Friday, 6 August, 2021 I 26 Zil-Hajj, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 37 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
On secOnd annexatiOn anniversary, Pakistan draws wOrld’s attentiOn tO atrOcities in kashmir g
PM IMran, COaS Bajwa SlaM InDIa fOr '2 yearS Of OPPreSSIOn' In OCCuPIeD KaShMIr
ISLAMABAD
a
staff report
S people of Kashmir on either side of the line of Control and the world over observe the second anniversary of the Indian annexation of occupied Kashmir, Pakistan thursday urged the international community to hold new Delhi accountable for gross rights violations in the disputed region. august 5 (today) is being observed as youm-i-Istehsal (the day of exploitation) of people of the Indian-occupied region across the country in order to register protest against new Delhi’s decision to strip it of its autonomy. In his message, Prime Minister Imran Khan said India has failed to break the will of the people of Kashmir. “today marks two years since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 august 2019 in Indian Illegally Occupied jammu and Kashmir,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets.
“these actions were followed by an unprecedented military siege and restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people to perpetuate Indian occupation in the occupied territory.” Imran added that Kashmiris face unabated extrajudicial killings, custodial torture and death, arbitrary detentions, burning and looting of houses to inflict collective punishment and other worst forms of human rights abuses. two years ago today, India revoked the special status of the himalayan region, scrapping a constitutional provision that allows the state of jammu and Kashmir to make its own laws. It also scrapped the local special citizenship law, guaranteed under article 35 (a) of the Indian constitution, lifting the ban on property purchases by non-residents, opening the way for Indians to invest and settle there, just as they can elsewhere in India. Introduced decades ago, the constitutional provisions reserved government
cOrOnavirus in
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
1,053,660
LAST UPDATED AT 9:25 AM ON AUGUST 5, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
60
5,661
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
952,616 23,635 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
392,433
360,494
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
146,485 AJK/GB: 25,778/8,473
30,880 ISLAMABAD:
89,117
jobs and college places for Kashmir’s residents, among other limits aiming to keep people from other parts of India from overrunning the state. the move was seen as part of an organised attempt to bring demographic changes to the disputed territory. “India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 august 2019 and subsequent measures particularly pertaining to domicile rules and land ownership laws are aimed at changing the demographic structure of IIOjK and converting the Kashmiris into a minority in their own land,” the prime minister said today. he termed august 5 measures a blatant violation of international law, including the un Charter, united nations Security Council resolutions, and the fourth Geneva Convention. “Pakistan, the Kashmiris and the international community forcefully rejected these steps.” he reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause and gave assurances of extending all possible assistance to the people of Kashmir until the realisation of their inalienable right to selfdetermination and a just resolution of the jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant un Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
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Discontent in occupied Kashmir on second anniversary of loss of autonomy STORY ON BACK PAGE
UK Home Office rejects Nawaz’s visa extension application g
SharIf faMIly tO aPPeal the DeCISIOn
the home Office of united Kingdom has rejected Pakistan Muslim league-nawaz supreme leader and three-time prime minister nawaz Sharif’s request for visa extension. “the uK home Office has excused itself from further extending Muhammad nawaz Sharif’s visa,” PMl-n spokesperson Marriyum aurangzeb said in a statement. the Sharif family has also decided to appeal the decision. She said the home Office had stated that nawaz could file an appeal against this decision in the immigration tribunal. “nawaz Sharif’s lawyers have filed the appeal in the British immigration tribunal,” Marriyum added. She said the home Office’s order would remain “without effect” until a
Pakistan will not accept ‘forceful takeover’ in Afghanistan: NSA national Security adviser Dr Moeed yusuf has said that Pakistan will not accept a “forceful takeover” in afghanistan and instead support a political solution to the war-torn country’s conflict. “we will not accept a forceful takeover,” he told reporters at a press conference held at the Pakistan embassy in washington, DC late on wednesday, wrapping up a week of talks with the uS administration. the nSa stressed that the only solution for peace in afghanistan was a “political one”. “we have made it absolutely clear that we are with the international community on where this goes,” he said. “But the world also needs to be clear that the uS invests in a political settlement.” Dr yusuf said the harsh rhetoric of the afghan government against Pakistan was making it impossible to maintain good relations between the neighbours. “we are beginning to see a very conscious, deliberate effort by the afghan government to scapegoat Pakistan,” he said, adding that afghanistan wanted to shift the entire blame of its failures onto Islamabad. he reiterated that although Pakistan wanted to
decision on the appeal, and that “nawaz Sharif can reside in the uK legally until the appeal is decided.” nawaz has been living in london since november 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment. In December last year, adviser to the Prime Minister on accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad akbar had told a press conference that Pakistan had written a letter to the uK for the cancellation of nawaz’s visa, which was issued for medical treatment after taking an undertaking. the six-month visa had not been extended by the uK, he had said at the time, adding that negotiations were continuing with uK for the deportation of nawaz. news desk
more inside
Top judge takes notice of attack on Hindu temple STORY ON PAGE 02
threats of cellphone blocks, work bans boost vaccination rate STORY ON PAGE 03 have very good relations with the afghan government, “unfortunately, the vitriol and rhetoric coming from there is making that impossible”. he urged the afghan government and the taliban to “compromise and reach a peace settlement” as the insurgents make rapid gains amid the uS troop withdrawal. he stressed that the internationally recognised government in Kabul needed to stop looking for a military victory and should include a broader range of afghans in any future talks. “there will have to be some compromise given the ground reality. But the violence will have
to stop,” he said. yusuf said his uS counterpart jake Sullivan and others in President joe Biden’s administration did not make specific requests of Pakistan, but discussed “how quickly we can get all these actors in one room to have a sincere conversation”. he dismissed talk of Islamabad exerting leverage over the taliban. “whatever limited leverage we had, we used,” he said, pointing to Pakistan encouraging the taliban to enter talks with the afghan government in Doha.
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Court rejects bail request of suspect’s parents in Noor murder STORY ON PAGE 03
Barrister Murtaza wahab appointed as administrator of Karachi STORY ON PAGE 02