Epaper_24-04-13 ISB

in his note maintained that the suo motu notice was taken by the apex court in good faith however it may harm the independence of high courts and their chief justices Meanwhile, SC s Justice Athar Minallah also included an additional note which mentioned that he “could not convince himself” to agree with paragraphs one to 12 of the written order In his note the apex court s judge maintained that interference in cases with political implications cannot be ruled out The judge added that the court itself has accepted the same in the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto reference while the Asghar Khan case is also enough to see the extent of the interference Terming the IHC judges whistleblowers , Justice Minallah insisted that the letter of the judges shows that they kept raising the issue at every relevant forum However the “institution” did not respond

despite the seriousness of the matter

The high court judges did what a judge is bound to do by oath, he stated, adding that there is no reason to doubt them

“These judges who raise their voice should not face problems the judge wrote in his note The high court judges have sworn to uphold the Constitution, he added

He also highlighted that the question of whether the prime minister can be summoned or not is yet to be considered by the full court

It is yet to be determined whether the independence of the judiciary is affected by the constitution of commissions by the government or not

“It is not appropriate to comment on the questions that are before the court ” Justice Minallah maintained The SC judge stated that the administration must prove before the full court that there is no interference on its behalf T

resulting in a decline in GDP

Ethe valiant efforts of rescue teams, only 8 people were successfully rescued alive, leaving families devastated and communities in mourning

The incidents occurred in Charsadda Nowshera and Kohat casting a pall over the festive celebrations In Nowshera s Kund Park a boat capsized, leading to the tragic loss

19 killed, 55 injured over resisting robberies during Ramazan

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t At least 19 were killed and 55 injured over resisting robberies during Ramadan 2024 amid rising crime rate in Karachi According to a police official, the armed robbers gunned down

18 killed, more than 50 injured as truck going to S hah Noorani shrine falls into ditch

PM Shehbaz Sharif has also expressed sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the accdient The premier has directed for the injured to be provided necessary medical treatment

query about the cause of incident, CM Murad said: Our prime concern was to shift the people to the hospitals and provide them treatment when the incident took place last night The reasons behind the accident will be investigated by the Balochistan government as it occurred within their jurisdiction Former lawmaker Jam Awais Jokhio he added is with the families of the deceased victims to facilitate them

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sakro Wajid Ali said that the driver of the truck Karim Baksh who was also injured in the incident has been taken into custody The police official added that the accident occurred due to a turn during the drive The incident occurred when a truck carrying pilgrims from Thatta had fallen into a ditch in the Hub district while it was on its way to the Shah Noorani shrine in Khuzdar Balochistan Speaking with journalists outside the Edhi morgue in Karachi s Sohrab Goth the police official said: More than 70 people had left for the pilgrimage from Makli s Qasim Jokhio village At least 15 out of the 17 deceased have been identified, he added Meanwhile, rescue sources said that a total of 17 dead and 38 injured have been identified Social worker Saad Edhi informed journalists that the information about the accident was received by 11pm while the rescue operation was completed within two hours He added that the 17 dead bodies were first transferred to the Civil Hospital Hub, then to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth He added that the 35 injured were brought to the Civil Hospital in Karachi Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also took notice of the incident directing the district administration to transfer the injured to the hospitals immediately

GAZA Ag e n c e s

THE leader of Hamas said on Wednesday Israel had killed three of his sons in an air strike in Gaza as the war in the Palestinian territory raged despite ongoing truce negotiations in Cairo Qatar-based Ismail Haniyeh said his three sons and some of his grandchildren had been killed in the strike in an interview with Al Jazeera

The strike came as talks in Cairo aimed at a ceasefire and a hostage release deal dragged on without signs of a breakthrough Israel did not immediately comment on the strike The United States has been ramping up pressure on Israel to agree to a truce increase the amount of aid it allows into the Gaza Strip and abandon plans to invade the southern city of Rafah US President Joe Biden labelled Israel’s conduct of the war a “mistake” in an interview broadcast on Tuesday Wednesday marked the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan with Gazans gathering to pray amid the devastation of the six-month war Tens of thousands also flocked to Israeli-

annexed east Jerusalem s Al-Aqsa mosque compound where one worshipper, nurse Rawan Abd, said: “It’s the saddest Eid ever you could see the sadness on people’s faces ” Israeli forces meanwhile kept up combat operations and air strikes in Gaza a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed no let-up in the campaign to destroy Hamas and bring home the hostages Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said on Wednesday that militarily “Hamas is defeated but insisted that Israeli troops would nevertheless enter Rafah and return to Khan Yunis from which they withdrew last week The army would have to fight for years to come in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank and in the Lebanon front”, he added

More than 1 5 million civilians are sheltering from the war in Rafah the last Gazan city yet to face an Israeli ground invasion The United States has repeatedly warned against an invasion, although it said on Tuesday it believed an invasion of Rafah was not “imminent” Biden voicing his growing frustration with the hawkish Netanyahu issued some of his sternest criticism yet of the war I think what he s doing is a mistake

Biden told the US Spanish-language TV

network Univision in an interview that aired on Tuesday night having been recorded last week “I don’t agree with his approach ”

He urged Netanyahu to “just call for a ceasefire allow for the next six eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into Gaza Talks mediated by the United States Egypt and Qatar have been ongoing in Cairo since Sunday, with Hamas still considering the latest proposal

Hamas member and spokesman in Doha Hossam Badran told reporters: “Hamas is studying the offer presented It has not responded yet

A framework being circulated would halt fighting for six weeks and see the exchange of about 40 hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners Beyond Washington there has been a growing chorus of international criticism

aimed at Israel s conduct of the war and the paucity of aid entering the territory

On Wednesday Spanish Prime Minister

Pedro Sanchez warned that what he called Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza risked “destabilising the Middle East, and as a consequence the entire world”

Spain is among several Western nations including Ireland and Australia to have suggested they would recognise a Palestinian state in the near future as a starting point for

wider peace talks rather than as an end goal

The war broke out with Hamas s October 7 attack against Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1 170 people mostly civilians according to Israeli figures Hamas also took about 250 hostages 129 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli army says are dead Israel s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,482 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry

In central Gaza the only area where Israeli troops are actively deployed a strike on home in the Nuseirat camp killed 14 people, the health ministry said The Israeli military said on Wednesday that “Israeli troops are continuing to operate in the central Gaza Strip and killed a number of terrorists over the past day”

The military added that aircraft had struck dozens of terror targets in the Gaza Strip including military sites launchers tunnel shafts and infrastructure Humanitarian groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war in besieged Gaza where UN experts say half the population is facing catastrophic food insecurity Washington s recent

States State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller has highlighted growing concerns regarding the surge of hate amidst the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict Miller ’s remarks came during his weekly briefing on Friday when he was questioned about the escalating hate witnessed not only within the United States but also across the globe, stemming from the conflict in the Middle East Miller acknowledged the gravity of the situation stating “It’s absolutely a concern He reiterated sentiments expressed by Secretary of State who has repeatedly emphasised the dangers of dehumanizing one another, particularly in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict He emphasized that when individuals on either side of the conflict engage in dehumanizing behaviour, it paves the way for actions that are detrimental to all parties involved Addressing the rise of antiSemitism and anti-Muslim sentiment Miller underscored President Joe Biden s condemnation of such acts and reaffirmed the State Department s commitment to combating hate both domestically and internationally Responding to inquiries regarding the characterisation of the conflict as a religious war or a territorial dispute

Miller emphasised the need to refrain from spreading hate in any form He stressed the US government s focus on bringing an end to the conflict swiftly and seeking a lasting solution that serves the interests of all parties involved including Muslims Jews Christians Israelis and neighbouring countries

He emphasised the importance of this approach by highlighting the ongoing security risks faced by Israel and the imperative for fostering relationships with its neighbours

Miller underscored that finding a viable path for reconciliation with the Palestinian people aligns with Israel s broader security interests despite the considerable difficulties involved He reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to pursue this goal diligently

We are trying to bring an end to this conflict as soon as possible and find a durable solution, Miller asserted “It is in the interest of all parties to see this conflict end and that s what we re trying to accomplish Commenting on the potential for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict Miller reiterated the United States stance stating We firmly believe that a twostate solution is the way forward While we recognise the immense challenges and the seemingly bleak outlook, we assess that, ultimately, as this conflict reaches its conclusion because it will we must chart a path towards a two-state solution

g r i s k s t o t h e c o u n t r y s p u b l i c finance outlook The Chinese government always manages to attain the multiple goals of supporting economic development, preventing fiscal risks and achieving fiscal sustainability while scientifically and rationally planning for the deficit scale in accordance with

IMF wish list

IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva in effect kicked off negotiations with Pakistan by telling the Atlantic Council, which she was addressing, that the country had important issues to resolve The implication is that the upcoming negotiations would centre around measures that would address these issues They included “the tax base how the richer part of society contributes to the economy the way public spending is being directed and of course creating a more transparent environment ” It might seem hypocritical of the IMF to be showing concern about the poor but there may also be a realization that the Pakistani consumer may well have been taxed beyond his or her capacity, and thus it is time to turn attention to the ‘richer part of society’ and how elite capture has allowed it to avoid paying its fair share of taxes This unfortunately does not necessarily mean relief, for the IMF thinks of itself as correcting through its conditionalities the errors of the past, and tough love is probably how it would like to think of it

While conducting its recent review, the IMF team indicated that it might push for a revision of NFC Award, to change the federal-provincial proportions in revenue sharing There is military expenditure to which it has objected in the past and there is the knotty problem of pension reform An interesting dimension of the spending side It is not that the IMF has not been deeply interested in this but now it seems that there is going to be a closer examination of the public policy effects of that expenditure However, though engagement with Ms Georgieva is going to be the most important engagement by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb when he goes to Washington today for an eight-day visit, he has other crucial meetings ahead of him One will be with World Bank President Ajay Banga, and another with US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Donald Lu As Mr Lu is supposed to have been

T h e S u p p o r t o f A f g h a n Ta l i b a n t o Te r r o r i s t G r o u p s i n S o u t h A s i a

P u t t i n g t h e l i d o n t e r ro r i s m n e e d s m u c h e f f o r t

TNotably the TTP operates under the guise of Tehreek Jihad Pakistan a name strategically chosen to alleviate pressure on the Afghan Taliban from Pakistan This affiliation highlights the interconnectedness of terrorist organizations in the region and underscores the need for concerted efforts to combat their nefarious activities The influx of Afghan citizens joining the TTP further underscores the crossborder nature of this threat and the complicity of elements within Afghanistan

Likewise the reports indicate that individuals such as Hakeem al-Masri of Afghanistan s Kunar province are actively involved in providing training for suicide attacks to members of the TTP and other organizations as well This underscores the permissive environment within Afghanistan for fostering terrorism and highlights the complicity of certain factions within the Afghan society in supporting such activities The Afghan Taliban s sympathy towards the TTP s objectives further exacerbates the security challenges faced by Pakistan and the broader region

The supply of arms by the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda to the TTP and other terrorist groups par-

carry out attacks against other countries interests The failure of the Afghan government to act decisively against these groups has increased the fear of the resurgence of terrorism in the region Recently, the analytical and sanctions monitoring team's 33rd report of the UNSC underscores the TTP's operations from Afghan soil with support from both the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda The TTP which is known as a regional menace continues to perpetrate acts of terrorism in South and Central Asia, and its activities are being orchestrated and facilitated from Afghanistan under the patronage of Afghan Taliban Al-Qaeda s involvement in bolstering the TTP s capabilities for carrying out terrorist activities in the region adds another layer of complexity to the situation The support provided by both the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda signifies a dangerous collaboration aimed at destabilizing the region This support of the Afghan government to TTP and other non-state actors has been increasing extensively since 2021

P a k i s t a n h a s b e e n s u f f

r i t y f o r c e s a r e t i r e l e s s l y f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t t h e s e n o n - s t a t e a c t o r s i n o r d e r t o m i t i g a t e t h i s m e n a c e f r o m t h e r e g i o n f o r g l o b a l p e a c e T h o u s a n d s o f c i v i l i a n s a n d o f f i c i a l s o f l a w e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n c i e s h a v e l a i d d o w n t h e i r l i v e s f o r g r e a t e r c a u s e I t i s h i g h t i m e f o r t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y t o p r e s s u r i z e t h e A f g h a n T a l i b a n t o c u r b t h e i r s u p p o r t t o n o n - s t a t e e l e m e n t s . T h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y m u s t a l s o a c k n o w l e d g e a n d s u p p o r t P a k i s t a n p o l i t i c a l l y , e c o n o m i c a l l y a n d m i l i t a r i l y t o e n h a n c e i t s c o u n t e r - t e r r o r i s m c a p a c i t y . T e r r o r i s t s a r e a t h r e a t t o t h e e n t i r e w o r l d , n o t o n l y P a k i s t a n T h e r e f o r e , t h e y c a n n o t b e d e f e a t e d b y o n l y o n e c o u n t r y O t h e r s t a t e s m u s t c o m e f o r w a r d a n d s u p p o r t t h o s e w h o a r e d e t e r m i n e d t o e r a d i c a t e t h e s e g r o u p s f r o m t h e r e g i o n

D i g i t a l V i g i l a n c e : I C T- 1 5 i n A c t i o n G e t t i n g s m a r t i s t h e p a t h t h a t i s b o e i n g t a k e n

ticularly for cross-border attacks targeting Pakistani citizens and security forces poses a direct threat to Pakistan's security and stability The practical integration of Afghan Taliban members into the TTP further blurs the lines between

which has been highlighting the need for stronger diplomatic and security initiatives to address this threat

The support of the Afghan Taliban to terrorist groups like the TTP poses a grave threat to the security and stability of South Asia The complicity of elements within Afghanistan, coupled with the collaboration

ter equipped to respond to new threats since they have a flexible tool for situational assessment and event monitoring

NAdir Ali

The Islamabad Police actively participate in a large number of initiatives to guarantee the safety and security of the capital s citizens, serving as the guardians of peace and order in the capital They are not only committed to enforcing the law; they also take a proactive all-encompassing approach to preserving peace in the community Therefore they also work to instill a sense of security in the community through proactive community engagement programmes, prompt emergency services and vigilant patrolling They are prepared to handle new issues and maintain public safety in the Capital City by embracing cutting-edge technologies and encouraging community involvement

In order to swiftly address new issues and avert possible disturbances to the peace, they use contemporary policing strategies that make use of technology and intelligence networks So as to develop trust and promote active coopera-

tion toward the goal of a safer and more orderly city the force is also committed to cultivating positive relationships with the community planning outreach initiatives and working with regional stakeholders The ceaseless efforts of the Islamabad Police highlight their vital role as peacekeepers, putting forth great effort to foster an environment in which citizens can prosper and lead safe lives Immediately legislative bodies must constantly adjust to the changing digital environment Therefore respect for laws and regulations is paramount to the maintenance of a harmonious societal order Engaging in unlawful rallies or resorting to violence against law enforcement and administrative authorities is unequivocally considered criminal behaviour Thus compliance with the law not only upholds the principles of justice but also contributes to fostering a climate conducive to open dialogue and civic engagement

Nadir Ali is a Public Relations Officer

(PRO) at Safe City Islamabad Pakistan He can be reached at hafiznadirali7@gmail com

h e y a l s o t a k e a p r o a c t i v e , a l le n c o m p a s s i n g a p p r o a c h t o p r e s e r v i n g p e a c e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y T h e r e f o r e , t h e y a l s o w o r k t o i n s t i l l a s e n s e o f s e c u r i t y i n t h e c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h p r o a c t i v e c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t p r o g r a m m e s , p r o m p t e m e r g e n c y s e r v i c e s , a n d v i g i l a n t p a t r o l l i n g T h e y a r e p r e p a r e d t o h a n d l e n e w i s s u e s a n d m a i n t a i n p u b l i c s a f e t y i n t h e C a p i t a l C i t y b y e m b r a c i n g c u t t i n g - e d g e t e c h n o l o g i e s a n d e n c o u r a g i n g c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t I n o r d e r t o s w i f t l y a d d r e s s n e w i s s u e s a n d a v e r t p o s s i b l e d i s t u r b a n c e s t o t h e p e a c e , t h e y u s e c o n t e m p o r a r y p o l i c i n g s t r a t e g i e s t h a t m a k e u s e o f t e c h n o l o g y a n d i n t e l l i g e n c e n e t w o r k s S o a s t o d e v e l o p t r u s t a n d p r o m o t e a c t i v e c o o p e r a t i o n t o w a r d t h e g o a l o f a s a f e r a n d m o r e o r d e r l y c i t y , t h e f o r c e i s a l s o c o m m i t t e d t o c u l t i v a t i n g p o s i t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h t h e c o m m u n i t y , p l a n n i n g o u t r e a c h i n i t i a t i v e s , a n d w o r k i n g w i t h r e g i o n a l s t a k e h o l d e r s . T h e c e a s e l e s s e f f o r t s o f t h e I s l a m a b a d P o l i c e h i g h l i g h t t h e i r v i t a l r o l e a s p e a c e k e e p e r s , p u t t i n g f o r t h g r e a t e f f o r t t o f o s t e r a n e n v i r o n m e n t i n w h i c h c i t i z e n s c a n p r o s p e r a n d l e a d s a f e l i v e s I m m e d i a t e l y , l e g i s l a t i v e b o d i e s m u s t c o n s t a n t l y a d j u s t t o t h e c h a n g i n g d i g i t a l e n v i r o n m e n t T h e r e

improvement in the department’s operational efficiency and situational awareness is the deployment of smart cars that are outfitted with sophisticated surveillance capabilities Likewise by incorporating drone technology into security operations Islamabad Police are bet-

Lahore

I t a s h a rd a s i t s e e m s

Pa t h e r c h a n g e p r e d i c t i o n a r e p r o m i s i n g , d r i v e n b y o n g o i n g t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n s , i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y c o l l a b o r a t i o n , a n d a d e e p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f E a r t h ' s c o m p l e x a t m o s p h e r i c s y s t e m W h i l e c h a l l e n g e s r e m a i n , s u c h a s p r e d i c t i n g r a r e e v e n t s a n d u n c e r t a i n t i e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h c l i m a t e c h a n g e , c o n t i n u e d r e s e a r c h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t e f f o r t s h o l d t h e p o t e n t i a l t o f u r t h e r i m p r o v e f o r e c a s t s k i l l a n d a d v a n c e o u r a b i l i t y t o a n t i c i p a t e a n d r e s p o n d t o w e a t h e r - r e l a t e d c h a l l e n g e s

ters like temperature precipitation and wind speed and direction Meteorological agencies often achieve accuracy rates of around 90% or higher for short-term forecasts in many regions b Medium-Range Forecasts (3-7 days): Medium-range forecasts have lower accuracy compared to short-term forecasts but still provide valuable information about upcoming weather patterns Accuracy rates for medium-range forecasts can vary widely depending on factors like the complexity of weather systems and the availability of observational data Typically, accuracy rates for medium-range forecasts range from 70% to 85% c Long-Range Forecasts (beyond 7 days): Long-range forecasts are inherently more uncertain due to the greater complexity of atmospheric processes and the limitations of current prediction models Accuracy rates for long-range forecasts tend to decrease significantly as the forecast period extends beyond seven days Long-range forecasts are often used for general trend analysis rather than precise predictions of specific weather events Accuracy rates for long-range forecasts may range from 50% to 70% or lower, depending on the region and weather conditions d Extreme Events: Forecasting extreme weather events such as hurricanes tornadoes and severe storms poses significant challenges due to their complex and rapidly evolving nature

The prospects of weather change prediction are influenced by advancements in technology, improved understanding of atmospheric processes, and access to more comprehensive data Here are some key factors shaping the prospects of weather change prediction: a Advancements in Numerical Weather Pre-

diction (NWP): Continued improvements in NWP models, computational power, and data assimilation techniques enhance the accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts

High-resolution models with finer grid spacing and improved parameterizations allow for better representation of small-scale weather phenomena b Increased Observational Capabilities: Advancements in observational technologies, including satellite remote sensing, ground-based sensors, and aircraft observations, provide more detailed and comprehensive data on atmospheric conditions These observations help initial-

ize models more accurately and improve forecast skill c Ensemble Forecasting: Ensemble forecasting techniques which involve running multiple simulations with slight variations in initial conditions and model parameters, provide probabilistic forecasts that account for uncertainty Ensemble forecasts help convey the range of possible outcomes and improve decisionmaking under uncertainty

d Integration of Climate Models: Integration of climate models with weather prediction models enables

Machine learning algorithms

techniques are increasingly being applied to

prediction tasks,

pattern recognition, data assimilation and post-processing of model

potential

These methods have

processes Overall,

prediction

promising, driven by ongoing technological innovations interdisciplinary collaboration and a deeper understanding of Earth s complex atmospheric system While challenges remain such as predicting rare events and uncertainties associated with climate change, continued research and development efforts hold the potential to further improve forecast skill and advance our ability to anticipate and respond

Olight the antipathy between India s two largest religious communities and make their differences irreconcilable Savarkar was an atheist, but that was no obstacle to his mission He saw Hinduness or Hindutva as he termed it as a cultural source of identity In his book on Hindutva published in 1923 Savarkar argued that India should belong to this nation of Hindus, who considered the subcontinent both their fatherland and their holy land Savarkar believed that Muslims and Christians could not belong to this nation “Hindusthan may be their fatherland he wrote yet it is not to them a holy land too Savarkar s ideas quickly caught on In 1925, a group of high-caste Hindus founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an organization dedicated to creating the nation Savarkar imagined The RSS saw India as an exclusively Hindu nation and argued that Christians and Muslims had no place in it One of the founders of the organization Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, argued that Muslims were yavana snakes, borrowing an archaic term for foreigners

RSS never concealed its vision of what India should be, its vast array of sympathizers lived out a variant of what the Polish-American writer Czeslaw Milosz described as ketman: they publicly accepted and even endorsed the country s prevailing secular norms while concealing their true beliefs

This strategy allowed the Jan Sangh to work closely with mainstream political groups, including ones that termed themselves socialists and progressives Soon, the party was sharing power with such outfits at the provincial level After the 1977 elections which booted the Indian National Congress from government for the first time since independence the RSS affiliate briefly shared political power as a junior partner in a diverse alliance The coalition soon collapsed, and the Jan Sangh evaporated But in 1980, the RSS set up a new political wing: the BJP And in 1998 the party placed first in the national elections An RSS-trained politician Atal Bihari Vajpayee became India s prime minister During Vajpayee s tenure, the BJP

aims to completely restructure the Indian state as a Hindu nation It wants to put Hinduism at the center of public life It wants to make full Indian citizenship contingent on being Hindu It has even set in motion laws that threaten many of the country’s Muslims with detention and eviction

To make these bigger changes the BJP must do more than just win a third term It has to win big, with majorities large enough to completely steamroll the country s opposition A CENTURY IN THE MAKING Hindu nationalism may seem like an old ideology It is not It began to take shape in the 1920s in the

By the early 1930s the RSS had gathered enough strength to send a delegation to Italy to meet with its leader, Benito Mussolini, and learn the art of cadre building from his fascist organization Under the leadership of M S Golwalkar, Hedgewar s successor, the group patterned itself on Mussolini’s party creating a system of educational centers where members lived studied and trained replete with uniforms and drills Golwalkar also learned from European fascists views on minorities In his writings, he claimed that the final solution in Germany was a model for how India should treat its own minority groups (Modi has written and spoken of Golwalkar as one of his guiding lights ) Such exclusionary views ensured that the RSS had little or no participation in India s freedom struggle, which enjoyed the broad support of both Hindus and Muslims The group was further marginalized after an RSS member assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948 And it was decidedly uninvolved in the debates that led to the writing of the Indian constitution which was adopted in 1950 As late as 1966, the RSS made clear its criticism of the founding document The constitution “is just a cumbersome and heterogeneous piecing together of various articles from various Constitutions of Western countries Golwalkar wrote It has absolutely nothing which can be called our own But gradually, the group began to enter Indian politics

In 1951, it founded the Jan Sangh a precursor to the BJP which contested and won seats in Parliament Its members joined the bureaucracy universities and other prominent institutions

In 2001, he was elected chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat Under his tenure Hindu mobs carried out a pogrom there killing at least 800 Muslims The police which reported to Modi s government largely stood aside Modi carried RSS ideology with him into national leadership Over his ten years in office the prime minister has successfully relegated

Although the

that

announced in

claims will allow it to detain and deport undocumented immigrants In reality it is a mechanism through which New Delhi can deport Christians and Muslims To join the registry, Indians must prove their citizenship by providing certain documents In a country where good records can be hard to find many will fail to get the papers they need In the prevalent Islamophobic climate it would then be easy to label Muslims as illegal immigrants and threaten to detain and expel them To make other fundamental shifts, the BJP will need to alter the constitution That will be a much harder task Constitutional amendments must pass each of the two houses by what is called a special majority a vote in which at least two-thirds of the members of each house participate This means opposition parties can block an amendment if they control at least a third of either chamber The BJP and its allies must therefore gain an additional 30 seats in the lower house and 42 in the upper house if they want to change India s foundational text But if the party can succeed in 2025 and then in subsequent state elections, it will finally be able to scrub the constitution of its secular provisions and language These numbers help explain why the BJP has resorted to controversial methods going into these elections To complete its mission, the RSS must stamp out any serious opposition to the point where no party can challenge Hindu nationalists in state or federal elections And to do that, the party has employed even more autocratic and illiberal techniques including arresting opposition leaders such as Kejriwal Although such acts are controversial there are reasons to think the BJP will not pay an electoral penalty for them The mass media is effectively controlled by the BJP and its affiliates It has largely prevented details about the government’s misuse of power from reaching ordinary voters and when it does allow news to seep through the information is typically couched in discourse about how the opposition has done and will do far worse things The Indian opposition will also struggle to capitalize on any of the BJP’s vulnerabilities The country s election process is overseen by a body that is now staffed by ex-bureaucrats selected by the

The register the govern-

to second-class status in Indian society He has for example passed laws that could strip many Muslims of their citizenship His party has fielded just one Muslim candidate in the 2024 elections, from a district where Muslims make up over 70 percent of the population depriving the religious group of representation in government And BJP-controlled states have enacted bills that make it extremely difficult for Hindus and Muslims to marry, for anyone to convert to Islam, and for Muslims to purchase property in Hindu-dominated areas Many of the bills’ provisions also affect Christians Hindus may make up 80 percent of India s population but given its size the number of people affected by the BJP s discrimination exceeds 200 million The party may well be carrying out the largest marginalization in human history The discrimination has accelerated the longer Modi has stayed in power Since winning reelection in 2019 his government has advanced many large-scale legal changes that were once considered out of bounds for even hardcore Hindu nationalists Modi has, for instance, revoked the special status of Indian Occupied Kashmir (The government also divided the state in half and relegated the resulting parts to union territories run by the federal government ) The government has overseen the construction of a Hindu temple atop the ruins of a medieval mosque that an RSS-affiliated mob vengefully tore down in 1992 Uttarakhand, a state under BJP control, has even implemented a civil code that while quashing Muslims’ access

Former Philippine president calls for rational dialogue with China

BEIJING C G T N

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called for rational and friendly dialogue with China on current bilateral issues and expressed sadness over the disputes in the South China Sea and the policies adopted by the current administration toward China in a recent interview by Global Times When asked about the message he wanted to convey to the people of both the Philippines and China regarding the current state of China-Philippines relations Duterte issued a warning He cautioned that the US is attempting to instigate a war between China and the Philippines emphasizing that the US would not risk American lives for Filipinos Duterte expressed hope that the Philippines could steer away from its detrimental path and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation He expressed hope to stop the ruckus over the South China Sea stating that the Americans are the ones pushing the Philippine government to go out there and quarrel and eventually maybe start a war Duterte thinks China and the Philippines have to wait before returning to the negotiating table on the South China Sea issue "You cannot talk to the Philippine government because it is the Americans that will tell them what he should say to you So it's forever a cycle of incongruity " he said Duterte envisions China and the Philippines collaborating to enrich people-to-people exchanges Despite many Filipinos leaning towards a proAmerican stance due to the educational system, he aspires

p s a r e n o t c o n f i n e d t o t h e L i n e o f C o n t r o l ( L o C ) a n d b o r-

ders but are also stationed within civilian areas subjecting the popu l a c e t o w i d e s p r e a d r a i d s a rrests and collective punishment f o r d e m a n d i n g t h e U N - p l e d g e d right to self-determination Minhas emphasized that India's use of brute force violates international laws despite UN resolutions affirming the Kashmiris right to self-determination through a plebiscite He lamented the rampant human rights abuses, including fake encounters and torture in military camps and interrogation centers across the Valley

The APHC drew attention to alarming warnings from international bodies such as the UN genocide watch statement in February 2019, and recent US intelligence reports foreseeing heightened tensions between India and Pakistan and India and China

These warnings underscore the urgent need for democratic countries to recognize India s diplomatic deceit which exacerbates an already volatile situation F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e A P H C h a i l e d s e n i o r H u r r i y a t l e a d e r M u s h t a q u l I s l a m ' s r e s i l i e n c e after completing two years of ill e g a l d e t e n t i o n i n a n U t t a r Pradesh jail under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) His arr e s t , d e e m e d a s b l a t a n t h a r a s sment to stifle political dissent in K a s h m i r, r e f l e c t s t h e o n g o i n g suppression of voices advocating for self-determination

The APHC urged the UN to fulfill its duty to resolve the Kashmir dispute and halt the bloodshed in IIOJK, emphasizing the imperative for international intervention to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the territory

Uby

itime Militia, Marcos said on X The Chinese Coast Guard has repeatedly tried to block Manila’s supplies to its grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre in disputed waters in the vast waterway Manila has said the incidents have injured its personnel and damaged its vessels

China and the Philippines have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal – also known as the Ayungin Shoal Bai Co May and Ren’ai Jiao –which is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea An international tribunal overwhelmingly ruled in favour of the Philippines maritime claims in 2016, rejecting much of China’s claims, including its efforts to develop artificial islands to stake out naval claims in the South China Sea Beijing has not recognised the ruling declaring it null and void The US and the Philippines signed a mutual defence treaty in 1951, just nine years before Washington and Tokyo

China firmly opposes negative China related statement by Japan, US

Embassy spokesperson said here on Thursday China urges Japan to respect China s core interests and major concerns, earnestly implement the important consensus on comprehensively advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries drop its beggar-thy-neighbor practices and stop interfering in China s internal affairs so as to avoid further damage to ChinaJapan relations, the spokesperson said The spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan made the remarks when asked to comment on the negative content concerning China in the latest U S -Japan joint leaders statement The spokesperson said that Japan ignored China s repeated dissuasion and insisted on wantonly manipulating China-related issues in the Japan-U S leaders’ meeting and joint statement, seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs and harming China’s interests

Japan and the United States have also significantly strengthened their military alliance and played up camp confrontation, which will increase the risk of conflict and threaten regional peace and stability, the spokesperson added Japan’s relevant moves violate the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan as well as international law and the basic norms governing international relations China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes this, and has lodged stern representations with the Japanese side said the spokesperson

The spokesperson pointed out that the Diaoyu Islands are China s territory Whatever Japan and the United States say and whatever they do cannot alter these absolute facts

The Taiwan question is purely China s internal affair that brooks no external interference

Japan should abide by its commitments and be prudent in its words and deeds China’s positions and propositions on the East China Sea and South China Sea issues have a full historical and legal basis

Japan is not a party concerned in the South China Sea issue and should stop its disruptive actions to provoke confrontation It must be stressed that the Japan-U S alliance as a product of the Cold War should not target a third party let alone harm the interests of a third party

The practice of forming a small circle in the field of military security is completely against the trend of the times and will backfire the spokesperson said

Besham attack: Citizens block Karakoram near Kohistan to stage protest against suspension of officials

N o S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l ‘c o n s e n s u s ’ o n

Pa l e s t i n e ’s U N m e m b e r s h i p

consensus said Maltese Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, who holds the council s rotating presidency for April However two-thirds of the members were in favour of full membership she said without specifying which countries

While the ad hoc committee can only move forward by consensus loosely speaking, when everyone is in agreement any Security Council member may now put forth a resolution for vote on the matter According to diplomatic sources a vote could be held April 18, brought forth by Algeria which represents Arab nations on the Council

Even if the matter were to receive the necessary nine of 15 votes observers predict a veto from the United States Washington maintains the United Nations is not the place for hashing out Palestinian statehood, which it stresses should be the result of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians

All we ask for is to take our rightful place among the community of nations, Palestinian UN

envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters earlier this week

The Gaza war began after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack against Israel left 1 170 people dead mostly civilians according to Israeli figures

Israel s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33 545 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry

Israel was on alert Thursday after its arch-foe Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals, and as the war against Hamas ground on in Gaza

Days after Israel strengthened its air defences and paused leave for combat units the United States also warned of the risk of an attack by Iran or its allied groups at a time when Middle East tensions have soared

Iran is threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”, US President Joe Biden said Wednesday pledging “ironclad” support for its top regional ally despite diplomatic tensions over Israel s military conduct in Gaza

lapses which led to the Besham attack Addressing a press conference, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the action was ordered against the police chiefs of Hazara division Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan districts; Dasu Hydropower Project security director; and the commandant of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Security Unit

The inquiry report found these security officials were negligent in their duties and should have remained alert on the day of the incident,” he said, adding, “Disciplinary action will be taken within 15 days ” the minister said Today the residents of Upper and Lower Kohistan staged protests in the main bazaars of both districts

They alleged that the officials suspended were not culpable as the attack had taken place in Shangla district s Besham area They lamented that the officials of Upper and Lower Kohistan as well as the regional police officer of Hazara division were suspended instead of

ISLAMABAD

N E W S D E S K

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom has added Pakistan to its list of countries that it deems “too dangerous” for UK citizens to travel

to In the latest FCO alert the organisation has updated the list and added eight more countries bringing the total number of banned destinations to 24

According to Manchester

Evening News the FCO’s alert

covers a range of concerns that pose a threat to visitor safety including crime war terrorism disease, weather conditions and natural disasters

The newly added countries are those that are currently involved in conflicts including Russia

Ukraine Israel Iran Sudan

Lebanon Belarus and the Palestinian territories

The blacklisted countries include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso,

Central African Republic Chad

Haiti Iraq Israel Lebanon Libya

Mali, Niger, North Korea, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen

In addition to a black list, the Foreign office has also issued a red list where travel should be avoided

unless absolutely essential

If you re planning to travel

somewhere from the UK, remember not to visit the blacklisted countries or countries on the red list which includes:

Algeria

Angola

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Benin

Burundi

Cameroon

Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Djibouti

Ecuador

Egypt

lamented that the

of the prevailing established lawlessness in the country and the deeprooted acrimony and bitterness between the government and state ranks He noted that during the last 2 years lawlessness and anarchy had been ruled the roost as the constitution and law were buried at the state level and a certain group enjoyed a status above the law PTI Spokesperson pointed out that all the components and institutions of the state were facing the hooliganism which had been fashioned to oust PTI from politics

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Georgia

India

Indonesia

Ivory Coast

Jordan

Kenya

Kosovo

Laos

Malaysia

Mauritania

Mexico

Moldova

Mozambique

Myanmar(Burma)

Nigeria

Pakistan

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Saudi Arabia

Tanzania

Thailand

Togo

Tunisia

Turkey

Uzbekistan

Western Sahara

We, at PTI, have been the victim of the worst state oppression and are fully aware of the effect it causes and pain it