Category: World

London, May 17: The British government is monitoring the trial of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik very closely, UK Foreign Office minister Tariq Ahmad told the House of Lords on Tuesday.

Lord Ahmad, however, pointed out that Malik, chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was charged under Indian law and therefore part of an independent judicial process.

The minister, who is in-charge of South Asia and the Commonwealth in the Foreign Office, was responding to questions in the Upper House of the UK Parliament on a range of issues when he was asked about the trial of Malik by Pakistani-origin Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Qurban Hussain, under the heading of “Human Rights Situation in Indian-administered Kashmir”.

“On the specific issue of the trial of Yasin Malik, we are monitoring the trial very closely,” Lord Ahmad said.

“We do note he has been charged under Indian law. Therefore, I am sure the noble lord appreciates, we cannot intervene in the independent judicial process of India directly. However, in all our engagements we urge all countries to always respect and uphold their own international commitments regarding the treatment of any detainees,” he said.

Describing Malik as a “prominent Kashmiri leader, who has a huge following in the UK as well”, Hussain claimed that Kashmiris suspect the Indian government “wants to get rid of him too”.

“His life is in real danger,” he said.

Indian-origin peer Lord Indrajit Singh followed up to say that the UK’s response on human rights issues in India should not be muted because India is a member of the Commonwealth.

Lord Ahmad referred to his own Indian and Pakistani heritage to highlight that he raises all human rights issues of concern directly in a “constructive way” with the governments of both India and Pakistan.

Another Indian-origin peer, Lord Rami Ranger, intervened to raise the matter of persecution of minorities in Pakistan, pointing to the recent murder of two Sikh traders in Peshawar because of their religion.

“Who is supplying arms to the militants in Kashmir, who is training them and who is encouraging them to create disruption in a paradise,” Ranger questioned.

The minister reiterated the UK government’s long standing stance of India and Pakistan working on a resolution to the conflict in the region through talks.

“On Kashmir, it is important for both countries to move forward mutually and agree that there is a bright future for both countries who share so much in terms of culture and language, and one hopes a common shared future in terms of shared prosperity for the wider region,” said Ahmad.

In response to another query, he confirmed that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson did “engage on the broad range of issues, including those of human rights” during his visit to India last month.–(PTI)

LAHORE: The US has made Pakistan “a slave” without invading it, ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed, asserting that the people will never accept an “imported government.”

Khan, the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, was voted out of power last month through a no-confidence motion, which he alleges was plotted by the US with the help of local players over his pursuance of an independent foreign policy.

After his ouster, Khan has held several public rallies in different cities, labelling the new government headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as “traitors and corrupt rulers” allegedly imposed at the behest of the US.

Following his ouster, he has blamed the US for conspiring against his government – an allegation the US and the incumbent government here have refuted.

“The US has made Pakistan a slave without having to invade it. The people of Pakistan will never accept the imported government,” he said while addressing a rally in Faisalabad in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Sunday.

The former premier accused the US of being a self-centred country that does not help others without seeing its own interest.

Khan on Sunday said that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will “beg” for money from the US Secretary Antony Blinken so that he (Khan) cannot come back to power.

An invitation was extended by Blinken for Pakistan’s participation in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on May 18.

Khan accused Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari of being corrupt and stashing their wealth across the globe.

“Since all of Bilawal’s wealth is stored outside of the country, he cannot dare to upset the US, otherwise he will lose everything,” Khan said at the rally.

The former Prime Minister on Saturday claimed that a “conspiracy” to assassinate him was being hatched in Pakistan and abroad, warning that if anything happens to him, the people will come to know about the perpetrators through a video message he has recently recorded and placed in a safe place.

Khan has already announced a long march in Islamabad. He said the date of the march would be made public after May 20
PTI

Israeli forces shot dead an Al Jazeera journalist in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday

Shireen Abu Akleh was hit by a live bullet, while videos of the incident showed that Abu Akleh was shot in the head.

One Palestinian official said she had been “assassinated” by Israeli forces while reporting on a raid in the city of Jenin, which has seen intensified army raids in recent weeks as violence has surged.

The Palestinian health ministry has confirmed Abu Akleh’s death and said a second reporter, Ali Samodi, who works for the Jerusalem-based Quds newspaper, had been wounded.

However, in a statement, the Israeli military claimed its troops had shot back after coming under “massive fire” in Jenin and that “there is a possibility, now being looked into, that reporters were hit — possibly by shots fired by Palestinian gunmen”.

Meanwhile, a journalist working with Akleh, Nida Ibrahim, said Akleh was a “very well respected journalist” who had been working with Al Jazeera since the beginning of the second Palestinian Intifada in 2000. “As you can imagine, this is a shock to the journalists who have been working with her.”

Immediately after the news was reported, human rights activists, fellow journalists, and politicians took to Twitter to condemn the incident and express their condolences.

Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom Husam Zomlot said Akleh was the “most prominent Palestinian journalist and a close friend”.

Palestinian American activist Huwaida Arraf demanded that Israel should be held accountable.

JEDDAH:  Post Covid, over 1.5 million Muslims across the world performed Umrah this year so far.

According to a report issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Madinah department, 1,542,960 pilgrims have visited the Prophet’s Mosque, with 242,580 still in the holy city till Monday.

In terms of visitor nationality, the report showed that Iraqi pilgrims topped the list this year with 313,815 visitors, followed by Pakistani pilgrims, with a total of 201,003 pilgrims. Indonesian and Egyptian pilgrims came next with 171,898 and 95,907 pilgrims respectively.

The report also showed that more than 262,780 permits were electronically issued during Ramadan for worshippers to perform their prayers at the Holy Rawdah and pay respects to the Prophet Muhammad and his two companions, Abu Bakr Al-Siddique and Omar bin Al-Khattab. The report added that more than 116,000 of these permits were issued for women.

It also added that the Umrah app, Eatmarna, had issued 2,785,718 Rawdah visit permits since the beginning of the season, and over 6.6 million Umrah visit permits for worshippers from around the world during the last month of Ramadan.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said that its follow-up and control teams had carried out 900 field visits to monitor the level of services provided by Umrah companies during the last Ramadan season. The ministry added that 950,000 visitors participated in its questionnaire on measuring pilgrims’ satisfaction with the services provided.

The ministry noted that its automated services had provided swift responses to the worshippers’ inquiries during Ramadan through its multi-language Twitter accounts, emails, or via its guidance and instructions services.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set Shawwal 30 (May 31) as the deadline for overseas Muslims to obtain an Umrah visa. The decision was taken in coordination with the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

RIYADH:  Saudi Arabian government has started maintenance work on Kiswa, the cover of the holy Kaaba.

The belt of the Kaaba was tightened at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Maintenance work on Kiswa was carried out to preserve its luster. The edges of the cloth were tightened, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Periodic maintenance work is carried out on Kiswa after the end of Ramadan.

The Kaaba’s belt hangs 9 meters above ground and has verses of the Qur’an embroidered onto its black silk fabric in gold-plated silver thread.

Director of the maintenance department of the Kaaba’s Kiswa at the Grand Mosque, Fahd Al-Jabiri, said the maintenance of the cover is one of the tasks that the King Abdulaziz Complex For Holy Kaabah Kiswa carries out throughout the year.

Periodic maintenance work is carried out on the cloth of the Kaaba after the end of Ramadan. The fabric is tightened from all four sides by the technical team, he added.

Madrid: Imam Osama Bounasab was in for a big surprise when he led the Eid prayers in Spain.

Worshipers had parked a luxurious Audi-6 car outside a mosque in Lleida city of Spain. Soon he finished Eid namaz, the namizis escorted him to the parking and handed over the keys as a token of love.

Imam Bounasab expressed his appreciation for this step, and wrote on his Facebook account, as quoted by Moroccan bloggers, “Today was a great joy, as the blessed Tarka mosque group surprised me with an expensive, elegant and blessed gift: A high-class car, praise be to God”.

“My joy was greater with the love of these generous believers and their wrapping around me with their supplications, the spaciousness of their chests, and the goodness of their hearts. I pray for their health and wellness, and may God make their sons and daughters righteous”, he added.

Members of the Maghreb community living in the Spanish town of Tarka said that the initiative to gift the Imam of the mosque, came as a surprise to express the gratitude to the preacher. Instead of collecting donations from the worshipers in bags, and handing out the cash to the Imams and the reciters, the worshippers found this a novel way to appreciate the Imams.

Washington, May 3:  Around the world, Muslims are being targeted with violence, US President Joe Biden said on Monday asserting that Muslims make America stronger every single day even as they still face real challenges and threats in the society that they live in.

At a White House reception to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Biden said he has appointed the first Muslim to serve as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.

It’s especially important because today, around the world, we’re seeing so many Muslims being targeted with violence. No one, no one should discriminate against oppressed or be oppressed for their religious beliefs, he said to applause from the select gathering at the White House.

Arooj Aftab, a Pakistani vocalist and composer, was one of the speakers at the event along with First Lady Jill Biden and Dr. Talib M. Shareef, Imam of Masjid Muhammad, known as The Nation’s Mosque’ in Washington, DC.

Today, we also remember all those who are not able to celebrate this holy day, including Uyghurs and Rohingyas and all those who are facing famine, violence, conflict, and disease, Biden said.

And honour the signs of hope and progress toward the world we want to see, including the ceasefire, which allowed the people in Yemen to honour Ramadan and celebrate Eid in peace for the first time in six years, he added.

But at the same time, we have to acknowledge that an awful lot of work remains to be done abroad and here at home. Muslims make our nation stronger every single day, even as they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia that exists, he said.

Biden said, making the US more equitable, more inclusive for Muslim Americans is an essential part of the enduring work to form the more perfect union.

We’re the only nation in all the history of the world that’s been organised not based on a religion, race, ethnicity, geography, but on an idea. Think about that. An idea, he said.

In a tweet after the event, Biden said, Jill and I were honoured to host an Eid al-Fitr reception at the White House tonight, and we send our warmest greetings to everyone celebrating across the world. Eid Mubarak!

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris too wished people on the occasion.

Doug and I send our warmest wishes to all who are celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Muslims in the US and around the world celebrate after a month of deep reflection, helping those in need, and connecting with community. From our family to yours, Eid Mubarak! she said in a tweet

Moon for the Islamic month of Shawal not sighted, Eid ul Fitr across Pakistan to be celebrated on 3rd May 2022, announced Ruet e Hilal committee.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that there are no chances of the Shawwal moon being sighted today and therefore, Eidul Fitr may fall on Tuesday.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet today (Sunday) to sight the moon of Shawal 1443 AH, which will decide the first day of Eidul Fitr 2022.

The main meeting of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will be held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in Islamabad with Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad in the chair, while the zonal committees will sight the Shawwal crescent in their respective areas.

Maulana Azad will announce the final decision about the sighting of the crescent.

If the moon is spotted today, Pakistan will mark Eidul Fitr tomorrow (Monday).

However, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that there are no chances of the Shawwal moon being sighted today and therefore, Eidul Fitr may fall on Tuesday in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, South Waziristan in Pakistan and Afghanistan are celebrating Eid today after sighting the Shawwal moon yesterday.

– Agencies

Islamabad: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has taken out massive rallies in several cities across the country to protest against Imran Khan’s ouster as the Prime Minister through a no-confidence motion last night.

Protest rallies were held in various cities including Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Lahore with demonstrators shouting slogans against the Opposition.

Earlier, Khan said that today marked the beginning of a “freedom struggle” against what he called a “foreign conspiracy of regime change”.

In an attempt to galvanise his supporters, he said “it is always the people who protected their own sovereignty and democracy”.

“Pakistan became an independent state in 1947; but the freedom struggle begins again today against a foreign conspiracy of regime change.

It is always the people of the country who defend their sovereignty & democracy,” he said in another Tweet.

In Karachi, the city was lighted up for Imran Khan following his ouster.

In Islamabad, the protest started from Zero Point, with PTI supporters gathering and waving flags while chanting slogans in the former Prime Minister’s favour.

Flow of traffic at Srinagar Highway was affected due to the rally with long traffic lines forming, according to Dawn newspaper.

PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry had also called on the people to stage protests after Isha prayers while speaking to the media in Islamabad earlier in the day. He said that Khan not leading a massive movement would amount to a “betrayal with the country’s politics and Constitution”.

The party later issued a schedule of the various protests that were planned for cities all over the country starting 9:30 pm, according to Dawn newspaper.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan said that never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the “imported government-led by crooks.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan also expressed gratitude to the people of the country for supporting the protests against his ouster as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

“Thank you to all Pakistanis for their amazing outpouring of support and emotions to protest against US-backed regime change abetted by local Mir Jafars to bring into power a coterie of pliable crooks all out on bail.

Shows Pakistanis at home & abroad have emphatically rejected this,” Imran Khan tweeted.

The voting on the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led PTI government began in the country’s National Assembly late on Saturday night where 174 members recorded their votes in favour of the resolution that ousted Imran Khan.