CMYK
20 December, 2020 I 4 Jumada-al-Awwal, 1442 I Rs 25.00 I Vol XI No 171 I 36 Pages I Islamabad Edition
UN coNfirms vehicle oN roUtiNe patrol damaged Near loc g
Pakistan summons indian envoy over ‘deliberate targeting’ of un vehicle by indian occuPation force
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
t
he united nations has confirmed that a vehicle of the un military observer group in india and Pakistan (unmogiP) was damaged after it was hit by an “unidentified object” near rawalakot on the Pakistani side of the line of control (loc). “the mission is currently investigating the incident,” deputy spokesman to the secretary general farhan haq said in response to a question from aPP at the regular briefing in new york. he said according to details present with him, no one was injured in the incident but the unmogiP vehicle sustained damage. responding to an indian journalist’s question on whether the un was aware of the indian government’s rejection of reports from Pakistan, haq said, “We are aware of what both sides have been saying.” “at this stage, we’re simply aware that a vehicle was hit by an unidentified object, like
i said no one was harmed […] and we are investigating the incident.” he said the incident occurred when unmogiP military observers were conducting routine monitoring activities near rawalakot as part of the mission’s mandate to observe and report on ceasefire violations at the loc in Jammu and kashmir. sharing pictures of the un vehicle with bullet holes on friday, the military’s media wing said the attack was “deliberate” since “un vehicles are clearly recognisable even from long distances due to their distinct make and type and clearly visible markings.” “such illegal and unlawful acts against all established international norms, signify malintent of indian army to target not only innocent civilians residing along the line of control but un Peace keepers as well,” it said. INDIAN ENVOY SUMMONED: meanwhile, the foreign office (fo) on saturday summoned the indian chargé d'affaires over the "deliberate targeting" of the un vehicle by indian occupation forces. "the indian chargé d'affaires was sum-
coroNavirUs iN
pakistaN
CONFIRMED CASES:
454,673
LAST UPDATED AT 8:44 AM ON DECEMBER 19, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
87
3,179
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
404,501 SINDH:
202,983 KP:
54,448
9,250 PUNJAB:
130,706 BALOCHISTAN:
17,880
AJK/GB: ISLAMABAD: 7,937/4,814 35,905
moned to the foreign office to register Pakistan’s strong protest at the deliberate targeting of observers belonging to the unmogiP," a statement by fo spokesman Zahid hafeez chaudri said. "the deliberate targeting of a un vehicle, engaged in discharging the mandate of the un security council, constitutes a grave violation of india’s obligations, under the council’s resolutions and the un charter, which includes the obligation to ensure the safety and security of the unmogiP observers," the fo statement said, adding that the stunt "appears to be a new coercive and reckless indian ploy to hinder the observers’ work". "it was communicated to the indian side that the brazen act was a flagrant violation of established international norms and represented a complete disregard for principles enshrined in the un charter." it was also conveyed that the reprehensible act also represented a new low in the conduct of indian occupation forces which target not only innocent civilians residing along the loc but un observers as well, the statement said. the indian side was called upon to desist from such blatant violations of international law, respect the 2003 ceasefire understanding between india and Pakistan, and let the unmogiP perform its role mandated by the un security council, it concluded. a day earlier, the fo had said that indian troops had “specifically targeted” the un vehicle carrying two unmogiP officers in what was termed a “new low” in indian conduct. the unmogiP officers were on their way to Polas village to meet with the victims of indian ceasefire violations when they came under fire, the foreign office had said. the officers were immediately evacuated by the Pakistan army and brought back to the unmogiP field station in rawalakot, according to the inter-services Public relations (isPr). the isPr said the Pakistan army stood in solidarity with unmogiP officials and appreciated the "selfless services rendered by all members of unmogiP in discharge of their un-mandated duties".
US urged to stop India from fanning terrorism ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s ambassador to the united states asad majeed khan has urged the us to play a critical role in stopping indian interference and maintaining peace and security of the region. in an interview to the us magazine, the christian science monitor, khan noted that Pakistan has managed to significantly reduce the number of attacks in the country over the last decade. however, he blamed india for the resurgence of attacks in the country. "unfortunately we see the indian footprint and indian fingerprints all over the place." the ambassador expressed hope that the engagement of the us could support peace and stability in the south asian region. he added that india has successfully painted itself as the innocent target of terrorism. “a certain narrative has been built around indian victimhood – how india has suffered at the hand of terrorists – and much of that blame has been thrown at us." khan said that it is time that the world understood not just india’s destabilizing activities in the region but also its attacks on democratic gov-
France charges four Pakistan nationals in Charlie Hebdo attacks PARIS AGENCIES
french authorities have charged and detained four Pakistanis suspected of links to a meat cleaver attack by a compatriot outside the former offices of the charlie hebdo, a french satirical weekly known for vulgar irreverence, that wounded two people, the national counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office said. the four male suspects, aged 17 to 21, were in contact with the attacker, said a source familiar with the case. they are suspected of being aware of the attacker’s plot and inciting him to carry it out, according to another judicial source close to the investigation. three of them were charged on friday last with “taking part in a terrorist conspiracy” and placed in pre-trial detention. the fourth had already been charged on Wednesday. two were arrested in the southwest gironde department, a third in the northern port city of caen and the last in the Paris region. “they share his ideology and one of them expressed his hatred of france a few days before the action,” said one of the sources. news of the charges comes
ernance and human rights at home under the current hindu nationalist government. referring to the human rights violation in indian illegally occupied Jammu and kashmir (iioJ&k), the envoy said Pakistan would like to see the us pressure india over the revocation of the disputed region's special status and the repressive measures indian Prime minister narendra modi continues to enforce. it is pertinent to mention that Pakistan has also presented the dossier of indian involvement in terrorism to un secretary general antonio guterres among other diplomats. the country seeks to highlight indian aggression against Pakistan and hopes the world community will hold new delhi responsible for its destabilising presence in the region. earlier on friday, the un has confirmed a vehicle of its military observer group in india and Pakistan was hit by an unidentified object near rawalakot on the Pakistani side of line of control (loc). speaking at the regular briefing in new york, un deputy spokesman farhan haq said the incident occurred when military observers were conducting routine monitoring activities. he said the mission is currently investigating the incident.
more inside
PTM leader Ali Wazir sent on 10-day remand STORY ON PAGE 02
one gets death, another life imprisonment for army commando’s murder STORY ON PAGE 02 two days after a Paris court convicted 13 accomplices of the gunmen who massacred charlie hebdo staff in January 2015. to mark the start of that trial in early september, the magazine had in typically provocative style reprinted blasphemous caricatures of Prophet muhammad (Pbuh). three weeks later, a “Pakistani man” wounded two people outside the weekly’s former offices, hacking at them with a cleaver. the assailant, named Zaheer hassan mahmoud, 25, was arrested after september’s attack on terror charges and remains in custody. he told investigators that prior to the attack he had watched
“videos from Pakistan” concerning the satirical magazine’s decision to republish the cartoons. on october 16, a young chechen refugee beheaded teacher samuel Paty, who had shown some of the caricatures to his pupils. less than two weeks later, three people were killed when a young tunisian recently arrived in europe went on a stabbing spree at a church in the mediterranean city of nice. President emmanuel macron’s government has introduced legislation to tackle radical activity in france, a bill that has sparked anger and protests in muslim countries.
Five rockets fired at US air base in Afghanistan STORY ON PAGE 12 in today’s issue
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