ISLAMABAD: A bilateral exercise SEA THUNDER-IV 2019 between Pakistan Navy Special Service Group and Indonesian Navy Special Operation Force (SOF) concluded on Saturday.
Sea Thunder is a series of bilateral exercises which is conducted annually between Pakistan and Indonesian Navies. This exercise, being 4th in the series, continued for seven days.
The aim of exercise was to strengthen military relationship, improve coordination and interoperability between Special Operation Forces, exchange professional expertise and experiences of Counter Terrorism Operations between participating forces.
During the exercise, Maritime Counter Terrorism Operations including Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOs) were also rehearsed at sea.
The exercise concluded with a remarkable coordinated Visit Board Search & Seizure Operations, jointly conducted by Pakistan & Indonesian Navies’ SOF teams involving Pakistan Navy Ships, Sea-king helicopters and Special Forces’ Boats in Arabian Sea.
The exercise is a reflection of strong bilateral military cooperation between Pakistan Navy and Indonesian Navy. Professional experiences gained during bilateral exercises were mutually rewarding and will foster greater bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly navies. (With additional input from INP)
ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi is scheduled to undertake a five-day official visit to Japan on Sunday.
President Arif Alvi is paying the visit on the invitation of the Government of Japan to attend the ceremony of Emperor Naruhito’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The international event likely to be attended by over 100 heads of state and government, a President House statement said.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan. Google Image
Pakistan and Japan are long-standing friends. The cooperative bilateral relations have been on an upward trajectory, with a huge potential to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse areas such as economic, commercial, investment, IT, agriculture, human resource development and tourism.
The visit by the president would further cement the already existing friendly relations between the two countries. (With additional input from INP)
Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR. Google Image
NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has paid tribute to Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s outgoing Permanent Representative to the United Nations, for her efforts to make her country proud.
The UN Secretary-General has expressed his “gratitude and admiration” for Maleeha Lodhi during her farewell call on him.
Expressing his sadness over the completion of Maleeha’s eventful tenure, Guterres said, “You represented the country in a remarkable way … you were engaged in all issues at the UN, not just those involving Pakistan. That’s how you elevated the profile of Pakistan here.”
Maleeha Lodhi tweeted on Saturday “In my farewell call on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres I thanked him for the close cooperation that the Pakistan Mission in NY had with him and his office during my tenure.
In my farewell call on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres I thanked him for the close cooperation that the Pakistan Mission in NY had with him and his office during my tenure-1 @antonioguterrespic.twitter.com/XfXgamrqWA
“It’s challenging for a diplomat but you managed it so well. Your country should be proud of your work”, UN chief added.
During a meeting, Ambassador Lodhi briefed the secretary-general on the grim situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir that continues to pose a threat to peace and security.
Ambassador Lodhi also underlined Pakistan’s vision for peace in the neighbourhood. She said that this was evident from Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process and the role the Prime Minister Imran Khan was playing to defuse tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Maleeha Lodhi is stepping down on October 31 after leading the Pakistan Mission to the UN, which she also calls the voice of Kashmir, for four and a half years. (With additional input from INP)
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi on Saturday called Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah a “drug lord” and said there was evidence against him but lives of the witnesses in the case were in danger.
Speaking to media persons in Islamabad, he said that it was not his trial
instead a “trial of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF)” – which had
recovered illegal substance from the possession of the accused.
The minister held a press conference in Islamabad, and spoke about a subjudice case
of former law minister Rana Sanaullah. He claimed that evidence was produced
against Sanaullah in the court but the lives of the witnesses were in danger.
The state minister bragged over the property owned by
Sanaullah, saying that if he was not involved in drug smuggling then how he had
bought the property.
He said the former law minister had not gotten anything in
inheritance and bought a four-marla plot in 2013. He said they provided copies
of the case to accused persons.
The minister also played an alleged audio message from
Sanaullah during the press conference as well.
“Evidence against the accused was presented in the
court but the lives of our witnesses are in danger. I demand the case be
shifted to Rawalpindi
to protect the ANF witnesses and a daily trail should be allowed be conducted
in jail,” Afridi said.
He added, Sanaullah was openly targeting ANF personnel and
that notice should be taken of the threats.
Afridi further said Sanaullah was arrested from the road and not his home with 15kg of heroin and ANF presented the evidence within two weeks(Additoinal Input From INP)
LONDON: Lawmakers in the British Parliament were in uproar over the draconian clampdown in India Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and condemned the human rights violations by Indian security forces in the disputed valley.
The development came at the Kashmir Conference organised by the Tehreek-e-Kashmir’s United Kingdom chapter in the British Parliament. The event was co-chaired by British MP Jess Phillips, TeK president Raja Fahim Kayani with Azad Jammu & Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan called as the chief guest.
The AJK president warned of a genocide-in-the-making in the occupied valley and urged the international community to build pressure on New Delhi to avoid a bloodbath and adhere to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution.
President Masood added that the occupying forces conducted routine search operations to harass Kashmiris citizens.
Labour Party’s deputy leader and former defence minister Tom Watson affirmed support to the Kashmiris while MP Byrne dismissed India’s stance that the matter was a bilateral issue.
“Human rights violations are an international matter,” said the British lawmaker, adding that India must end the lockdown.
“It is time the Kashmir dispute be resolved with the consent of the Kashmiris – the main stakeholders.”
Reiterating support for the Kashmir cause, Phillips added that she will continue to push for a permanent solution.
AJK Chairman Public Accounts Committee Abdul Rashid Turabi also highlighted how Indian state terrorism had separated thousands of families by forcing Kashmiris to migrate since 1947. He said the speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly was also one of the victims of Indian atrocities who moved to AJK in search of basic rights.
Turabi further said New Delhi was putting the entire South Asian region at risk by delaying the settlement. “It is the responsibility of the global community, including Britain, to pressurise India for a permanent solution.”
Hurriyat leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) Altaf Ahmad Bhat said the Kashmiris wanted basic rights and sought implementation of the right to self-determination promised by the UNSC.
Underscoring the impact of the two and a half month curfew in IOK, Bhat said schools and business had been shut since August 5, pushing the people against the wall as India encroached Kashmiri political space.
“Educational institutions have been turned into army camps by the Indian troops,” he said and demanded the international community call on New Delhi to release political prisoners, civilians, human rights activists and end the information and communication blackout.
“Kashmiris have given generations to this cause – every family has suffered a loss due to Indian brutality. Every mother, sister, and daughter has a painful story to tell. We have been suffering for the past seven decades,” he said.
He added that the Kashmiris looked up to the United Kingdom to push for a permanent solution to the conflict.
MPs Jonathan Word, Cheryl Gillian, Tom Watson, Paula Sharif, John Cryer, Lisa Forbes, Steve McCabe, Kate Hollern, Steve Baker, Rupa Huq, Valerie Vaz, Trace Brabin, Liam Byrne, Liz McInnes, Imran Hussain, Afzal Khan, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Muhammad Yasin, Naz Shah, Shabana Mahmood, Rosie Duffield, John Speller, Colleen Fletcher, Ruth Smeeth, Jim McCahon, Judith Cummins, Kerry McCarthy, Stella Gracey, Roger Gadstiff and others also pushed for the right of self-determination for the Kashmiris. (With additional input from INP)
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior and former Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik on Friday wrote a letter to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi urging him to take the case of continuous unprovoked cease-fire violation and targeting of civilian population by India to the United Nations General Assembly and International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He has asked the Foreign Minister to request the United Nations Security Council to appoint a Special Commission to investigate all cease-fire violations by India, increase the strength of Military Observers across LoC and also file a claim of damages in terms of lives and properties in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against India.
Senator Rehman Malik has written the letter based on the Truce Agreement signed both by Pakistan, India and United Nations which bounds the two country to implement it in letter and spirit. he said that the Truce Agreement is actually a trilateral agreement as United Nations is signatory in it and both the countries continued to make agreement regarding Line of Control but did not change the contents of ‘Truce Agreement of 1949’ and it is still in vogue.
In the letter Senator A. Rehman Malik has advised Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as following:
i. Proper investigation by UN Commission into the continuous unprovoked cease-fire violations and targeting of civilian population by India Armed Forces at Line of Control.
ii. Imposing Penalties on Indian Government for violation of “Truce Agreement” which was supervised / countersigned by United.
iii. Request for deployment of additional UN Military Observers at LoC to ensure an effective supervision to maintain proper control on the line of control as per the Truce Agreement of 1949.
Senator A. Rehman Malik’s letter is reproduced here as following:
Subject: FILING OF CASE IN INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ) FOR VIOLATIONS OF TRUCE / CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT OF 1949 BY INDIAN ARMED FORCES.
I would like to draw your kind attention towards the violations of the “Truce Agreement” duly signed by the two parties in 1949 and the agreement was supervised/ countersigned by the United Nations Commission on India and Pakistan constituted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and in this agreement both countries have signed the following declarations:-
Para B: The delegation of India and Pakistan, duly authorized have reached the following agreement:
(1) “Under the provisions of Part I of the Resolution of 13 August 1948, and as a complement of the suspension of hostilities in the State of Jammu and Kashmir on 1 January 1949, a cease-fire line is established”.
Para F: ….There shall be no increase of forces or strengthening of defences in areas where no major adjustments are involved by the determination of the cease-fire line.
2. In fact, this was the first formal ceasefire agreement signed between India and Pakistan in 1949 and was the most elaborated and well thought agreement carried out and ratified on 27 July 1949. It drew the original Ceasefire Line (CFL) between the Indian Held Kashmir and Azad Kashmir. The original Cease Fire Line (CFL) was given the name of Line of Control (LoC) after the Simla Agreement in 1972, which was bilateral agreement whereas the bilateral agreement cannot overtake the international agreement / agreement under UNGA.
3. As India and Pakistan entered into 1965 and 1971 wars and signed two new bilateral treaties (Tashkand declaration of 1966 and Simla Agreement of 1972), the Truce agreement signed in 1949 is considered as dead / redundant by India, except for the boundary lines (LoC) between Azad Kashmir and the Indian held Kashmir. Later on a new cease-fire agreement was signed in November, 2003 but it was also not taken seriously by India and it continued unprovoked firing on LoC. Unfortunately, United Nations has failed to take any action against India for breaking the initial Truce agreement as well as other agreements.
4. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had reported in National Assembly that ‘unprovoked’ Indian firing across the LoC had cost 832 lives, 3000 severe injuries, and 3,300 houses had been damaged in Azad Kashmir till June, 2017. NDMA also informed the House that 425,000 citizens are continuously under the threat of Indian unprovoked firings at LoC.
5. The plea by India to resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally without any third-party involvement / mediation seems to have withered away by India as India is reluctant to come on the table to discuss either the Kashmir issue or implementation of the Truce Agreement. The Indian Government many times committed for a composite dialogue which also included on Kashmir but history is witness that India always avoided its commitments and it frustrated every move to resolve it in the past.
6. The above reported damage of the lives and properties in Azad Kashmir due to unprovoked cease-fire violations by Indian Armed Forces and careful examination of the “Truce agreement” of 1949 entitles Pakistan to claim from India through United Nations or taking the mater to International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the following grounds:-
i. Proper investigation by UN Commission into the continuous unprovoked cease-fire violations and targeting of civilian population by India Armed Forces at Line of Control.
ii. Imposing Penalties on Indian Government for violation of “Truce Agreement” which was supervised / countersigned by United.
iii. Request for deployment of additional UN Military Observers at LoC to ensure an effective supervision to maintain proper control on the line of control as per the Truce Agreement of 1949.
7. In view of the above I call upon you to kindly consider to move on the above lines asking UNGA to ensure implementation of” Truce Agreement” of 1949, which is still a valid agreement whereas, Simla Agreement signed in 1972 is a bilateral agreement and hence it cannot overrule the trilateral “Truce Agreement” signed between India, Pakistan and United Nations. (With additional input from INP)
LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday against the upcoming sit-in and protests in Islamabad announced by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
The petition was submitted by Advocate Nadeem Sarwar in the
high court, stating that Maulana Fazlur Rehman is willing to lodge sit-in in
the federal capital to void the process of seminaries’ reformations.
It is stated that a government could not be ended before
completing its tenure of five years in accordance with the Constitution of
Pakistan. The petition also stated that armed groups have been created by the
JUI-F supremo in the name of security of the protests.
The petitioner sought the high court to order the
authorities to stop Maulana Fazl from organising the sit-ins.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had
given its observation that peaceful citizens could not be deprived of their
right to protest, but the state may restrain a person from exercising this
right on the grounds of national security.
The observation was given over a petition which also sought
the court to issue orders to the authorities for stopping the JUI-F protestors
showed willingness to lockdown the federal capital on October 27.
The IHC in its four-page written verdict on the pleas filed
against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Azadi March, said the constitution
guarantees right of freedom of expression to its citizens.
The Islamabad High Court said holding peaceful protest was a
constitutional right and that protesters must not violate the rights of other
citizens.
It added that the organisers and participants of the protest
had the obligation to remain peaceful, unarmed, and to comply with the law.
Disposing of the petitions, the court observed that it was
the State’s responsibility to ensure the rights of all citizens.
The IHC had previously ordered the capital administration to
earmark a place for holding of protests in Islamabad so that netizens won’t have
to face any kind of hardship.
On Oct. 3, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the “Azadi March” will begin on October 27 after staging protest demonstration to express solidarity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir.(Additional Input From INP)
ISLAMABAD: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nation celebrated the World Food Day on October 16. As part of the celebrations, FAO, in collaboration with ILO and other stakeholders, celebrated the International Rural Women Day on 18th October at the NARC premises in Islamabad.
The theme for International Rural Women Day 2019 is Rural Women and Girls Building Climate Resilience. The unique gathering was the first time female beneficiaries of FAO projects travelled from North Waziristan to Islamabad, to attend a panel discussion on the role of rural women in agriculture. Members of National and Provincial Assembly, development sector, private non-profits, and the government sector also attended the event.
Two panel discussions were held, the first one talking about the role of rural women in agricultural production and how climate adoption in agriculture can improve their access to production, land and financial resources, and the second on challenges of climate change and role of rural women and girls in mitigating measures for rural development.
The panelists included FAO Representative in Pakistan Ms. Mina Dowlatchahi, human rights activist Veeru Kohli, Ms.Sameena Nazir president PODA, Mr. Massod ul Mulk CEO Sarhad Rural Support Programme, Ms. Sajida Hanif and Ms. Ayesha Bano both Members of the Provincial Assembly – KP, Ms. Mehnaz Akbar Aziz Member National Assembly, and Ms. Rabia Razzaq senior program officer ILO.
The sessions ended with Q&A between the females from the newly merged Tribal Districts and the panel members, where they voiced their opinions on policies and programs related to them.
The Panel discussion brought to light the fact that climate change poses a great threat to poverty reduction and to achieving the SDGs in Pakistan; it impacts health, food security, nutrition, production, and people’s earnings.
Yet given their traditional roles in agricultural production, and as the procurers of water, cooking fuel, and other household resources, women are not only well suited to find solutions to prevent further degradation and adapt to the changing climate, they have a vested interest in doing so.
Given the fact that modelling of climate change scenarios for Pakistan show that if agriculture and water management continue along a ‘business as usual’ pathway, increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation will pose serious threats to the future livelihoods of farmers and to the Pakistani agricultural sector. This makes the role of Rural Women and Girls in building climate resilience more central and imperative.
It was discusses during that women and men both need to be educated in the role of women when it comes to building resilience to climate change, as well as sustainable market linkages in order to improve agricultural productivity.
Key note address was given by Mr. Shoaib Sultan Khan, Chairman Board of Director Rural Support Network Program. Giving her closing remarks, FAO Representative Ms. Mina Dowlatchahi said: “Access to land, finance, and technology and its knowledge can help rural women become more resilient and contribute to the development of the agriculture sector in Pakistan.”
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, on Friday has urged that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership should not lodge ‘fake protests’ over its humiliating defeat in its stronghold Larkana city.
Fawad Chaudhry, in his tweets, said, “PPP’s
leadership should cognise its serious mistakes as the people of Sindh
want reforms in your governance style. It is not the time to protest but an opportunity to think about it.”
“If you say no to bringing reformations, than the
outcomes in Sindh will be same just like you are witnessing in other parts of Pakistan.”
Following the defeat of Pakistan People’s Party
candidate Jameel Ahmed Soomro, the political secretary of PPP chairman Bilawal
Bhutto Zardari, PTI leader Ali Zaidi took to Twitter Wednesday saying,
“Democracy is the best revenge, and today the people of Larkana have
taken their revenge.”
It may be noted here that the joint candidate of Grand
Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi, had won the PS-11 Larkana II
by-election held on Thursday (yesterday).
According to unofficial results, the joint candidate of GDA
and PTI, Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi, got 31,557 votes, whereas PPP’s
candidate Jameel Ahmed Soomro secured 26,021 votes.
The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) candidate had also been
supported by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).
The seat had fallen vacant after the Supreme Court declared
the Grand Democratic Alliance’s (GDA) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA)
Moazim Ali Khan Abbasi over failing to declare his assets following a petition
filed moved by PPP’s Nida Khuhro.
It is pertinent to mention here that the GDA leader had won
the polls in the PS-11 Larkana-II constituency during 2018’s general
elections after defeating the daughter of President PPP Sindh PPP Nisar Khuhro,
Nida Khuhro, after her father was declared disqualified over the petition of
Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi that challenged his nomination papers. (Additional Input From INP)
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday inaugurated “Kamyab Jawan Program” for the welfare of youth across the country.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Program, he said that Rs100 billion had been allocated for it, adding that the program would provide loans to youth for their business ventures.
“Youth are the future of Pakistan and our destiny depends on them. PTI government strongly believes in merit and transparency,” said PM Imran, adding that the Kamyab Jawan program is the program of merit.
The premier said that only those nations move forward in the world that follows the rule of merit. He said the main reason for demise of Muslims in the world was the adoption of monarchy and not giving democratic rights to their society.
The Prime Minister urged the youth to read about the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as he is a role model for the whole world.
The Prime Minister congratulated all stakeholders for launching the first phase of the program for youth of the country.
Highlights of Kamyab Jawan Program:
The Kamyab Jawan Youth program comprises two categories: In the first category, the youth will be provided with loans from 100,000 to 500,000 rupees to start their business whilst in the second category, the youth will be provided with loans from 500,000 to five million rupees.
The youth are being provided with loans under three categories. It is anticipated that the program will benefit one million youth. 200 feasibilities have also been made available online to help assist the youth in working on business ideas.
A quota of 25 percent has been allocated for women to increase their share in the national economy. Kamyab Jawan program has been prepared under the National Youth Development Framework.
The program will help cope with unemployment and poverty. An integrated system has been developed for transparent and modern scrutiny of applications. Past governments neglected youth, says Usman Dar
Earlier, briefing media about the program in Islamabad, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar said governments in past neglected youth of the country.
Dar said the youth of the country supported Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the 2018 General Elections, which helped us to form the government. “We are paying special attention to uplift youth of the country.”
Terming the establishment of the first Youth Council, as a step to autonomous the youth of the country, the SAPM said the council will represent the youth of the country at the international level. (With additional input from INP)
