High-ranking Indian election official resigns ahead of polls

By: Inter News on March 10, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

India’s second-highest ranked election commission official has resigned, the justice ministry said, days before the expected announcement of general elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a third term.

Arun Goel resigned on Saturday, leaving the Election Commission of India with only one of its three top officials to conduct what will be the largest exercise of the democratic franchise in human history.

Nearly a billion people are eligible to cast ballots in the elections, likely to be held in April-May.

The Ministry of Law and Justice said Indian President Droupadi Murmu had accepted Goel’s resignation, but did not cite a reason for his departure.

The NDTV news network said Goel had resigned due to “personal reasons”, citing sources.

Another official had retired last year and the position has not yet been filed.

The dates for the election, conducted in several phases, are likely to be announced next week, according to local media reports.

K.C. Venugopal, general secretary of the main opposition Congress party, said Goel’s resignation was a concern.

“It is deeply concerning for the health of the world’s largest democracy that Election Commissioner Mr Arun Goel has resigned on the cusp of the Lok Sabha (parliamentary) elections,” he said in a social media post.

“There is absolutely no transparency in how a constitutional institution like the ECI has been functioning and the manner in which the government pressurises them.”

Several opinion polls have indicated an easy win by Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in the general election.

A Pew survey last year found Modi was viewed favourably by nearly 80 per cent of Indians.

A poll of urban voters conducted by YouGov in February showed the BJP comfortably leading India’s manifold opposition parties in every measured age and gender demographic.

India in box seat after Sharma and Gill hundreds flatten England

By: Inter News on March 09, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

DHARAMSALA: Both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill struck their second hundred of the series to fetch India a handy first innings lead on day two of the fifth and final Test against England on Friday.

Each of India’s top five batters, including debutant Devdutt Padikkal, managed 50-plus scores to power the hosts to a commanding 473-8 for a lead of 255.

Ben Stokes claimed a wicket with his first ball in eight months, and James Anderson inched closer to his 700th Test wicket, but India, holding an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, looked in control of the contest.

Kuldeep Yadav (27) and Jasprit Bumrah (19) have raised 45 useful runs for the unbroken ninth wicket and they will resume on Saturday hoping to take India past the 500-mark.

India have been in the ascendancy since bowling out England for 218 on the first day at the picturesque Hi­m­achal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

Overnight batters Sharma and Gill went after the bowlers right from the word go.

The one shot that epitomised their appr­oach was when Gill stepped out against Anderson and hit test cricket’s most successful fast bowler over his head for a six.

“I thought the ball wasn’t doing much at that time,” said Gill, who smashed 110. “I wanted to go over the top to put some pressure on him, and that’s why I played that shot.”

Spinner Shoaib Bashir got a flick from Sharma but the ball flew past Zak Crawley before the fielder could even cup his hand.

Sharma took a single off Tom Hartley to bring up his hundred, while Gill slog-swept Bashir for a four in the next over to complete his century.

Stokes, who underwent knee surgery in November, resumed bowling duties with a magical delivery that hit the top of Sharma’s off-stump. Sharma’s mature 103 included three sixes.

Anderson flattened Gill’s off-stump in the next over to claim his 699th Test wicket. Gill smacked five sixes in his stellar knock.

“I think I missed out on a big one,” the number three batter said. “Even the ball that I got out to, I could not sight it properly.

“Apart from that, I’m feeling good, and hopefully I’ll be able to convert these starts into big ones.”

The collapse England wanted did not materialise as Sarfaraz Khan (56) counter-attacked.

The 26-year-old played an audacious ramp shot against Mark Wood and pulled the fast bowler for a six en route to his third fifty of his debut series.

Padikkal (65) hit Bashir for a six to bring up his fifty before the off-spinner produced a three-wicket burst. Sarfaraz perished in the slip, Padikkal lost his off-stump and Dhruv Jurel holed out in the deep. Bashir finished with figures of 4-170.

Tom Hartley joined the party removing Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in the same over.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 218 (Z. Crawley 79; K. Yadav 5-72, R. Ashwin 4-51)

INDIA (1st innings, overnight 135-1):

Y. Jaiswal st Foakes b Bashir 57

R. Sharma b Stokes 103

S. Gill b Anderson 110

D. Padikkal b Bashir 65

S. Khan c Root b Bashir 56

R. Jadeja lbw b Hartley 15

D. Jurel c Duckett b Bashir 15

R. Ashwin b Hartley 0

K. Yadav not out 27

J. Bumrah not out 19

EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-2) 6

TOTAL (eight wickets, 120 overs) 473

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-104 (Jaiswal), 2-275 (Rohit), 3-279 (Gill), 4-376 (Sarfaraz), 5-403 (Padikkal), 6-427 (Jurel), 7-427 (Jadeja), 8-428 (Ashwin)

STILL TO BAT: M. Siraj

BOWLING: Anderson 14-1-59-1 (1nb), Wood 15-1-89-0, Hartley 39-3-126-2, Bashir 44-5-170-4, Stokes 5-1-17-1 (1nb), Root 3-0-8-0

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2024

Journalist Asad Toor sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand in case linked to online campaign against judiciary

By: Inter News on March 08, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday sent journalist Asad Ali Toor to jail on 14-day judicial remand in a case pertaining to an online campaign against the judiciary.

Earlier this year, a five-member joint investigation team was formed to “ascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign” against the judiciary in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to deprive the PTI of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol.

On February 23, Toor was interrogated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for nearly eight hours on the same matter. Three days later, the journalist was arrested and remanded to FIA custody for five days.

According to the first information report, Toor was booked under Sections 9, 10 and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), which deal with the offences of glorification of an offence, cyber terrorism and cyberstalking.

According to the FIR, Toor “built a false narrative” and publically launched a “malicious/obnoxious and explicit campaign” against “civil servants/government officials and state institutions”.

On Wednesday, the court had extended Toor’s remand for two more days.

Today, Judicial Magistrate Shabbir Bhatti sent the journalist to Adiala Jail on 14-day judicial remand and rejected the FIA’s plea seeking a four-day extension in physical remand.

Appeal for dismissal from case disposed of

Separately, Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra took up an appeal against the journalist’s physical remand. Toor’s lawyer Hadi Ali and Imaan Hazir-Mazari attended the proceedings.

At the outset of the hearing, the FIA prosecutor stated that the agency had presented Toor in court and requested another four-day extension in his remand. However, the judge asked, “What did you do in all these days?”

In his response, the prosecutor said the journalist’s social media accounts were examined and his devices were confiscated. “We still have to recover some things from Asad Ali Toor,” he added.

Meanwhile, Toor’s lawyer Hadi Ali contended that his client was in FIA custody for the past 11 days and requested the court to discharge him from the case.

“Asad Toor’s mobile was taken, he was interrogated as well […] what more do they want? For what do they want an extension in physical remand?” he asked, adding that the journalist would be available for investigation after being discharged from the case.

Here, the judge inquired about Toor’s vlogs, to which Ali replied that they were about alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections.

On the other hand, the FIA prosecutor stated that Toor had posted vlogs in “exchange for money”. But the judge remarked, “They had nothing to do with money.”

At one point, Imaan argued that her client had approached the Islamabad High Court against FIA notice. At that, the judge remarked that they had approached two forums and subsequently reserved the verdict in the case.

Announcing the judgment later, the judge disposed of the plea seeking Toor’s dismissal from the case.

China says more Indian troops at Himalayan border won’t ease tensions

By: Inter News on March 08, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

China believes that India’s move to add more troops at their disputed border is “not conducive to easing tensions”, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

India has freed up a contingent of 10,000 soldiers, previously deployed at its western border, to strengthen its disputed border with China, according to several media reports.

The two countries have previously agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels, and recently held a constructive meeting on resolving border issues in the western section of the China-India border.

India has deployed 10,000 soldiers from its western border to guard its 532 kilometre-border with China in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, bordering the Himalayas, according to Indian media.

“China is committed to working with India to safeguard the peace and stability of the border areas,” Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said. “We believe that India’s practice is not conducive to safeguarding peace and is not conducive to easing tensions.”

Mao added that “India’s increase in military deployments in border areas does not help to calm the situation in the border areas or to safeguard peace and safety in these areas.”

India and China share a 3,800-km frontier, much of it poorly demarcated. At least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed in clashes in the area in mid-2020.

Both militaries have fortified positions and deployed troops and equipment there in the last few years.

UK PM Sunak’s mother-in-law appointed to Indian parliament

By: Inter News on March 08, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

The mother-in-law of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was on Friday appointed to serve in India’s parliament, capping a career working for the philanthropic arm of her billionaire husband’s tech firm.

Sudha Murthy, 73, is the former chair of the Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the global tech behemoth Infosys her husband N.R. Narayana Murthy co-founded in 1981.

The couple’s daughter Akshata married Sunak in 2009.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “delighted” at Murthy’s nomination to the upper house, announced by President Droupadi Murmu.

He said in a social media post that her “contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring”.

Most members of India’s upper house are elected but 12 of them, usually high achievers in public life, are nominated to the chamber by the president for a six-year term.

Murthy’s appointment takes immediate effect.

An engineer by training, Murthy is also a feted author and her foundation is credited with establishing libraries in rural areas.

The Indian government last year bestowed Sudha with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour, for her career in social work.

Her husband Narayana has an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion, according to Forbes.

In the past he has said he needed to borrow money from his wife to start his firm, now India’s seventh-largest by market cap and the first Indian company to be listed on the New York stock exchange.

Sunak, 43, became the first British prime minister of South Asian descent in 2022 — a milestone year for India’s relationship with its former colonial ruler.

That August marked the 75th anniversary of India’s independence from Britain, weeks before the South Asian country overtook Britain to become the world’s fifth-largest economy.

IMF ready for second review of current Pakistan program

By: Inter News on March 08, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that it “stands ready” to hold a mission for the second review of the Stand-By Arrangement with Pakistan after a new cabinet is formed.

“The focus, therefore, is currently on completion of the current Stand-By programme, which ends in April 2024. We look forward to working with the new government on policies to ensure macroeconomic stability,” IMF Director of Communications Julie Kozack told journalists at a news briefing on Thursday.

Kozack noted that the IMF Executive Board had approved the first review of Pakistan’s Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) on January 11, with disbursements totaling approximately $1.9 million.

The SBA aims to stabilise the economy, particularly focusing on safeguarding vulnerable segments of the population.

Highlighting the caretaker government’s efforts, Kozack praised their commitment to fiscal targets, the protection of social safety nets, and a tight monetary policy to control inflation.

She also acknowledged timely adjustments in tariffs to enhance the energy sector’s viability.

Looking ahead, Kozack emphasised the IMF’s readiness to conduct a mission for the second review of the Stand-By arrangement after the formation of a new cabinet. The current Stand-By programme concludes in April 2024, and the IMF anticipates working closely with the new government to ensure macroeconomic stability.

Responding to a question regarding political instability, Kozack refrained from commenting on politics. Instead, she reiterated the IMF’s commitment to collaborating with the new government and expressed optimism about fostering stability for the benefit of the people of Pakistan.

‘Looking forward’ to working with new govt

Last month, the IMF had stated that it is looking forward to engaging with the new government on policies to ensure “macroeconomic stability and prosperity for all of Pakistan’s citizens”.

The development came a day after PTI Senator Ali Zafar told reporters that a letter would be sent from incarcerated party founder Imran Khan to the international lender urging it to call for an independent audit of the Feb 8 general elections before it continues talks with Islamabad.

Zafar said the IMF, the European Union and other organisations had a charter that stated that good governance was needed for working in the country or giving a loan.

“The most important condition for good governance is democracy,” he said, adding that the people’s mandate was stolen “in the darkness of the night” during the Feb 8 polls.

He said that if elections were not free and fair, any organisation would avoid giving a “loan” to such a country. “Because that loan will further burden the people,” he said.

Pakistan urges UNSC to ask Afghan Taliban to cut ties with TTP, eliminate terrorism

By: Inter News on March 07, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, has asked the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to urge the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan to terminate their relationship with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The TTP could “soon pose a global terrorist threat” if left unchecked, Ambassador Akram warned the UNSC on Wednesday while addressing a special Security Council session on Afghanistan.

A total of 306 terrorist attacks took place in Pakistan in the year 2023 — including 23 suicide bombings — which killed 693 people (330 security personnel, 260 civilians, and 103 militants) and injured 1,124 others.

In February alone, the country experienced 97 militant attacks, resulting in 87 fatalities and 118 injuries, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said.

Furthermore, a report by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies’ Pakistan (PIPS) Security found that banned organisations such as the TTP accounted for over 82pc of terrorism-related deaths and conducted 78pc of terrorist attacks recorded in the country.

The report said that the militants’ intensifying attacks indicate that the TTP and its affiliates will continue to resort to an intensified terrorism onslaught with a view to ‘force’ Pakistan to reinstate the process of dialogue.

“The Afghan interim government’s failure to control the TTP and other terrorist groups erodes its claim of full control of its territory that it asserts in order to secure international recognition,” he said.

He also urged the UN to investigate how the TTP acquired advanced military equipment and weaponry and identify the source of its finances, which has helped sustain its estimated 50,000 fighters and terrorist operations.

Regarding the reported border incidents, he said that the armed forces respond to “cross-border attacks by the TTP and its affiliates against the country’s border posts and installations”.

“We would expect the UN to call on the Afghan interim government to prevent such cross-border attacks and infiltration by the TTP and other terrorists into Pakistani territory,” he said.

Highlighting that terrorist organisations in Afghanistan pose a security threat to the country’s immediate neighbours, the ambassador said: “Counter-terrorism must be the highest priority in any future roadmap for engagement with the Afghan interim government.”

At the same time, ambassador Akram said that the international community must help millions of destitute Afghans “through the provision of unconditional humanitarian assistance”.

He urged for the “support Afghanistan’s economy and, to this end, the international community should help revive the banking system and facilitate the release of frozen assets to the country’s central bank”.

For its part, the envoy said, the Taliban “must fulfill its international obligations especially regarding the fundamental rights of women and girls promote inclusivity and, above all, eliminate terrorism within and from Afghanistan”.

He called for a realistic road map, with reciprocal steps by the Afghan interim government and the international community, leading to the country’s integration into the international community.

The envoy also detailed some objections to the secretary-general’s report on the situation in Afghanistan, including its claim of an “unfavourable protection environment in Pakistan”.

He underscored that Pakistan had sheltered almost five million Afghan refugees for “over 40 years at great economic, social and security cost with little help from the international community”.

Earlier, Roza Otunbayeva, special representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan, in her briefing, stated that “Afghanistan remains a persistent challenge for the international community”.

“With a history of instability, terrorism and contributing to 85 per cent of global opium production, the nation also witnessed millions of refugees seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and beyond,” she added.