NAYPYITAW, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): At least 70 junta troops were killed during fighting in ethnic Karenni territory between mid-July and the end of August, local resistance groups estimate, noting that the exact number of soldiers and police killed is not known.

From July 12 until August 31, around 30 clashes took place in Bawlakhe, Hpruso, Demoso and Loikaw townships in Kayah State and in Pinlaung and Pekhon in southern Shan State, all areas with large ethnic Karenni populations.

Spokespersons for the Karenni Defence Force (KNDF) and the Pekhon People’s Defence Force (PDF) told media that 70 casualties was a conservative guess and that the actual number of deaths on the junta’s side could be even higher.

Take last night’s battle [in Loikaw] for example. We could see them getting hit and some of them falling to their deaths but we can’t count the exact number of deaths as it’s really difficult.

During the six-week period in question, the local resistance forces claimed that one PDF member from southern Shan State had been killed and others injured, a figure they attributed to the clashes largely being PDF ambushes on the junta’s armed forces.

The junta has not released any information regarding casualties suffered by its armed forces during fighting in Kayah and southern Shan States.

There was lull in fighting in Karenni territory in the second half of June, but the Karenni Army (KA), the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party and its local resistance force allies resumed fighting against the military in early July. Those forces include the KNDF, and multiple PDF groups, including those from Pekhon, Moebye and Demoso.

MALE, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): A Line of Credit agreement has been signed between the Government of Maldives and the Export-Import Bank of India.

India is offering a USD 40 million Line of Credit to develop sports infrastructure in the Maldives. The agreement was signed by Maldives' Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer on behalf of the Maldivian government, while General Manager Nirmith signed the document on behalf of the EXIM Bank.

The Line of Credit will be used to build stadiums and fields where football, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and other indoor games can be played. The Indian government said the purpose of the loan is to pave the way for the Indian Ocean Games to be hosted in the Maldives.

DHAKA, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): Meanwhile, the rising water level in the Padma River has freshly inundated more than 150 villages in Faridpur.

The flood situation deteriorated further in the Brahmaputra basin due to continuous rise in water levels of major rivers inundating fresh low-lying areas of five northern districts.

Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said “major rivers were flowing above their respective danger levels (DL) at ten gauge station points on Thursday due to the unremitting onrush of water from the upstream in India amid torrential rains at places.”

The Brahmaputra was flowing 49cm above its DL at Chilmari and 10cm at Hatia and Dharla by 7cm at Kurigram points while Ghaghot was flowing 16cm above the DL at Gaibandha.

The Jamuna was flowing 48cm above the DL at Phulchhari and 29cm at Shaghata points in Gaibandha, 59cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 63cm at Sariakandi in Bogra, 58cm at Kazipur and 59cm at Sirajganj points.

According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of BWDB, the recorded rainfalls in the last 24 hours were 184mm at Jalpaiguri, 66mm at Tezpur and 28mm at Darjeeling points of the northwestern Indian states.

Besides, the recorded rainfalls during the same period were 92mm at Dalia, 72mm at Rangpur, 64mm at Kawnia and 55mm at Thakurgaon points in the upper Brahmaputra basin.  

DHAKA, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): The 54-foot long boats can carry 80 persons and run at a speed of 7 knots. A gallant handing over ceremony was held at the Dockyard and Engineering Works Ltd (DEWL) of Bangladesh Navy in Narayanganj for the successful delivery of eight multipurpose accessible rescue boats built for the Department of Disaster Management (DDM).

The contract was signed between the two government bodies on July 21 last year for the construction and delivery of 60 multipurpose accessible rescue boats within 3 years.

State Minister for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman MP, and senior officials of the ministry and the DEWL were present at the event.

The 54-foot long boats can carry 80 persons and run at a speed of 7 knots. The main purpose of these boats is to transport physically challenged or injured personnel from flood-affected areas to shelter homes. The boats can also transport relief goods and serve other related purposes.

The Navy on Thursday handed over eight boats out of 60 multipurpose accessible rescue boats under construction to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief on behalf of Narayanganj Dockyard and Engineering Works Limited ISPR

The project was the vision of Ms Saima Wazed, the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and adviser of the Disability and Disaster Risk Management (DiDRM).

SRINAGAR, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): Internet connections, mobile networks also cut since Wednesday. A police official said “Authorities in Indian Kashmir imposed curbs on the movement of people and communications until Friday, to prevent people from gathering in the streets following the death of a veteran secessionist leader.”

Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest in Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar in the early hours of Thursday, with the disputed Himalayan region blanketed with troops to prevent large-scale protests.

Geelani, 92, was buried in a graveyard near his home before dawn at the insistence of security forces and against the wishes of his family, his son Syed Naseem Geelani told media. He died on Wednesday.

Kashmir's police chief, Vijay Kumar, denied the allegation and said authorities facilitated the burial to prevent any violence.

Around Geelani's home and elsewhere in Srinagar, armed troops lined main roads and manned checkpoints.

Internet connections and mobile networks in the Kashmir valley were also cut since late on Wednesday.

By TON Research Section 

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the face of Kashmir’s resistance movement died at the age of 92. He was suffering from multiple ailments but continued house arrest despite his bad health condition. It could not be denied Indian authorities deliberately created situation and kept him under detention despite knowing about his bad health condition. He was not allowed to travel anywhere even for his treatment. Syed Ali Geelani’s funeral was held under tight millitary restrictions by Indian authorities and security forces. After his death was announced, large group of police and paramilitary troopers were deployed by Indian authorities outside Geelani’s home and other areas in the valley. Mobile and internet services are completely suspended and roads are sealed. He was an uncompromising campaigner against Indian hegemonic rule in India illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Syed Ali Geelani was a key Huriyat leader and remained associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, the largest political-religious organization in IIOJK, later on he also founded his own party Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir. In 1972, 1977 and 1987 he was elected to the Kashmir Legislative Assembly. He spent nearly 10 years in different jails of India after 1962 for opposing Indian rule in the occupied region and remained under house arrest. During his imprisonment he endured physical as well as mental torture by Indian forces. In 2015, on the orders of Indian government his residence and office at Hyderpora was converted into a sub jail. Earlier, in 1981, his passport was seized due the allegations of “anti-india” activities. He was not allowed to travel to any other country. In 2019, after the Pulwama attack India’s Enforcement Directorate levied a penalty of Rs 14.40 lakh and ordered confiscation of nearly Rs 6.8 lakh in connection with a Foreign Exchange Management Act case against him.

He was the former chief of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and led it until late 2020. APHC was formed in 1993 to provide a political platform to the people of Jammu and Kashmir however; last year he quit his APHC alliance saying that APHC has failed to counter India’s efforts to tighten its grip on the disputed region. He remained the voice of Kashmiris struggle for the right to self determination till his death. Syed Geelani was a staunch opponent of Indian rule and strived all his life for this cause. Syed Ali Gilani wanted the settlement of Kashmir dispute according to the aspirations of Kashmir’s people and demanded merger of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan. He coined the slogan ‘Hum Pakistani Hain, Pakistan Hamara Ha.’

Since the emergence of Pakistan, Kashmir has remained an area of conflict between both countries. The grotesque genocide of Kashmiri’s, human rights abuses and violence by Indian security forces against defenseless people of IIOJK is the reason behind the struggle for liberation. Indian government unilaterally ended the special status of Kashmir, this unconstitutional measure which is against the spirit of democracy caused a burning effect throughout Kashmir. Since then, Jammu and Kashmir has been directly under the control of New Delhi, which wiped out the scope for any middle parties. In this Kashmir movement hundreds of Kashmiri leaders and freedom fighters were jailed, tortured, exiled and succumbed to death by Indian security forces. To avoid any reaction to the move, severe months-long restrictions were imposed by the government on political leadership and several high-profile politicians from the valley remain held under murky circumstances. As many as 400 political leaders were either detained or placed under house arrest. Syed Ali Geelani who, has advocated for Kashmir's independence from India's illegal rule, has been kept under detention since 2010. The reason of his detention was that he and other leaders would mobilize crowds against India's illegal aggression in the valley and could strengthen Kashmir’s freedom movement.

Jammu & Kashmir, which is one of the most militarized zone in the world, where Kashmiris have fought for decades against Indian atrocities and despite facing every day to day aggression of Indian forces, they have continued their fight for freedom. Indian government and forces have deliberately created a situation for Syed Ali Geelani death and in his lifetime he suffered persecution at the hands of India. He made significant and unrelenting contributions for Kashmiri’s freedom movement and his death has deeply saddened all Kashmir’s. Albeit, leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani who remained the voice of suppressed Kashmiri’s will be remembered as symbol of bravery, who have always taken stand against Indian atrocities. Albeit, the death of Geelani is a loss to many but it cannot dim the light of freedom movement in IIOJK.

MUSCAT, 02 September 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al-Falih, who is heading the Kingdom’s delegation visiting Muscat, met with Omani Minister of Heritage and Tourism Salim bin Mohammed Al-Mahrouqi.

The two ministers discussed investment opportunities in the fields of tourism and vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The meeting was attended by Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Oman, Abdullah bin Saud Al-Enezi, and officials from both countries.

Al-Falih on Sunday said a number of leading Saudi companies are interested in making investments in vital sectors in Oman, such as petrochemicals, healthcare and renewable energy.

The minister said “the trade volume between the two countries amounted to more than SR2 billion ($533 million) in the first quarter of 2021.”

ISLAMABAD, 02 September 2021, (TON): The federal government has taken a major step towards fulfilling one of the remaining conditions of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan to get the country’s name struck from the global financial watchdog’s grey list.

Under the new measures, property dealers and realtors will cross check the name of sellers and purchasers of properties in the country with the United Nations list of people involved in money laundering and terrorism financing.

If a name appears in UN’s list, it would be forwarded to the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) director general for the Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) through a web-based app introduced by the FBR.

In this regard, an agreement has been reached between the FBR and the Association of Real Estate Consultants. Under the agreement, the property dealers will be registered with the Director General of the DNFBP and they will be required to maintain a record of four types of information.

In the future payment for the purchase of the property can only be made through the buyer’s own bank account. The dealers will keep a copy of the sale agreement and copies of the computerised national identity cards of the buyer and seller of the property.

Muhammad Ahsan Malik, the Vice President of the Federation of Realtors Pakistan Punjab and General Secretary of the Association Real Estate Consultants Association (RICA) said that the FBR officials and the Real Estate Consultants Association held talks on August 17.

ABUJA, 02 September 2021, (TON): All schools have been ordered to close in Nigeria's north-western Zamfara state following the latest mass abduction of students.

On Wednesday morning armed men on motorbikes and pick-up trucks stormed a secondary school.

A teacher said “76 students, most of them girls, and a member of staff had been taken.”

Reports say “more children may have been seized as 400 were enrolled at the school.”

At least one child was critically injured when the gunmen opened fire, the reports say.

KABUL, 02 September 2021, (TON): The Taliban have announced that Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada will be their Supreme Leader under whom a prime minister or president will run the country.

Anamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission, reportedly said that Akhundzada will also be the leader of the new government.

Taliban’s political office leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said that the Islamic Emirate would declare its new government within the next two days.

Sources had earlier told media that the insurgents are designing a government based on Iran’s model - an Islamic republic where the Supreme Leader is the head of state and the highest-ranking political and religious authority even above the president.

Samangani said that consultations are almost finalised on the new government, and the necessary discussions have also been held about the cabinet. The Islamic government that we will announce will be a model for the people. There is no doubt about the presence of the Commander of the Faithful (Akhunzada) in the government. He will be the leader of the government and there should be no question on this.