نئی دہلی میں مسلم کش فسادات،ہندوؤں نے بازارجلادیا،کرفیو نافذ

 

نئی دہلی: بھارتی دارالحکومت دہلی کے مشرقی علاقے ترلوک پوری میں مسلم کش فسادات کے بعد پولیس نے علاقے میں کرفیو نافذ کرتے ہوئے شرپسندوں کو دیکھتے ہی گولی مارنے کا حکم دیدیا۔
جمعرات کو دیوالی کے موقع پر شروع ہونے والے فسادات کے بعد صورتحال ابھی تک کشیدہ ہے، ہفتے کے روز حکام کے مطابق5افراد فائرنگ سے زخمی ہوئے تاہم انھیں پولیس نے گولیاں نہیں ماریں، ہنگامہ آرائی میں ملوث مزید23افراد کو گرفتار کر لیاگیا جس کے بعد گرفتاریوں کی کل تعداد33ہوگئی ہے، فسادات اس وقت شروع ہوئے جب ہندوؤں نے دیوی کا بت مسجد کے بالکل سامنے رکھ دیا، مسلمانوں نے اسے ہٹانے کا مطالبہ کیا ۔
جس کے بعد ہندوؤں نے ان پر ہلہ بول دیا اور شدید پتھراؤ کیا، مسلمانوں نے الزام عائد کیا کہ کشیدگی کا ذمے دار بی جے پی کا سابق ایم ایل اے سنیل کمار ہے جس نے کہا کہ وہ یہاں مندر بنائے گا، گزشتہ روز بھی سیکڑوں غیرمقامی انتہاپسند ہندو مسلم علاقے کے سامنے جمع ہوگئے اور شدید پتھراؤ کیا، نصف درجن سے زائد دکانیں نذرآتش کردیں اور بازار لوٹ لیا جبکہ پولیس خاموش تماشائی بنی رہی۔
 

Hong Kong students face off with police in pro-democracy protest

An angry crowd of people opposed to pro-democracy protests that have paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for more than two weeks tried Monday to charge barricades used by the demonstrators, clashing with police as they attempted to storm the protest zone.

Dozens of police officers held back several hundred people gathered in front of barricades on a main road, as the crowd chanted "Open the road!"

Protests in Kabul as Afghan election crisis deepens

KABUL: Supporters of Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah marched through Kabul on Saturday as fears grow of unrest erupting over alleged fraud in the election one week ago.

Abdullah has boycotted the vote count, pitching Afghanistan into a political crisis as NATO combat troops withdraw from a 13-year war against Taliban insurgents.

The former foreign minister accused his poll rival Ashraf Ghani, outgoing President Hamid Karzai and election authorities of all committing fraud to deny him victory.

The protests began peacefully as hundreds of activists shouted slogans and carried banners that read "Fraudsters should be put on trial" and "We will defend our vote to the last drop of our blood".

"The election authorities are not impartial," Asar Hakimi, one protest organiser, told.

"All the achievements of the past 12 years are at stake. We will continue protesting if the government and the election commission continue their hostility."He said the "anti-fraud" rallies were not organised by Abdullah´s campaign, but the crowds appeared to be made up of Abdullah supporters.

Many Kabul roads were blocked off due to the demonstrations, and security forces were out.

An early morning suicide attack in the city targeted Masoom Stanekzai, a senior official at the government body responsible for exploring peace talks with the Taliban.

Police said Stanekzai escaped the blast uninjured, but that one civilian was killed and three wounded.

Protests can’t stop govt from working for progress: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif has said that sit-in or protest could not stop the incumbent government from working for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Talking to a delegation of journalists, columnists, and intellectuals from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan here Sunday, Shahbaz said the government is moving in a right direction and will continue the mission to serve the masses at all costs.

He said if the Nadipur power project could be completed in 7 months, the government could overcome energy crisis in four years.

Shahbaz said the federal government has allocated Rs55 billion for Karachi-Lahore Motorway and Rs30 billion for Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu Dams, adding work on these projects would begin soon.

Angry Thai anti-coup protests despite junta warnings

BANGKOK: Thai anti-coup protesters squared off against soldiers in Bangkok Sunday in a growing show of dissent despite warnings from the ruling junta to end rallies, after the army consolidated all law-making authority.

The military has detained former premier Yingluck Shinawatra and scores of other ousted government leaders and political figures following a coup that has provoked sharp international criticism.

Dozens of protesters with large banners that read "Junta Out" and "Stop Coup" staged a boisterous demonstration, jeering angrily and pushing at lines of armed soldiers outside a shopping mall in the heart of Bangkok´s retail district.

At least two protesters were taken away by the troops, according to AFP journalists at the scene. One man was dragged away bleeding, while other demonstrators spat at soldiers as pockets of defiance against the army´s takeover continued to multiply.

The protest came after the junta issued a fresh warning on Sunday against the use of social media to "incite" unrest."

I ask for people´s understanding on the current situation and that they refrain from anti-coup rallies, because democracy cannot proceed normally at the moment," said army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree.

He said those detained by the military were being held without restraints and had not been "tortured or beaten" and reiterated that they would be released within seven days.

Those being held include politicians and leaders from both sides of the country´s warring protest movements, while the army has summoned academics and journalists seen as critical to the coup.

Thailand has been rocked by persistent and sometimes violent political turmoil for nearly a decade, with bitter divisions intensifying in the years following the 2006 ouster of Yingluck´s brother Thaksin by royalist generals.

Thaksin and his allies have won every election in Thailand this century, helped by the polling might of his support base among the working class and communities in the north and northeast.

But he is reviled by parts of the elite, the Bangkok middle class and southerners -- an alliance with wide influence in the establishment and army but little electoral success. (AFP)

Protests grow as loadshedding intensifies

LAHORE: A heatwave has gripped the plains of the country in the last 24 hours. Protests and demonstrations were held in several cities of the country against long power cuts, which have disrupted normal life.

In Dadu, a maximum of 45C temperature was recorded while it remained 40C in Lahore and Multan, 39 in Faisalabad and 42C in Karachi.Meanwhile, the maximum temperature recorded in Mitthi and Chaur was 44C and Sibi, Rohri, Turbat and Lasbela 43C.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, dry weather is expected in most parts of the country during the next two to three days. The Met office also predicted an increase in the intensity of heat.

On the other hand, the duration of loadshedding has been increased and several cities had to bear long loadshedding on Monday, which disturbed the routine life, especially the business community.

The unscheduled loadshedding has blown away the government’s claim that it has controlled loadshedding. With the advent of summer, the duration of loadshedding has been increased from six to 12 hours in several cities of the country, while in the countryside 8-16 hours loadshedding is being carried out.

Meanwhile, protests and demonstrations were held in several cities due to long loadshedding, which paralysed the normal life.The protesters, including traders, shopkeepers, students and others, condemned the long loadshedding and demanded the government to take steps to reduce the loadshedding.The demonstrations were held in Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Quetta, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other cities of Sindh.

Countrywide protests continue

 

ISLAMABAD: Journalists, lawyers and civil society members on Monday continued to stage rallies, demonstrations and sit-ins across the country to protest against the murderous attack on Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi.
The journalist community, civil society, lawyers and others in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad staged protest rallies to condemn the incident. They chanted slogans in favour of their demand of bringing the attackers to book and called for providing protection to journalists.

The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) staged a protest rally at the Karachi Press Club and media persons and civil society activists gathered in front of the Hyderabad Press Club to express their solidarity with Hamid Mir.

In Lahore, media persons held a demonstration in front of the press club to vent their anger against the attack on Hamid Mir.The Multan Union of Journalists and civil society activists staged a demonstration in front of the Multan Press Club.

The journalist community termed the attack shameful and a meeting attended by Begum Shamim Chaudhry, Muhammad Akbar and Justice (R) Nasira Javed Iqbal said Pakistan’s journalists were hard working and appreciated for their contribution to society.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) strongly condemned murderous attack on Geo News senior anchorperson Hamid Mir and termed it an attempt to stifle the free media.

In a press statement issued here Monday, LHCBA President Shafqat Mehmood Chohan, Vice President Amir Jalil Siddiqui, Secretary Mian Ahmed Chachar and Finance Secretary Mian Iqbal said, in Pakistan attempts had always been made to curb the voice of truth. The LHCBA had long tradition of raising voice against suppression and saluted Hamid Mir for bearing the torch of truth.

The bar members appreciated prime minister’s swift reaction to the incident and setting up a judicial commission and said the inquiry would expose the hidden hands behind the incident. They hoped that the responsible would be probed and prosecuted without fear and favour and awarded exemplary punishment.

Punjab University Pashtun/Baloch students expressing sympathies for senior journalist Hamid Mir have strongly condemned attack on him. In a press release issued here by Pashtun Educational Development Movement, they vowed to speak for the media protection and condemn such assault in future.

In Faisalabad, journalists Shahid Ali, Tanvir, Zafar Dogar, Sajid Aleem, Maqbool Lodhi and Sardar Akhtar condemned the murderous attack on Hamid Mir and demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe incident.

District Bar Association lawyers did not appear in courts to express sympathy with Hamid Mir. They demanded that the judicial inquiry ordered by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif into the attack should complete its findings.

In Jaranwala, lawyers observed a complete strike and boycotted courts to protest against attack on Hamid Mir. Lawyers condemned the incident and said law and order was worsening and nobody was safe in the country.

Meanwhile, journalists led by Muhammad Ijaz Butt, President of Central Press Club, took out a procession and protested against the murderous attack on Hamid Mir. They raised slogans against the attackers and demanded action against the culprits.

In Bhakkar, journalists took out a rally under the leadership of senior journalist Rao Muhammad Shabbir to condemn attack on Hamid Mir. The protesting journalists demanded an inquiry into the attack and arrest of the culprits.

In Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur Union of Journalists Monday staged a demonstration and a sit-in at Chowk Fawara to condemn the attack on Hamid Mir.

The BhUJ sit-in was also joined by the members of Apca, JI, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, lawyers and socio-political and civil society members. The protesters also took out a rally and chanted slogans against the attack.

The rally was addressed by PFUJ VP Ameen Abbasi, BhUJ President A Majeed Gill, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Deputy Secretary Information Rao Javed Iqbal, JI City Ameer Dr Khalid and APCA leader Hafiz Iqbal.

The speakers condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and termed it an attack on the press freedom. They demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

PFUJ VP Ameen Abbasi said Geo and Jang Group had great respect for the army and all its institutions. He said the army should help trace out the attackers.

In Islamabad, journalists Monday boycotted the Senate proceedings to protest attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir.

Senate Chairman Nayyar Bukhari asked the opposition leaders to contact the journalists. The journalist fraternity has been protesting across the country against the brutal attack on Hamid Mir for three days.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) also a protest demonstration at the Quetta Press Club to show solidarity with Hamid Mir for his unwavering stand against the injustice and excesses to the downtrodden and oppressed people in the province in particular and in the country in general. The BNP-M also staged rallies in Karachi against the brutal attack on the senior journalist.

The Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) held a protest rally in Dera Bugti to condemn the attack on the renowned anchorperson.The Pakistan People’s Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB) also took out a rally in Hyderabad to register their indignation against the attack on Hamid Mir.The journalists and lawyers also took out a rally in Mirpur, AJK to register their protest against attack on Hamid Mir.

Uproar in Sindh Assembly as MQM protests workers’ killings, kidnappings

 

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers staged a vociferous protest in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday when the deputy speaker snubbed the party’s adjournment motion against the ‘extrajudicial killings’ of its activists, bringing an abrupt end to the day’s proceedings.Outraged over the dismissal of their motion on the grounds of being out of order and ‘hypothetical’, the legislators of the opposition party shouted slogans and tore copies of the day’s agenda, forcing the proceedings to be adjourned till Friday.

UN chief, Venezuela FM to discuss deadly protests

CARACAS: Venezuela's foreign minister will meet Tuesday with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva to discuss three weeks of deadly protests that have rattled the oil-rich country.
Fresh anti-government demonstrations took place Saturday, with protesters calling for the release of dozens of activists who have been arrested in the protests that have left 18 people dead.
The demonstrators, joined by opposition lawmaker Maria Machado, formed a convoy of some 500 cars and motorcycles and toured the city against government "torture and repression."
The move came after fresh violence on Friday saw pitched battles between security forces and demonstrators.
Ban had urged the Venezuelan government and opposition earlier this week to make concrete steps toward meaningful dialogue to reduce the country's polarization.
The talks between Ban and Foreign Minister Elias Jaua will be held in the framework of a meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
It "will be an excellent opportunity to explain how the government is advancing the peace process and what measures are being taken so that Venezuela recovers from these disturbances, these acts of violence," Venezuela's UN Ambassador Jorge Valero told news agency Noticias 24.
Protesters vowed to boycott Venezuela's annual carnival celebrations as a mark of respect to the dead.
"We honor the dead. No carnival, there is nothing to celebrate," engineering student Argenis Arteaga told AFP at the protest.
At least 41 people, including several foreign journalists, were arrested during Friday's clashes.
National Guard security forces used water cannons and tear gas to break up student-led demonstrations in the city's wealthy Chacao district.
Hooded protesters set up barricades and responded with a steady barrage of Molotov cocktails.
Maduro has labeled the protests that began on February 4 as a Washington-backed attempted "coup."
He claims that radical opposition leaders have joined students angered by high inflation and goods shortages in plotting to topple his nearly year-old government.

Hagel warns Pakistan leaders over border protests

In this handout photograph released by Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on December 9, 2013 Pakistan's army chief General Raheel Sharif (R) meets with US defence secretary Chuck Hagel at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

ISLAMABAD: Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel warned Pakistani leaders on Monday that if they don't resolve protests stalling some military shipments across the border with Afghanistan, it could be difficult to maintain political support in Washington for an aid program that has sent billions of dollars to Islamabad, defense officials said.

In response, the officials said, Hagel received assurances from the Pakistanis that they would take ''immediate action'' to resolve the shipment problem. The officials did not provide details on how that might be done.
Hagel departed from Pakistan after a brief visit during which he held talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's new army chief General Raheel Sharif on Monday.
In the first visit by a US defence secretary in nearly four years, Hagel flew from Kabul to Islamabad as Washington seeks to defuse tensions over controversial US drone strikes and Islamabad's role in Afghanistan.
Ties between Washington and Islamabad have been seriously strained over US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal belt as well as Afghan Taliban sanctuaries inside Pakistan's borders.
After greeting Prime Minister Sharif at the start of their talks, Hagel said Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan had a “lot of common and mutual interests” and that he looked forward to discussing regional issues.
The meeting between the US Defence Secretary and Pakistani prime minister was also attended by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins.
Hagel was in Pakistan “in recognition of the tremendous support that Pakistan has provided in the war on terror”, a senior US defence official told reporters.
The defence secretary wanted “to deepen our defence partnership” and to affirm continued US military assistance, the official said.
“There is some friction in the relationship” and Hagel wished to tackle that “head on”, he added.
The visit came as Hagel's deputies withdrew Sunday's statement that said Nato shipments out of Afghanistan through Pakistan were to resume due to the end of anti-drone protests.
Moreover, Hagel also met with Pakistan's army chief General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Issues concerning defence relationship, Pak-US bilateral ties and regional stability came under discussion.
US Secretary of Defence was accompanied by US Ambassador in Pakistan Richard Olson and US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence Dr Peter Lavoy.
In recent weeks, activists opposed to the drone raids forcibly searched trucks in northwest Pakistan in a campaign to disrupt Nato supply routes through the Torkham gate border crossing.
The club-wielding protesters have prompted US officials to halt the shipments to protect the safety of truck drivers ferrying Nato equipment.
Contractors were still concerned over anti-drone protests and the suspension had not been lifted, officials travelling with Hagel said.
Torkham gate is the main overland route used by the Americans and Nato to withdraw military hardware from Afghanistan as part of the troop pullout set to wrap up by the end of 2014.
President Barack Obama has defended the drone strikes as an effective, lawful tool used with restraint to target suspected al Qaeda militants.
But human rights groups and Pakistani politicians say the missile attacks have killed innocent civilians and must stop.
The Pakistani government had previously blocked the routes for seven months following US airstrikes that accidentally killed two dozen soldiers on the Afghan border in November 2011.
Pakistan finally reopened the routes after the US apologised.
The rift led the US to sever most aid to Pakistan for some time, but relations were restored in July 2012.
Since then, the US has delivered over $1.15 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, including advanced communications equipment, roadside bomb jammers, night vision goggles and surveillance aircraft.
US officials are also anxious to forge a constructive dialogue with the new army chief General Raheel Sharif, who is expected to be at the centre of decision making on sensitive security questions.
“Issues concerning defence relationship, Pak-US bilateral ties and regional stability came under discussion,” the Pakistan military said after Hagel met the army chief, who last month succeeded General Ashfaq Kayani.
Pakistan is seen as crucial to peace in neighbouring Afghanistan as it was a key backer of the hardline 1996-2001 Taliban regime in Kabul and is believed to shelter some of the movement's leaders.
Pakistan is also battling a homegrown Islamist insurgency but US officials have long accused Islamabad's spy service of maintaining ties to the Afghan Taliban, as a hedge to counter any potential threat from India in Afghanistan.
Hagel visited Pakistan after two days in Afghanistan, where he urged the country's president, Hamid Karzai, to sign a long-delayed security agreement that will allow Nato-led forces to stay in the country after 2014.
Hagel began his trip last week in Bahrain, seeking to reassure Gulf allies that the United States would retain a robust military presence in the region despite an interim nuclear deal with Iran.
After morning meetings in Pakistan, Hagel was due to travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he was expected to renew his message of solidarity with the Gulf Arab states.
The Saudis in particular are wary of the diplomatic opening with Tehran as they view Shia-led Iran as a regional rival.
The last Pentagon chief to visit Pakistan was Robert Gates in January 2010.