Zeilan Epaper

Published by Zeilan International Pvt. Ltd Volume 09 - May, 2021

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PG 2 Cabinet approves Burqa Ban

PG 3 COVID Haunts Lanka & World

PG 4

President to Eradicate Red Tape in State Sector

EASTER CARNAGE: LIKE NERO FIDDLED WHILE ROME BURNT

PG 5 India COVID devastation

Roman Catholic Church Cries Out for Justice T

By Srian Obeyesekere

PG 6 Jap. Secy. alleges Ex-SL Envoy Molested Her

PG 13

Zurfick Case Files Missing at Foreign Ministry

he Easter Sunday carnage of two years ago in 2019, when little children in the arms of their mothers celebrating the sacred day to Christians in church pews were simply bombed out as scores of families were snuffed out, that has been put down to security negligence tantamount to Nero fiddling as Rome burned, has come full circle with the Roman Catholic Church that that was targeted at three points at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, St Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya and Zion Church in Batticaloa by local Islamic radicals, turning vociferous urging the government to punish the perpetrators.

The bungling that led to the arrests

of the then Inspector General of Police, Pujitha Jayasundera and Defence Secretary, Hemasiri Fernando, has since taken a major twist with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), appointed by incumbent President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, holding that the former President Maithripala Sirisena was liable to be prosecuted for the lapse.

While this finding has been vehemently protested by the former president’s SLFP top brass, the unanimous clamour by the Catholic community led by Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith to bring to book those named in the PCoI report and to reveal the masterminds behind the attacks.

Meanwhile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda

Rajapaksa have remained firm in their pledge to bring to book all the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday carnage.

The President in his Easter Sunday message reiterated his pledge stating, “Two years ago, when Easter Sunday was being celebrated by the Sri Lankan Christian community with utmost devotion, they became victims of the most brutal attacks by extremists. The sorrowful memory of pain and loss caused by this tragic incident has not faded from the broken hearts of the suffering Sri Lankan people even today.

We will leave no room for the culprits as well as groups who are responsible for this dastardly attack to escape the arm of law.

Cont. 04

TO WEAR CROWN OF THE SEWER – THE POLITICAL SEWAGE OF SL

Putrifying Corruption Beneath the Glamour!

By Ivo Keerthipala

PG 8-9 Pakistan Natnl.

Day in Sri Lanka

PG 16 Praveen’s King size debut 11-wkts.

Sri Lankans who tuned in to watch the celebration of female beauty and gentleness by the Mrs. Sri Lanka for Mrs. World beauty pageant were in or a totally unexpected ugly feast at the end of the programme when the veneer of civility and culture projected by those associated with the event was stripped off and the snarling canines were out.

Of course, the big culprit in this sordid drama was none other than Pushpika de Silva, who was crowned Mrs. Sri Lanka, probably ended up in the guiness book of records for being the winner for the shortest period losing the crown literally within minutes of being declared the winner.

But true to form, the muddled organisers managed to do a Houdini act and yam the crown back on push pika’s injured head.

The evil sister act performed with gusto by the reigning Mrs. World Caroline Jury managed to wipe out whatever illusions the viewers had of the female as the gentler sex. that turned the entire pageant into a can of worms. It was obvious that Pushpika de Silva

was playing for her 15 minutes of fame. For, she came to the contest very well knowing that she had a pending divorce court case and that she would be a divorcee by July as intimated to the public by her husband who has made no bones about it that he is expecting their marriage to be annulled by that time. It means that by the time the Mrs. World Pageant would be held in December Pushpika de

Silva would accordingly have been disqualified from participating by the world organisers.

It was therefore no surprise that the supposed victim prior to the even the dust settling, announced in no uncertain terms her next goal – to wear the crown of the sewer which is the political sewage of Sri Lanka, the one entity that will surely welcome her with open arms as it’s a magnet for the failed, shallow and anti-social elements in society.

The craving for fame that fuels with entire nauseating narratives.

Unfortunately, there are no heroes or heroines in this sordid tale, only a poisonous venom consisting of hate, greed, ambition and a craving for fame that runs through this entire nauseating narrative reflecting and capsulizing the amoral time we live in.

Cont. 04

Cabinet approves proposed ban on burqas in public The cabinet has approved a proposed ban on wearing full-face veils including Muslim burqas in public on national security grounds, despite a United Nations expert’s comment that it would violate international law.

The cabinet approved the proposal

by Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera at its weekly meeting.

The proposal will now be sent to the Attorney General’s Department and must be approved by parliament to become law.

Minister Weerasekara has called burqas, a garment that covers the body and face worn by some Muslim women, a “sign of religious extremism” and said a ban would improve national security.

The wearing of burqas was temporarily banned in 2019 after Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks killed more than 260 people.

Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the ISIL (ISIS) group were blamed for the attacks at six locations – two Roman Catholic churches, one Protestant church and three top hotels.

A burqa-clad Sri Lankan Muslim woman in the capital, Colombo [Eranga Jayawardena/AP] Last month, Pakistani Ambassador Saad Khattak tweeted that a ban would hurt the feelings of Muslims.

The UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Ahmed Shaheed tweeted that a ban would be incompatible with international

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investigations on each of the attack sites had also been sent. The Attorney General would file cases against suspects of the Easter Sunday.

Weerasekera said that the AG had to study a large volume of documents. The Police had sent eight files on each of the Easter Sunday attack sites to the AG about two months back, he said.

“Those files run into thousands of pages. The PCoI report contains about 100,000 pages. The AG has to go through everything. The AG has appointed a team of 12 lawyers, and they are studying all these documents. They might also have to ask the police to do further investigations. This is not an easy task. In the US and India, some terror suspects have not been charged for years. Time is needed to build a sold case,” he said.

Minister of Mass Media, Keheliya Rambukwella toldthe media said that Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith had demanded legal action against those named in the PCoI report.

Rambukwella said that the government couldn’t decide whom to be prosecuted. The PCoI had made

They shopped like ‘To Hell with antiCOVID Safeguards’ They shopped like to Hell with COVID-19 as people, bent on celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, went about on a shopping spree in apparent scant regard to the dos and don’ts of the anti-pandemic health guidelines.

It was a scenario under the very eyes of the police patrols. The long drawn national anti-COVID campaign beamed to the nation over the electronic and print media fronted on the 1 meter distance health security guideline warnings fell on deaf ears as neck to neck shoppers became the vogue. Also conspicuous among the thronging crowds were some shoppers going about minus the basic face mask.

As the shoppers in their numbers had their day little realising the serious health risk they had exposed themselves to, the bottom line of it all was the bringing to naught the efforts of the health authorities and medical gamut sweating it out to wade off the COVID killer monster that continues to decimate life and the country economy.

law and the right to free religious expression.

Muslims make up about 9 percent of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people, with Buddhists accounting for more than 70 percent. Ethnic-minority Tamils, who are mainly Hindus, comprise about 15 percent.

Naufer Easter Sunday carnage mastermind -Public Security Minister The mastermind of the Easter Sunday attacks was Naufer Moulavi, a mentor of NTJ leader Zahran Hashim, Minister of Public Security, Dr. Sarath Weerasekera said, when asked by a journalist whether there had been a foreign hand behind the attacks.

Former Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Rasheed Hajjul Akbar too had played a main role, the Minister said.

The Minister said so at a press briefing in Colombo on the future of the report on the PCoI on the Easter carnage.

Weerasekera also said that there was no concrete evidence to prove that Pulasthini Rajendran alias Sarah Jasmine, the wife of Atchchi Muhammadu Muhammadu Hastun, who detonated a suicide bomb at St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya on 21 April 2019, had escaped to India.

A journalist told the Minister that during the sittings of the PCoI on the attacks several key witnesses had said there was a foreign involvement in the attacks; some witnesses said they had seen Sara a few months after the attacks and a policeman had been arrested on the allegations that he had helped Sara escape to India.

However, the Minister said that they was no concrete evidence to suggest Sara was alive, although according to the DNA tests, Sara was not among those killed at a Jihadist safe house at Sainthamaruthu on April 26, 2019.

“There were so many body parts there and we must test all of them again to determine whether she was not died there. We have not done a second batch of DNA testing,” Minister Weerasekera said.

The Public Security Minister said that the Attorney General had been given files on 32 suspects for legal action to be instituted; eight more files containing police

NEW YEAR SHOPPERS

recommendations and the AG had the responsibility to implement them.

Journalists then asked the Minister whether the government would initiate legal action against former President Maithripala Sirisena, who is the head of a constituent party of the government.

On Sunday, Cardinal Ranjith specifically asked the government to take legal action against Sirisena.

“We don’t intervene in these matters. The AG will decide,” Minister Rambukwella said.

Journalists also asked Minister Weerasekera whether action would be taken against policemen whose lapses had contributed to the attacks. The Cardinal too raised concerns about a top policeman in the Central Province named in the PCoI report.

Minister Weerasekera said that he had instructed the IGP to hold a disciplinary inquiry and take action against policemen who were still in the service.

“The Cardinal is happy with the work the police have done. There is a delay because the AG has to study all documents and build a strong case.”

Sri Lanka bans Muslim groups before Easter attacks anniversary Muslim organisations, including the ISIL and al-Qaeda, banned before the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks.

Sri Lanka has banned 11 Muslim organisations, including the ISIL (ISIS) group and al-Qaeda, a week before the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 279 people.

Anyone linked to the groups – the other nine of which are local religious and social organisations – faces up to 20 years in jail, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a gazette notification.

Keep reading What is behind the anti-Muslim measures in Sri Lanka?Sri Lanka arrests ‘Mrs World’ after on-stage fracas, assaultExplainer: What the UNHRC resolution means for Sri Lanka Before the anniversary, the country’s Roman Catholics had threatened to take to the streets over what they say is the government’s failure to act against those responsible for the attacks.

Some of the groups banned on Wednesday had previously been linked to the lead bomber.

The move, made under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was “in furtherance of the efforts of the government of Sri Lanka made in good faith for the purpose of ensuring the continuance of peace within the country”, Rajapaksa said.

The seven Sri Lankans who attacked three churches and three hotels in April 2019 had pledged allegiance to the ISIL leader at the time, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

However, investigators said they had found no evidence of their direct links to ISIL. Two local groups said to be directly linked to the attacks were banned in 2019, but a presidential investigation into the bombings wanted similar Muslim groups outlawed too.

All seven bombers died and no other suspects have been charged.

The head of the Roman Catholic church in Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has demanded swift action not just against those responsible, but against the politicians and officials who failed to stop them.

The investigation found that then-President Maithripala Sirisena and his intelligence leaders were warned by India about the attacks 17 days before they were staged.

The United States has filed an action against three Sri Lankans over the bombings. Five US nationals were among 45 foreigners killed in the blasts.

The inquiry, whose report was released earlier this year, also recommended that Buddhist organisations accused of instigating intercommunal unrest before and after the bombings be banned, but none was named in Wednesday’s decree.

HAS SCYTHED LIFE & ECONOMY BALANCE

Tricky COVID-19 Tsunami continues to haunt Sri Lanka and rest of the world While the unprecedented challenging global battle for survival over the COVID-19 monster killer virus continues with human life staggeringly mowed down by the lakhs akin to a COVID Tsunami, in Sri Lanka it has raised serious fears as to the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the country confirmed to be the UK variant, B.1.1.7. Sri Lanka setting a new record for coronavirus cases for a second day confirmed 1,716 new cases on Friday April 30, the highest single-day spike since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

The third wave’ of the COVID-19 pandemic remained a threat with the number of infections continuing to rise exponentially, even as the Government enacted a series of measures to avoid a catastrophe of epic proportions with lockdowns in certain adversely affected areas such as Piliyandala, Kalutara and Moratumulla and Gampaha.

With over 1,700 infections recorded in a single day and indications the daily number of infections would surpass 2,000 for the first time shortly, the total of number of persons infected in Sri Lanka now stands at 114,000 with 720 persons succumbing to the virus as of May 6.

By Wednesday, 14 Covid deaths were reported taking the total to 734, according to the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak For the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, the first death of a pregnant woman as a result of contracting the coronavirus disease was reported on May 05. The 45-year-old victim had been transferred to Ragama Hospital from Minuwangoda. Ragama Hospital Director Dr. Sampath Liyanage said she was transferred from Minuwangoda hospital to Ragama Teaching Hospital and confirmed of having died due to COVID pneumonia.

However, tourist arrivals too remained a threat to controlling the pandemic. Some 40 tourists were reported to have been Corona patients some weeks ago. With escalating fears of tourists from Covid hit India travelling to Sri Lanka, the Civil Aviation Authority announced May 5 that all arrivals from India will be prohibited entry to Sri Lanka due to the current COVID-19 situation within the country.

However, State minister Prof. Channa

Jayasumana reportedly stated that the UK virus mutant had not been detected in tests when warnings were first issued over the matter.

Jayasumana told reporters that the Department of Immunology at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura had notified that five individuals had contracted the virus containing a strain not detected before in Sri Lanka. But that none of the 800 tested positive for the virus.

Sri Lanka which seemed to be just getting back to normal over a month ago, has suddenly hit the panic buttons following a sudden surge. The general public has been largely faulted over irresponsible behavior by the authorities for failure to comply with the strict health guidelines. By April 28, hospitals were said to be over capacitated with the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Homagama Hospital burdened with the case-load with the Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardana expressing concern.

The number of ICU admissions had

increased considerably consequent to the new variant with many youth UCU cases by complicated symptoms leading to the gravity of the situation.

India has recorded almost 20.7 million COVID-19 cases as of May 06.

The Civil Aviation Authority has said that all arrivals from India will be prohibited entry to Sri Lanka due to the current COVID-19 situation within the country.

Among the positive cases identified Tuesday are, 1,082 associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster, 07 associates of Prison Cluster and 15 persons arrived from overseas.

World-wide, Coronavirus cases rose unabated with 149,313,302 infected by the deadly contagion. While 127,451,084 have recovered, 3,148,014 have died so far. The US remains the worst-hit country with 32,926,352, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia. However, in the past seven days, India has added the highest number of fresh cases at 2,311,021, followed by the US (408,104) and Brazil

(392,743). Notably, Britain, which was worst hit next to the Unites States, has successfully beaten back the pandemic despite the scourge of a deadlier third wave of the virus, While the vaccines have largely proved to be effective in countering the virus in the human body, some vaccines have reported to be flawed causing blood clots which has caused some countries such as Denmark to stop the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while the US, South Africa and European Union has temporarily stopped the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid jab, after reports of rare blood clotting. For all the new counter devices, the COVID-19 continues to be a major threat with some countries including Canada and Chile reporting a new third wave to have emerged. The pandemic continues to rage in Brazil with hundreds of babies and young children dying. India is experiencing a punishing second wave and the problem aggravated by a short supply of drugs, oxygen and beds.

In Sri Lanka, the COVID has scythed through an entire periphery decimating life and economy balance in the last two years since March 2019. Of a total number of 95, 737 confirmed cases, 604 deaths with an average of between 2 to 5 daily with 117 new cases is certainly not comforting. The economy downsising has led to drastic employee repatriation by cash hit job companies. Moreover, tourism, the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner by a year-on-year 93.6 per cent tourist arrival intake tumbled to 4,581 in March 2021. It is a stark reflection of the unprecedented health, social and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The very nature of the virus is its penetration of the respiratory track identified as the killer element. Said to affect different people in different ways, COVID-19 varies in measure. The serious symptoms are of difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, loss of speech or movement necessitating immediate medical treatment.

In effect, putting the coronavirus continues to be a needling tricky issue.

Prince Philip’s car now a Sri Lankan royal artefact The Duke of Edinburgh was a car aficionado who bought the 1935 Standard Nine for 12 pounds when he was based in Colombo with the British Navy in 1940.

An almost 90-year-old car that once belonged to Britain’s late Prince Philip is now the centrepiece of a seaside museum in Sri Lanka.

“When he came back in the early 1950s, he came and saw the car,” said Sanjeev Gardiner, who has kept the vehicle at his Galle Face Hotel in Colombo.

“When he saw the car he said, ‘I hope the brakes work. They didn’t work then.'”

According to Gardiner, the prince acknowledged that the Standard was the first car he bought. He also became a patron of the Standard Motor Car club.

Gardiner’s hotel, one of the oldest in the former British colony, has built a museum around the silver and black sedan, preserving it for the enjoyment of guests and tourists.

Mavis Gardiner of Colombo, Sri Lanka, emerges from her 1935 Standard Nine car [File: Sena Vidanagama/AFP] Royal cars At the time he bought it, the prince reportedly failed to beat down the asking price for the second-hand car, though he did

manage to get a payment plan of two equal instalments within a month.

According to museum records, he first drove the car from Colombo to a naval base in Trincomalee, 260km (160 miles) away.

The car, with a mileage of 93,040km (58,150 miles), has been restored several times and can still be driven, Gardiner told AFP news agency, but the prohibitive insurance cost means it is not taken out any more.

The vehicle was bought by Gardiner’s father Cyril in the early 1950s.

Gardiner said his father also loaned the royals the Cadillac used by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during their first official Sri Lanka visit in 1954.

“That along with another used by the royal family are being restored at the moment,” he said.

Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99 last week, was known to love cars and often choose to drive himself.

But in 2019, he surrendered his driving licence at the age of 97 after a collision that flipped his car and injured two other people.

During the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral procession on Saturday, a bespoke Land Rover Defender that he helped design will bear his coffin to the Windsor Castle.

Galle Face Hotel chairman Sanjeev Gardiner, right, and his son Seshaan pose with the 1935 Standard Nine vintage car – April 16, 2021. [ Courtesy Ishara S Kodikara/AFP]

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President to eradicate red tape in State sector

Legislation to come down hard on bureaucracy or red tape in State institutions by virtue of a directive by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is seen as a far sighted decision to eliminating this long drawn bane that has proved to be the No.1 public enemy to economic development of the country.

Accordingly, under a directive by a mandate of the Extraordinary Gazette signed by the Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, it would in effect give teeth to taking to task senior government officials who are reportedly said to be deliberately delaying the implementation of programs initiated by President Rajapaksa under his manifesto ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor.’

Red tape within State institutions by senior government officials falling to perform their duties effectively has proved to be a detrimental factor to overall development over the years.

It is pertinent to note that the President had from time to time urged State employees to fulfill their official work without delay in order to serve the general public more

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effectively, and had even given an ultimatum stating that those who could not perform should depart.

Under the new legislation of the Presidential directive gazette issued by the Presidential Secretariat, the hammer will come down on State employees who delay or fail to perform the duties assigned by the newly appointed Presidential Task Force for “Gama Samaga Pilisandara” (Dialogue with the Village). Accordingly, such officials will be reported directly to the Secretary to the President. The subject of official red tape was also the hot topic at recent top level government meetings.

“I do hereby require and direct the said Task Force to report to me all instances where any Government employee or an officer in any Ministry, Government Department, State Corporation or any such Institution who delay the performance of duties and fulfillment of responsibilities or fail to perform such duties and responsibilities to be entrusted by the said Task Force,” the gazette issued by Secretary Jayasundara on behalf

of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated.

A priority task of the16-member Presidential Task Force headed by Minister of Youth and Sports, Namal Rajapaksa is mandated to identify and address the “fundamental problems of the grassroots community to meet the aspirations of the people for access to peoplecentered economic development empowered by the rural economy in accordance of the government’s policy statement, “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor” The Task Force is accordingly mandated to direct all officers at the divisional level as per the service requirements, including the District Secretary, Divisional Secretary and all other heads of institutions to expedite the implementation of Presidential directives on the issues and problems raised by the people under the program.

The Task Force Is also empowered to deploy Grama Niladharis, Development Officers (State Ministry of Home Affairs), Agricultural Research Assistants (Agrarian Services Department), Samurdhi Development Monitors and Officers (Department of Samurdhi Development), Family Health Officers (Health Department) covering every village to provide Residential Level Projects, technical and consulting services.

Top priority projects to be accelerated include roads, drinking water supply, electricity, telecommunications, playgrounds, schools, hospitals, vocational training institutes, urban universities, land transfers, banks and financial facilities, markets, stores and infrastructure implemented by national-level government agencies in the Pradeshiya Sabha and Divisional Secretariat areas under the 2021-2023 budget allocations.

Zeilan International MD, Dr. Zurfick appeals to readers The founder and Managing Director of ‘Zeilan International’ Dr. M.G.M.S. Zurfick, who also ran the well-known Al Islam Muslim Newspaper, edited by famous journalists, Thalif Deen and Hamza Haniffa , appeals for support to keep his latest newspaper initiative going.

Donations could be made to: Hattion National Bank, Wellawatte Branch, Account No. 009010460178.

Zurfick, one of the country’s top foreign exchange drivers during his prime as a premier gem and jewelry entrepreneur, and

Continued from page 01

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Fussel Lane Wellawatte Bambalapitiya Flats.

Borella Panchikawatte Armour Street Pettah, Fort Bambalapitiya Kollupitiya Slave Island Havelock Road (Opposite Mayura Place)

outstanding sportsman of yore, also bestows his blessings during this Holy month of Ramazan on all good hearted donors who rally round the humble appeals of the social service organisations that have sought financial support to help the needy.

Petrifying Corruption...

This ugly spectacle that unfolded at one of Colombo’s mega entertainment theatres, was apparently allowed to be scripted by the organisers who totally failed this international event by their passive and deplorable attitude, permitting the event to be brought to disgrace by caroline jury and another woman, mnamendra w the organisers have to be totally faulted for their passive backseat role veritably permitting the event to be brought to disgrace

by Mrs. World Caroline Jurie and another young woman, Manamendra, said to be Jurie’s assistant. It is indeed impossible to imagine that the organisers as well as mrs jurie

were unaware when Pushpika de Silva was crowned as the winner that she had a pending divorce case.

It is mystifying as to why mrs jurie and bher assistant could not have approached the authorities and defused the situation beore the final round thereby avoiding this unsavory incident to unfold.

Sadly pushpika de silva was playing for her 15 minutes of fame for she too contested knowig only too well that she had a pending divorc case and that there was av possibility that she could be a miss and not a mrs by the time December dawned for the mrs world contest.

Also, the Government is determined to ensure national security in order to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies in the Motherland,” the President stated.

Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his message reiterated that the Government would leave no stones to punish the perpetrators.

In the wake of continued pleas by Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, a prominent Muslim lawmaker and former Cabinet minister, Rishad Bathiudeen, who currently leads an opposition party and his brother Reyaj Bathiudeen, were arrested by police for allegedly aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who committed the Easter Sunday carnage in 2019 that killed 269 people.

Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group have been blamed for the six near-simultaneous blasts at two Roman Catholic churches, a Protestant church and three tourist hotels. Both Muslims and Catholics are minorities in Sri Lanka, where Buddhists make up 70% of the population.

Nine persons connected to the suicide bombings were Alawdeen Ahmed Muad, Atchchi Muhammadu Muhammadu Hasthun, Mohamed Nassar Mohamed Asad, Mohamed Azan Mohamed Mubarak, Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zahran, Mohamed Ibrahim Inshaf Ahamed, Mohamed Ibrahim Ilham Ahamed, Abdul Lathif Jameel Mhamed, Fathima Ilham.

India COVID devastation 4,12,262 new cases, 3,980 deaths in last 24 hours Leads world on average daily cases

India on Thursday May 6 reported 4,12,262 new cases and 3,980 deaths in the last 24 hours. India had become the first country in the world to register over 4 lakh infections in a single day on April 30, when it reported 4.08 lakh infections. The surge reached serious proportions since Friday April 15 when 2,08,046 new COVID-19 cases as of 9.15 p.m. with as many as 1,120 deaths also recorded on the day. In other news, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief and former Union minister Ajit Singh passed away on Thursday after losing battle to Covid-19, his son Jayant Chaudhary confirmed on Twitter. He was 82.

Average daily cases

India continues to lead the world in terms of average daily cases detected. As of April 15, India recorded 1,75,910 daily cases on average. With 70,483 average daily cases, the U.S. was a distant second followed by Brazil with 66,689 average new cases. However, in terms of average daily deaths, India (952) was second to Brazil (2917).

With no respite in the surge of new coronavirus infections, the Kerala government has announced a lockdown in the state from May 8 to May 16. Kerala registered almost 42,000 cases in the last 24 hours, setting new records. The state had already brought in strict restrictions

that prevented unnecessary travel and reduced attendance in offices from this Tuesday.

In other news, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief and former Union minister Ajit Singh passed away on Thursday after losing battle to Covid-19, his son Jayant Chaudhary confirmed on Twitter. He was 82.

Meanwhile, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister Wednesday said a third wave of Covid-19 was inevitable given the high levels of the circulating virus and that they couldn’t predict a time frame for it. The Centre also said that the “surge in cases seen over the last one and a half

month in some states” shows a “correlation with the rise in (presence) B.1.617.”

The figures do not include cases and deaths from Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh. The data are sourced from covid19india.org, an independent aggregator of daily figures.

The country has so far reported a total of 1,44,95,972 cases and 1,75,455 deaths.

Around 27.3 lakh vaccination doses were administered in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. on Friday, which is 5.83 lakh lesser than what was given in the previous 24 hours. A total of 11,72,23,509 doses had been administered as of 7 a.m. on Friday.

Indian court rules Covid deaths due to lack of Oxygen a ‘criminal act and not less than a genocide’ A court in India on Tuesday May 4 said that the deaths of Covid-19 patients due to lack of oxygen is a “criminal act and not less than a genocide," according to a judgement posted on the court's website.

The Allahabad High Court, which has jurisdiction over India’s most populous Uttar Pradesh state, said, “Death of Covid patients just for non supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen.”

A two-justice bench of the court made the remark during a hearing related to the Covid-19 crisis in Uttar Pradesh, which is among the worst-hit states in India's deadly second wave of the pandemic.

In a strong criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of the crisis, the state’s top court cited videos showing hoarding of oxygen cylinders and harassment of poor people begging for an oxygen cylinder.

“We find these news items showing a quite contrary picture to one claimed by the (state) Government that there was sufficient supply of oxygen,” the court stated.

It pointed out two specific stories of Covid-19 patients allegedly dying due to the lack of oxygen in the cities of Meerut and Lucknow and directed the state government to take “immediate remedial measures" and ordered an inquiry into the two cases.

Japanese Private Secy. to ExAmbassador Charlie Mahendran accuses him of Molesting her We reproduce the full text of the letter sent by Ms. Inoue, the Japanese Private Secretary of Charlie Mahendran, the former SL ambassador to Japan to Mrs. Gwen Herath complaining against him of sexually abusing her. In her letter to Herath, Inoue has introduced herself as having gone out shopping with Herath and her daughter in Japan.

The text of Ms. Inoue’s letter: Mrs. Gwen Herath c/o Hon. Harold Herath Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic Building Colombo 1` SRI LANKA “Dear Mrs. Herath, First of all, I must ask for your forgiveness for my writing to you abruptly.

I am a Japanese young woman previously working for the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo, who took you and your daughter out for shopping one day during your visit to Japan in July. I hope you remember me.

As you may have noticed by my saying “previously working”, I have already resigned from the job in the Embassy.

Today, I am writing to you to bring to your notice certain facts regarding the Embassy.

The reason for my resignation was ‘sexual harassment’ by the Ambassador.

He approached me physically from the very first day I joined the office taking advantage of the fact that no one enters his room without first knocking on the door, and one day he went as far as “to stick his tongue into my mouth and grab sexual parts of my body by force.

Another time he ordered me to take ‘Madam and him’ for overnight sightseeing out of Tokyo, saying that they will provide accommodation, but actually taking me to one of his hideouts, he and I alone. To my deepest regret, my personal situation at that time did not allow me to lose the job and all I could do was to plead him to stop it.

He was reasonable enough to stop physical approach after my repeated protest, but instead started harassing me orally by calling me to his room and

fo0rcing me to listen to his own sex life stories or about some case of rape he read in the papers the previous day. And he threatened me that he will stop giving me work every time I told him I do not like listening to those stories.

I tolerated for six months but ran out of patience one-day last month and resigned giving him the exact reason why I am leaving. I heard that on the next day I left the Ambassador reported to your Foreign Ministry saying that he ‘dismissed’ me because I was a ‘loose woman’ – obviously in anticipation of, or rather in fear of, my reporting to the Ministry about his indecent deeds. But I do not really understand – even if I WERE a ‘loose woman’, that should not at all authorize him to molest me by force, abusing his power as a boss. Moreover, I am just an average city-bred Japanese young woman who has quite a few menfriends with whom she occasionally enjoys drinking and talking. I do not know if Sri Lankan culture calls it ‘loose’.

It is also true that there was another girl

before me who was sexually harassed by the Ambassador and left in five days. This is something most of the present Japanese staff there know, and once I spoke to her on the phone confirming the fact.

Mrs. Herath, the true purpose of my writing to you, however, is not to accuse the present Ambassador personally.

There is an old Japanese gentleman who has been in close relation with the Embassy for last thirty years. Recently when I had a chance to meet him I came to know that not only the present ambassador but many previous ambassadors and Diplomats from Sri Lanka have been doing the same kind of thing to Japanese young woman-officers. He has seen many women leave the Embassy because of sexual harassment, he says. He also said that it is a well-known fact among officers in Japanese Foreign Ministry Asian Affairs Bureau that diplomats from Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan are sexual molesters. I have not yet had a chance to speak to Foreign Ministry officers of myself, but later another

Japanese journalist and a businessman told me that they also know of the bad reputation of diplomats from Sri Lanka.

When the Ambassador first molested me I was so shocked and needed someone’s advice, so I went to the youngest Sri Lankan officer in the Embassy in the hope that at least he of the same generation will share the same sense of value with me. To my great disappointment, however, his reply was this – “So what?

It is the price you have to pay for being a young girl.” I am truly afraid he may become another molester in future when he comes to be in a position with more power.

Mrs. Herath, the decision rests completely with you whether you believe all that I brought to your notice or not. I simply thought that I would definitely take some immediate action if I ever come to know Japanese diplomats abroad molesting local girls – Diplomats are there to represent Japanese nationals and I would regard it a great shame for all Japanese.

And I too, as a Japanese, would feel very responsible to correct it.

Lastly, again, please do understand that I do not intend to accuse the present Ambassador personally. In a large sense, it is not his fault if he was brought up in such culture as to regard women as an inferior sex. Educating and enlightening younger generation should be the way rather than punishing the old one.

Thank you very much for reading this through and please forgive me for writing anything that may have offended you.

I have been to Sri Lanka twice and have very dear Sri Lankan friends. I like Sri Lanka.

I sincerely hope you share views with me – as a woman, and as a Sri Lanka lover.

Yours Sincerely and respectfully, Naomi Inoue P.S. Please excuse me for using pseudonym on the envelope. I wanted to be sure that this letter reaches you safe.

(Ambassador once hired a man to tail me 24 hours.)

Naomi Inoue is my real name FOOTNOTE: For the record, this matter was raised in Parliament by the Hon. M.P. Nimal Siripala de Silva.

From COVID-19 to Carcinogen Coconut Oil Scare The cancer related carcinogen coconut oil scare syndrome that has snowballed slap bang putting Sri Lankan consumers in a sweat, has momentarily overshadowed the now raging deadly COVID-19 killer disease that has not spared a country, the carcinogen coconut oil scare has caused jitters roundly with housewives leaving their frying pans dry due to the prevailing fear that consumption of such fried foods leads to cancer.

At the center of the controversy are palm oil imports and local palm oil cultivation with the staggering revelation that palm oil is being imported on large scale due to its diverse uses in the Biscuit and Bakery industries in Sri Lanka.

Believed to be cancer genic, palm oil is used in biscuits and bakery products which are highly consumed by Sri Lankans, leading to the rocketing of statistical figures on cancer patients in the country.

It is understood that Oil palm has being cultivated by a group

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of very wealthy and leading business tycoons of the country.

Many parts of Sri Lanka have become barren and dried out of water sources amidst the oil palm cultivation, further driving the crisis into complexity.

However, in the wake of escalating fears and concerns following the impasse, the lid has come down on the use of palm oil to nip it in the bud with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa banning the import of palm oil and plantations companies directed to uproot trees in the field 10 percent at a time and plant rubber. Similarly, cultivation of oil palm has been completely banned.”

The aim was “to free Sri Lanka from oil palm plantation and palm oil consumption,” a statement from the President’s office stated.

Accordingly, the Controller General of Department of Imports and Exports Control had been directed by the President’s Secretary, P. B. Jayasundera to issue a gazette notice banning imports from April 05. In conformity with the ban,

the Director-General of Customs had been directed to refrain from clearing palm oil cargos at the Department of Customs Among the publicly listed palm oil companies are Watawala, Namunukula, Elpitiya and Agalawatte.

Six months ago President Rajapaksa had instructed to “gradually ban” the cultivation of palm oil.

In accordance with the ban, companies and entities which have done such cultivations have been required to remove

them on a phased out manner with 10 percent uprooting at a time and replacing it with the cultivation of rubber or environmental friendly crops each year to free Sri Lanka from oil palm plantation and palm oil consumption..

Several publicly listed regional plantations companies had reportedly grown palm oil after import taxes were raised on edible oils over the last decade to give high profits to owners of coconut plantations.

Dr. Zurfick’s abduction and robbery case files go missing from SL foreign ministry ZURFICK ALLEGES BIG HIDDEN HAND BEHIND IT ALL The now famous abduction, torture and robbery of Dr. M.G.M.S. Zurfick, one of Sri Lanka’s premier gem and jewelry entrepreneurs, when he was in Japan, has taken a new bizarre turn with the case records filed at the Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all of a sudden mysteriously going missing.

The said files had gone missing during the tenure of the previous ministry secretary, Ravinatha Aryasinha.

Bizarre as the attack on Zurfick was, the latest bizarre development of his case files going missing while in the custody of the SL foreign ministry does smell of a can of worms.

Dr. Zurfick has lodged a police complaint regarding the missing case files and a statement has been obtained from him.

For the record, Dr. Zurfick has had a running battle with the foreign ministry accusing it of sweeping under the carpet his complaint against the former ambassador to Japan, Charlie Mahendran to have been in cahoots with the prime accused in his abduction and robbery case, M. Rudwan. In support of his complaint, Zurfick has presented what he calls the hard evidence of what he calls a false report on him by Mahendran to the ministry calling him a cheat where the former ambassador has gone to the extreme of stating that he had reason to believe that Zurfick had cheated the prime accused Rudwan.

However, Dr. Zurfick contends that Mahendran, the former ambassador’s bluff was called when the Japan District Court, ruled that Rudwan and three other accused had confessed that they in fact had screamed at Zurfick that he was a cheat having seized him in his apartment so as to drive panic into their victim in order to rob him wholesale of his precious stones, jewelry, cash and cheque books having got Zurfick to put his signature to the blank cheques. Zurfick has placed diverse evidence against Mahendran’s foul play at tarnishing his name so as to cover up for the main

rude to me and he did not have any willingness to give me any assistance to myself as the lawyer for Mr. Zurfick.

When I went with Mr. Zurfick to the Sri Lankan Embassy, he also mentioned that Mr. Zurfick would not get a single piece of gem stone from the gangsters, and my observation is that he has supported Rudwan to help him in certain manner. As an ambassador, he has failed to do his duties because it is the ambassador’s duty to extend his hands to any Sri Lankan citizen who got into troubles while he is staying in the country to which the ambassador was assigned. Therefore, I suspect that the ambassador hyad some connection with Rudwan.”

Adding to the evidence against The case files had gone missing during Mahendran is that of the then tenure of ex-ministry Secy. Ravinatha Aryasinha. secretary, foreign affairs ministry, Mr. accused. On that basis Zurfick has Gamini Seneviratne who issued an continued to challenge the bona fides affidavit stating that he had reason to of top foreign ministry officials and the suspect the bona fides of Mahendran then deputy minister of foreign affairs, after he failed to comply with his M. Hussein Bhaila as to how they have (Seneviratne’s) directive to obtain dismissed his continuous complaints and submit a report from the Japan and held that they were fully satisfied Police in order to substantiate a report that Mahendran had conducted he (Mahendran) filed to the ministry himself fairly concerning Zurfick. stating that Zurfick was a cheat who Zurfick has challenged their stand sold glass pieces and that the Japan that his complaints were baseless Police was suspicious of him. by claiming that Hussien Bhaila as Seneviratne has further contended the deputy minister dismissed his that he was convinced that complaints without summoning Mahendran acted with a personal him for an investigation and without vendetta against Zurfick. conducting an investigation.

Zurfick also alleges Mahendran Another serious piece of of having been in the possession incriminatory evidence against of his stolen passport which was in Charlie Mahendran is a letter written his hand when he summoned him

by Zurfick’s Japanese lawyer, Endo to his embassy office. At the time which states the following: “I found the main accused Rudwan who had that the secretary was saying that the robbed him of his passport was also former ambassador Mr. Mahendran standing next to Mahendran who had has misled the foreign ministry and threatened Zurfick to take back the the government of Sri Lanka and no stolen passport and that if he did not assistance was given to Mr. Zurfick he would break his leg. Zurfick had by the ambassador. It seems that he complied under protest and got the 1st gave an assistance to Rudwan to save secretary at the time, Rodney Perera him from this robbery. After going over to attest as a witness. “I want Rodney all the letters, I now feel that while Perera to be summoned as a witness we discussed the recovery of the against Charlie Mahendran because stolen goods with him, he was very this is a very serious matter where

Mahendran has been exposed to have been in cahoots with the main accused, Rudwan. The then deputy minister, Hussein Bhaila also avoided the stolen passport issue that was clear cut evidence against Mahendran who should have been interdicted pending an inquiry. “My big question is why was Charlie Mahendran not interdicted pending an inquiry?”

In the face of all this, how come the foreign ministry top officials have shoved the matter under the carpet?

Zurfick alleges that these top officials have instead been on a witch hunt against him by falsely tarnishing his name. He claims that they have done so to justify sweeping his complaints against Charlie Mahendran under the carpet. Among the officials Zurfick has accused are Messrs. Prasad Kariyawasam, Ravinatha Aryasinha, Ahmed Jawad, Palihakkara, Wijeratne, Jaffer, Aponso, Ganegama Arachchi, Jauhar, Rodrigo, Raveenthiran.

“They have driven me from pillar to post sucking my blood in the hope that I will give up by getting fed up.

Regrettably, even the subject minister, Dinesh Gunawardena too has been covering up the matter despite a directive by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to his Ombudsman to investigate my complaint against Charlie Mahendran,” alleged Zurfick who claimed that he believed that there was a big hidden hand behind all this.

He said so on the basis that the incumbent ministry secretary, Jayanath Colombage too had not responded to a query by the President’s Ombudsman, S.K. Wickramasinghe calling for a report if any inquiry had been conducted against Charlie Mahendran consequent to Zurfick’s complaints.

Zurfick further claims that his prime profession of driving foreign exchange to the country as a top gem and jewelry entrepreneur has been thwarted following his precious stones being robbed and his business and good name tarnished by foreign ministry officials.

UK scientists warn over Indian COVID ‘variant of concern’: Report

BBC says scientists have flagged evidence that Indian variant of virus spreads more quickly than its original version.

British officials could declare one of the new coronavirus strains first found in India a “variant of concern”, the BBC said, as India’s main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said the deadly second COVID-19 wave sweeping the country would be “devastating not only for our people but also for the rest of the world”.

The BBC said scientists in the United Kingdom have flagged evidence that the Indian variant of the virus spreads more quickly than its original version, Reuters news agency reported on Friday.

Scientists have recommended that one version of the variant first found in India, known as B.1.617.2, is designated a “variant of concern”, the BBC said, adding more than 500 cases of the variant had been recorded, up from 202 last week.

Public Health England (PHE), which postponed publication of its weekly data on variants on Thursday, had no immediate comment on the report.

Jeff Barrett, director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute COVID-19 Genomics Initiative, said that high numbers of cases of B.1.617.2 in Britain and around the world were “consistent with this one being more transmissible than older versions of the virus from last year”. “(It is) possibly as transmissible as the B.117 Kent variant that is very widespread in the UK,” Barrett said on BBC radio, referring to the strain found in southeast England which fuelled Britain’s second COVID-19 wave.

The original India variant, B.1.617, was first detected in October, but Public Health

England (PHE) has categorised three different subtypes, all with slightly different mutations.

WHO says the variant has already spread to more than a dozen countries, forcing nations to cut or restrict movements from India.

Other variants of concern include variants first identified in Kent, southeast England, as well as South Africa and Brazil, and Barrett said that there had been reassuring evidence from real-world studies on the effectiveness of vaccines on those.

“That paints a relatively positive picture that the vaccines are going to continue to have efficacy,” he said.

“So obviously for new variants like this one, we need to do additional experiments and really get the solid proof one way or the

other about that.”

Prominent US disease modeller Chris Murray, from the University of Washington, said the sheer magnitude of infections in India in a short period of time suggests an “escape variant” may be overpowering any prior immunity from natural infections.

Infections are now spreading from overcrowded cities to remote rural villages that are home to nearly 70 percent of the 1.3 billion population.

Although northern and western India bear the brunt of the disease, southern India now seems to be turning into the new epicentre. The share of the five southern states in the country’s daily surge in infections rose from 28 percent to 33 percent in the first seven days of May, data shows.

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Pakistan’s 81st National Day

celebrated in Sri Lanka

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Mahindananda Aluthgamage who graced the occasion of Pakistan National Day, as Chief Guest is pictured together with the High Commissioner of Pakistan, His Excellency Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad Saad at the reception that followed at the Kingsbury Hotel.

The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka celebrated the 81st National Day of Pakistan with traditional fervor and resolve to make Pakistan a strong, vibrant, progressive, democratic and welfare state.

The National Day of Pakistan is celebrated on 23rd March every year in remembrance of the historic 1940 resolution passed in Lahore, calling for a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent that ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

High Commissioner of Pakistan, Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad Saad Khattak unfurled the Pakistani flag to the tune of Pakistan’s national anthem in a ceremony held at the Pakistan High Commission in the morning.

Special messages by the

President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan were readout, in which both the leaders highlighted the importance of the day and paid tributes to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and other leaders of the Pakistan Movement.

Buddhist monks visiting Pakistan from Sri Lanka experience Gandhara’s magnificence JAULIAN/HARIPUR: A 14-member delegation of visiting Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka said on Thursday that Pakistan was home to one of the most exotic Buddhist civilizations of the past, and hoped other followers of their faith would explore the prolific religious heritage in the country.

Led by Dr. Walpola Piyananda, adviser to the Sri Lankan president and chief monk in the United States, the Buddhist delegation is on a week-long pilgrimage to holy sites in Pakistan.

“The current visit of Sri Lankan monks is part of our initiative to promote religious tourism which has tremendous economic potential. We are trying to develop and preserve 22 sacred religious sites to attract religious tourists from

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across the world,” Dr. Abdul Samad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s director archaeology and museums said while talking to Arab News, and added that Prime Minister Imran Khan had invited the monks to tour the heritage sites in Pakistan during his visit to Sri Lanka earlier this year.

“This Theravada delegation came from Sri Lanka to visit their holy places here in Pakistan,” Piyananda told Arab News in a brief conversation, mentioning the name of his monastic order. “Buddhists practice their faith in different ways, but we all are one in aspiring for peace, harmony and wisdom.”

Another senior monk, R. Rathanasira, said Pakistan could attract a significant number of Buddhist tourists if the sacred archaeological sites were well managed.

At the end of ceremony, a cake commemorating the Pakistan’s National Day was cut by the High Commissioner, the ceremony was attended by the members of Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka, participants from various walks of life and media representatives.

Sri Lankan Buddhist monks visit the Buddhist monastic complex of Takhi-i-Bahi (Throne of Origins) in Mardan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on April 23, 2021. (AFP)

Sri L Bahi (Th provinc

“During my childhood, I only heard about the Gandhara Civilization,” he recalled.

“With so many resources related to Buddhist culture and civilization, Pakistan can draw a huge number of people from Buddhist countries if it preserves these sites well.”

The monks on Thursday visited Jaulian in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khanpur district that once boasted of stupas and monasteries.

The place which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 is believed to be the cradle of the Gandhara kingdom. Briefing the monks, Dr. Samad said Jaulian was one of the most prominent centers of Buddhist learning between the 2nd and 7th centuries AD. “This visit is extremely important,” he

told Arab News, “since these places are as sacred to Buddhists as Islam’s holy sites are to Muslims.”

The visiting monks met Pakistan’s religious affairs minister Noorul Haq Qadri in Islamabad on Wednesday during which the two sides decided to form a working group to develop and promote religious sites related to Buddhism in the country.

According to a statement issued by the ministry after the meeting, the Sri Lankan side proposed institutionalizing Buddhist scholarships for international students to create greater awareness about their religion.

The Sri Lankan delegation is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan before wrapping up their visit to Pakistan. (Courtesy Arab News)

Sri L Bahi (Th provinc

Pakistan’s National Day Reception held in Colombo Pakistan’s 81st National Day on March 23, 2021 was celebrated in Colombo with the High Commissioner of Pakistan, Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad Saad Khattak hoisting the national flag at the Pakistan High Commission in the morning.

The anniversary celebrations followed a reception hosted by the High Commissiuon of Pakistan at the Kingsbury Hotel in the evening.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Mahindananda Aluthgamage graced the occasion, as Chief Guest and many other Ministers, Parliamentarians, members of Diplomatic Corps, participants from intelligentsia and all walks of life attended in the reception.

The High Commissioner In his welcome remarks, High of Pakistan, His Excellency Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad Commissioner of Pakistan, Saad hoists the Pakistan Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad National Flag to mark the Saad Khattak elaborated historic 81st National Day that the foundation of strong of Pakistan at the High brotherhood between Pakistan Commission premises.

Lankan Buddhist monks visit the Buddhist monastic complex of Takhi-iThrone of Origins) in Mardan district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ce on April 23, 2021. (AFP)

Lankan Buddhist monks visit the Buddhist monastic complex of Takhi-iThrone of Origins) in Mardan district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ce on April 23, 2021. (AFP)

and Sri Lanka was laid in 1948 when the former Prime Minister of then “Ceylon”, Hon. D.S. Senenayake, visited Pakistan.

He said the relationship between ‘our two peoples has existed for over two thousand years. These relations are further cemented by the commonality of eternal values of universal peace and love, espoused both by Buddhism and Islam.’

While talking about regional security situation, the High Commissioner explained that, despite provocation, Pakistan has demonstrated prudence and extreme restraint as a responsible state. He also said that Pakistan supports peaceful resolution of all bilateral and regional disputes through meaningful negotiations and mediation. He also appreciated Government of Sri Lanka’s support for promotion of peace and harmony in South Asia.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SRI LANKAN STUDENTS

Maj. Gen. (R) Mr. Muhammad Saad Khattak announced that the Government of Pakistan, through its High Commission, will be awarding 1000 scholarships to the Sri Lankan students in diverse fields. He added that modalities are being discussed with concerned authorities to establish a world-class high-tech university in Sri Lanka under the auspices of COMSATS. During his address, Chief Guest, Mr. Mahindananda Aluthgame paid a rich tribute to the Government and people of Pakistan for always being supportive to Sri Lanka in the time of need. He recalled the robust relations between the two countries and said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have always maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relations which are broad-based and multifaceted.

On the occasion, a Pakistan National Day cake was jointly cut by the High Commissioner and Chief Guest.

Pakistani charity offers medical aid to India amid COVID crisis Volunteers of Edhi Foundation wear raincoats and boots as they pose during a mock drill on handling suspected carriers of the coronavirus disease [File: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters] Islamabad, Pakistan – The prominent Edhi charity, based in Pakistan, has offered to send ambulances and medical staff to help the Indian government as coronavirus cases continue to spike the neighbouring country.

Faisal Edhi, the managing trustee of the Edhi Foundation, told Al Jazeera that he had written a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

“We sympathise with you greatly and during this strenuous time, we would like to extend our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing, the current health conditions,” Edhi’s letter reads.

India has been reporting a record number of coronavirus cases – and deaths – amid an alarming shortage of oxygen for patients and beds in its hospitals. The country’s second wave of COVID-19 cases has threatened to overwhelm its underfunded and fragile healthcare system.

On Friday, India reported a single-day high of nearly 332,730 new cases and a record 2,263 deaths.

Relations between South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan have been strained in recent years, after a military standoff in February 2019 that saw both countries carry out air attacks on each other’s territory and engage in an aerial dogfight that saw at least one Indian fighter jet shot down.

The two countries have fought three wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947.

Since February, there has been a slight thaw in relations, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to respecting a 2003 ceasefire agreement in the disputed territory of Kashmir, where shelling by both sides had spiked over the last two years.

The two countries’ prime ministers also exchanged letters on the occasion of Pakistan Day, a day commemorated in Pakistan to mark the beginning of a movement for a separate homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims.

The Edhi Foundation was founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi, a hero in Pakistan for his tireless work for the poor. The charity runs one of the country’s largest free ambulance services, as well as orphanages, schools, food distribution centres and other charitable enterprises.

Faisal Edhi, the founder’s son, started running the charity in 2016 after the death of the elder Edhi.

The charity sought PM Modi’s help in gaining permission to enter India and coordination with local authorities. There was no immediate response from the Indian government. It is unclear whether the proposal would carry weight as earlier this week Pakistan banned travellers from India due to fears over widespread coronavirus infection in that country. (Aljazeera)

Ceylon Baithulamal Fund appeals during Holy month The Ceylon Baithulamal Fund (CBF), which has several relief projects running to support the needy has appealed for donations from well-wishers during the Holy month of Ramazan. The CBF, based at 44A, Haig Road, Colombo-04, which strikes a chord for the needy under its slogan, ‘Poverty Alleviation Together, We Make a Difference’ has referred to the difficult times the country has encountered since Marchy 2020 when the COVID-19

Pandemic broke out globally and affecting Sri Lanka in every sphere of human life. It has also referred to what it calls the ‘discriminatory “cremation only” gazette notification for COVID-19 related deaths which impacted primarily Muslim and Christian minorities significantly despite scientific evidence to the contrary’, and the glimmer of hope with the vaccination programmes to combat the pandemic.

The CBF states that it has a big

challenge before it particularly in light of the significant increase in the poor and the needy whom ‘we are obliged to serve and endeavor to provide e\means to generate/ improve their household income through the Self-Employment programmes in the short term whilst not losing sight of our other core objectives which includes providing education through our scholarship programme.

The CBF is headed by A.A.M.

Illyas, PC as President with M.SW.F. Haqque, Vice President, A.N. Nazvi Rahaman, Hony Secretary and A.F. Feroze Noon, Treasurer who form the committee management among several others.

Donations could be made to: Amana Bank PLC, A/C No. 0010001182002, Kollupitiya Branch. Swift code: AMNALKLX; Hatton National Bank PLC A/C No. 039010128509, Bambalapitiya Branch. Swift code: HPLILKLX

RAMAZAN APPEAL BY MUSLIM AID SRI LANKA: Support an Orphan for just Rs. 4,000/= Muslim Aid Sri Lanka Serving Humanity, Sri Lanka Country Office has appealed for funds during the Holy month of Ramazan as support fo9r orphans for just Rs.4,0000/=. Donations could be made to the following: Amana Bank PLC: Muslim Aid Sri Lanka 0100007725001 (Saving), Main Branch, Colombo A/C Swift Code: AMNALKLK

The parent body - Muslim Aid is based in the UK (registered charity: 1176462 (UK).

Muslim Aid Country Office was set up in Sri Lanka in May 2005 in the aftermath of the tsunami to primarily address tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation work.

Muslim Aid Sri Lanka has been active in the

country over the last fifteen years not only supporting emergency response, but also economic supporting empowerment, education support, disaster risk reduction, water and sanitation (WASH), health and nutrition, housing and infrastructure. Peace-building and social cohesion programmes.

Ramazan Appeal for funds by Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund The Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund (CMSF) based at 97/1B, Galle Road, Dehiwala (Tel/Fax: 011 2733251) has made a fervent Ramazan Appeal requesting for funds from the Muslim community.

Donations should be made to in favour of A/C 0001656288, Personal Branch, Head Office, Bank of Ceylon, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Colombo-01, Sri Lanka.

The brainchild of the former Principal of Zahira College, the late A.M.A. Azeez, who was the first Muslim Civil Servant, the CMSF has been fulfilling a 76-year service since 1945 towards primarily ensuring that no capable and deserving Muslim scholar in any part of the island is deprived of the education for want of money.

A unique feature of the CMSF which is the pioneering organization in the

Rally around Amana Bank’s ‘From Chance to Choice’ fund for Orphan Children Zeilan International makes a fervent Ramazan appeal to rally around Amana Bank’s ‘From Chance to Choice’ fund for the underprivileged orphan children.

It is the only bank in town committed towards such a social community cause in supporting an orphan from being abandoned. is indeed a far reaching program initiative by its top management with a heart for caring for the underprivileged orphans. In fact, Amana’s slogan, ‘It’s not just about giving them a chance at life. It’s about giving them a choice in their future.’

The bank’s concern does indeed run deep manifested by its dictum to the cause that reads, ‘We have seen and responded to orphans as children calling out for our support. However, we have been blind to their problems as they reach maturity.’

As vulnerable young adults, they are often flung into society without guidance or support. They remain faceless and voiceless, unseen and unheard.

We invite you to contribute and collaborate with our novel approach to empowering The message touches

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on the core issue. ‘Have you ever considered what happens to an orphan once they reach the age of 18? We have seen and responded to orphans as children calling out for our support. However, we have been blind to their problems as they reach maturity. As vulnerable young adults, they are often flung into society without guidance or support. They remain faceless and voiceless, unseen and unheard. The photographs in the pages that follow show no faces, only silhouettes, as we ask you to reflect on this hidden, unacknowledged problem.

We invite you to contribute and collaborate with our novel approach to empowering orphans as they reach adulthood.

It’s not just about giving them a chance at life. It’s about giving them a choice in their future.’

The caring could well raise a hand for these less fortunate who deserve the unstinted rallying brotherhood of man to making them feel as same as all by donating to Amana Bank Orphan Care by utilizing the Bank’s Trust Donation Slip A/C: 037-0345503-003.

field is that such assistance is given to the deserving as interest free loans which the students may pay back when in a position to do so. It gives them a sense of dignity and are morally obliged to repay in order to benefit others like themselves which the CMSF authorities believe is the best tradition of Islam with its fine sense of brotherhood.

With the repayments and with annual

donations by past scholars by way of gratitude, this ingenious scheme envisages the CMSF to continue forever as a Revolving Fund. Thus the charity of the donor lasts forever as the donations are recycled over and over again through the CMSF. This selfless 76-year long service by the CMSF has essentially marked a landmark in the history of Muslim Education.

We’ll have to lockdown the country according to the need Dr Sudarshani Steps will have to be taken to even lockdown the country depending on the conditions and necessities in the future, Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID-19 Disease Control Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle said.

“The decisions to impose isolation status on areas are not taken based on political interest but solely on epidemiological studies,” she told the media today.

“The areas are placed under isolation at the request of medical specialists. At

the same time, we can’t also agree on isolation status imposed unnecessarily in some areas,” the State Minister underlined.

She said the Provincial Directors of Health Services had been vested with power to place respective Grama Niladhari Divisions under isolation based on requirement. “However, the DirectorGeneral of Health Services will have to be informed of this regard,” she added.

She reiterated that they would have to lockdown the country if the need arises.

Captured for not wearing a face mask

The Dam Street Police Station in Colombo yesterday arrested 51 people who were not wearing face masks and not following the primary guidelines. Picture seen a man not wearing a face mask being carried off by police officers to place him under quarantine. Pic by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Respect for the Month of Ramadaan and Etiquettes in the Holy Month Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “The person who serves his parents according to the best of his abilities in the month of Ramadaan, Allah Ta’ala looks at him with special Mercy and takes the responsibility of forgiving him upon Himself. The wife who remains busy in Ramadaan in pleasing her husband will be granted the companionship of Hazrat Mariam and Hazrat Aasiya (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhuma) in Paradise.”

Once, in the city of Bukhara, the son of a fire worshipper was eating in the market of Muslims during the month of Ramadaan. Upon seeing him, his father slapped him on the face and expressed great disappointment. The son said, “O my Father! You also eat all day long during the month of Ramadaan.” The father replied, “I do not fast at all and do eat but I do it in secret at home. I do not eat in front of the Muslims out of respect for this month.”

Sometime later, the fire worshipper died and a pious resident of Bukhara saw in his dream that the fire worshipper was walking in Paradise. He asked him, “You were a fire worshipper, how did you get into Paradise?” The fire worshipper replied, “It is true that I was a fire worshipper but, close to the time of death, Allah Ta’ala granted me the guidance to accept Islam. This is the blessings of respecting the month of Ramadaan that I died as a Muslim and Allah Ta’ala granted me Paradise as a result of respecting Ramadaan and accepting Islam.” [Nuzhatul Majaalis] Subhaanallah! When a fire worshipper who respected the month of Ramadaan was granted faith and Paradise by Allah Ta’ala, if we Muslims respect the month of Ramadaan and do not violate its sanctity, then we will definitely be deserving of the Grace of the Almighty, Insha Allah.

On the Day of Judgement, a person will be brought in such a state that the angels will be beating him mercilessly. He will seek support from Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) who will ask the angels, “What is his sin? Why are you beating him so much?” The angels will reply, “He obtained the month of Ramadaan but still continued to disobey Allah Ta’ala.”

Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will be about to intercede for him when a voice will state, “O My Beloved! The petitioner against him is the month of Ramadaan.” Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will say, “I am disgusted with those people whom Ramadaan petitions against.”

Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “The person who safeguards three things is undoubtedly a Friend of Allah Ta’ala, and know that the person who forsakes these three is an enemy of Allah Ta’ala. These three things are fasting, Namaaz and compulsory bathing (Ghusl-eJanaabat).”

The Paradise of Allah Ta’ala longs for four kinds of people: • A person who fasts in the month of Ramadaan.

• A person who regularly recites the Holy Qur’an.

• A person who safeguards his tongue.

• A person who feeds his hungry neighbours.

On the Day of Judgement, when Allah Ta’ala orders the people to rise from the graves, He will say to the Angel of Paradise, “O Ridwan! Go and greet my bondsmen who used to fast, and used to go hungry and thirsty for My sake. Go with all the bounties of Paradise and present it to them.” Hazrat Ridwan (Alaihis Salaam) will call out, “O workers of Paradise, bring large serving plates of Paradise, and bring food and drink equivalent to the grains of sand in the world, equal to the drops of rain, and equal to the stars in the sky and leaves on the trees.” This will all be brought and placed in front of the people who used to fast. They will then be told, “Eat as much as you please. This is the reward for the fasts that you observed in the world.”

Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “On the night of Me’raj, I saw an Angel at Sidratul Muntaha that I had never seen

fasting person at the time of Iftaar, a just ruler, and an oppressed person.” [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

Recitation of the Holy Qur’an

before. It is so big in length and breadth that it would take a hundred thousand years to cover its size. It has 70,000 heads and each head has 70,000 faces and each face has 70,000 tongues. On each tongue is 70,000 birds of light and on each bird there is a hundred thousand pearls dangling. Each pearl contains a large river and there are huge fish in the river. The size of each fish is 2 years travel time. On the stomach of each fish is written ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallaah Muhammadur Rasoolullah.’ The angel has one hand on his head and the other hand on his back. When he praises Allah Ta’ala in his sweet voice, the Throne of Allah Ta’ala is overjoyed and sways from side to side in happiness. I asked Jibra’eel (Alaihis Salaam) about this angel and was told that this angel was created 2000 years before Hazrat Adam (Alaihis Salaam) was created. This angel has been ordered by Allah Ta’ala to pray rosaries (Tasbeeh) on behalf of me and all those from my Ummah who fast.”

Safeguard Yourself from Sin

When looking at the meaning of fasting, most of us think it only entails the apparent conditions of not eating or drinking and not having sexual relations from sunrise to sunset. However, there are certain hidden etiquettes of fasting as well which must be respected and obeyed. The hidden etiquettes are that all parts of the body must be prevented from committing acts that are against the laws of Shariah. Only then can we truly benefit from the blessings of fasting and only then will we be successful in receiving the reward of becoming pious, as Allah Ta’ala says “O Believers! Fasting has been made obligatory upon you as were made obligatory upon those before you, so that you may become pious. [Surah 2, Verse 183]” Therefore, let us study the fast of the parts of the body and try to act upon them.

• It is essential to safeguard the tongue from committing sin by lying, backbiting, using vulgar language etc. Lying is a grave sin that destroys the reward for fasting.

We should always refrain from lying but it is especially critical to stay away from lying in the month of Ramadaan because if we lie whilst we are fasting, then we have defeated the purpose of fasting.

Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “If a person does not refrain from lying, then Allah Ta’ala has no need for him to give up his food and drink.” [Bukhari Shareef ] • Backbiting is a sin that many of us commit daily, often without realizing it.

During the time of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), two ladies were fasting but became so thirsty that they feared for their lives. Finally, they asked Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) for permission to break the fast. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) sent a bowl to them and told them to vomit everything that they had eaten into the bowl. They did as they were told and their vomit contained running blood and clots of blood also. The people were astonished at seeing this and Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “These two women ate Sehri with those things that Allah Ta’ala has made lawful, but then broke their fast with

something that has been made unlawful

by Allah Ta’ala; in other words, they remained busy in backbiting.” Remember, backbiting is such an evil sin that Allah Ta’ala has compared it to ‘eating the meat of your dead brother.’ Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Qur’an, “…and do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abominate it… [Surah 49, Verse 12]” Therefore, we must always, and especially in the month of Ramadaan, attempt to refrain from backbiting or speaking ill of others.

• It is essential to safeguard the ears from hearing evil things at all times, but special attention should be paid to ensure this whilst fasting. It is said that there is fasting for every part of the body, and fasting of the ears is that they should be protected from hearing evil and useless things as hearing such things has a great effect on the heart, which turns thoughts towards sinning. It is essential for a fasting person to refrain from listening to backbiting, lies, jokes, film stories, film songs and crude talk. Listen to recitation of the Holy Qur’an and Naaths and Insha Allah, the heart will be illuminated and the spiritual benefits of fasting will be obtained.

• It is essential for us to safeguard our eyes, especially whilst we are fasting. We have to safeguard our eyes from looking at na-mahram women, TV, dancing, songs, movies and nude or obscene pictures.

Looking at such things turns the mind towards committing sins and that destroys the spirit of fasting. Therefore, we must save our eyes from such things and should rather look at and recite the Holy Qur’an and Insha Allah, we will obtain untold benefits.

• The aim and object of fasting is to instil in our hearts the enthusiasm to refrain from all kinds of sins. All sins that are committed by humans are first thought about in the heart before they are carried out. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “There is a piece of meat in the body of humans, if that remains safe then the whole body is safe, and if that becomes corrupted then the whole body is corrupted; that piece of meat is the heart.” Therefore, it is essential for us to safeguard our hearts from false and evil thoughts.

• And lastly, one of the major sins that many of us neglect to safeguard ourselves from, is not reading our five times Salaah.

Salaah is compulsory and one would never be able to truly benefit from the blessings of fasting by neglecting the Salaah. In fact, one would be committing a grave sin by disobeying the command of Allah Ta’ala in such a sanctified month, which can only lead to the Anger of Allah Ta’ala.

After saving every part of one’s body from committing sin, out of fear of Allah Ta’ala and for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, a person has full faith that I obeyed the orders of the Almighty Allah completely and Allah Ta’ala will definitely accept the supplication that I make at this time, just as Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “The supplications of three types of people are never rejected; a

The revelation of the Holy Qur’an onto the blessed heart of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) began in this very month, and who can know this relationship better than Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The relationship between the month of Ramadaan and the Holy Qur’an can also be seen in a Hadith that is narrated by Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) in which Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede on behalf of a person. The fast will say “O Almighty Lord! I stopped him from eating and fulfilling his desires during the day, accept my intercession on his behalf.” The Qur’an will say, “I prevented him from sleeping at night, accept my intercession on his behalf.”” Therefore we should make it a habit to recite the Holy Qur’an so that we may thrive on the blessings and excellences thereof.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) narrates that, “If a person desires that he loves Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he should recite the Holy Qur’an.” Many of us claim to love Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) but our claims are short-lived without any action.

Therefore, if you claim to love Allah Ta’ala and want to be truthful in that claim, then make it your habit to recite the Holy Qur’an and firmly act on its orders.

The Holy Qur’an is such a book that looking at it, reciting it, learning it and contemplating its meanings are all forms of worship. Our minds are unable to comprehend the reward that Allah Ta’ala grants for reciting the Holy Qur’an.

Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “One who recites the Qur’an and then thinks that someone else received more reward than him, such a person has definitely taken lightly, something that has been made very exalted by Allah Ta’ala.”

When a heart is drowned in fulfilling its desires and committing various kinds of sins, becomes neglectful of the remembrance of Almighty Allah, and forgets its reason for being alive, the result is that, little by little, it becomes rusted, and this rust is the cause of dissension in the whole body. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Undoubtedly, hearts get rusted just as iron gets rusty when water falls on it.” The Blessed Companions asked, “Ya Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), how is the heart cleaned?” Our Beloved Aaqa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied, “Remembering death often and reciting the Holy Qur’an.” [Mishkaat Shareef] If any of us are guilty of disobeying the commands of Allah Ta’ala in this blessed month, let us make Taubah (repent) and try to stay away from committing sins.

Let us also try to make as much Ibaadat as possible in these last ten days that are left because we do not know if we will see another Ramadaan Shareef. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to always respect the month of Ramadaan, and to always seek His pleasure and the pleasure of His Beloved, our Aaqa Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Ameen.

• Kanzul Imaan

“You will not find people who believe in Allah and the Last Day taking as their friends those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brotheren or their kinsmen.” [Surah 58, Verse 22]

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Sacred bond of marriage

By Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith

The coming together of a man and a woman in marriage is one of the most unique events in the universe. All the things created in the universe are created in pairs, but the compatibility that exists between a man and a woman cannot be found in any other created thing. When a man and a woman come together as partners for life, it is evident that they have been made for each other through a conscious plan.

Marriage is not simply a social institution. In Islam, it has an importance far greater than this.

According to the Islamic concept of life, God Almighty created an ideal world, Paradise. Paradise is a perfect and eternal world. God wants to select those women and men who may qualify to settle in this highly refined colony of Paradise. For the purpose of this selection or test, God provided men and women with free-will whilst settling them on Earth.

Nature demands that men and women lead their lives together.

The ideal way of leading such a life according to the Islamic law is within the bounds of marriage.

In Islam, marriage is both a social contract entered into by mutual consent of the bride and groom, and a sacred bond to which great religious and social importance is attached. As an institution, it is a cohesive force in society, and worth protecting and preserving for that reason. To that end, detailed injunctions have been prescribed to maintain its stability and promote its betterment.

However, in the knowledge that an excess of legal constraints can lead to rebellion, such injunctions have been kept to a realistic minimum and have been formulated to be consistent with normal human capabilities.

Moreover, their enforcement is less relied upon, and importance is placed upon the religious conditioning of the individual to ensure the maintenance of high ethical standards and appropriate conduct in marital affairs and family life. It is said that the heart of the believer is the custodian of the law.

Marriage, in general is a ritually, socially and legally recognized bond between spouses that establishes rights and obligations between them. Promising as husband and wife in the presence of witnesses

and signing the agreement are part of ritual, declaration of engagement, wedding ceremony and wedding reception are part of social events while getting marriage license and registering marriage with competent authority are part of legal evidences. It is divine being a very special gift from God to human race and is a sacred bond, which takes place followed by making an oath to God. God said: “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between your affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Ar-Room: 21) Affection has been explained by interpreters as love, while mercy as feelings of sympathy and kindness.

To his wife, Sayida Khadija ‫هللا يضر‬ ‫اهنع‬, the Prophet said: “She accepted Islam when people rejected me, she believed in me when people doubted me, and she comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand.”

A healthy marriage involves many noble values and beautiful meanings that should be nurtured into the minds and hearts of generations. i should mention the story of Prophet Mohammed’s ،(‫هللا ىلص‬ ‫ )ملسو هيلع‬daughter, Sayida Zaineb ‫اهنع هللا يضر‬, whose husband, Abu Al Aas, rejected Islam when the Prophet received his message from God. His daughter embraced Islam and tried to convert her husband.

He did not and went as far as fighting the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. They won and captured Prophet Mohammed’s ‫هيلع هللا ىلص‬ ‫ ملسو‬son-in-law. Sayida Zaineb ‫يضر‬ ‫ اهنع هللا‬tried to gather money for her husband’s ransom and offered the necklace given to her by her mother.

The couple met again after Abu Al Aas was captured in a trade caravan and, through the good deeds of the Prophet, Abu Al Aas converted.

The story promotes the value of faithfulness among married couples and teaches that the family is a school in which generations learn noble values and principles.

Sayida Zainab ‫ اهنع هللا يضر‬learnt from her mother how to dedicate herself to touching her husband’s heart with happiness, to show patience and compassion.

Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith Marriage allows a man and a woman to share their joys and burdens freely, support each other throughout their lives and most of all, encourage each other to be united and steadfast along with their offspring in their pursuit of God’s grace and pleasure.

However, all of us may start our journey being true Muslims following the divine guidance in all our circumstances instead of becoming Muhammedans following the man-made doctrine falsely assigned to Prophet Muhammad as well as being proud of claiming him to be the greatest prophet of the world.

The state of marriage not only lays the foundations for family life, but also provides a training ground for individuals to make a positive contribution to society. When a man and woman prove to be a good husband and wife, they will certainly prove to be good citizens in the broad spectrum of their social group. This has been aptly expressed in a Hadith: “The best of you is one who is best for his family.”

The family being the preliminary unit for the training of human beings, its disintegration has an injurious effect on society. Human beings must individually make a positive contribution, if collectively they are to form a good and just nation. If the family no longer exists,

it is the whole of humanity which suffers. Once a man and a woman are bound together in the bonds of matrimony, they are expected to do their utmost, till the day they die to honour and uphold what the Quran calls their firm contract, or pledge. To this end, the full thrust of the Islamic law is levelled at preventing the occurrence of divorce; the laws it lays down in this regard exist primarily, therefore, as checks, not incentives. Islam regards marriage as an extremely desirable institution, hence its conception of marriage is the rule in life. Divorce is only an exception to that rule. The Prophet Muhammad said, "Marriage is my tradition; Then whosoever does not favor my tradition is not with me." (Ibn e Majah) There are obligations belonging to men and other obligations appertaining to women.

Man, as a husband, has to fulfill the following obligations towards his wife: 1) To treat his wife and children politely and kindly. This includes educating them, providing them with suitable housing, maintaining them, and treating them with wisdom and kindness, especially while dealing with something wrong.

He has to take a woman's nature into consideration while she is in her monthly period, confinement

and so on. He has to keep her secrets and show the best moral treatment for the Prophet muhammad ‫ ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص‬said: “… Listen! You have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone, you dislike, to trample your bed and do not permit them to let someone enter your home whom you dislike.

Their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing.” [Al-Tirmithi, who classifeid this Hadeeth sound] Another Hadeeth reads: “O Allah, bear witness that I declare inviolable the rights of the two weak ones: orphans and women.” [Ibn Maajah] In a third Hadeeth from Mu'awiyah ibn Haydah, who asked the Prophet muhammad ‫هللا ىلص‬ ‫ ملسو هيلع‬as to what is the right of a wife upon her husband? The Prophet Muhammad ‫هيلع هللا ىلص‬ ‫ ملسو‬said: “Feed her whenever you feed yourself, clothe her whenever you clothe yourself; do not beat on her face; do not abuse her and do not separate yourself from her except inside the house.” [Ahmad] A fourth Prophet Muhammad ‫ ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص‬Hadeeth reads: “Treat women kindly. A woman has been created from a rib (the rib is crooked), and the most crooked part of the rib is in the upper region.

If you try to make it straight, you will break it; and if you leave it as it is, it will remain curved. So treat women kindly.” [Al-Bukhari] Al-Bukhari reported that ‘Aa’ishah ‫ اهنع هللا يضر‬was asked as to what did the Prophet Muhammad ‫هللا ىلص‬ ‫ ملسو هيلع‬do when inside the house.

She replied: “He used to remain busy serving and helping the inmate of his house, and when the time for the prayer would come, he would go out for the same.”

On the other hand, a woman has to obey her husband, keep his secrets and wealth, and should not allow anybody to enter his home without his permission. Also, she has to do what pleases him as long as that does not constitute disobedience to Allah. Furthermore, she has to beautify herself for him and to be kind to him in word and in deed.

I ask Allah to guide all married couples to all that which is good and grant them success in building their families and maintaining their wellbeing.

Pakistan ‘to ban’ far-right religious party after violent protest Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s government will move to ban the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, which has held days of violent countrywide protests resulting in the deaths of at least two police officers, the country’s interior minister says.

Protests by the TLP continued in pockets across the country on Wednesday, with Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed confirming that at least two policemen had been killed and more than 340 wounded by demonstrators in the past 48 hours.

Keep reading Protests across Pakistan after far-right TLP leader arrestedHow colonialism eroded Pakistan’s history of religious fluidityProtests continue across Pakistan over arrest of TLP leader “Today we have decided to ban TLP, and this file is going to cabinet for the approval from today,” said Rasheed at a news conference in the capital, Islamabad.

In a later tweet, he said the ban would be issued under Pakistani anti-terrorism legislation.

Rasheed said protesters had abducted policemen in several areas during the demonstrations, but that all law enforcement personnel had now been recovered.

The TLP, a religious group founded by firebrand Muslim leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi, has made the issue of perceived “blasphemy” its rallying cry, and has been agitating since November for the expulsion of the French ambassador and a ban on

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A supporter of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party hurls stones towards police (not pictured) during a protest [File: Reuters] all French goods over remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron last year.

It called off a big sit-in protest that had blocked a main highway into the capital Islamabad in November after reaching an agreement with the government on consideration of its demands.

Police officers fire teargas as they move to disperse the supporters of the Tehreek-e-

Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party during a protest against the arrest of their leader, in Peshawar [Fayaz Aziz/Reuters] Arrest of TLP chief In February, it threatened further demonstrations if the government did not comply with its demands, but government negotiators were able to secure an extension in the deadline for action.

On Monday, however, before the new April 20 deadline, police arrested TLP chief Saad Rizvi, son of party founder Khadim Hussain Rizvi who died of natural causes shortly after the November protests.

The arrest sparked days of unrest, with thousands of TLP supporters launching protests and blocking roads and highways across the country. Video footage from protests in Karachi, Lahore and elsewhere showed violent clashes between police and protesters.

Interior Minister Rasheed accused TLP leaders of negotiating with the government in bad faith over a planned parliamentary resolution on the issue of blasphemy.

“Until the last moment our aim was that a draft resolution could be prepared to present in the assembly with their agreement,” he said.

“But all of our efforts failed and one of the main reasons for [this] was that they wanted to come to Faizabad chowk [to hold a protest] no matter what.”

Rasheed said the TLP sought a resolution “that would mean [diplomats from] European countries … would all have to leave the country”.

“We want[ed] a draft that will raise the flag of the Prophet high … but what [the TLP] want[ed], that will create a perception in the world that we are an extremist country,” he said.

Police operations to clear the remaining protests in parts of Lahore and Faisalabad continued on Wednesday.

The Night of Power - 27th Being Lailatul Qadr

By Ehsan Iqbal The Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr) should be looked for during the odd nights of the last ten days of the month of Ramadaan, as stated by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). However, it is most likely to be the night of the twenty-seventh as this is the opinion of most Scholars, and this is also the opinion of Imam-e-Azam Sayyiduna Imam Abu Hanifa (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Hazrat Ibn Abbas and Hazrat Ubay Ibn Ka’b (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhum) are both known to have said that it is the night of the twentyseventh.

The strongest evidence in favour of the conclusion that the most likely candidate is the night of the twentyseventh, although Allah Ta’ala knows best, has been presented by Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Citing an authoritative chain of transmission, he reports that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) once said, “It seemed that the people would never stop telling Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) about how in their dreams, they had seen which of the last ten nights was the Night of Power. So Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) eventually declared, “As I cannot help but notice, your dreams repeatedly suggest that it is one of the odd-numbered nights among the final ten. If anyone is really keen to investigate, let him focus his research on the seventh night of the final ten.””

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) is reported as having said to Hazrat Umar Ibn Khattaab (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), “I made a careful study of all the uneven numbers and I had to conclude that none was more worthy of note that the number seven.” To demonstrate the special significance of the number seven, hereunder is a list of what a certain scholar had to say on the subject: • There are seven heavens and there are seven earths.

• There are seven nights in a week.

• There are seven celestial spheres (Aflaak) and there are seven constellations (Nujoom).

• There are seven laps to be covered at a brisk pace between the small hills of Saffa and Marwa during the Pilgrimage.

• There are seven circuits to be performed in the circumambulation

(Tawaaf) of the Ka’bah.

• There are seven ingredients in the physical composition of a human being, seven ingredients in his basic diet and seven slits or cavities on the surface of his face.

• There are seven seals (Khawateem) which mark the division of the Holy Qur’an into seven sections or stages (Manaazil), an arrangement designed to facilitate the recitation of the entire Qur’an in the course of a week.

• There are seven verses in the opening Surah of the Holy Qur’an, the Surah of Praise.

• There are seven modes of reciting the Holy Qur’an, as Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “The Qur’an has been revealed according to seven dialects.”

• There are seven oft repeated verses, as Allah Ta’ala says, “And no doubt, We have given you seven verses, which are oft-repeated, and the Mighty Quran.”

[Surah 15, Verse 87] • In the act of Prostration (Sujood) during the ritual prayer (Salaah), seven parts of the body are brought into contact with the ground.

• There are seven gates of Hell (Jahannam) and Hell has seven names corresponding to its seven descending levels, all of which are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

• There were seven Companions of the Cave. The story of the Cave is mentioned in Surah Kahf (Surah 18).

• In the course of seven nights, the tribe of Aad was annihilated by the wind.

• For seven years, Hazrat Yusuf (Alaihis Salaam) remained in prison.

• There were two sets of seven cows in the dream of the king of Egypt, as mentioned by Allah Ta’ala, “And the King said, “I saw in a dream seven fat cows that are being eaten by seven lean cows, and seven green ears and seven others dry.”” [Surah 12, Verse 43] • There would be seven years of drought, and then seven years of plenty, according to the prediction made by Hazrat Yusuf (Alaihis Salaam).

• There are seventeen cycles of obligatory prayers in the five daily Salaah.

• The number seven is mentioned in the words of Allah Ta’ala, “Then whoso cannot afford it, should fast for three days during Hajj and seven days when he returns back home.” [Surah 2, Verse 196] • There are seven degrees of relationship by blood within which it is unlawful to marry.

• There are seven degrees of relationship by fosterage and marriage, within which it is likewise unlawful to marry.

• Before they can be considered pure and fit for human use, food containers in which dogs have lapped must be washed and scrubbed seven times, including one scrubbing with

dry earth. Such is the rule laid down

by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

• There are twenty-seven Arabic words in the Surah of Power (Surah Qadr) up to but not including the last (5th) verse.

• Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihis Salaam) endured trial and tribulation for seven years.

• Hazrat Aisha Siddiqah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) once said, “Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) married me when I was seven years of age.”

• Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) once said, “The martyrs (Shuhada) of my Ummah are seven, namely, one who is killed in battle while fighting for the cause of Allah, the victim of the plague, the victim of pulmonary tuberculosis, one whose death is caused by drowning, one who is trapped in a fire and burned to death, one whose death results from a gastric or intestinal ailment and the woman who dies in the process of childbirth.”

• Hazrat Moosa (Alaihis Salaam) stood seven cubits tall, and the length of the staff of Hazrat Moosa (Alaihis Salaam) was also seven cubits.

• Allah Ta’ala swore by seven things, when He said, in the first seven verses of Surah ash Shams: • By the sun and its brightness; • And by the moon when it follows it; • And by the day when it reveals it; • And by the night when it enshrouds it; • And by the Heaven and Him Who made it; • And by the earth and Him who spread it; • And by the soul and Him who perfected it; [Surah 91, Verses 1-7] It is thus established that most things of great religious importance are associated with the number seven. This means that Allah Ta’ala has thereby implicitly indicated to His servants that the Night of Power is the twentyseventh night of Ramadaan.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us forgiveness on this blessed night and may He shower us with His Mercy and Kindness, and make us obedient servants of His, Ameen.

[Compiled from Ghunyalit Taalibi Tareeqal Haq by Hazrat Shaikh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh]

WHO to fulfill Sri Lanka’s AstraZeneca Vaccine need; President Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he believes the Director-General of the World Health Organization will make an effort to fulfill Sri Lanka’s need for 600,0000 does of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the 02nd dose of the vaccination drive.

In a tweet, the President said he had a useful zoom discussion with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and went on to note that the meeting it transpired that approval would be given in another 2-3 days for the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine to be used for emergency use.

“With that approval, Sri Lanka will be able to start vaccinating our people with the current stock of 600,000 Sinopharm doses in hand,” tweeted the President.

He further said that the DirectorGeneral of the WHO while commending Sri Lanka’s control of the pandemic during the first wave, was hopeful that the current surge in affected persons would be soon brought under control.

“I registered my appreciation of the support the WHO has been providing at regional and Colombo office level,” the President further tweeted.

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Environmentalists wading through Polluted waters of Kelani River

- Kelani River is continuously contaminated with various chemicals, feces and carbonic matter - Sarooka Oya, a tributary to the Kelani river, has been contaminated as well - The destruction of biodiversity has killed 59 species of fish in areas between Kitulgala and Kaduwela - The PH value of the river water has changed indicating the presence of the chemical in water

Electricity plays a major role in the development of a country. Many development activities are currently underway including construction of powerhouses targeted to provide electricity to everyone. However, if these projects, irrespective of their usefulness, destroy the environment even prior to them being used, such projects cannot be accepted. Broadlands Hydropower Project (BHP) close to Katalian area located in 134 Grama Niladhari Division in Kitulgala South is a classic example of such an activity. A chemical used in the construction of this power plant has entered the Kelani River killing fish nearby and affecting people who consume water from the river. Many programmes have been initiated to halt the addition of poisonous chemicals and waste to the Kelani River based on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s concept titled ‘Surakimu Ganga’. While these programmes are underway, State and private companies engaged in monitoring construction activities of the BHP continue adding chemicals to the river, the villagers said. Sarooka Oya, a tributary to the Kelani River, has been contaminated as well. The Central Environmental Authority has issued necessary guidelines for the disposal of liquid waste of projects based on rivers. Moreover, the law does not allow any hotel or house to contaminate water resources. The companies involved in the construction of Broadlands power plant are clearly violating the CEA guidelines.

The construction work of the BHP which began five years ago is still in progress. The environmental damage caused to the Kelani River by the chemical used to harden concrete laid at the construction project can be witnessed if one visits the place. The President of the Environmental Protection Organization in Kitulgala Tourist Zone Sam Jayananda has made complaints with regards to this issue to the CEA and Yatiyantota Divisional Secretary.

Sam Jayananda said that the Kelani River is continuously contaminated with various chemicals, feces and carbonic matter. As the number of tourists has decreased due to COVID-19, the contamination of the river by hotels has reduced to some extent. “We conducted a sample test on river water with a medical team in January 2016. The test proved the presence of the Coliform bacteria in water near Kitulgala. We informed the relevant institutes after which measures were taken with regards to

that,” he added.

The current situation is even more serious. The chemical liquid known as MasterROC SA 160 is used to harden concrete in constructions. Sources reveal that 16 barrels containing 200 litres each are used per day. More than 1000 barrels have been used with additional fibres known as Cojubel which are similar to noodles. These fibres never decay. Two buckets of these fibres are mixed in 0.5 m3 of concrete to which the chemical is added. The remaining water in the concrete containing the chemical together with the fibres are added to the river. The PH value of the river water has changed indicating the presence of the chemical in water. This has killed fish and brought an end to species of fish endemic to Kitulgala area such as Thola Ratu Waligowwa and Kitulgala Salaya. Its effect on people is yet to be discovered.

“Hotels from Kitulgala to Yatiyantota and many people in nearby villages obtain drinking water directly from the river. People also bathe in the river. The Kelani River provides drinking water to people in Colombo. And the fact that minute particles of non-decaying fibres and chemicals have already entered the Kelani waters have given rise to doubts in the minds of the people. We are not against the development of the country, but we will fight against environmental destruction,” Jayananda added.

Ruwan Dhammika, Shantha Udaya Kumara, Thushara

Hettiarachchi, R. P. D. Jayantha, Seetha Ranjani, Asanka Kumudu, W. G. Gunawati and H. A. Dharmasena are a few members of the Katalian community who have also sided with these environmental organizations.

Shantha Udaya Kumara said that the locals had informed the Yatiyantota Divisional Secretary and Kegalle district Central Environment Authority with regards to this. “Recently, the Divisional Secretary made a visit and she took two letters in my possession without even getting off the vehicle. Environmental organizations and villagers staged a protest against the discharge of chemicals to the river.

Thereafter, the chemical was placed in a pit about 15 feet deep. The sand barriers which were present earlier have now been removed and the chemical and fibres are added once again to Sarooka Oya. The Oya is creamy in colour and there is no presence of fish. Our bodies become itchy, eyes painful and the skin is vulnerable to diseases if we bathe in the river. It is also difficult to breathe.

Contaminated water also causes cracked heels,” said Shantha Udaya Kumara. “Lorries transport the chemical once in every two days. We informed the Yatiyantota Divisional Secretariat, but saw no results. She does not answer our calls and the chemical is being added to Sarooka Oya every day. After we objected the lorries were loaded with rock particles at the back with the chemical water in the front and the content was dumped to the Kelani River near the plant area in front of Base Camp hotel. Food waste of Chinese workers are also dumped in the river,” they added.

Water containing that chemical cannot be added to rivers, the guidelines specified by the manufacturer of the chemical state clearly. Based on the response of the officials connected to the plant, it is doubtful whether they take the guidelines seriously.

The chemical doesn’t get mixed with river water -BHP Project Director BHP Project Director- Kamal Laksiri said that various chemicals have been used for the project during a period of five years to harden concrete.

“Some concrete structures should be hardened in one day while others require three days. So we add different chemicals.

These chemicals are mixed at the time when the concrete is added. As a result of cement being deposited at the bottom of the Kelani River near the plant, it appears creamy. After the concrete has been added the chemical doesn’t mix with the water unless the concrete breaks. We will be providing electricity. Hotels nearby add a huge amount of waste to the river and nobody will investigate on such matters. The remaining water is sent to a tank from where it is added to the river. Where else can I dump the water?

The chemical doesn’t get mixed with river water and bring death to the fish. We tested this chemical in India. Bring the necessary reports to prove the presence of the chemical.

There is a misunderstanding with regards to this,” Laksiri added.

Yatiyantota Divisional Secretary Priyani Pethangoda said that she had received complaints regarding the issue from a person named Sam. “I went to inspect the area. The water is first sent to a tank and then to the river. I did not see the chemical being sent to the Oya. Since I went there on a rainy day the colour of the water was creamy,” she said. The following are excerpts of an interview done with Priyani Pethangoda

‘I did not get off the vehicle as it was raining’ -Priyani Pethangoda

Q: How could you see anything? After all you did not even get off the vehicle?

A: I went with the MP of the area and some other officers. I did not get

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off the vehicle as it was raining.

Q: You could have seen whether the chemical is added or not, had you got off the vehicle.

A: I could not get off the vehicle due to the rain Q: How can you say that the water mixed with the chemical is sent to the river through a tank?

A: The plant authorities told me that.

Q: What were the steps taken to halt that?

A: I informed the CEA. I would take the next step based on their recommendations.

Also Government officers involved in constructing plants should focus more on environment.

NO COMPLAINTS-CEA

CEA Chairman Siripala Amarasinghe said that he hasn’t received any complaints from any party with regards to the plant. “If the relevant details are obtained this issue could be addressed using a special investigating team. Even a Government institute will not

be allowed to destroy catchment areas or the environment under the pretext of development activities outside our recommendations,” Amarasinghe added.

Environmentalist, Dr. Raveendra Kariyawasam who took the initiative in objecting to the addition of chemicals to the Kelani River and presented a set of guidelines with regard to the issue said that Master ROC SA 160 is a chemical produced in Canada. “Aluminum Sulfate is its main component. This is made from ethanol and dust. The manufacturer has issued a set of guidelines to be followed when using this chemical. Accordingly, if the skin contacts above three milligrams of this chemical it would be wounded. If the chemical enters the body the interior could be wounded. It can cause blindness and the chemical should be used while being dressed in the proper safety equipment. Even a cloth that has come in contact with the chemical is not allowed to be worn again. If clothes make contact with

the chemical they must be washed properly.

If the chemical enters the eyes one must wash them well and see a doctor immediately.

The guidelines also state that the liquid waste should be released at a safe place and shouldn’t be mixed in rivers, streams, underground water streams, places where animals live and in food. If the chemical is released to a river, which is used by people, it could lead to a grave situation. The chemical disposed in large quantities might enter the body causing headache, cracking of heels, breathing difficulties and problems connected with eyesight. The effect on people who use river water should be further investigated.

When the chemical is released to the river in large amounts, the PH value changes increasing the acidity and decreasing the percentage of Oxygen. This leads to deaths of fish and the destruction of biodiversity directly destroying environment. The PH value that should be present in clear water is unbalanced. Those who obtain drinking water from the river may have experienced its direct influence. This was able to kill 59 species of fish from Kitulgala to Kaduwela with the destruction of biodiversity. There are around 30 species of endemic fish living there. We may not be able to prevent them from dying.

This would turn out to be a disaster,” he added. Dr. Kariyawasam inquired as to why liquid waste is allowed to be released to the river when present guidelines clearly suggest doing the opposite. We contacted National Water Supply and Drainage Board Chairman Nishantha Ranatunga to inquire about the effect of liquid waste being released to the Kelani River; which provides drinking water.

Ranatunga said that when water is purified for drinking purposes it will contain no chemicals and people shouldn’t be alarmed.

Source: dailymirror.lk

A NEW STAR IS BORN:

Babar Azam pips Virat Kohli to No.1 ODI batsman in sensational style

By Srian Obeyesekere If Hanif Mohammed was the forefather of Pakistan cricket for his record-breaking batting feats, there was Zaheer Abbas, the wondrous stroke-maker of a later generation. There was the mercurial Javed Miandad. There was also the exquisite Saeed Anwar, and in the wake of a galaxy of past greats, Pakistan’s search for a new willow star has been answered at long last.

Indeed, a new star is born to world cricket. The name is Babar Azam, and his rise to stardom has been meteroic rose to the top after he became been meteoric. the second-highest run-scorer in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against South Africa. The right-hander scored 228 runs with the highest score of 103.

But he did not stop there going on to

strike a celebrative champagne note the very next day after becoming the No.1, scoring a record-breaking 122 off 49 balls including 15 fours and four sixes off 59 balls, to lead Pakistan to an impressive ninewicket victory over hosts South Africa at Centurion on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the four-match Twenty20 series.to lead Pakistan to an impressive nine-wicket victory over hosts South Africa at Centurion on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the four-match Twenty20 series. He shared in a record 197-run second wicket partnership with Mohammad Rizwan who made an unbeaten 73 in a spellbinding display as Pakistan made 205 for 1 in overhauling South Africa’s competitive 203 for 5 with consummate ease at Centurion on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the four-

match Twenty20 series.

From a 15-year old under-19 World Cup prodigy of the 2010 extravaganza and eventual captain of the 2012 World Cup team culminating as Pakistan’s highest run getter, Babar Azam’s batting stocks rose progressively going on to be his country’s torchbearer in the pivotal No.3 slot in ODI cricket. By 2017 he had become the second quickest to score five ODI centuries after Quinton De Kock, and his aggregate of 1306 runs after 25 knocks was the highest going past Jonathan Trott.

The defining moment in the right hander’s career to stardom was his three consecutive ODI tons against the Windies in 2016 in the UAE. Today, the 26-year old Pakistan skipper, hailing from Lahore, Punjab has straddled the Everest of ODI

cricket as the No.1 in ICC ODI rankings surpassing India’s Virat Kohli at the top of the rankings table with 865 points. Kohli now second in the list with 857 points and Babar now leads the Indian captain by eight points, with Rohit Sharma third on the list with 825 points.

Babar Azam’s ascension to the top is in the wake of scoring 228 runs with a highest score of 103 in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against South Africa. In Tests, Babar has attained a best of the fifth position and is currently ranked sixth while in T20Is he is third but has been number one in the past. Babar has emulated compatriots Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003) as the number one ODI batsman.

BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

Pathum Nissanka Unique Record Sri Lanka’s 22-year old Pathum Nissanka anointing himself as the first Sri Lankan to score a debut century overseas was indeed an unique performance. So much so that it sets him apart in the realms of the bold and the beautiful Innocuous looking read into the lithe stature in comparison to record breaking compatriots before him who have colourfully decorated the international cricketing arena , his feat by large is the greater for a product unearthed from the grassroots hauiling from Down South Galle. Born on May 18, 1998, indeed, Pathum Nissanka going past a 40-year long iceberg since Sri Lanka gained ICC Test status in 1981 in insulating himself as the first Sri Lankan batsman to achieve the milestone, is score a rollercoaster type of stellar saga.

That this passaging in the annals of Sri Lankan cricket was to reel out by a little known player in going past a four decade long drought and coincidentally on the ground named after one of

world cricket’s greatest batsmen Sir Vivian Richards, as he led a Sri Lanka fight back to stay in a test match by far dominated by the West Indies, indeed bordered on greatness. Devoid of the trimmings of the pomp of the array stroke-making artistry of

the type of the heart throbbing of a Greg Chappel on song debut century, but a battling century by necessity against the odds curbing his instinctive aggressive approach, it was a masterly knock. For the record, the youngster cut his teeth in the game at a relatively unknown educational institution – Kalutara Vidyalaya in the outskirts of the Colombo city in comparison to the city metropolis might that has produced a galaxy of top notch national batting heroes. Still more significantly, Pathum Nissanka marked his arrival in curbing a characteristic attacking approach in fronting a typical Test match innings of endurance and patience in reaching the magical mark.

Of a handful, Pathum Nissanka is the fourth Sri Lankan to a debut ton after Brendon Kuruppu, Romesh Kaluvitharana and Thilan Samaraweea He commands a stunning first class record of 3, 445 runs off 33 outings with a great average of 67.54.

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Praveen’s King size debut 11-wkts.

By Srian Obeyesekere In the game of cricket where we hear of records after records, 22-year old Sri Lankan Praveen Jayawickrama indeed reigns the King for, his 11 for 178 debut highest ever match haul in fashioning a 209-run comprehensive win over Bangladesh in the second test - a truly unique hall of fame stellar saga. He established the record in becoming the first bowler since Australian Jason Krejza took a 10-wicket haul on debut in 2008. The silver lining in the Lankan’s dream start to his test career was enriched in figures of 6 for 92 and 5 for 86 Born on September 30, 1998, the emergence of this native from Moratuwa who cut his teeth in the game at St. Sebastian’s College has certainly marked a turnaround in Sri Lanka’s cricketing fortunes from the mediocre to ominous going by the turning of tables on a well-oiled Bangladesh outfit.

The young left-arm spinner claimed 5 for 86 for a

record debut match haul of 11 for 178 becoming the first bowler to take a 10-wicket haul on debut since Jason Kreiza in 2008 as the visitors flopped to 227 with Ramesh Mendis chipping in with 4 for 103 in a fantastic showmanship of the host team’s new found left-right spin combination. Jayawickrama averaged 16.18 at an economy rate of 2.78.

The rhyming high point of this cricketing saga in international cricket’s over century old history is that the young Sri Lankan, hailing from the cricket crazy city of Moratuwa has scaled the summit of greatness in achieving a milestone that generations before him from famous cricket playing countries have failed to achieve. The exception is Krejza. While Jason Kreiza became the first ever to claim the magical 10-wicket match haul on debut in 2008, the Sri Lankan’s feat in becoming the second since him and the youngest bowler in test cricket history is tall stuff, Jayawickrama’s 11 wickets cascades in the

portals of lasting fame in the wicket taking industry where a galaxy of famous names from famous Test playing countries have failed to achieve.

Born on September 30, 1998, the emergence of this native from Moratuwa, who cut his teeth in the game at St. Sebastian’s College, while signaling the arrival of a colt with the gift of buying wickets with an effective arm, has with it marked a turnaround in Sri Lanka’s cricketing fortunes. Indeed, going by his magnificent maiden performance it lit up the country’s bowling mechanism from the mediocre to the ominous in turning of tables on a well-oiled Bangladesh outfit.

From a Sri Lankan point of view, the 1-nil series win also marked a new chapter in the payoff twosome youth investment in the spin bowling department with 25-year old all-rounder Ramesh Mendis also chipping in with 4 for 103 in a 5-wicket match haul.

Thisara Perera announces international retirement Thisara Perera was an important part of some of country’s prominent highs in white-ball cricket over the last decade.

Thisara Perera announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 32, informing the board in a letter that it was the right time for him to “step aside and pave the way for younger and more talented players” while focusing more on his family life and personal goals.

Perera ends a limited-overs career that spanned over 11 years after making his debut in December 2009, during which he represented Sri Lanka in 166 ODIs (2338 runs, 175 wickets) and 84 T20Is (1204 runs, 51 wickets). He played the last of his

final. A hard-hitting batsman lower down the order, he also made an impression in the World Cup final in 2011 against India.

“I take pride in the fact that I was able to represent Sri Lanka in seven cricket World Cups and be a contributing member of the 2014 T20 World Cup win against India in Bangladesh,” Perera said. “Easily the highlight of my life.”

There were many other highlights in Perera’s career as well. He was appointed captain of both ODI and T20I sides in 2017.

In 2019, the left-hander blasted his maiden ODI hundred, scoring 140 off just 74 balls against New Zealand – an innings that included 13 sixes which is the most by a

six Tests back in 2012.

Perera was an important part of some of country’s prominent highs in white-ball cricket over the last decade, like the T20 World Cup win in 2014 where he knocked off the winning runs against India in the Published by Zeilan International Pvt. Ltd

Sri Lanka player. He is the only Sri Lankan to hit six sixes in an over in any form of professional cricket. Perera’s impact with the ball was a lot gentler, although he does have an ODI as well as a T20I hattrick to his name. With his medium-pace, he provided the balance to the team.

“Thisara was a brilliant all-rounder, who has contributed immensely as a player to Sri Lanka Cricket and played a part in some of the glorious cricketing moments of the country,” said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket.

Perera last played for Sri Lanka earlier this year against West Indies, featuring in both ODI and T20I series.