ISLAMABAD, 08 December 2021, (TON): Renowned clerics of the country announced that the forthcoming Friday will be observed as the “day of condemnation”, denouncing the brutal lynching of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Diyawadanage in Sialkot.

Addressing a presser at the Sri Lankan High Commission, flanked by the High Commissioner, Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, Special Representative to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony Tahir Ashrafi and other renowned clerics, Qari Hanif Jalandhari said “Ulema will unequivocally condemn the heinous act, at mosques and Imambargahs on the said day across the country.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mufti Taqi Usmani said “the delegation conveyed their heartfelt sorrow over the barbaric incident to the High Commissioner, the victim’s family and the people of Sri Lanka.”

He said “Pakistan and Sri Lanka are two friendly countries and this tragic incident is not only painful for Sri Lanka but also for all of us as a shared grief.”

NEW DELHI, 08 December 2021, (TON): India successfully test-fired the Vertically Launched Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha, the ministry of defence.

According to Defence Research and Development Organisation officials (DRDO) “the air defence system can engage targets at around 15km. The VL-SRSAM, indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for the Indian Navy, is meant for neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets.”

The defence ministry said in a release “the launch was conducted from a vertical launcher against an electronic target at a very low altitude. The flight path of the vehicle along with health parameters were monitored using a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur. All sub-systems performed as per expectation.”

The launch of the system was conducted to validate the integrated operation of all weapon system components “including the vertical launcher unit with controller, canisterised flight vehicle, weapon control system etc. required for future launches of the missile from Indian Naval Ships”.

ISLAMABAD, 08 December 2021, (TON): Pakistan strongly condemned the launch of ballistic missile by Yemen’s Huthis towards Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh aimed against the civilian population and infrastructure.

The Foreign Office said in a statement released in Islamabad “however, the successful interception of the ballistic missile by the Royal Saudi Air Defence prevented loss of innocent lives.”

It said “such attacks not only violate international law, but also threaten peace and security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region. Pakistan calls for the immediate cessation of these attacks.”

The FO said “Pakistan reaffirmed its full support and solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any threats to its security and territorial integrity.”

KABUL, 08 December 2021, (TON): The National Museum of Afghanistan is open once again and the Taliban, whose members once smashed their way through the facility destroying irreplaceable pieces of the country’s national heritage, now appear to be among its most enthusiastic visitors.

The museum in southwest Kabul, which hosts artifacts from the Paleolithic period to the 20th century, reopened just over a week ago for the first time since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops.

Its director, Mohammad Fahim Rahimi, and his staff have so far been allowed to continue in their positions although they, like many of Afghanistan’s civil servants, haven’t received salaries since August.

KABUL, 08 December 2021, (TON): The Taliban claim to represent Afghanistan at the UN and call on the organization to reconsider who will represent the state.

Earlier, the UN Creden-tials Committee decided to postpone the decision of the question of who will represent Afghanistan and Myanmar next in the international organization.

The General Assembly (GA) later approved the committee’s report.

Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Kahar Balkhi said on Twitter “the new Afghan government, as a responsible body with the right to sovereignty over all of Afghanistan, and which also provided security for all Afghans, has the legal right to represent the Afghan people at the UN.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesman in the interim government of Afghanistan also called the UN decision to postpone the verdict on the country’s representation as a violation of the rights of the Afghan people, which can be used as an instrument of pressure.

NEW DELHI, 08 December 2021, (TON): The new UN resident coordinator in New Delhi, Shombi Sharp, thanked the Indian government for its lasting commitment to multilateralism while presenting his credentials to minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan.

Sharp assumed office in India on November 15. The UN resident coordinator is the highest-ranking representative of the UN development system and is the designated representative of the UN secretary-general.

He reaffirmed the UN’s lasting commitment to India’s national development priorities and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thanked the government for its commitment to multilateralism while presenting his credentials.

Sharp also lauded India’s leadership in implementing and localising the SDGs and for sharing valuable lessons learned on best practices with other countries.

NEW DELHI, 08 December 2021, (TON): For more than two months now, right-wing Hindu groups have been protesting against Muslims offering Friday prayers in public spaces in Gurugram less than an hour outside the Indian capital New Delhi causing outrage and anxiety among the minority.

Last Friday, the demonstrators parked nearly a dozen trucks at one of the prayer sites in Sector 37 of Gurugram, which is better known by its older name Gurgaon, in the northern state of Haryana, which is governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

As a group of Muslims arrived for the weekly congregational prayers, a crowd of Hindu men began shouting religious slogans, including Hail Lord Ram, heckling the worshippers, and saying the prayers would not be allowed, all in the presence of heavy police security.

Gurugram, home to 1.1 million people, according to the 2011 census, is a financial and technology hub where numerous multinational companies have their offices. Less than 5 percent of its residents are Muslim.

NAYPYITAW, 08 December 2021, (TON): Yangon PDF Central Command announced that they operated four counter-attacks named “Pyan Hlwar Aung operation” against the Military which brutally crack downed on unarmed peaceful protesters in Kyimyindine township, Yangon on 5 December resulting in numerous casualties.

Five people were killed, 12 wounded and at least 15 people including two journalists from the Myanmar Press Photo Agency were arrested with serious injuries after Myanmar junta forces in a car rammed into an anti-coup protest in Yangon.

Yangon PDF Central Command under the control of the National Unity Government (NUG) announced a statement on December 5 that they will retaliate strongly against the Military.

After the brutal crackdown, counter-attack operations were carried out in Sanchaung, Hlaing Tharyar, Dagon Seikkan and Khayan townships as part of the "Pyan Hlwar Aung" operation.

People Defense forces attacked the junta troops stationed in No.24, Sanchaung police station around 8PM and Khayan PDF attacked the Khayan township Police Station and Khayan Region education office where the junta forces stationed with a 40mm grenades.

DHAKA, 08 December 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has underscored that the killing of Bangladesh nationals by the Indian border security forces continued to remain an irritant despite the goodwill and excellent relations between the two countries.

Dr Momen urged Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to take up the matter with all the relevant agencies in India when Shringla met him at his office this afternoon.

He reiterated his hope over the early signing of the Teesta water-sharing deal and equitable comprehensive water-sharing agreement for other common rivers which, he thinks, may be seen as testimony of 'Good Neighborhood'.

He recalled that the two countries had resolved many of the outstanding issues in a spirit of understanding.

The foreign minister stressed promoting robust trade and commerce between the two countries for mutual benefit.

He also urged the Indian side to take necessary measures in completing the "Swadhinota Sharak" connecting Mujibnagar to Kolkata as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

Foreign Secretary Shringla appreciated the transformative socio-economic development in recent years under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

DHAKA, 08 December 2021, (TON): The Indian Army handed over a T-55 tank and a mountain howitzer gun, used by the Indian Army during the 1971 Liberation War, to the Bangladesh Army this afternoon.

Colonel Sree Bithian Singh of Indian Army handed over the gift to Colonel Ashraf of Bangladesh Army at Jashore Cantonment, reports our Benapole correspondent quoting Mamun Kabir Tarafdar, deputy director (Traffic) of Benapole Land Port.

The port authority said “it was a fraternal gift to Bangladesh on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of independence of Bangladesh.”

The tank will be handed over to the Bangladesh National Museum and the howitzer gun will be handed over to Dhaka Cantonment.

Senior officials of Bangladesh army, port, customs and upazila administration were present during the ceremony.