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Tag: India

  • ‘Free and fair’ elections, demands Khan

    ‘Free and fair’ elections, demands Khan

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Sunday demanded free and fair election and revealed that he expects match-fixing in Punjab by-elections.

    PTI took out countrywide protests against rising inflation at Khan’s call on Sunday. Khan addressed his supporters via video-link.

    On Monday, Khan thanked his supporters for coming out across Pakistan yesterday, especially those “who braved difficulties & in some cities rain, to join our protest against massive inflation & clearly reject Imported Govt of crooks imposed by US regime change conspiracy”.

    No free lunch, warns Khan

    Imran Khan warned that Pakistan can become the next Sri Lanka. He said that Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has asked for the support of the United States (US) for the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. “I want to tell Miftah Ismail and Shehbaz Sharif that the Americans have a philosophy, which is that there is no free lunch. Everything has a price. The US will extract our sovereignty as a price.” Khan said that the new government seems ready to pay this price.

    Recognising Israel part of foreign conspiracy agenda: Khan

    Khan also mentioned Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwalla’s statement on the potential of Pakistan having diplomatic ties with Israel. “This is part of the same agenda due to which there was a regime change. The agenda is to follow what Israel, India and the US want,” said Khan.

    However, Mandviwalla clarified on Sunday that his words were being taken out of context. “I never wanted Pakistan to further ties with Israel or indulge in trade with it,” said Mandviwalla, adding that recognising Israel was not in Pakistan’s interests.

    Match-fixing in Punjab by-polls on the cards

    “We have to struggle together. Get ready. I will soon give another call for protest, which will continue until we are given a date for free and fair elections. Not just elections but free and fair elections,” said Khan.

    He reiterated that there is a plan of rigging by-elections in Punjab through ‘match-fixing’. By-polls in Punjab are set to take place next month in July.

    Imran Khan’s full address can be seen here:

  • Babar Azam still No 1, Imam-ul-Haq jumps past Kohli to No 2 in ODI rankings

    Babar Azam still No 1, Imam-ul-Haq jumps past Kohli to No 2 in ODI rankings

    Pakistan is ruling the ICC One-Day International (ODI) batter rankings with skipper Babar Azam on the top while opener Imam-ul-Haq jumped past Virat Kohli to get to the second spot. Earlier, Imam was in the third place in the rankings just below Babar Azam and former India skipper Virat Kohli.

    Very well deserved, Babar Azam: ICC

    Babar Azam tweeted a picture with his ODI and T20I caps after being named ICC 2021 Team of the Year in both formats.

    Meanwhile, Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi jumped two places to fourth in the ICC ODI bowling rankings.

  • Man and woman decide to commit suicide, man backs out after woman jumps in the river

    Man and woman decide to commit suicide, man backs out after woman jumps in the river

    A couple in India decided to end their life together by jumping in a river as they could not marry each other.

    However, the man did not jump at the last minute while the woman had already jumped into the river.

    They had both been in a relationship for almost seven years. The woman was married to someone else and has a daughter. She took her daughter to Pune and returned after some time, only to discover that the man — Chandu — had married in the interim. Chandu promised her that he will divorce his wife and get married to her.

    However, due to many obstacles, they both decided to end their lives by committing suicide together.

    The couple went to a river to commit suicide but the man did not jump. After finding out that the man did not jump, the woman decided not to die either and swam across the river. The police took her to the hospital.

    According to the police, the man has been charged with attempted murder and damage to the mobile of the woman. An investigation is taking place now.

  • Elephant kills woman, later crashes her funeral

    Elephant kills woman, later crashes her funeral

    A 70-year-old Indian woman was killed by an elephant in Odisha, India, while she was collecting water from a tube-well, reports The Print.

    The elephant trampled Maya Murmu. As a result, she sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital where she breathed her last.

    When the family members were performing Maya’s last rituals, the elephant returned and took the corpse from the pyre. It trampled her body again and fled after throwing it. 

    However, Maya’s last rites were finally conducted a few hours later. The elephant had wandered off from the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary.

    According to official data, as many as 3,300 people have been killed in attacks by wild elephants in India in the last seven years. Odisha has suffered the most deaths, with nearly 600 killed between 2014-2021.

  • House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    Authorities in India’s Uttar Pradesh demolished the homes of numerous people accused of being involved in protesting against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons who made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    One of the houses that was demolished belonged to activist Javed Mohammed. The police accused Mohammed of being ‘one of the main conspirators of violence’ on Friday but others say that his house was bulldozed because he is the father of 22-year-old Muslim activist Afreen Fatima. According to The Quint, “The action against the student activist and her family is being widely criticised as another instance of the ‘bulldozer politics’ being perpetrated in BJP-ruled states.”

    Two protesters were also killed by the Indian police on Friday for protesting.

    The police opened fire on protesters on Friday.

    Read more- ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    “Police were forced to open fire to disperse protesters… resulting in the death of two,” a police officer in Ranchi told AFP.

    A local resident, Shabnam Ara, told AFP that the authorities cut internet connections in the city and imposed a curfew.

    “We are praying for peace and harmony,” she said.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the Indian state’s “apparatus to browbeat Indian Muslims into submission.”

    “The reality of India’s “democratic face” is before the world to see,” he added.

    The derogatory remarks were made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal. India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal. The two also issued public apologies.

  • Coming budget 22-23 will improve Pakistan’s IT sector

    Coming budget 22-23 will improve Pakistan’s IT sector

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the importance of drafting an economic strategy during the day-long Pre-Budget Business Conference on Tuesday, stating that all stakeholders should work together to develop a framework for attaining economic growth.

    During his speech, the PM stressed the importance of financial management in order to boost exports and agricultural yields. The meeting was attended by senior economists, industrialists and was organised by the government to explore avenues of consensus-based economic initiatives, according to APP.

    “All of us will have to move collectively. The government will need guidance from stakeholders and experts. The government will form a taskforce on agriculture and exports for formulating comprehensive plans,” he said.

    PM Shehbaz stated that his government had about 15 months to implement short and medium-term economic initiatives.

    He was disappointed that Pakistan was lagging behind other countries, despite the fact that the rest of the world had excelled by following their development plans. He claimed that Pakistan was endowed with talented individuals capable of replicating India’s success in the IT sector.

    PM Shehbaz announced that he had assigned Minister of Information Technology Aminul Haque the objective of increasing IT exports to $15 billion in the next two years. “We cannot progress until we set ambitious targets,” he stressed.

    Syed Amin Ul Haque pledged on Tuesday to increase information technology exports to $5 billion by the end of 2023.

    For the coming fiscal year, several IT and telecommunications programmes have been proposed in this regard.

    According to sources, these projects include 31 existing and two new ones, for which the Pakistani government would give Rs4,438.696 million and foreign aid will provide Rs1,042 million.

    Budget allocation for IT sector

    Reportedly, an amount of Rs100 million is proposed for IT professional certification through the Pakistan Software Export Board, while Rs80 million is planned for Crime Analytics and Smart Policing. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, Rs50 million has been suggested for demand-driven industry, while Rs179 million has been earmarked for the building of a data centre to provide cloud-based services.

    PM Shehbaz warned that development plans could not be implemented unless political stability was achieved. The premier also stressed the importance of concentrating on exports and developing the agricultural sector.

    He went on to claim that he was aiming to ‘fix’ friendly country relations that had deteriorated during the previous administration’s tenure. “I have invited China, Japan, Turkey, and other countries to invest in Pakistan,” he said. He invited the corporate community to join him in this endeavour.

    Meanwhile, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail stated that the government will require $41 billion in the next 12 months and that he is ‘confident’ that this can be achieved.

    The Shehbaz Sharif government, he added, has re-engaged with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “We spoke with them and are extremely optimistic that we will reach an agreement with the IMF soon. That is something we are extremely certain about”.

    Moreover, he explained that the present coalition administration had made difficult measures to help the economy stabilise. “It is difficult for any prime minister to authorise a fuel price hike of twice the amount we have, but we were losing Rs84 per litre on diesel and Rs69 per litre on petrol”.

  • ‘Take a plane for Tiktok videos’, Kangana Ranaut thinks Qatar Airways spoof video is ‘real’

    ‘Take a plane for Tiktok videos’, Kangana Ranaut thinks Qatar Airways spoof video is ‘real’

    Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut seems to have fallen for a spoof, again.

    Spoof video

    After Qatar rebuked India for the derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, #BycottQatarAirways started trending on Indian Twitter.

    An Indian Twitter user ‘Vashudev’ posted a video calling for the boycott of Qatar Airways.

    Later, a spoof video with Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker replying to Vashudev’s boycott call in an interview with Al Jazeera went viral.

    “Vashudev is our biggest shareholder with a total investment of ₹634.50 rupees. We don’t know how to operate anymore. We have grounded all the flights … we are requesting Vashudev to take this call for boycott back. This is a special kind of boycott because it is b-y-c-o-t-t. Vashudev habibi, we are willing to give you one whole plane to make your TikTok videos or maybe we can give you two litres of petrol free. Please consider our offer and take the boycott back,” Qatar Airways CEO’s voiceover says in the spoof video.

    Kangana shares spoof video on Instagram

    After the spoof video went viral, Kangana Ranauat shared it on her Instagram stories, thinking the video is ‘real’.

    “This idiot of a man has no shame bullying a poor man mocking his insignificance and place in the world…Vasudev may be poor and insignificant for a rich man like you but he has the right to express his grief, pain and disappointment in whatever context it may be… remember there is a world beyond this world where we all are equal,” wrote Kangana in one of her Insta stories.

    She continued: “All so called Indians who are cheering this bully for making fun of a poor man remember this is exactly why you all are a big bojh [burden] on this over populated country.”

    Kangana later deleted her Instagram stories after journalist and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair informed her that it was a voiceover video made by an Indian.

    Kangana shares fake Shehbaz Sharif screenshot

    This is not the first time that Kangana has fallen for fake news.

    In May, Kangana shared a screenshot on her Instagram stories that featured Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s praise for her craft and performance in Dhaakad.

    However, the screenshot featured an imposter account of PM Shehbaz and not the real one.

    READ MORE: Did Shehbaz Sharif praise Kangana Ranaut? Indian actress shares screenshot

  • ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    After hashtags calling for the boycott of Indian products began trending on Twitter in Arab countries over derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal. The two also issued public apologies after the reaction from the Arab world. Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran have summoned Indian envoys while Saudi Arabia and  Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have issued statements against the two BJP spokespersons.

    World should take note and severely reprimand India: Shehbaz Sharif

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the derogatory remarks recently made by two leaders of India’s BJP against the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

    PM Sharif wrote: “Have said it repeatedly India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims. The world should take note & severely reprimand India.”

    He added that Muslims’ love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is supreme and that all Muslims can sacrifice their lives for the love and respect of their Prophet (PBUH). 

    Pakistan Armed Forces strongly condemn blasphemous remarks by Indian officials

    The official media wing of the Pakistan army condemned the derogatory remarks of the BJP leaders. “The outrageous act is deeply hurtful and clearly indicates extreme level of hate against Muslims and other religions in India.”

    Indian chargé d’affaires summoned by Pakistan

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took to Twitter and said, “Indian Cd’A summoned to convey Pakistan’s rejection and strong condemnation of the derogatory remarks by BJP officials against Prophet Muhammad PBUH. BJP leadership and GOI must condemn the sacrilegious comments and hold those responsible to account.”

    Pakistan condemns India

    Pakistan has strongly condemned the disrespectful remarks recently made by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP, disrespecting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). 

    “These totally unacceptable remarks have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan but of billions of Muslims around the world,” read the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    “BJP’s attempted clarification and belated and perfunctory disciplinary action against these individuals cannot assuage the pain and anguish they have caused to the Muslim world. Muslims residing in India are equally outraged by the completely repugnant comments by the two BJP officials. The ensuing communal violence in Kanpur and in other parts of India bears testimony to this fact.”

    Pakistan urged India to ensure that decisive and demonstrable action is taken against those responsible for making derogatory remarks and attacking the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). India must also take immediate steps to protect its minorities from human rights violations, ensure their safety, security, and well-being and allow them to profess and practice their faiths in peace.

    “Pakistan once again calls on the international community to take immediate cognisance of the grievously aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India. India must be held accountable for stifling the rights of the minorities, especially Muslims, to practice their faith and religious beliefs,” said the Foreign Office spokesperson.

    Arab world’s condemnation over derogatory remarks

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar summoned the Indian Ambassador and handed over an official note on Qatar’s total rejection and condemnation of the remarks of Sharma and Kumar.

    The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Indian ambassador and handed him an official protest note expressing the State of Kuwait’s rejection and denunciation of the controversial remarks made by an official in the ruling party in India against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Islam, and Muslims.

    Saudi Arabia described the spokesperson’s comments as “insulting” and called for “respect for beliefs and religions”, according to a foreign ministry statement.

    The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned the remarks, saying they came in a “context of intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India and systematic practices against Muslims”.

  • Rape jokes are not a sign of masculinity

    Rape jokes are not a sign of masculinity

    Last week anchors Imran Riaz Khan and Sami Ibrahim were condemned for making homophobic and rape jokes just because the ‘boys club’ could not have a decent debate and in return thought it was okay to make fun of child abuse and rape. The anchors, in order to avoid being interviewed by journalist Matiullah Jan, insinuated that the interviewer was raped in the army barracks back when he was a cadet at the Pakistan Military Academy. Imran and the group of journalists around him, including anchorperson Sami Ibrahim, could be heard laughing and ridiculing Jan, who then challenged them all to invite him on their shows. This incident made us see so-called ‘civilised men’ making rape jokes, clearly reflecting how a sensitive subject like rape and abuse was nothing more than a joke for them. The men seen in the video laughing about someone being raped are not only disgusting, but triggering for those who have actually gone through sexual violence.

    Read more: ‘Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking questions’: Matiullah reacts to rape comments by Journalists

    Recently, two advertisements of a perfume company in India glorifying rape culture were taken down by the Indian ad regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). In one of the ads, four men can be seen entering a store. They are shown having a dispute over who will take a ‘shot’. There are four of them, but only one ‘shot’ is available. During this debate, instead of the bottle of body spray, a woman is shown and it looks like they are having an argument over who will first rape the woman. The woman even turns around in anger, believing the four men are talking about her. However, she is then shown relieved, when one of the men picks up the body spray called ‘Shot’.

    Read more: Promoting rape culture through ads, Indian perfume company faces backlash

    What is most appalling in the scenarios discussed is how normally it is being engrained in our society that promoting rape or making rape jokes is a trait of masculinity. We need to understand that women and men are afraid of sharing their ordeal when they are sexually assaulted because society ridicules them instead of showing empathy. The question remains, why? Why is society not accepting of the person who has been raped? Why do we find the need to ridicule and shame them? When will people understand that it is the rapist who needs to be rebuked, punished, and questioned, not the survivor. The day our society learns to provide the strength where it is required and stand with the survivors of sexual assaults, no one will be frightened to talk about their horrific experiences. It is time to stand up for all victims.

  • ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    Orange garments, violent hate speech against Muslims, multiple instruments and consistent chanting constitute the anatomy of a basic Hindutva pop song. Swaddled in gold and saffron, Laxmi Dubey, one of the most popular Hindutva pop artists has uploaded several music videos on YouTube with millions of views, where she engages in anti-Muslim sloganeering, direct attacks on Islamic injunctions, the state of Pakistan, hateful statements regarding the issue of Kashmir and Modi and BJP’s political aggrandization.

    What’s concerning is not just that people like Laxmi Dubey are some of the most popular national icons in India at the moment, but also the fact that through her green screen music videos, YouTube monetization and public shows, she is estimated to be earning 68 Lacs per year. Dubey’s most-listened to song has more than 50 million views. But there is an ensemble of popstars just like her.

    Laxmu Dubey, 30, Hindutva popstar living in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

    Following the 2014 election victory for Bharatiya Janata Party, the country has embarked on a journey of extreme polarization and radical hate against Muslims, Islam and Pakistan. Dubey’s words “Hindustan mein rehna hai tou vande matram kehna seekho” [Translation: If you want to live in India, learn how to say Vande Matram] epitomize perfectly the jingoistic philosophy of nationwide hatred for the Muslim community. In this political atmosphere, films, music, poetry and other forms of art all turned in service of the most influential political campaign of the time.

    Krishnavanshi is another such musician whose songs often embody the strongly felt sentiment of expelling all Muslims from the India and sending them “back” to Pakistan, which is neither their home country nor where they want to live. These songs are akin to a full-fleged battle cry, announcement of an all out war against Muslims and Islamic identity formations, attacking historical symbols of the Mughal-era and contemporary national symbols of Pakistan, rallying violent support against the Muslims of India.

    The famous juvenile Jamia shooter from India rose to prominence when he was apprehended on January 30, 2020 for opening fire at a crowd of unarmed protestors from Jamia. He is also an associated to the famous Hindutva militant leader Deepak Tyagi, who alleged that a 10 year-old Muslim boy, who had accidentally wandered into a temple, was a trained killer. This Jamia shooter and his friends have recorded videos of abduction and assault against Muslims in India which are played against the backdrop of the Hindutva ‘pop’ music. These videos are viral on Indian social media and are standing in to exemplify the far-reaching impact of music on politics and vice versa.