New houses to be built on IDPs return: PM

 

BANNU: Pledging full support to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan on Friday, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that new houses would be constructed on the return of the IDPs.
Addressing the IDPs in the Bakkakhel area in Frontier Region, he said, if required, billions would be spent for the rehabilitation of the NWA’s displaced persons. He said the entire nation stood by them. “The whole nation appreciates your sacrifice.to leave one’s abode in this scorching heat. The government is striving hard to provide you basic facilities,” Nawaz Sharif said.

The camp is sparsely populated as the displaced people have avoided staying there due to its unsuitable location and inadequate facilities.The prime minister said the government would reconstruct the houses of the IDPs after the completion of the military operation.

He said that the government had decided to increase the monthly cash compensation of the IDPs from Rs12 000 to Rs20 000 a month including Rs3 000 for the monthly house rent and Rs5,000 for the non-food items. Therefore, the IDPs would be given Rs40,000 as cash compensation for the month of Ramazan which included Rs20 000 Ramazan package.

“We will utilise all available resources to facilitate you,” he said.The prime minister told the IDPs that he was aware of their difficulties and sentiments because leaving native homes was not an easy task. He said that he was confident that this problem would be resolved soon and the IDPs would return to their homes with honour and dignity.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that his government was well aware of the problems of dislocated people of NWA and reaffirmed the government commitment to utilise all the available resources for provision of speedy assistance and rehabilitation and ensure their early resettlement in their houses.

The prime minister said that there was no dearth of resources and the government would ensure provision of assistance, rehabilitation and relief and early settlement process. The prime minister said the IDPs were passing through difficult time and their sacrifices would not go waste. He hoped that their hard period in this harsh weather would come to an end soon.

The prime minister said that the government was working day and night to provide all the basic amenities of life to dislocated people to lessen their difficulties. The government and Army, he said, were working together day and night with the prime objective to provide comforts and relief to their tribal brethren. “This is not a kindness to them but we are fulfilling our duties,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif said the IDPs would be helped in reconstruction phase once the situation had improved in NWA. He said that the government would repair and improve the basic infrastructure including roads, health, clean drinking water facilities, schools and hospitals etc once law and order situation improved in the area. Nawaz Sharif said rebuilding and reconstruction phase in North Waziristan would not only generate employment opportunities for tribal people but would open up areas for trade and investment. It would alleviate poverty and bring progress and prosperity. He said the entire nation was united against the menace of terrorism and militancy and time was not far when complete peace would return to the agency.

Nawaz Sharif said that the government was left with no option but to launch massive military operation after failure of peace talks to establish its writ and protect the lives and properties of the people.The prime minister said that he held a detailed meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor and chief minister besides Army officials to review arrangements for the IDPs. He prayed to Allah Almighty to help the government in its efforts to eradicate terrorism and extremism to bring peace to North Waziristan.

He said peace was vital for progress and development of Pakistan. With prayers of IDPs, he said, peace would soon prevail in North Waziristan Agency. He said effective arrangements had been made for the provision of fodder and shelter to livestock brought by the IDPs. He lauded Pakistan Army and other departments for extending full support to IDPs. In addition to medicines, he said, doctors and paramedics had arrived in sufficient number to treat and vaccinate their brethrens. Later, the prime minister distributed relief goods and food packages among the IDPs and assured full support in future. He also shook hand with the IDPs on the occasion and inquired about their well being.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly praised Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and highlighted the role of his troops in offering sacrifices in the North Waziristan operation. Lauding the efforts of the Pakistan Army, Nawaz Sharif said the soldiers were playing a crucial role in facilitating the displaced people.

Earlier, General Raheel Sharif, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Khalid Rabbani and other senior military and civil officers received the prime minister. He was given a briefing by the military officials about the services being offered to the IDPs.

Local journalists in Bannu weren’t allowed to cover the visit of the prime minister.The prime minister was accompanied by Minister for Safron Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani and Bannu Commissioner Syed Mohsin Shah, who is the focal person for the IDPs, were also present on the occasion.

Law will decide Qadri’s return, says Pervaiz

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Tuesday said PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had come to Pakistan of his own free will but he will not be able to leave Pakistan now on his own.
Talking to media persons after visiting the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where scores of wounded cops are under treatment, the minister said: “Now Tahirul Qadri will return to Canada only after the law’s nod”. He was flanked by local PML-N leaders and legislators.

He said former military dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf had also come to Pakistan of his own free will but now he could not fly out as the law had not allowed him to do so.The minister was visibly perturbed over the violence unleashed by the supporters of Dr. Qadri on police personnel. He said the way the cops were subjected to aggression by what he called the ‘Ghundas’ of Tahirul Qadri had no parallel in history.

Senator Rashid claimed that the private parts of police officers and constables were targeted by the supporters of Tahirul Qadri on his (Qadri’s) direction.Praising the media for objectively showing the events on Monday, the minister said people could better decide who exactly had resorted to vandalism.

“Is this the revolution he is talking about and wants to bring to Pakistan,” he asked. “By creating a law and order situation, Tahirul Qadri wanted to divert the nation’s attention from the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation against terrorists in North Waziristan, but he would not succeed in achieving what he had planned for.”

Tahirul Qadri, he alleged, had been inciting his followers to violence for the last few weeks and what was witnessed on Monday was before everyone — cops received head injuries and their arms and legs were broken by his hooligans. The minister said around 100 cops were wounded in the violence.

The DHQ Hospital received a total of 35 injured policemen. The minister said PAT activists, on the directives of Dr. Tahirul Qadri, broke the arms and legs of policemen on duty. He further said the attackers would have to face the consequences in accordance with the law.

Referring to the activities of PAT activists in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the minister said a new type of terrorism was being imported to Pakistan and “we will deal with it like we are dealing with terrorists in North Waziristan”.

He said the nation should receive the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) migrating from North Waziristan as guests. “Serving IDPs is our duty,” said the minister.The minister made it clear that the armed forces were producing 100 per cent results with regard to the elimination of terrorists and the entire nation stood behind them.About the reports of the plight of the Internally-Displaced Persons of North Waziristan Agency, Senator Rashid said the government would take good care of them.

Australia offers asylum-seekers $10k to return home: report

SYDNEY: Australia is offering asylum-seekers in its Pacific immigration camps up to $10,000 (US$9,400) if they voluntarily return to their home country, a report said Saturday, prompting outrage from refugee campaigners.

Fairfax Media reported that those returning to Lebanon from detention centres on Papua New Guinea´s Manus Island and the tiny Pacific state of Nauru were offered the highest amount of $10,000.Iranians and Sudanese were given $7,000 if they dropped bids for refugee status, Afghans $4,000 and those from Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar $3,300, the report in The Sydney Morning Herald said.

The Herald said under the previous Labor administration -- in office until last September -- the payments were much lower, ranging from $1,500 to $2,000.Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said "return packages" were standard practice but would not reveal what the maximum payments had been.

"It has been the standard practice for more than a decade for settlement packages to be offered to those who voluntarily return home," Morrison told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The packages are tailored individually for every person who decides to voluntarily return home, he said.

"The packages range (in terms of) value and it´s not just in terms of any financial element, but also training, support and other issues to assist people to get on their feet when they return," he added.

Labor´s immigration spokesman Richard Marles said the government should be ensuring that asylum-seekers´ claims were being properly processed, not issuing "blank cheques".

"When Scott Morrison was in opposition, he opposed Labor´s own reintegration packages and now he is offering sums which are triple the amount," Marles told the ABC.

Australia has toughened its policy on asylum-seekers in recent years, with those arriving on unauthorised boats now refused residency in Australia even if they are deemed refugees.

Instead they are held in detention camps on Manus and Nauru and are expected to be resettled in those countries if their claims are valid.

Since the policy was introduced, more asylum-seekers have chosen to voluntarily return to their country of origin while the number of people attempting to reach Australia by boat has dried up, with no vessels arriving for six months.

Morrison´s office said 283 people had voluntarily returned home from offshore processing centres since shortly after the conservative government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott won power in September.

Refugee campaigners criticised the idea of the payments, and said returning asylum-seekers could still face persecution back home.

"The idea that you would put people in a hell-hole like Manus Island, treat them abysmally and then try to bribe them to go back to the appalling circumstances they left shows just how morally bankrupt this government is," Greens party leader Christine Milne said.

Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition said he had spoken to detainees in PNG who had accepted the money to return home, adding the amounts had risen several times after an Iranian asylum-seeker died in riots on Manus in February. "The money that´s being offered to some people... it´s straight out bribery," he told.

But he added: "Relatively few people are taking the money."

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Indian SC refuses Srinivasan return as BCCI chief

NEW DELHI: India's Supreme Court has refused to reinstate the suspended Narainswami Srinivasan after he requested to return as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The court on Wednesday asked the BCCI to share its plans of investigation into corruption in the Indian Premier League during a hearing next Tuesday.

The court last month ordered a reluctant Srinivasan to step aside until the investigation was finished.

Srinivasan´s son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, was among those found guilty in a report submitted to the Supreme Court, and indicted in February.

The court appointed test great Sunil Gavaskar as interim president for the duration of the IPL, which was due to begin late Wednesday. (AP)

Tom Cruise to return in ‘Top Gun’ sequel?

 

Tom Cruise will reportedly star in the sequel to the hit movie 'Top Gun' in which he had played the lead.

Hollywood star Tom Cruise will reportedly star in the sequel to the hit movie ‘Top Gun’ in which he had played the lead.

The producer of the original film, Jerry Bruckheimer has said that he is working on a sequel to the classic 1986 fighter pilot movie and Cruise, 51, will reprise his role as Maverick, reported Huffington Post.

“We’ve been trying to get that movie made for 30 years, and I think we’re getting closer and closer. Don Simpson and I tried to develop something, we didn’t succeed. Tom Cruise took over, and he tried to develop something, and he didn’t succeed. Now we’re back at it,” Jerry said.

Jerry, 70, also said that it was the director of the original movie, Tony Scott, who came up with the storyline of the sequel before he passed away in 2012.

“The concept is, basically, are the pilots obsolete because of drones. Cruise is going to show them that they’re not obsolete. They’re here to stay,” he added.

Morning Glory Pakistani crew likely to return home today: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday clarified that there are no signs of Iranian guards’ presence on Pakistan’s land.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam during her weekly briefing said, “Our authorities have combed Pakistani territory in search of the missing Iranian guards, however, there are no clues that they are in Pakistan.” The spokesperson said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also discussed this issue on telephone last night and the tone of discussion was very polite.

She said Pakistan and Iran enjoy deep-rooted multifaceted ties and were cooperating on the issue of missing guards.

The spokesperson said Iranian guards went missing at least 5-10 kilometers inside Sistan and an organization, Jaish-ul-Adl, claimed the responsibility for the missing guards.
She said Pakistan will extend all possible cooperation to Iran for the recovery of these guards.

Replying to a question, Tasnim Aslam said the dead body of a killed Iranian guard was not found from Pakistani territory, which also gives the hint about other guards.

The spokesperson said on the issue of missing Iranian security guards, Pakistan is neither apologetic with Iran nor wants that Iran will have aggressive attitude.

Morning Glory

Regarding the Morning Glory vessel, the spokesperson informed that the Pakistani crew is likely to arrive today or tomorrow. She said after necessary investigations in Tripoli, Libyan authorities have cleared all of them.

The spokesperson said since adoption of UN Resolution on 19th of this month, illegal transportation of Libyan oil has been declared a crime.

She said as precautionary measures, Pakistanis who work on such merchant vessels abroad, need to be very careful and make sure they are working with well-established companies to avoid any future complications.

Nuclear Supplier Group

On Nuclear Supplier Group, the spokesperson said Pakistan feels it qualifies for NSG status.

“We have sought the status of NGS for our energy requirements,” she added.

The spokesperson said the world has acknowledged Pakistan as a responsible nuclear state and there are also voices that Pakistan cannot be kept away from Nuclear Supplier Group.

Referring to recently held Nuclear Security Summit, Tasnim Aslam said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif made a very strong point for inclusion of Pakistan in NSG on non-discriminatory basis.


Modi’s Statements

Regarding Narendra Modi’s statements, the spokesperson said it is unfortunate that Pakistan becomes an issue during the election campaign in India.

She said Pakistan strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. She reiterated Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir dispute and urged India to sit with Pakistan for the resolution of all outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesperson said, “Pakistan wants to resolve the dispute through dialogue as it is imperative for development of the region and welfare of people.”

She said Pakistan wanted the international community to convince India for resumption of composite dialogue, therefore Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his recent statement clarified that Pakistan wants to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue with India through dialogue process but India is reluctant to do so, therefore, common friends like United States should force India to come to the negotiating table to resolve the dispute.

She said Jammu and Kashmir issue is still on the agenda of Security Council of the United Nations and presence of UN military group across Line of Control in Kashmir indicated that this is internationally recognized dispute and it is not the internal matter of India.

The spokesperson said people of the two countries should get the benefit of the trade and economic ties.

Drone Attacks

On the issue of drone attacks, the spokesperson hoped the United States will maintain its recent policy on drones as they are counterproductive.

She said there has been a broad international consensus against drones. Referring to EU Parliament’s resolution, she told it demands from all European countries to refrain from becoming party on drone strikes.

Bangladesh Flag Ban

In reply to a question regarding Bangladesh government’s directive for its cricket spectators, she said it is a matter to be looked into by the International Cricket Council.

She said spectators are well-aware of their feelings and can better decide about their support for any country.

US Media Report

Commenting on a report publish in an American newspaper, about shifting of Al-Qaeda leadership from Pakistan to Syria, the spokesperson said there has been no proof that Al-Qaeda leadership is moving to Syria from Pakistan and the report published in the newspaper is baseless and wrong.

The American newspaper while quoting Director of CIA John Brennan said that dozens of militant fighters, including some mid-level planners, have traveled to Syria from Pakistan in recent months.

Crimea’s return to Russia leaves Tatars fearful of future

Demonstration against the Russian annexation of Ukraine in Moscow.

Among the voices drowned out by victory celebrations across Crimea as it voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia were those of the Tatars, a minority group for whom the prospect of a return to Moscow rule brings only fear and uncertainty.
The Sunni Muslims, who are of Turkic origin, consider Crimea their home, and their deportation to Central Asia by Soviet forces during World War Two and earlier suppression by Josef Stalin meant they were far more comfortable with Ukraine. Now they face being dragged into modern-day Russia against their will, despite their boycott of Sunday’s referendum in which 97 percent of voters in the Russian-majority region were said to have rejected Kiev.
Tatars account for 12 per cent of the Black Sea peninsula’s population of two million people and their protest was not enough to change the outcome of a vote that has brought East-West relations to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
“Why do I not want to be a part of Russia?” asked Mustafa Asaba, a regional leader of Crimean Tatars. “Russia’s government is unpredictable, because at its head sits a dictator,” he said, referring to President Vladimir Putin who has masterminded the annexation of Crimea and alarmed Europe and the United States in the process. Asaba, wearing a traditional black wool hat, said he feared pro-Russian agitators in Crimea would resort to “provocation” to chip away at Tatars’ identity, by curtailing their language, culture and religion.
“We have always enjoyed freedom of expression … and I think that if they oppress us, we will resist,” he told Reuters at a friend’s home in the windswept town of Belogorsk, 50 km (30 miles) east of the Crimean capital Simferopol.
“There will be trials and prisons. Nothing good will come of it.”
The stocky 58-year-old was born in Uzbekistan, where his family was banished in the 1944 deportation – punishment for Tatars who joined special Nazi units and fought the Soviets. Many also served in the Red Army, but when Soviet troops retook the Black Sea peninsula, Stalin punished the entire Tatar population by loading them into railway cattle cars to spend a life in exile. Many died from disease or starvation, and Tatars were only allowed back to Crimea in the 1980s under Mikhail Gorbachev.
Hard Times
Crimean Tatars, who have not been afraid to express their views during the crisis, draw on the hardships of the past to steel themselves for what they expect will be hard times ahead.
“If the worst-case scenario comes about (joining Russia) – and we still hope it will not happen – I think our people have been through worse times, including deportation and living under curfew in Uzbekistan,” Asaba said. He believed only a small number of Tatars would leave Crimea now that it looks destined to become part of Russia –