim University
May 26, 2023
Successive
letters from the education ministry to Aligarh Muslim University about a
proposed review of the law that governs it has raised fears that the government
might be looking to strip the institution of the special powers it enjoys
because of its minority background.
Last November,
the ministry wrote to AMU, Banaras Hindu University and Delhi University
seeking their opinions on a proposal for a "review of pre-Independence
University Acts".
DU is learnt to
have consented to a review of the DU Act of 1922 while BHU has set up a
committee to prepare its response to the suggested review of the BHU Act of
1915.
AMU had, last
November itself, sent its response disagreeing with the idea of a review of the
AMU Act of 1920.
But the
ministry issued another letter this month seeking the university’s opinion
again on the proposed review, setting alarm bells ringing. AMU has set up a
committee to prepare a response.
Some AMU
teachers and alumni expressed fear that the proposed review was meant to
withdraw AMU’s special powers through the legislative route at a time the
government has opposed the continuance of the university’s minority status in a
case being heard in the Supreme Court.
In 2016, then
social justice minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot had demanded that AMU and the
Jamia Millia Islamia be stripped of their minority status so they could be made
to follow the government’s reservation policy in admissions.
In its reply to
the ministry in November, AMU had underscored that the AMU Act had been amended
from time to time according to the needs of the times. It had added that the
institution’s minority character was pending before the courts, and the act
contained no redundant provisions to be amended now.
"The
government has not accepted AMU’s (initial) response and sent the same proposal
again. It has not specified what provision is to be amended. The opacity is
arousing suspicion that the minority character may be withdrawn," an AMU
faculty member said.
Another faculty
member, however, cautioned against any speculation and said the government
might well be looking to review the law to add a few progressive provisions.
Mohammad Adeeb,
an AMU alumnus, feared the BJP might be looking to create an issue over the
university’s minority character that it can exploit during the 2024 general
election to stoke communal passion.
“The (proposed)
review of the law is part of the BJP’s political agenda,” he said.
An AMU official
said the university provided up to 50 per cent reservation in undergraduate
courses to students passing out of its constituent schools, and in postgraduate
admissions to its own graduates.
Also, AMU has a
significant say in the selection of its vice-chancellor, with its executive
council and Court drawing up a shortlist from which the Visitor — the President
of India — appoints one candidate. Other central universities’ VCs are
short-listed by search panels set up by the education ministry.
AMU was born
out of the Muhammadan Ango-Oriental College — set up in 1875 by philanthropist
Syed Ahmed Khan, mainly to promote education among Muslims — through an act of
Parliament in 1920.
After
Independence, the AMU Act was amended to make religious teaching optional and
remove the exclusive membership right for Muslims in the AMU Court.
In 1967,
hearing a petition from Azeez Basha, the Supreme Court held that since AMU had
been set up by an act of Parliament, it cannot be said to have been established
by Muslims. It was, therefore, not a minority institution.
In 1981, the
Indira Gandhi government brought in an amendment to restore the university’s
minority status. But Allahabad High Court in2006 struck down the amendment. A
challenge to the verdict is being heard in the apex court.
In a written
reply to the Lok Sabha in November 2016, then minister of state for human
resource development, Mahendra Nath Pandey, had said: “AMU is not following the
reservation policy ofthe government considering itself to be a ‘minority
institution’. The minority status of AMU is sub judice before the Hon’ble
Supreme Court of India.”
An email sent
to higher education secretary Sanjay Murthy, seeking his comments on the fears
expressed about the government planning to scrap AMU’s special privileges, is
yet to evoke an answer.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/fresh-letter-from-education-ministry-fuels-minority-fear-in-aligarh-muslim-university/cid/1939753
--------
Delhi HC Orders
Muslim Man Accused of Forced Religious Conversion of Woman to Remove Social
Media Posts about Her within 48 Hours
Sukriti Mishra
MAY 26, 2023
The Delhi High
Court on Wednesday directed a man named Azmat Ali Khan, accused of forced
religious conversion of a woman, to take down all social media posts, including
images and videos, that he made about her.
Justice
Prathiba M Singh was hearing a petition filed by Khan asking for the removal of
news articles and videos that had been posted online by the woman he had been
romantically involved with for seven years who later claimed that he had tried
to convert her to Islam.
Notably, on May
12, the single-judge bench directed several news channels and social media
platforms such as YouTube and Twitter to immediately block links to the video
accusing Khan of forcibly converting a woman to Islam.
During the
hearing, the complainant woman appeared in person and interacted with Justice
Singh in her chambers. She stated that Khan has her phone and that he has
posted some videos on social media (Instagram) which are not appropriate.
After the
interaction with the complainant, Justice Singh said that she appears to be
traumatised and asked Khan’s counsel to advise his client to remove all posts
related to her.
“She has a
number of allegations against your client. You will have to cooperate in the
investigation. The issue is your client seems to have posted videos on
Instagram and she has photographs (screenshots) to show that her phone is with
your client…We have protected you regarding the videos posted against you.
Twice over protection has to be given to the woman. Any videos or post that you
have put up against her, not a single one should be there. You remove it within
48 hours. Tell your client to take it seriously. You can’t seek protection and
not reciprocate it to the woman,” Justice Singh remarked orally.
To this, the
counsel assured the court that the posts will be removed.
“As far as the
allegations about Khan keeping the complainant woman’s phone are concerned, she
can approach the Sessions Court for relief,” the HC said.
The matter will
be taken up next on August 29.
Source: news18.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.news18.com/india/delhi-hc-orders-muslim-man-accused-of-forced-religious-conversion-of-woman-to-remove-social-media-posts-about-her-within-48-hours-7917853.html
--------
Mob beats up
Muslim man, kin in Telangana; video goes viral
25th May 2023
HYDERABAD: A
man belonging to a minority community was beaten up by a mob after he
"abused and hit" a gas cylinder delivery person in Telangana'sMedak
district, police said on Thursday.
A video,
purportedly showing a mob assaulting the man, with his mother and pregnant
sister trying to save him and requesting the group of people not to beat him,
has gone viral on social media.
The issue was a
result of an argument between the gas delivery person and the other man over
returning an empty cylinder, police said.
A police
official said, on May 7 the gas cylinder delivery person, who was in 'deeksha'
(undertaken ahead of a pilgrimage) delivered an LPG cylinder at the residence
of the victim and later asked him to return the empty cylinder but was told it
would be done so two days later, An argument broke out between them over the
matter following which the man allegedly abused the gas delivery man in filthy
language and hit him with footwear.
Later, the gas
cylinder delivery person informed about the incident to some people, who went
to the man's house and dragged him out and started beating him up, even as his
mother and pregnant sister tried to save him, police said adding police reached
the spot and dispersed them.
Subsequently,
the gas cylinder delivery person lodged a complaint with the police stating the
man outraged his religious feelings.
Based on the
complaint a case was registered against the man and he was arrested, police
said.
Similarly,
another case was booked against the mob and notices were issued to 11 of them
including a councillor, police said.
Meanwhile, the
arrested man's sister delivered a baby on May 14 but the child later passed
away.
With some
trying to link its death with the assault, police said it was not confirmed and
added they will verify it.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2023/may/25/mob-beats-up-muslim-man-kin-in-telangana-video-goes-viral-2578592.html
--------
Arab World
Saudi Arabia
‘Committed To Opening Embassy in Colombia’: Saudi FM
May 26, 2023
BOGOTA: Saudi
Arabia is committed to opening an embassy in Colombia, Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs told his South American counterpart at a recent meeting.
Adel Al-Jubeir
met with Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Alvaro Leyva Duran during his ongoing
visit to the country.
“We received
the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel Al Jubeir,”
Leyva said in a tweet, adding: “At the meeting, Minister Adel highlighted the
commitment to open an Embassy in Colombia soon.”
The two ministers
discussed Riyadh-Bogotá relations and ways to enhance them in all fields and
exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest,
according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Apart from his
Cabinet position, Al-Jubeir is also the Kingdom’s envoy for climate affairs.
Relations
between the two countries have been strengthening over recent years, including
the establishment of diplomatic relations as announced through the UN on Sept.
8, 2011.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
The two
countries also already have open trade links worth millions in both directions.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2310571/saudi-arabia
--------
Border guards
thwart drug smuggling attempt in Jazan
May 25, 2023
JAZAN: Saudi
Border Guard land patrols in Al-Dair governorate in the Jazan region thwarted
an attempt to smuggle 77,700 pills.
The initial
investigation was completed after the drugs were seized and handed to the
relevant authorities.
The Saudi
government has urged anyone with information related to suspected smuggling or
trafficking operations to call the confidential hotline 911 in Makkah, Riyadh,
and the Eastern Region, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions. They can
also contact the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or through
email: 995@gdnc.gov.sa.
Tips received
by the authority related to smuggling crimes are treated with strict
confidentiality.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2310336/saudi-arabia
--------
Wireless laser
optics brings hope to expand high-speed connectivity in Saudi Arabia
May 25, 2023
THUWAL: Saudi
Arabia could soon enjoy low-cost, high-speed internet wired into every device,
thanks to the telecommunications experts at King Abdullah University of Science
and Technology.
Experts in
telecommunications at KAUST and Taara at X, the moonshot factory, successfully
tested a wireless “network-in-the-box” laser optics system in the Red Sea — a
promising step toward cheap but fast full connectivity for the Kingdom.
A team of
researchers led by KAUST’s Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini and doctoral candidate
Fahad Al-Qurashi are testing the viability of a low-cost, laser-based
technology, known as free space optics, as an alternative to fiber optics,
which is costly, and radio frequency in the Kingdom.
FSO is a
line-of-sight technology that uses light propagating in free space to
wirelessly transmit video, voice and data at high speeds of tens of gigabits
per second.
The system
brings a tradeoff — the lasers deliver the desired high speeds at low cost, but
they are exposed to the atmosphere, unlike fiber optics, which are protected by
cables.
To address this
challenge, the research team will install weather stations at FSO deployment
sites to monitor and test the technology throughout the coming year. The
equipment will assess how conditions such as temperature variations, wind
speeds, and humidity might affect the system’s performance, factoring in
variables such as duration, distance and outages. The data will be used to
refine the system, with the eventual goal to deploy it broadly to other areas
across the Kingdom.
KAUST and Taara
successfully established a FSO high-speed connection at 20 Gbps between the
KAUST shore and a small island 2 km away, marking the first time that Taara’s
FSO has been deployed in the Kingdom for maritime communication.
Taara’s
regional lead in Middle East and Africa, Bhavesh Mistry, said: “Taara’s mission
is to expand global access to fast and reliable internet, and we are proud to
be working with KAUST to deploy Taara’s technology in regions where fiber can
be hard to deploy, to close the connectivity gap.”
Alouini said:
“With 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by water, the rising presence
of oceanic activities has highlighted the importance of dependable maritime
communication technologies.
“In this
regard, the utilization of FSO communications holds the potential to achieve
remarkable data rates, paving the way for diverse innovative applications that
rely on maritime communication.”
This wireless
connectivity could bring life-changing benefits to unconnected rural areas and
isolated maritime locations.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2310306/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi health
minister meets with Iranian, Syrian counterparts in Geneva
May 25, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel met with his Iranian and Syrian
counterparts in separate meetings in Geneva on Thursday.
During a
meeting on the sidelines of the 76th World Health Assembly taking place this
week, Al-Jalajel and Iran’s Health Minister Dr. BahramEynollahi discussed the
health conditions in their countries and developing joint work in the health
sector.
They agreed to
form technical teams on both sides to discuss health cooperation, especially in
the fields of public health, health research, and crowd medicine.
Al-Jalajel also
met with his Syrian counterpart Dr. Hassan Al-Ghobash and they discussed
aspects of cooperation between their countries in the health sector.
The Kingdom’s
health minister welcomed Syria’s participation in the 59th session of the
Council of Arab Ministers of Health, the first ministerial meeting after the
Arab League summit in Jeddah during which the country was welcomed back to the
league after a 12 year suspension.
The two
ministers discussed health cooperation in the wake of the devastating
Turkiye-Syria earthquake that claimed a number of lives, and strengthening
joint work in the health sector which would preserve the health of Arab
societies and contribute to the protection of lives.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2310231/saudi-arabia
--------
North
America
Muslim civil
rights group demands hate-crime probe into call to Charlotte mosque
Joe Marusak
Fri, May 26,
2023
A national
Muslim civil-rights group is demanding a hate-crime probe into what the Islamic
Center of Charlotte this week called a direct threat to the mosque.
A caller
Tuesday made a reference to 9/11 and “terrorists,” and could be heard saying in
an audio recording of the call, “I’ll blow you harder than 9/11,” The Charlotte
Observer previously reported.
The caller
rambled on despite being told of the recording, but he was direct in his threat
against the center, spokesman Jibril Hough said.
When the
Observer called a phone number linked to the call, a man who answered said a 14-year-old
family friend in his office “did something stupid” by calling the Islamic
Center.
The man, who
identified himself only as “Dave,” said the call to the center “was
inappropriate” but that he didn’t believe the 14-year-old “made any type of
threat.”
The man soon
texted the Observer an apology related to what happened.
“I would like
the center to know it was very inappropriate,” the man texted, “and that it
will be made known to any parties involved it absolutely will never happen
again.
Hough said that
after the man texted the apology to the Observer, the mosque received a call
from the same South Carolina phone number. This time, there was only silence on
the other end, he said.
On Thursday,
the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on state and federal law
enforcement to investigate the call as a hate crime.
“If the caller
has indeed apologized for his actions, that is a welcome first step,” CAIR
National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchel said in a statement. “But this
person must also face accountability for violating the law just like anyone
else who threatens a house of worship.”
The group’s
demand came the same day a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman
said CMPD won’t pursue criminal charges in the case.
“CMPD
detectives completed a thorough threat assessment after this call was received
into 911,” spokesman Mike Allinger said in an email to the Observer. “The
investigation concluded that the verbiage communicated during the call did not
rise to a criminal level.”
Hough said
CMPD’s conclusion “is more of the same,” when the mosque reports an apparent
threat. “Makes you wonder what does rise to a criminal level, if this does
not,” he said.
Hough said he
intends to contact CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings, adding. “I would like to invite
(CMPD leaders) to our community to discuss what does rise to a criminal level.”
Source: yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.yahoo.com/news/muslim-civil-rights-group-demands-202559551.html
--------
AM Best Affirms
Credit Ratings of Qatar Islamic Insurance Group Q.P.S.C.
May 25, 2023
LONDON--(BUSINESS
WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and
the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of Qatar Islamic
Insurance Group Q.P.S.C. (QIIG) (Qatar). The outlook of these Credit Ratings
(ratings) is stable.
The ratings
reflect QIIG’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong,
as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and
appropriate enterprise risk management.
QIIG employs a
hybrid takaful model, whereby the shareholders’ fund charges the policyholders’
fund (PHF) a Wakala fee based on gross written contributions (GWC) and a
Mudarabah fee based on investment income. QIIG’s ability to accumulate
surpluses within the PHF, whilst regularly distributing surplus back to
policyholders, supports the sustainability of its takaful model.
QIIG’s balance
sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which was at
the strongest level at year-end 2022, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy
Ratio (BCAR), and is expected to remain comfortably at this level over the
medium term. Supporting the balance sheet strength assessment is QIIG’s
consistent demonstration of internal capital generation. In 2022, the company
reported capital and surplus of QAR 456.3 million (USD 126.1 million), growing
8.3% compared with 2021 (5.7% growth when including the PHF to QAR 701.2
million [USD 193.8 million]). While maintaining sufficient liquidity to support
its insurance operations, QIIG’s investments portfolio continues to carry
exposure to higher risk real estate assets and investments in associates, which
accounted for 40% of its total investments as at year-end 2022, albeit reducing
in recent years. QIIG is moderately dependent on reinsurance, as the group
cedes a high proportion of its large commercial risks.
QIIG’s ability
to generate strong operating returns is demonstrated by its five-year weighted
average return-on-equity ratio of 13.8% (2018-2022). Profitability is driven
mainly by QIIG’s strong and stable technical results, which have generated
positive returns in each of the last 10 years. The company’s earnings have been
moderately supported by investment income; however, investment yields have
experienced some volatility in recent years driven by fair value losses arising
on real estate and the impairment of investments in associates.
QIIG holds a
niche position within its domestic insurance market, as an established provider
of Sharia-compliant products. In 2022, QIIG reported a 9% increase in
contributions compared with 2021, writing GWC of QAR 467.3 million (USD 129.1
million). Whilst the group looks to expand its geographical presence,
operations remain concentrated in Qatar, where it maintains a strong reputation
benefiting from its track record of distributing surpluses back to its
policyholders.
Source: businesswire.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230525005682/en
--------
Mideast
Iranian
Dictatorship Slams Taliban Claiming IEA Regime Is Un-Islamic
26-05-23
As tensions
over a water dispute simmer, Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran does not
recognize the Taliban, calling for the formation of an inclusive government in
Afghanistan.
Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian, part of a government deemed one of the harshest dictatorships
in the world, stated that the Taliban is only part of the reality in
Afghanistan not all of it.
In spite of
Iran's oppression of women which has led to months of uprisings since
September, when Mahsa Amini was killed in morality police custody for the wrong
wearing of her hijab, the minister said: “We are unhappy with the ban on Afghan
women and girls to study because this is against the teachings of the Prophet
of Islam."
Iran had good
relations with the Taliban before the tensions over the Islamic Republic’s
water share from the HirmandRiver.
Due to Taliban
damming to halt the flow of water from Afghanistan hundreds of thousands of
civilians' lives have been badly affected in the southeastern province of
Sistan and Baluchistan.
While
Afghanistan says it needs dams to store water for agriculture or to produce
electricity, which it imports from neighboring countries including Iran, many
environmentalists are critical of large-scale water engineering projects.
“We have had
negotiations with the Afghan authorities, and we believe that according to the
1351 treaty, the issue must be resolved through legal channels,” said Amir-Abdollahian.
Afghanistan’s
embassy in Tehran was “formally” handed over to the Taliban after the fall of
President Ashraf Ghani in 2021.
Iran was the
third country after Pakistan and Russia that handed the Afghan embassy to the
Taliban.
Source: iranintl.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202305256538
--------
European Muslim
Forum endorses Erdogan in Turkish presidential election
26/05/2023
The European
Muslim Forum (EMF) declared its support for Türkiye’s incumbent president and
presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference Thursday in
Istanbul.
At the venue,
which had a clear view of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, officials of the forum
called on the Turkish electorate to vote for Erdogan, who they say is not only
the president of Türkiye, but also “the leader of the Ummah,” using the Islamic
term referring to the global Muslim community.
“The Hagia
Sophia Grand Mosque is a symbol of the existence of Muslims in Europe,” the
forum’s president, Abdul-VahedNiyazov, said at the press conference.
“The return of
the Hagia Sophia mosque to Muslims is a symbol of future victories and
accomplishments of the Turkish nation,” the EMF said previously in an official
statement in praise of the Erdogan government’s move to revert Hagia Sophia,
which originally served as a church and then as a museum, to a mosque.
Niyazov said
that 170 million Muslims live in the European continent.
“That’s why the
fate of Türkiye matters to us. That’s why we are now in front of the Hagia
Sophia.”
He also said
the EMF advises the Turkish electorate to vote for Erdogan.
“This way, you
will support both the Ummah and our leader.”
Meanwhile,
Lauren Booth, a British Muslim journalist, criticized the West for “looking
down on Türkiye.”
“Why did
someone like myself, a journalist who works in the mainstream (media), move
here?” she rhetorically asked, explaining her decision to settle in Türkiye.
“It is
interesting that immigration is such a big question in this election,” Booth,
who is former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s sister-in-law, said in criticism
of anti-refugee stances in politics.
“On the one
hand, Türkiye is hosting one of the poorest, some of the most vulnerable people
in the world, the Syrian refugees,” she added.
“On the other
hand, it is also the envy of the Muslim world and beyond.”
“As we look at
this important election and what the West is trying to say about President
Erdogan, we must take into consideration their standing in reality,” Booth
added.
She also
criticized the Western way of life, saying it is “in freefall.”
“The Western
lifestyle that I come from is in freefall,” she said, adding that it is “a
finished ideology.”
Booth also
praised Erdogan’s Justice and Development (AK) Party.
“Türkiye and
the leadership of the AK Party are both forward-looking and have traditional
values,” she said.
“Nations that
are failing do not have people wanting to come and live in them,” she added.
“They have
people wanting to leave.”
The British
journalist also claimed that the West is “making young Turkish people want to
leave when they don’t know how good Türkiye is.”
Booth also
praised Turkish people for “having such an amazing society.”
“And as your
sister in Islam, I invite the Muslims of Türkiye to look around with your eyes
and the eyes of your heart.”
“Are your
streets clean? Do you have new bridges? Do you have good infrastructure? Are
you growing or retracting? Think about this,” she said.
“May Allah
reward President Erdogan for his forward thinking and determination.”
In the
statement released prior to the event, the EMF also called on “their fellow
Muslims from the Republic of Türkiye to vote for Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is
rightfully considered the leader of the modern global Ummah.”
“This Sunday,
May 28, the Turkish people will make their final choice: who will be the leader
of the nation and head of state in the coming years,” the statement also said,
referring to the second round of the presidential elections.
In the first
round, which was held on May 14, no candidate managed to garner enough votes to
surpass the 50% threshold.
“The Muslims of
Europe are convinced of the wisdom of the Turkish people and that the mistakes
of the past will not be repeated, and the Turkish nation will continue its development
as the vanguard of the global Ummah under the leadership of its current
leader,” the EMF said in the statement.
Source: yenisafak.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/european-muslim-forum-endorses-erdogan-in-turkish-presidential-election-3664569
--------
UAE condemns
storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli police
Wed 05/4/2023
The UAE
strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli police, which
resulted in the assault of worshipers and multiple arrests.
In a statement,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) reiterated its firm position on the need to
provide full protection for Al-Aqsa Mosque and halt serious and provocative
violations taking place there, and emphasized that worshipers should not
barricade themselves inside the mosque and places of worship with weapons and
explosives.
Furthermore,
the UAE underscored the need to respect the custodial role of the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan over the holy sites in accordance with international law and
the historical context at hand, and not to compromise the authority of the
Jerusalem endowment that manages the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Moreover, the
UAE called on Israeli authorities to halt escalation and avoid exacerbating
tension and instability in the region affirming the UAE's rejection of all
practices that violate resolutions on international legitimacy and threaten to
further exacerbate escalation.
Moreover, the
UAE stressed the need to support all regional and international efforts to
advance the peace process in the Middle East, end illegal practices that
threaten the two-state solution, and establish an independent Palestinian state
on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Source: mofaic.gov.ae
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.mofaic.gov.ae/en/mediahub/news/2023/4/5/05-04-2023-uae-aqsa
--------
Mosque in
Germany gets letter with neo-Nazi threats
25.05.2023
A mosque in the
central German city of Goettingen received a threatening letter with a Swastika
and other neo-Nazi symbols, officials said on Thursday.
Mehmet
Ibrahimbas, chairman of the mosque association, said the letter contained
racist and Islamophobic language, and had the neo-Nazi alias “NSU 2.0.”
“Our mosque
community and Muslims in Goettingen are worried due to the continued threats of
violence,” he said, adding that it was the second threatening letter they received
in several months.
In September
last year, unidentified suspects also painted a swastika on the wall of the
mosque, which is run by the Turkish-Muslim umbrella group DITIB.
“NSU 2.0”
refers to the National Socialist Underground, a neo-Nazi terror group uncovered
in 2011 that murdered 10 people and carried out bomb attacks targeting
immigrants.
Germany has
witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years, fueled by the
propaganda of far-right groups, which have exploited the refugee crisis and
attempted to stoke fear of immigrants.
According to
the latest data, police registered at least 610 Islamophobic hate crimes in
2022 across the country.
Some 62 mosques
were attacked between January and December last year, and at least 39 people
were injured because of anti-Muslim violence.
The figures
also included dozens of hate crimes against Muslims, cases of intimidation,
vandalism and property damage.
A country of
over 84 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in
Western Europe after France. It is home to nearly 5 million Muslims, according
to official figures.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/mosque-in-germany-gets-letter-with-neo-nazi-threats/2906014
--------
South Asia
Activists,
Journalists and Academics Continue to be Targeted in Afghanistan
May 26, 2023
Afghans are
routinely detained and attacked for exercising their fundamental rights to
freedom of association, peaceful gathering and expression in Afghanistan,
according to CIVICUS Monitor, a global civil society organization and alliance.
In March 2023,
the CIVIC Monitor downgraded Afghanistan’s rating from ‘repressed to closed’,
the lowest possible category on the scale – indicating the Taliban’s systematic
and intensifying crackdown on civic space in the country since their return to
power in August 2021.
It is reported
that the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has drastically deteriorated
over the past months. Not only women are sidelined, but also social activists,
academics and journalists have been targeted.
Richard
Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan
in his latest report expressed his deep concerns over the deteriorating situation
on civic space.
While
presenting his report in person to the UN Human Rights Council in March, he
expresses concern that: “human rights defenders, who peacefully protest the
increased restrictions on women and girls, are at heightened risk and have been
increasingly beaten and arrested. The intention is clearly not only to punish
them for protesting but also to deter others from protesting.”
The report
added that human rights defenders and civil society organizations and
journalists are all facing tremendous pressure. Moreover, civil activists and
human rights defenders are subject to intimidation, including phone calls,
verbal attacks and arbitrary detentions.
Meanwhile, the
Taliban have completely erased Afghan women and girls from public life by continuously
increasing restrictions on education, work and appearing in public spaces –
making the situation extremely difficult for women.
In April 2023,
the Taliban banned Afghan women from working for the UN in Afghanistan,
sparking serious criticism from the global organization. However, despite the
ban in place, the UN agencies have continued their operation in Afghanistan as
their female employees still remain at home – a disappointing move from the UN
as described by its local Afghan female staff.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/activists-journalists-and-academics-continue-to-be-targeted-in-afghanistan/
--------
Heavy Rains,
Flash Floods Kill 13 People in Afghanistan
May 26, 2023
Thirteen people
were killed and eight others were injured due to persistent heavy rains and
flash floods over the past couple of days in Afghanistan, Taliban officials
said.
Shafiullah
Rahimi, the spokesman of the state ministry for natural disaster management,
said that at least 13 people were killed and 8 others were injured by heavy
rains across the country.
Mr. Rahimi in a
recorded video said that floods happened in Laghman, Paktia, Khost, Daikundi,
Maidan Wardak, Qandahar, Baghlan, Nangarhar and Ghor provinces.
As per the
findings of the Taliban’s state ministry for natural disaster management, due
to flash floods caused by heavy rains at least 56 residential houses have been
completely destroyed in the different parts of the country.
The spokesperson
further added that certain water canals and waterways were destroyed and more
than three thousand acres of agricultural land and fruit gardens have been
ruined, adversely affecting the living conditions of the people.
Earlier, the
United Nations and aid organizations had predicted that with the arrival of
summer, followed by heavy rains and landslides, the people of Afghanistan would
need emergency aid.
This comes as
Afghan people are already grappling with dire economic and humanitarian crises.
Security issues, food insecurity and unemployment have further complicated the
conditions for the ordinary people since the overthrow of the previous regime
in the hands of the Taliban in August 2021.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/heavy-rains-flash-floods-kill-13-people-in-afghanistan/
---------
Pakistan
Releases 60 Afghan Prisoners From Sindh Central Jail
May 26, 2023
According to
the Afghanistan Embassy in Islamabad, another 60 Afghan prisoners were released
from the Sindh Central Jail of Pakistan.
The General
Consulate of Afghanistan in Karachi, Sindh province, said that another 60
prisoners were released due to the efforts of Afghan officials of the Embassy.
Earlier, the
General Consulate of Afghanistan said that 66 prisoners, including eight
children, were released from Karachi jails.
According to
the statement, the inmates were transported to Afghanistan via Chaman at the
expense of the government in accordance with directives from the Afghan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile,
around 2,342 Afghan prisoners were released from several Pakistani prisons and
have returned to the country due to the efforts of Afghanistan’s Foreign
Ministry.
Most Afghan
nationals immigrate to the neighbouring country due to medical treatment, work
and fleeing from prosecution and security threats.
Some Afghan
refugees do not have valid travel documents, particularly those who travel for
medical treatment or flee from prosecution by the de facto regime. Therefore,
the Pakistani officials arrest them and put them in jail.
Over three
million Afghan refugees who are officially registered have lived in Pakistan
for many years.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-releases-60-afghan-prisoners-from-sindh-central-jail/
--------
Mutual
Interactions of Countries with IEA Menas Recognition, Muttaqi Says
May 26, 2023
Taliban’s
acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said the current government is
inclusive and mutual interactions of the world countries with the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan literally means recognizing the regime.
The press
office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban in an announcement on
Thursday (May 25) said that Minister Muttaqi expressed these remarks in a
meeting hosted by the political deputy of the prime minister at Sapedar palace.
Pointing to the
friendly relations of the neighboring countries and regional governments, Muttaqi
said that Afghanistan has good relations with countries including Iran,
Pakistan and Central Asian states.
Minister
Muttaqi further added that several countries have reopened their embassies in
Kabul and Afghan diplomats are serving in the Afghan diplomatic missions in
those countries.
The meeting was
hosted by the Taliban’s deputy prime minister at Sapedar palace in Kabul in
which several cabinet members and influential figures from different segments
of the society had participated.
These remarks
come as no single country has officially recognized the Taliban’s de facto
regime as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
The
international community emphasizes on establishing an all-inclusive government
in which people from different segments of society including religious groups,
ethnic minorities, women and youth could see themselves represented.
Furthermore, the rights of all people of Afghanistan including women and girls
should be respected and protected.
On the
contrary, the Taliban leadership keeps claiming that their government is
already inclusive and that the international community should not interfere in
the internal affairs of Afghanistan under the pretext of human rights and all.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/mutual-interactions-of-countries-with-iea-menas-recognition-muttaqi-says/
--------
US Seeking to
Destabilize Region Using Terrorists in Afghanistan: Russia
May 25, 2023
Sergey Shoigy,
Russian Defense Minister, on Thursday, accused the United States of aiming to
exploit militant groups in Afghanistan to destabilize the region.
The Russian
Minister made the remarks while visiting Minsk, Belarus, where he met with
counterparts from other CSTO member states to discuss regional challenges and
issues.
He said that
Afghanistan remains a hotbed of instability, stating that the United States
intends to use the potential of terrorist organizations to destabilize the
situation in the region.
“Afghanistan
remains a hotbed of instability. The main threat comes from illegal armed
groups that have significantly strengthened their positions in that country
since Taliban took control of power.” He continued by saying, “We believe that
the United States intends to use the potential of these terrorist organizations
to destabilize the situation in the region. For this purpose, the redeployment
of fighters from the controlled gangs in the Middle East to Afghanistan has
been organized,” He said, TASS News Agency quoted.
He also warned
the Central Asian countries, particularly the CSTO member states, that the
illegal armed groups seek to infiltrate the neighbouring countries in the
future.
“In the future,
their infiltration into neighbouring countries is possible for committing terrorist
acts,” the minister said.
He criticized
NATO countries, particularly the US, for trying to reestablish their military
presence in the Central Asian region rather than concentrating on Afghanistan’s
rehabilitation following the hasty withdrawal.
Meanwhile, he
emphasized the significance of coordinated efforts on the Afghan track and
proposed joint exercises in the framework of bilateral and multilateral.
The conference
also covered several mutual interest topics and modernized the organization’s
crisis response mechanism.
Member States
Of The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) The Moscow-led CSTO is a
military alliance in Eurasia comprising six post-Soviet states: Armenia,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/us-seeking-to-destabilize-region-using-terrorists-in-afghanistan-russia/
--------
Pakistan
Civilians’
trial by military illegal in peacetime: Imran
May 26, 2023
ISLAMABAD: An
undaunted Imran Khan on Thursday challenged the way his supporters are being
treated over riots, urging the Supreme Court to declare the arrests,
investigation and trial of civilians in peacetime under the Army Act and
the Official Secrets Act as the negation of Constitution.
In a petition
moved through senior counsel Hamid Khan, the PTI chief also urged the SC to
order the formation of a judicial commission consisting of its judges to probe
the horrendous and terrible incidents of May 9 and 10.
The commission
should fix responsibility, besides recommending actions against persons
involved in the unfortunate incidents that caused loss of dozens of lives and
damage to state and private properties thus defaming Pakistan internationally.
Earlier on
Monday, a similar petition was filed by Advocate Gohar Khan on behalf of PTI.
Petitions SC to
hold judicial probe into ‘horrendous’, ‘terrible’ incidents of May 9, 10
Imran Khan in
the fresh petition contended that the alleged imposition of an “undeclared”
martial law or calling in aid of the armed forces in Punjab, Balochistan,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad was unconstitutional, unlawful and without
any effect and all actions taken under the same were void.
The petition
has named as respondents the ministries of defence and interior, cabinet, Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Asif Zardari, Foreign
Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MQM convener Khalid
Maqoobl Siddiqui, caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, KP’s
caretaker CM Azam Khan, IGP Punjab and Islamabad, KP and commandant, Frontier
Constabulary.
The petition
said that arrests of PTI members under the MPO and their successive detention
orders were unconstitutional and void and they were liable to be set free with
immediate effect as their arrests were illegal, mala fide without jurisdiction
and void being against the Constitution.
The alleged
dismantling of PTI by forcing the party leaders to quit its membership and
office were unconstitutional and void being against Article 17.
Availability of
personnel
Quite
interestingly, the petition contended, the respondents had been claiming before
the SC in the matter of holding elections that law enforcement personnel could not
be deployed due to security situation in the country. However, in response to
protests enough personnel were found available to control the situation
indefinitely, it said. The federal government, which could not call the armed
forces to fulfil a constitutional responsibility and implement an SC order,
decided to requisition the armed forces to quell its political rivals.
Thus, it
argued, it is more than obvious to any reasonable observer that the requisition
of the armed forces is mala fide and in excess of jurisdiction.
Likewise, the
trial of civilians through military courts is a clear violation of the
constitutional guarantees of due process and fair trial. Such trials are highly
deprecated internationally and domestically and widely considered as falling
short of providing a fair trial, the PTI chief contended.
In the limited
circumstances in which military courts for civilians were utilised required a
constitutional amendment, which has since been lapsed and was in relation to
hardcore terrorists. The party supporters, now sought to be tried through
military courts, are not part of any terrorist organisation and pose no threat
to national security, the petition emphasised.
In light of the
provisions of Articles 9, 14, 17, 19, and 23, these actions have deprived the
citizens of access to their constitutional right to life, dignity, privacy,
association, equality and protection of property.
The political
parties that have the government’s support were allowed to hold a rally outside
the SC despite the imposition of Article 245, Section 144. Thus, the petitions
argued, clearly there is a discriminatory attitude in violation of Article 25
that is at play.
The petition
stressed that the power to invoke Article 245 has not been rightly exercised by
the cabinet which has to authorise the request made by governments of Punjab
and KP in whose case their authority is questionable following the lapse of the
time period allocated to the caretaker government.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755884/civilians-trial-by-military-illegal-in-peacetime-imran
--------
Conference on
‘Islamic Capital Markets’ on Monday
May 26, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The
Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Accounting and
Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) will be
hosting the inaugural conference on Islamic Capital Markets (ICM), in Islamabad
on Monday, May 29, 2023.
The theme of
the conference is “ICM development with ecosystem completion: innovation,
growth, and transformation”.
SECP Chairman
Akif Saeed, while addressing the media said that SECP is committed to fostering
an inclusive and vibrant financial system that adheres to the principles of
Shariah.
He was apprising
journalists on the agenda and the overall goals of the conference. He said,
“Collaborative efforts between SECP and various stakeholders have been
instrumental in driving the growth and development of Islamic finance, and
aligning best practices with global standards.” Federal Minister for Finance
and Revenue Ishaq Dar, Chairman AAOIFI Board of trustees Sheikh Ebrahim bin
Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of State for Reforms Ashfaq Tola, Governor State
Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad, Chairman SECP Akif Saeed and Islamic Finance
Department’s Commissio-ner at SECP Abdul Rehman Warraich will address the
conference.
Source: brecorder.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40244308/conference-on-islamic-capital-markets-on-monday
--------
SC begins
hearing pleas against constitution of panel probing audio leaks
May 26, 2023
The Supreme
Court has begin hearing a set of petitions challenging the constitution of a
government-appointed judicial formed last week to probe audio leaks which have
surfaced on social media over the last few months.
Headed by Chief
Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, a five-judge panel consisting of
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and
Justice Shahid Waheed is hearing a set of four petitions moved by president of
the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Abid Shahid Zuberi, SCBA Secretary
Muqtedir Akhtar Shabbir, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi.
All four
petitions seek to declare the constitution of the audio commission as illegal.
The commission,
headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, was formed on May 20 under Section 3 of the
Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017 and is required to conclude the task
within a month.
Balochistan
High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court Chief
Justice Aamer Farooq are also included in the commission which will have “all
the power to fix responsibility against the delinquents for their alleged role
behind phone tapping and could exercise authority to constitute special teams
consisting of experts, or form an international team and seek international
cooperation or exercise powers” under the Criminal Code of Procedure.
Earlier this
week, the commission had conducted its maiden session in which it decided to
make its proceedings public to ensure transparency and openness. The next
session will be held on May 27 (tomorrow).
The hearing
Babar Awan
appeared on behalf of the PTI chairman while SCBA President Abid Shahid Zuberi
and Secretary Muqtedir Akhtar Shabbir were also present alongside Advocate Riaz
Hanif Rahi.
At the outset
of the hearing, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan came to the rostrum and
raised an objection regarding the five-member larger bench hearing the case.
At this, the
CJP remarked, “How can the government select judges of the Supreme Court [to
serve] its own purpose?”
“Attorney
general sahib, this is a matter concerning the judiciary’s independence. Enough
is enough attorney general sahib, please sit down,” CJP Bandial said.
The petitions
Both Abid
Zuberi and Muqtedir Shabbir filed the petition on Thursday, in which they
requested the SC to order the federal government, the inquiry commission, the
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and the Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority to identify persons or entities operating anonymous
Twitter accounts/handles.
They further
requested the court to pass directions to fix responsibility for engaging in
the unconstitutional practice of illegal phone tapping in the territory of
Pakistan.
Likewise, Imran
Khan also pleaded in the petition that the commission should probe the
“powerful elements” behind the audio leaks. These elements allegedly tapped and
recorded telephone conversations of citizens, including high-ranking public
functionaries.
The SCBA
petitions contend that the government or any person, authority, or functionary,
whether identified or anonymous, should not conduct surveillance of citizens
through phone tapping, phone interception, or any other similar means, except
in accordance with the Investigation for Fair Trial Act, 2013.
The petitions
also pray before the apex court to declare that no legal proceedings or penal
action, under any law including the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017,
could be taken against any citizen based on alleged audio recordings mentioned
in the May 19 notification by any other state body, including regulatory
bodies.
The petitions
argue that with the advent of modern technology and the popularity of social
media, it has become possible to anonymously upload illegally obtained tapped
phone conversations or fabricate, distort, manipulate and disseminate such
illegal recordings across the populace, anonymously, to cast aspersions against
institutions such as the judiciary or to blackmail citizens.
All the audio
recordings referred to in the May 19 notification have been disseminated by
uploading them on unverified, anonymous social media accounts. It is submitted
that such unlawful tactics not only blatantly violate the law and the
constitution but also enable those in power to suppress citizens and trample
upon their fundamental rights without attracting any liability or leaving any
trace.
The petition
submits that such conduct cannot be allowed, as it will further erode the
fabric of society, respect and dignity of individuals, as well as institutions,
and the rights and privileges enjoyed by citizens.
Zuberi argued
that any communication between an advocate and his client is protected by legal
privilege. Illegally recording legally privileged communications that took
place over different periods of time and then doctoring such communications to
further a nefarious agenda violates Article 18 of the Constitution and the
protections afforded by law.
The commission
According to an
SRO issued on May 19, 2023, the controversial audio leaks regarding judiciary
and former chief justices raised serious apprehensions about the independence,
impartiality and uprightness of CJPs and judges of the superior courts in the
administration of justice.
“Such audio
leaks have eroded public trust besides serious concerns have been raised by the
general public regarding the independence, impartiality and uprightness of the
CJPs and judges of the superior courts,” the notification said, adding that
judiciary was one of the main pillars under the Constitution and the society’s
confidence was shattered when the independence of judiciary was tarnished.
“Therefore it
is imperative to [hold] inquiry into the authenticity, correctness and veracity
of these audio leaks to restore not just the credibility of the judiciary but
also the public trust and confidence in the judiciary in the larger public
interest, as a matter of definite public importance,” explained the SRO.
In response to
a question, an insider told Dawn that CJP Bandial was not consulted before the
constitution of the commission — a common practice — as some of the leaks
reportedly concerned his family members. Therefore, the CJP was “conflicted”;
this was the reason he was not “requested to suggest names of judges to become
members of the commission”.
According to
the ToR, the commission will probe the authenticity of the audio leaks
purportedly concerning the judiciary, a call between ex-CM Parvez Elahi and a
lawyer regarding a Supreme Court judge; between Elahi and lawyer Abid Zuberi
regarding fixation of some cases before a particular SC bench; between Elahi
and an SC judge; between ex-CJP Saqib Nisar and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim;
between lawyer Tariq Rahim and journalist Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui on the outcome
of a case pertaining to Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9; between Imran and his
party member about their links in the SC; between the mother-in-law of a top judge
and wife of a lawyer regarding cases in SC; between the son of ex-CJP and his
friend discussing the role of the ex-CJP in the award of the election ticket
for a political party.
The commission
will also inquire into the correctness of the allegations surfacing on print
and electronic media and social media allegedly regarding the son-in-law (Ali
Afzal Sahi) of the Lahore High Court CJ, allegedly influencing judicial
proceedings before the LHC.
The commission
will also determine violation, if any, of integrity or the process of
administration of justice, independence of the judiciary, right to fair trial
and equality of citizens, to determine the liability incurred by any or all
persons named in the alleged audio leaks against or any other person or public
office holders including under the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 or any other law,
to determine as to whether any disciplinary proceedings are attracted.
The commission
will also be empowered to fix the responsibility of any person or public office
holder aiding and abetting by any act in violation of the laws of Pakistan so
determined, to recommend any necessary legal action by any agency, department
or person etc. If these audio leaks proved to be fake or fabricated, the
commission will inquire into and fix responsibility with regards to who is
making these and recommend action to be taken in this regard, it added.
According to
the ToRs, it will be the duty of all executive authorities in the federal
[government] and the provinces to aid the commission and comply with any of its
directions.
The commission
will be entitled to establish a secretariat and appoint a secretary for the
inquiry at the cost of the federal government whereas the attorney general for
Pakistan will assist the commission by providing all documents and material
required by it.
The commission
will initiate the inquiry immediately after the notification of its
constitution and will conclude the investigation and submit its report to the
federal government within 30 days which can be extended.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755908/sc-begins-hearing-pleas-against-constitution-of-panel-probing-audio-leaks
--------
Pakistan has
not joined ‘China bloc’: FO
May 26, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Amid
a global power rivalry between the United States and China, Pakistan on
Thursday rejected speculations it had joined ‘the China bloc’.
“I would like
to refute any such speculation that Pakistan has joined one bloc or the other.
Pakistan has a consistent policy that we do not believe in bloc politics,”
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told a weekly press briefing
here.
She said
Pakistan had an “All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” with China. She
noted that it was a relationship that had grown from strength to strength over
the last several decades and both countries were committed to this
relationship.
Similarly, she
said, Pakistan had excellent relations with a large number of countries around
the world, in the Middle East, in Asia Pacific, in Europe and in Africa.
“The United
States especially is one of the oldest friends and partner of Pakistan and the
biggest export market. Our relations with the United States are perhaps as old
as Pakistan itself. Pakistan-US relations are multidimensional with several
areas of cooperation with Pakistani Americans acting as a bridge between
Pakistan and the United States. We have no desire to take sides or to join one
bloc or the other,” she said.
Answering a
question about a letter written to US Secretary of State by more than 60
congressmen about human rights violation in Pakistan, she said: “We have seen
the letter. We do not agree with the characterisation of events of May 9 and
the situation in Pakistan, as reflected in that letter.”
She said the
National Security Committee had spelt out the factual situation around the
events of May 9. “Pakistan remains committed to its constitutional obligations
to protect the rights and property of all its citizens. These constitutional
guarantees and fundamental freedoms are being underwritten by our judiciary,”
she remarked.
Criticising
India’s move to host the meeting of the G-20 Tourism Working Group in Srinagar,
she said Jammu and Kashmir was an internationally-recognised disputed territory.
She said the
dispute had remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) for over seven decades. In that backdrop, India hosted the meeting in
Indian-held Kashmir in complete disregard of the relevant UN Security Council
Resolutions, principles of the UN Charter and international law.
“By holding the
G20 meeting in Srinagar, India cannot hide the reality of its illegal
occupation of IIOJK and oppression of the Kashmiri people. India’s facade of
normalcy in Kashmir is met by the harsh reality that IIOJK remains one of the
most militarised zones on the planet,” she remarked.She appreciated China,
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Oman for not attending the Srinagar meeting.
These countries have stood for international law and for the UN Charter. She
said India has politicised yet another international forum, and it was
exploiting its position as the current Chair to advance its self-serving
agenda.
“India should
instead provide unhindered access to international media and independent human
rights organisations to report on the situation in IIOJK. It must bring an end
to the repression it has unleashed there, agree to the establishment of the UN
Commission of Inquiry and hold a UN supervised plebiscite for the people of Kashmir
to determine their own future,” she stressed.
Ms Baloch also
announced that the government had appointed Ambassador Asif Ali Khan Durrani as
Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan. A retired Foreign Service
officer, Ambassador Durrani served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran and the
UAE. He also served in various capacities at Pakistan’s Missions in Kabul,
Tehran, New Delhi, London and the Permanent Mission to the UN, New York.
As the Special
Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Durrani will serve as a bridge
between international partners and the Pakistani leadership. He will also
represent Pakistan in major international mechanisms on Afghanistan held at the
level of Special Representatives.
Answering a
question, she rejected claims by some that President Dr Arif Alvi was holding
secret meetings with ambassadors of various countries, without taking the
Foreign Office on board.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755880/pakistan-has-not-joined-china-bloc-fo
--------
PPP to back bid
to ban PTI, Bilawal tells PM
May 26, 2023
ISLAMABAD: PPP
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday his party will not resist any
move to impose a ban on PTI “for promoting extremism and violence”.
Earlier, the
PPP leader had voiced his disagreement when some PML-N leaders proposed a ban
on PTI as a political party.
Mr
Bhutto-Zardari made these remarks while speaking to the media in Islamabad,
which echoed the sentiments he expressed during the meeting with Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif as well.
“I have opposed
the move to ban PTI in the federal cabinet, but now we can do nothing as they
[the PTI] have crossed the red line,” he said.
“What can we do
if a political party wants to be turned into a militant organisation,” he asked
rhetorically.
On setting up
military courts to prosecute PTI supporters who were involved in riots and
violence on May 9, the PPP chairman said his party will support anything done
under the law and Constitution.
Although he
endorsed the trial under the Army Act, 1952, the PPP leader ruled out the
possibility of a constitutional amendment to establish new military courts.
The courts
could be formed under the Army Act and thus, there was no need for a
constitutional amendment, he added.
While Mr
Bhutto-Zardari has made his intentions clear, the opinion within the PPP was
divided on both issues — the establishment of military courts and a ban on PTI.
Talking to
Dawn, PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said Mr Bhutto-Zardari had met the prime
minister for the first time since the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC)
meeting on May 19.
In the CEC
meeting, some PPP leaders were of the view that PTI should be banned completely
while some said it would not provide a level playing field to all political
forces, according to Mr Babar.
He said some
PPP leaders were also perturbed by how PTI leaders were quitting their party
and said other parties have also been victims of such a situation in the past.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755874/ppp-to-back-bid-to-ban-pti-bilawal-tells-pm
--------
Nation will
never forget sacrifices of martyrs: President
May 26, 2023
President Arif
Alvi has said the entire nation values the sacrifices of martyrs and will
always remember them.
He made the
remarks during telephonic conversation with the heirs of the security personnel
martyred in recent acts of terrorism in the country.
Commiserating
with the bereaved families, the President paid glowing tributes to the martyrs.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.radio.gov.pk/26-05-2023/nation-will-never-forget-sacrifices-of-martyrs-president
--------
Europe
Islamic
Centreof England Run as Iran Regime’s UK Office Shut Down
26-05-23
The Islamic
Center of England, affiliated with the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader, has
been shuttered "until further notice".
A banner has
been installed on the closed door of the center that reads, “After receiving
the concerns of the community and for their safety, we are saddened to inform
you that all upcoming programs, including prayers, have been suspended until
further notice.” The message was later removed.
The center was
closed on Wednesday following an investigation by the UK Charity Commission
into how it was run, following weeks of efforts by the charity watchdog to take
control. The Telegraph cited unnamed sources as saying that "the Iranian
regime decided to pull the plug on the operation rather than lose control to an
interim manager appointed by the Charity Commission.”
According to
the Charity Commission, the building was closed down, but the center’s charity
will be run by the interim manager -- a senior partner at an international law
firm identified as Emma Moody – who has been appointed “due to the trustees’
failure to comply with their legal duties and responsibilities and their
failure to protect the charity’s assets”.
The inquiry
into the charity was opened in November last year after the watchdog issued an
official warning over “serious governance concerns” as well as the content of
its website and the events it organizes.
Founded in 1995
and opened officially in 1998, the Islamic Center of England Ltd (ICEL) is a
religious and cultural institute run by Ali Khamenei’s representative in the
UK, SeyyedHashemMousavi, and funded by the Islamic Republic. The center, which
hosted a vigil for Qassem Soleimani, head of IRGC’s extraterritorial Quds force
who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020, has been called the cultural arm
of the regime.
Senior UK
officials have been calling for the closure of the center for years, with MP
Alicia Kearns, the chair of the foreign affairs select committee, describing it
as the "London office" of the Iranian regime. Theresa Villiers, a
member of the intelligence and security select committee, called the charity
"the voice" of Khamenei in the UK.
As calls
continue to shut down the center, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat last week
described it as a "vile threat" against the country.Tugendhat told
The Times that the government was “pulling together” to deal with “this vile
threat that’s taken over a country and is now threatening ours.”
During a
parliamentary debate last week, several UK lawmakers called for the Islamic
Republic’s outpost to be closed.
Tugendhat
stated that MPs are “absolutely right” to be worried about such “cultural
centers” in Britain, adding: “Sadly, the Islamic Centre for England is not
alone and the work of the IRGC is not limited to those Iranian proxy
organizations.”
Previously, a
group of Iranians had prepared an online petition for the closure of the
Islamic Center of England, which was signed by tens of thousands of people.
In recent
months while global rallies against the Islamic Republic are growing, Iranians
have demonstrated many times in London demanding the closure of the center.
Source: iranintl.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202305250028
--------
Muslim
activists disrupt The Kerala Story screening in Birmingham
25 May, 2023
By: Mohnish
Singh
Top lined by
Adah Sharma, filmmaker Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story has been hitting
headlines ever since entering cinemas on May 5, 2023. Despite facing opposition
from several states and political leaders, the film has been performing
exceptionally well in India and some key international territories.
Resultantly, it has managed to go past the much-coveted £20 million club at the
domestic box office and is expected to touch the £25 million mark in the coming
days.
The Kerala
Story recently hit the UK theatres. However, its screening was disrupted in
Birmingham on Friday after Muslim activists stormed a theatre claiming the film
was spreading Islamophobia.
A 10-minute
clip uploaded on the British Muslim news website ‘5Pillars’ showed Kashmiri
activist Shakeel Afsar, 35, with a group of demonstrators entering the
Cineworld theatre and causing disruption and halting the screening of the film.
In the clip,
Afsar along with at least two others can be seen asking to speak to the cinema
manager about the ‘Islamophobic’ nature of the film.
The staff at
the Cineworld were forced to pause the screening, with audience members seen
confronting the activists and telling them to leave the theatre.
After the
activists were taken out by the security personnel, a theatre attendant could
be heard telling the audience: “If you want to watch this film, you should calm
down first. I am going to resume this film. We’re trying to deal with this in
the best way we can. We’ve paused the film, we’ve turned the lights on, we’ve
called the police.”
The Kerala
Story revolves around a Hindu woman from Kerala, played by Adah Sharma, who is
brainwashed to accept Islam and go to Syria.
Source: easterneye.biz
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.easterneye.biz/muslim-activists-disrupt-the-kerala-story-screening-in-birmingham/
---------
Suspect in
linked series of east London Mosque thefts arrested
25 MAY 2023
A man has been
arrested in connection with a spate of thefts from mosques in London.
Commander Simon
Crick of the North East Basic Command Unit which is home to mosques affected by
the crimes, said: “This series of thefts is believed to be linked, and has
impacted numerous people in boroughs across London.
“It is good
progress that an arrest has been made and we will wait to hear the outcome of
this development from the detectives who are investigating.
“I have been
liaising with our partners from the Newham Muslim Forum and I know that my
colleagues in the other areas of London are also in touch with people in the
community who have been affected.”
The arrest was
made at 11:56hrs on Wednesday 25 May in Plumstead.
Source: news.met.police.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://news.met.police.uk/news/suspect-in-linked-series-of-east-london-mosque-thefts-arrested-467345
--------
‘We Want To
Participate In the Thriving Change in Saudi Arabia,’ Czech Republic FM
May 25, 2023
RIYADH: The
Czech Republic is keen to take part in the development of various sectors in
Saudi Arabia in line with the goals of Vision 2030, according to the country’s
chief diplomat.
Speaking to
Arab News, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky praised the rapid progress being made
as part of the Saudi reform strategy, describing the changes as “something you
can see with your own eyes,” and expressed an eagerness to facilitate
collaboration between the two countries to help the Kingdom reach its goals.
First announced
by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016, Vision 2030 is a strategic
framework to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy,
and develop public service sectors, such as health, education, infrastructure,
recreation and tourism.
“Everyone feels
the thriving change in Saudi Arabia motivated by Vision 2030. So, definitely,
it is something which we want to participate in, in the most positive and
mutually beneficial manner,” Lipavsky said.
The interview
took place on Wednesday, just hours after Lipavksy met with his Saudi
counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan — “a very good meeting, a very productive
meeting” — to review aspects of Saudi-Czech relations and areas of bilateral
cooperation, including regional and international issues of mutual concern.
According to a
Saudi Press Agency report, the two ministers also discussed efforts by Saudi
Arabia and Czechia to lay a foundation for international peace and security, as
well as contribute to achieving global sustainable development goals.
The goal of the
visit by Lipavsky, who was accompanied by a 15-member Czech business
delegation, was described by his ministry as “deepening of political and
economic cooperation in the context of the Saudi Arabia’s efforts to open the
country more to the international community or to develop the local economy
toward industrial innovation and diversification of state revenues.”
Elaborating on
the topic, Lipavsky said: “There are traditional (Czech) industries like
tourism and spa, but we can also discuss energy, because the energy industry
globally is going to be transformed. There is a lot of interest in renewable
resources and we are very much interested, for example, in cooperation in the
hydrogen industry.”
Pointing to the
EU, of which Czechia has been a member since 2004, he said the bloc is “looking
for renewable sources of energy, and also sources of energy which will be
carbon neutral.”
He added: “I
feel that Saudi Arabia wants to be part of the change, too, which is a very
clever decision, and I understand that.”
In 2003, the
Czech-Saudi Business Council was created by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and the Czech Chamber of Commerce. The council would eventually go on
to hold biannual meetings in both countries.
Over the past
22 years, the two countries have signed more than nine agreements and memoranda
of understanding covering healthcare, science and technology, commerce and
industry, and avoidance of double taxation.
In recent
years, several Czech companies, including the well-known Czech vehicle
manufacturer Tatra Trucks, have expanded into the Kingdom. More than 2,500 of
Saudi Arabia’s medium and heavy military vehicles are Tatra, produced
domestically by the Saudi Military Industries Corporation.
Czech-Saudi
business ventures are also evident in the healthcare field, which is witnessing
growing cooperation between the two countries. The Czech Saudi Medical Company
has operated in the Kingdom since 2009, and the Czech Rehabilitation Center in
Riyadh offers more than 45 specialized physiotherapy services to more than a
thousand patients per day.
According to
the UN’s COMTRADE international trade database, Czechia’s exports to Saudi
Arabia in 2022 amounted to a little under $600 million, consisting mostly of
vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment, while Saudi Arabia’s $11 million
in exports were made up mostly of aluminum, plastics and other man-made fibers.
Opening a
business event in Riyadh that was attended by the local chamber of commerce,
Lipavsky said his country was ready to offer Saudi Arabia high-quality
expertise in a number of fields. He told the forum: “Czechia has a long
tradition of innovation and we can also be proud of our highly skilled
workforce, cutting-edge technologies and quality products. We are always
looking for new business opportunities, even in markets outside the single
European market.”
Commenting on
the meetings with Saudi industry leaders, as well as Czechs working for Saudi
companies, Lipavsky told Arab News: “We have quite a lot to offer when it comes
to business. There are companies that are traditionally present in the Saudi
market, and there are a lot of companies that would like to be part of that.”
Czech-Saudi
relations are more than strictly business, however. In 2017, Jeddah’s honorary
consulate hosted the Czech Food Festival, where Saudis sampled beef goulash,
roasted duck and potato dumplings prepared by Czech chefs.
The following
year, to mark the 100th anniversary of the formation of Czechoslovakia, Riyadh
hosted another Czech culinary festival, complete with music played by a
traditional Czech band.
Lipavsky
explained that Czechia is a tourist destination for many Saudis because of its
spa resorts and beautiful landscape, as well as a destination for those from
the Kingdom looking to study at the country’s renowned universities.
In September
2021, Lipavsky’s predecessor, JakubKulhanek, visited Saudi Arabia, where he met
with Prince Faisal and Adel Al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign
affairs.
Kulhanek said
then that Saudi Arabia and Czechia were prepared to establish a “strategic
partnership in the near future” and “intensify contacts at the highest
political level.”
Referring to
that statement, Lipavsky said: “We are working on this goal, and the next step
will be another level of consultation between the Czech Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will cover many
aspects of this relationship.”
After departing
from Saudi Arabia, Lipavsky’s delegation visited Iraq, where Czech forces are
stationed as part of the US-led coalition to provide military advising and
humanitarian aid and participate in NATO missions.
“We have a very
strong relationship with Iraq. We want to provide for their security. We have
also a military presence in Iraq, but we are also cooperating in many other
areas,” he told Arab News.
Czech forces
have been in Iraq for more than 30 years, first serving within the Coalition
during the Gulf War in 1991 and, later, during the 2003 Iraq war. In 2014, Czechia
became a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, providing millions of
dollars in humanitarian aid, medical care, and civilian training projects.
Czech forces in
Iraq have also contributed to police training missions, surgical teams, and
chemical protection training teams. After the killing of the Iranian military
commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Czech forces remained in Iraq even as other
countries withdrew their troops due to security concerns.
“Now that there
is a new government in Iraq, we need to be in constant dialogue with them and
to listen very carefully. What are the needs of Iraq? Of course, it’s not only
about the Czech-Iraq relationship, but about the EU-Iraq relationship. And as a
member of the EU, we can influence EU policy as well,” Lipavsky said.
Closer to home,
Czechia is dealing with its own security and humanitarian concerns since the
escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
He said the war
“has influenced things, not in a good way, such as the price of energy (and
caused) high inflation.
“Then there are
also global impacts, for example, on food security, which we can see may lead
to crises in, for example, in Africa.”
He said that
Czechia leads the EU in terms of hosting Ukrainian refugees per capita, and
added: “My country is under security pressure because of the Russian invasion
of Ukraine. We have 10 million people and we have accepted half a million
refugees.
“We have opened
our hearts and homes. We provided shelter for them. And, you know, we want to
have them as a part of society until they are ready to be safe in Ukraine.”
Czechia, a NATO
member since 1999, had a significant role in the recent creation of the
Register of Damage, a record of damage, losses and injuries caused by the war
in Ukraine so far.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2310371/saudi-arabia
--------
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/penang-apology-zakir-naik-satan/d/129861