ISLAMABAD, 24 October 2021, (TON): Military said in a statement that security forces have killed at least six terrorists including a commander of banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in a remote area of Balochistan.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday that security forces conducted the IBO near Jamboro, Harnai in Balochistan on the confirmed presence of terrorists to apprehend a group of “externally sponsored” militants working against peace in the province.

It added “as soon as troops cordoned off the area, terrorists tried to flee from the hideout and opened indiscriminate fire. A heavy exchange of fire with terrorists continued for a long time.”

Resultantly, the military’s media wing said six terrorists including BLA commander Tariq alias Nasir got killed. A large cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from the hideout.

ISPR statement said “such IBOs to eliminate perpetrators of terrorist acts in Pakistan will continue and they [terrorists] will not be allowed to sabotage hard-earned opportunity for prosperity and socio-economic growth of people of Balochistan.”

Earlier today, at least nine ‘terrorists’ were killed in an IBO in Balochistan's Mastung area by the province's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

DHAKA, 24 October 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for uniting the efforts of all to build a more robust and inclusive United Nations (UN) based on mutual respect, partnership, cooperation, and solidarity.

She said that on this auspicious occasion, let us unite our efforts to build a more robust and inclusive United Nations (UN) based on mutual respect, partnership, cooperation, and solidarity. Let the United Nations be our beacon of hope. On this historic year when the country is celebrating the golden jubilee of its independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh commits to doing its part in shaping together the future of our peoples and creating a blueprint for a better future.

The premier said this in a separate message issued today on the occasion of the UN's 76th founding anniversary.

She added that on the auspicious occasion of the 76th anniversary of the United Nations, Bangladesh joins the international community in reiterating its unwavering commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

ISLAMABAD, 24 October 2021, (TON): Pakistan on Saturday denied that it had reached any formal agreement with the United States for the use of its airspace to conduct “military and intelligence operations” in Afghanistan.

The statement came after the CNN, in its report, cited three "sources familiar with the details of a classified briefing" to the US Congress, and said that the Biden administration had informed US lawmakers that the country was close to striking a formal deal with Pakistan on the use of its airspace to conduct operations in Afghanistan.

The report claimed that Pakistan had "expressed a desire" to sign a memorandum of understanding in return for help in its own counterterrorism operations and assistance with managing the relationship with India.

It further maintained that according to a source, negotiations were still under way and the details of the agreement, which have not yet been hammered out, were still subject to change.

SRINAGAR, 24 October 2021, (TON): In an apparent attempt to address the disgruntlement of Kashmiri’s youth with New Delhi, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah on his visit to the region said he came to extend a hand of “friendship” to the young people.

Shah is on his first visit to the disputed region after architecting the nullification of Indian-administered Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status under the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019, which was followed by a crippling communication and military lockdown for months.

The three-day visit of Shah comes in the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in the region, which has seen an uptick in the violence resulting in 38 killings in 20 days of this month – including 11 civilians, 17 rebels and 10 security personnel.

While addressing young people during an interaction with the region’s youth clubs, the union home minister sought their cooperation in strengthening “democracy” in Kashmir.

“I have come here to extend friendship,” Shah said. “Come and connect with Modi ji, connect with the Indian government,” he said, indicating Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I have come here to seek your cooperation. The administration has extended its hand of friendship towards you. Come forward and strengthen the democracy here. No one would be allowed to disrupt the peace in Kashmir. From the perspective of peace, development and infrastructure, this is the ideal situation and no one would be allowed to stop it.”

While justifying the decision of the internet shutdown two years ago, Shah said the curfew in the valley and ban in the aftermath of abrogation of Jammu Kashmir’s special status and bifurcation into two union territories was done to protect Kashmiri lives.

DHAKA, 24 October 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said that there is no shortage of vaccines in Bangladesh, adding that the vaccination drive in the country will go on as planned.

"We are also ready to go into vaccine production," he said while speaking as the chief guest at an award ceremony at the Sylhet District Press Club auditorium.

He also said that Bangladesh has been highly successful in 'Vaccine Diplomacy' under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and guidance of the Covid-19 management committee.

He added that till now, we are providing free jabs to our citizens. This is a very rare feat compared to other parts of the globe.

The minister also spoke regarding the recent incidents of communal violence in the country in an earlier programme at the office of Electronic Media Journalists Association (EMJA) in Sylhet.

Mentioning that there were provocations behind the recent communal violence in the country, the minister said," A specific group is trying to destabilise the country ahead of the national election which is two years from now."

DHAKA, 24 October 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for uniting the efforts of all to build a more robust and inclusive United Nations (UN) based on mutual respect, partnership, cooperation, and solidarity.

On this auspicious occasion, let us unite our efforts to build a more robust and inclusive United Nations (UN) based on mutual respect, partnership, cooperation, and solidarity. Let the United Nations be our beacon of hope.

She said "on this historic year when the country is celebrating the golden jubilee of its Independence and the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh commits to doing its part in shaping together the future of our peoples and creating a blueprint for a better future.”

The prime minister said this in a message issued Saturday on the occasion of the UN’s 76th founding anniversary.

NAYPYITAW, 24 October 2021, (TON): The outgoing U.N. special envoy on Myanmar has warned that the chance to return to democracy is disappearing and signalling that further targeted sanctions could be helpful.

Christine Schraner Burgener, who is stepping down after more than three-and-a-half years in the role, told the U.N. General Assembly in June that there was a real risk of large-scale civil war after the military seized power on Feb. 1, detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected government leaders.

NAYPYITAW, 24 October 2021, (TON): First came the sound of explosions from artillery shells landing nearby. Next the fires started to spread, tearing through neighbours’ homes.

Then, Nuu Hta, a 57-year-old retired nurse, heard gunshots just outside her house in Thantlang, a small town in the north of Chin State.

She later discovered that what she had heard was junta soldiers shooting a local pastor to death as he arrived to put out the fires started by the shelling. Cum Biak Hum, 31, was found an hour after the shooting with two bullet wounds in his chest.

The soldiers had also cut off one of his fingers to steal his wedding ring, a local Baptist group said, adding that they also stole his watch.

A little over one month since Thantlang was shelled, the town is largely deserted, with the majority of its residents now spread across dozens of villages along the mountainous border with India, where they are struggling to survive. 

KABUL, 23 October 2021, (TON): The United Nations on Wednesday launched a funding programme aimed at preventing the Afghan economy from collapsing during the winter by getting cash flowing through the local economy again.

The UN Development Programme has set up a trust fund through which governments can channel finance via the UN to specific programmes on the ground, rather than sending money government-to-government, with Afghanistan now controlled by the Taliban.

UNDP chief Achim Steiner told a news conference in Geneva “what we are witnessing is not only a nation and a country in the midst of political turmoil; what we are also witnessing is an economic implosion.”

Since the Taliban takeover in August, banks are running out of cash and civil servants are going unpaid.

Afghanistan’s economy is in a parlous state with most aid cut off, food prices rising and unemployment spiking.

The UNDP fears that on the current trajectory, 97 percent of Afghan households could be below the poverty line by early- to mid-2022.

ISLAMABAD, 23 October 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave for Saudi Arabia today (Saturday) on a three-day visit to the kingdom, as part of efforts to boost bilateral relations.

Sources said on Wednesday that the schedule for PM Imran’s visit to Saudi Arabia has been finalised. They said the premier will leave for the kingdom on October 23 on a three-day visit.

PM Imran will also perform Umrah and pay his respects at the Roza-e-Rasool (Peace be Upon Him) in Madina Munawwara.

The premier is expected to meet the kingdom’s leadership and will participate in the Green Initiative Conference. According to media reports, Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Saudi Green Initiative Forum and the Middle East Green Initiative Summit in the capital, Riyadh, from October 23-25.