By Afshain Afzal 

In a meeting on 24 August 2024,  Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi in inspected the security arrangements for th TVe Chehlum processions in Rawalpindi on 25 and 26 August 2024. It has become a national event where more than 15,000 personnel are deployed to ensure security through close liaison with peace committees and procession organisers. Cooperation from the organisers facilitated effective collaboration with the police and law enforcement officials during processions, which is researched and proper booklets are issued to each office or group.

NOTIFICATION OF LOCAL HOLIDAY. After the DCO issued notification for a local holiday on 25 August 2024,  and arrangements made accordingly, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar was tasked to supervise the security arrangements as the route of the procession will be monitored through CCTV cameras with well-trained shooters deployed on rooftops of buildings. Over 3,000 officers and personnel from other law enforcement agencies are also taking part in the event. 

INSTALLATION OF METAL DETECTORS. Arrangements for checking participants using metal detectors were ensured and strict vigilance was maintained to confirm that security measures were in place by both the police and peace committees. 

MOBILE SERVEIANCE BY POLICE AND COMMANDOS.  Police officials were instructed to conduct effective patrolling and use commando vehicles for this purpose  LIGHTINING ARRANGEMENTS. Pakistan Rangers and other law enforcement agencies also assisted the Islamabad police in ensuring elaborate security arrangements. All zonal officers were directed to make proper lighting arrangements after negotiations with the relevant authorities and to clear bushes in areas around places of worship.

TRAFFIC CONTROL AND ROAD BLOCKS. Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Beenish Fatima  Rawalpindi issued a traffic diversion plan and ordered deployment of 215 personnel to maintain traffic in Rawalpindi Cantonment area. ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT. In addition, more than 4,600 police personnel have been deployed by the district police to maintain peace during Chehlum processions and Majalis. Of the 4,600 personnel, 4,400 will perform security duty with the Chehlum procession as walk-through gates will be erected at the entry points while every mourner will be subjected to body search before joining the procession.   

QUESTIONS OF CONCERN.  Unannounced traffic divesion, closure of highways, discontinuation of Internet services preventing electronic transactions and online bookings and contact agreements have caused loss of millions of dollars to individuals and groups in a single day on 25 August 2024. There are some serious questions which state must answer to educate its citizens:-

 - Can Chehlum, Urs, and Barsis be declared as official?  Who can declare local holiday and do such declaration is also applicable to government departments,  semi-government and autonomous organizations? 

 - Can any authority permanently close National Highway (Grand Trunk Road) for a complete day and under what context?

 - Which authority can permanently close internet services for full day or so? 

 - Who can order deployment of armed personnel on private rooftops of house and other buildings? 

 - Who bears the expenses food, transportation, Daily Allowances and, Travelling Allowances of such huge deployments? 

 -  Who can authorize official equipment like walkthrough gates and scanners for private events?

 - Can Traffic police close roads and highways by placing huge containers?

By Afshain Afzal  In a meeting on 24 August 2024,   Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi in inspected the security arrangements for th TVe Chehlum processions in Rawalpindi on 25 and 26 August 2024. It has become a national event where more than 15,000 personnel are deployed to ensure security through close liaison with peace committees and procession organisers. Cooperation from the organisers facilitated effective collaboration with the police and law enforcement officials during processions, which is researched and proper booklets are issued to each office or group. NOTIFICATION OF LOCAL HOLIDAY. After the DCO issued notification for a local holiday on 25 August 2024,  and arrangements made accordingly, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar was tasked to supervise the security arrangements as the route of the procession will be monitored through CCTV cameras with well trained shooters deployed on rooftops of buildings. Over 3,000 officers and personnel from other law enforcement agencies are also taking part in the event.  INSTALLATION OF METAL DETECTORS. Arrangements for checking participants using metal detectors were ensured and strict vigilance was maintained to confirm that security measures were in place by both the police and peace committees.  MOBILE SERVEIANCE BY POLICE AND COMMANDOS.  Police officials were instructed to conduct effective patrolling and use commando vehicles for this purpose  LIGHTINING ARRANGEMENTS. Pakistan Rangers and other law enforcement agencies also assisted the Islamabad police in ensuring elaborate security arrangements. All zonal officers were directed to make proper lighting arrangements after negotiations with the relevant authorities and to clear bushes in areas around places of worship. TRAFFIC CONTROL AND ROAD BLOCKS. Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Beenish Fatima  Rawalpindi  issued a traffic diversion plan and ordered deployment of 215 personnel to maintain traffic in Rawalpindi Cantonment area. ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT. In addition, more than 4,600 police personnel have been deployed by the district police to maintain peace during Chehlum processions and majalis. Of the 4,600 personnel, 4,400 will perform security duty with the Chehlum procession as walk-through gates will be erected at the entry points while every mourner will be subjected to body search before joining the procession.   QUESTIONS OF CONCERN.  Unannounced traffic divesion, closure of highways, discontinuation of Internet services preventing electronic transactions and online bookings and contact agreements  have caused loss of millions of dollars to individuals and groups in a single day on 25 August 2024. There are some serious questions which state must answer to educate its citizen. Can Chehlum, Urs, and Barsis be declared as official?  Who can declare local holiday and do such declaration is also applicable to government departments,  semi- government and autonomous  organizations?  Can any authority permenently close national  highway (Grand Trunk Road) for complete day and under what context? Which authority can permenently close internet services for full day or so?  Who can order deployment of armed personnel on private roof tops of house and other buildings?  Who bears the expenses food, transportation, Daily Allowances and ,  Travelling Allowances of such a huge deployments?  Who can authorize official equipments like walk through gates and scanners for private events? Can Traffic police close roads and highways by placing huge containers?

WASHINGTON, 03 January 2023, (TON): The United States reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands after a 30-year hiatus, part of a bid to counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific.

Re-establishing the diplomatic outpost was a renewal “of our commitment to the people of Solomon Islands and our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region”, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The US closed its embassy in the capital Honiara in 1993 after the end of the Cold War led to a reduction in diplomatic posts and a shift in priorities.

Washington signalled its intent to re-establish a Honiara embassy in early 2022 before the Solomons signed a secret security pact with China.

WASHINGTON, 03 January 2023, (TON): Kevin McCarthy is spearheading an effort to prevent Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from serving on the chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee due to her prior criticism of Israel, reported Al Jazeera.

This is one of his first actions as speaker of the US House of Representatives.

The proposal to dismiss Omar from the panel was advanced on Wednesday by the House’s Republican majority. Democrats rejected the move and charged McCarthy with racism for focusing on the legislator, one of just two Muslim women serving in the US Congress and a former refugee of Somali heritage.

The resolution against Omar was initially challenged by a few Republicans, who questioned McCarthy’s ability to carry it given the GOP’s slim majority.

KYIV, 03 January 2023, (TON): With the United States expected to send a new longer-range weapon to Ukraine, it has answered President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s plea for rockets that can strike deep behind the front lines of the nearly year-long conflict with Russia.

Now Russian forces will need to adapt or face potentially catastrophic losses.

The new weapon, the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), will allow Ukraine’s military to hit targets at twice the distance reachable by the rockets it now fires from the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

If included as expected in an upcoming weapons-aid package first reported by Reuters, the 151 km (94 mile) GLSDB will put all of Russia’s supply lines in the east of the country within reach, as well as part of Russian-occupied Crimea.

DUBAI, 03 January 2023, (TON): Iran blamed Israel for a drone attack on a military factory near the central city of Isfahan, the semi-official news agency said, vowing revenge for what appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running covert war.

The attack came amid tension between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear activity and its supply of arms including long-range “suicide drones” for Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as months of anti-government demonstrations at home.

In a letter to the UN chief, Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, said “primary investigation suggested Israel was responsible” for Saturday night’s attack, which Tehran had said caused no casualties or serious damage.

YEMEN, 03 January 2023, (TON): French naval forces seized thousands of assault rifles, machine guns and anti-tank missiles earlier this month in the Gulf of Oman coming from Iran heading to Yemen’s Houthi militia, officials said, the latest such interdiction amid the Mideast nation’s long-running war.

While Iran did not immediately acknowledge the seizure, images of the weapons released by the US military’s Central Command showed them to be similar to others captured by American forces in other shipments tied back to Tehran.

The announcement comes as Iran faces increasing Western pressure over its shipment of drones to arm Russia during its war on Ukraine, as well as for its violent monthslong crackdown targeting protesters. Regional tensions also have heightened after a suspected Israeli drone attack on a military workshop in the central Iranian city of Isfahan.

Previous cycles of violence since the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers have seen the Islamic Republic launch retaliatory attacks at sea.

PARIS, 03 January 2023, (TON): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, hoping to gain support against Iran’s nuclear program but shadowed by an upsurge of violence in the region.

Israel’s Paris embassy said “the international effort to stop the Iranian nuclear program.”

Netanyahu hopes that Iran’s role supplying drones to Russian invaders in Ukraine as well as the crackdown on protests at home will prompt Western allies to drop any pursuit of a revival of the 2015 deal over its atomic drive.

The prime minister has also said Israel is considering sending military aid to Ukraine, apparently dropping its previously more neutral stance over the conflict.

LONDON, 01 February 2023, (TON): British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended his record on integrity and decisiveness, amid criticism of the way he has handled ethics scandals involving senior Conservatives.

Sunak said he acted “pretty decisively” to fire party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi after the government’s standards adviser found that he’d breached ministerial conduct rules by failing to come clean about a tax dispute.

The adviser, Laurie Magnus, found that Zahawi hadn’t told the prime minister that he’d settled a multimillion-pound (dollar) unpaid tax bill, and paid a penalty to the tax office, while he was in charge of the UK Treasury.

Magnus said Zahawi’s failure to tell officials about the tax investigation was “a serious failure to meet the standards set out in the ministerial code.”

SEOUL, 01 February 2023, (TON): The defence chiefs of the United States and South Korea will hold talks in Seoul as Washington seeks to reassure a key Asian ally over its nuclear commitment amid growing threats from North Korea.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Seoul on Monday and is set to meet South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup, following their annual security talks in November in Washington.

The latest meeting comes as South Korea pushes to bolster confidence in American extended deterrence – its military capability, especially nuclear forces, to deter attacks on its allies.

Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.