.
Afshain Afzal
By Afshain Afzal
The Republic of Maldives comprises 1,190 islands, stretched over 348 square miles in the Indian Ocean. The nation is 100 percent Sunni Muslims and the constitution provides that the President, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, and judges must be Sunni Muslims. Tourism is the main source of economic and foreign exchange earnings for Maldives. In 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party was elected president, running on a platform of economic and political reforms and transparency, following former President Abdulla Yameen Gayoom, who was President of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018 and Western critics claimed his term in office was marked by corruption, systemic limitations on the independence of parliament and the judiciary, and restrictions on freedom of speech, press, and association.
If we recall in September 2018, President Abdulla Yameen Gayoom railed against “a plot by the Western-backed opposition to undermine Islam” He highlighted opponents for promoting “Western standards which are intolerable to Maldivian society and values”. “What does the opposition offer? Criticizing Western motive, he said, “What do they do in the name of Western-backed democracy? They protest to seek rights for homosexuals.” In the meantime, Police removed 30 statues “human model sculptures” at the art gallery in Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fenfushi, designed by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor as habitat for coral and other marine species. It was claimed to be “The world’s first semi-submerged art gallery”. Shortly after the raid, Jamiyyath Salaf, a religious organization that lobbies for strict Islamic law, declared its support for the president. It was all engineered to punish President Abdulla Yameen Gayoom for not bending before the Western pressure to do away with strict Islamic compliance in Maldives.
If we analyze, the Maldivian Constitution and law provides propagation of any religion other than Islam is a criminal offense. The law criminalizes “criticism of Islam” and speech “in a manner likely to cause religious segregation.” The law prohibits the conversion of a Muslim to another religion. Propagation of any religion other than Islam is a criminal offense, punishable by prison or house arrest. The Maldivian penal code prescribes flogging for unlawful sexual intercourse (adultery, fornication, and same-sex relations), incest, false accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse and consuming pork or alcohol. One of the main objections by the Western tourists is that due to Maldivian religious and cultural aspect women are discouraged from seeking employment on distant islands away from family.
Maldives being purely a hundred percent Muslim country, a multi-million-dollar project, "Maldives National Museum" was gifted by the Chinese government in 2010. Many local visitors lodged protests to the museum staff that its Buddhist era sculpture was a modern forgery. Historical books including H. C. P. Bell’s research in 1922 claimed that many Maldivian ruins have the Buddhist ingredients. In November 2011, a “Pagan Monuments” representing the culture and religion of the eight SAARC nations was placed at Hithadhoo, Addu City for the summit. A group of protesters knocked down what they called “idolatrous” carvings engraved on the monument whereas it was claimed that the symbols were ancient civilisation of SAARC country. In this momentum on 7 February 2012, protesters attacked Chinese gifted museum storage room and exhibition hall which was full of Buddhist and Hindu artifacts. All idols including Prakrit Dharani from Lndhoo were destroyed. A Maldivian writer claimed that non-Muslims want to project forged self-engineered history of Maldivian culture by Clarence Maloney and Xavier Romero-Frias in Maldives. Many of the Maldivian political leaders and social workers abroad are being convinced to get Maldivian culture as idol worshipper by westerners translated in Dhivehi language of Maldives.
The Belitung Shipwreck, also called the Tang shipwreck or Batu Hitam shipwreck (Tang Dynasty 618-907), was found by local fishermen off the Belitung Island, Indonesia, in 1998. The Arabian ship sailed possibly between Oman and China during the 9th Century AD and evidence suggests it travelled on the so-called Maritime Silk Route even when it mainly transported ceramic. The majority of the recovered cargo (63,000 pieces) consists of ceramics, most of which are Changsha ware. The cargo also represents the biggest single collection of Tang Dynasty artefacts found in one location, and because of that is also called the "Tang Treasure”. The findings from the original exploration were shown at the Art Science Museum in Singapore and closed in October 2011.
One wonders when Maldivian nation is 100 percent Sunni Muslims and have working constitution based on Islamic Shariat or whatever law, what business the Western and non-Muslim nations got to introduce democratic and human rights reforms in a sovereign country. Article 2(1) of the Charter of the United Nations, “The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members,” while Article 78 provides “… relationship among which shall be based on respect for the principle of sovereign equality.” United Nations ensures full respect for the self-determination and sovereignty as well as people and Government to resolve their internal problems without any foreign interference. Even for the United Nations Article 2, paragraph 7 provides, “Non-intervention in the internal affairs of States by the United Nations”. In such a case why intervention in the internal affairs of Maldives and other Islamic nations is taking place in the garb of other State-government International Non-Governmental Organizations, International Organizations and Think Tanks. How long we will tolerate interference by foreign government to destroy peace and harmony of independent nations leading to chaos and internal disorder.
By Afshain Afzal
Ground is all set to stage actions leading Pakistan to soon loose her Islamic identity. In the latest development on 7 January 2022, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa of Lahore High Court issued shocking ruling in a judgment that contracting a second marriage without observing the period of Iddat is not illegal. It was pronounced that under Islamic law the marriage contracted by a divorced lady before the completion of the Iddat period would be an irregular marriage but not void and ex-wife and new husband in Nikah cannot be regarded as a cognizable offence under Enforcement of Hudood Ordinance, 1979. The Judgement by Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, rejecting the earlier decisions on the basis of orders given by Almighty Allah in the Holy Quran pronounced, “I do not agree with this contention because perusal of all these precedents transpires that all these decisions were rendered by the constitutional courts before December 1, 2006, when Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006 was not in existence.” Interestingly, a top Pakistani politician was involved in same sin but now due to recent judgement his marriage with a already married women without Iddat or even divorce has been legalized.
Credit goes to so called Pakistani Muslim leadership of foreign origin, who left behind even non-Muslims and Indian neighbours in the field of sins and immoralities. The Constitution, which binds State to ensure that Muslims enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres as set out in the Holy Quran has been put on the back burner. In 2009, Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to legally recognize a third sex, allowing transgenders to obtain identity cards and allow legal marriages with them. In 2012, Supreme Court ruled that transgender persons should have the same rights as other Pakistanis, including inheritance and job opportunities. The transgender community was counted in the national census for the 1st time in 2017. In September 2018, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar chaired a bench to hear a case regarding Transgenders’ Rights said, “It's our top most priority to give transgenders their rights,” and “Court wants to bring them into mainstream to resolve their issues”. Seminar on the Rights & Welfare of Transgender Persons was held in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and finally Pakistan passed “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018”. Thus Pakistan acquired the role of world leadership in Muslim world for the cause of transgenders and their inter marriages.
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, Pakistan in general and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) in particular launched countrywide free of cost registration campaign for transgender persons “Trans-Rights are Human Rights” across the country. NADRA has so far registered only 5,626 transgender persons. NADRA also engaged other ministries including Ministry of Human Rights, and provincial/district social welfare departments to mobilise transgender persons rights. In all the public transports including Metro busses throughout the country at least two seats in male compartment and two in female compartment have been marked as “X” for transgenders. The universities including the University of Karachi added the transgender column along with male and female columns in the admission form 2021–2022. Last month, the Sindh provincial cabinet, took a historic decision to reserve one percent or at least one seat of membership for transgenders and differently abled persons in each Local Council; Metropolitan Corporation and Municipal Corporations. Last year, Nisha Rao, whose family migrated to Pakistan from India, become the first Pakistani transgender lawyer and activist. This all is being done for less than 6,000 people in the country of 207.68 million population to impress foreign masters.
In another recent development, Justice Ms Ayesha A. Malik’s ‘out of turn’ elevation as Supreme Court’s judge has been approved. There were jubilation all over “Free Word” where many foreign nations, International Non Government Organizations, International Organizations and Pressure Groups took sigh of relief for causing final dent to Constitutional driven “Pakistan’s Islamic Code of Conduct”. There is no doubt on the abilities of Justice Ayesha and empowerment of women is welcoming but it is being analyzed that judiciary would be used to damage ideology of Pakistan and Islamic rule of law. Justice Ayesha in her Judgement of 2020 declared “two finger test and hymen examination in cases of rape or sexual abuse” unscientific having no medical basis, having no forensic value in cases of sexual violence and declared to be illegal and against the Article 9, 14 and 25 of the Constitution. Tweets from US Embassy, Canadian High Commissioner, German Ambassador, Netherland’s Ambassador welcoming Justice Ayesha nomination, talked about her “LL.M. from Harvard Law School”, “Diversity and Inclusion matter and make our system more inclusive”, “Way forward for female jurists in Pakistan” and “a Good start of 2022 for Pakistan that will help achieve Gender Equality women empowerment”. Sweets were distributed by illegally immigrated Indian and other foreign nationals living in Pakistan including those patronized by foreign agencies, trying to occupy top public and private positions in the Islamic Republic.
In fact, the Pressure Groups backed by foreign nations influenced Pakistani and the Indian judiciaries since long. Despite bowing to the knees, the Global Gender Gap Report 2017 by the World Economic Forum placed Pakistan as the second worst country on gender equality in its Global Gender Gap and the World Justice Project (WJP) placed Pakistan at 130th out of 139 countries. One wonders if this is the state of Pakistani judiciary that they are free to violate the Constitution of the country and feel above the Quranic orders, they should be made abreast with the Quranic or Islamic Jurisprudence and the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. There is also need to revisit all the constitutional provisions and law made thereunder while Judges must be educated and trained to avoid a case of blasphemy filed against the judiciary. More so, it should also be mandatory for the Judges to take oath under the Article 65 of Constitution, in line with oath taken by the parliamentarians.
By Afshain Afzal
November this year, Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat issued a statement, “China has become India's biggest security threat and the tens of thousands of troops and weaponry that New Delhi rushed to secure the de-facto Himalayan border last year will not be able to return to base for a long time”. The 13th round of border talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders ended in a stalemate as both sides couldn't agree on how to pull back from the border. But few day later both India and China agreed to hold the 14th round of Corps Commander level talks in mid December 2021, to achieve the objective of complete disengagement of the remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The Inside Story from reliable quarters reveal a breakthrough has been achieved, at least the withdrawal of Chinese and Indian troops from advance positions. Pentagon took it as a serious breach of trust over Indian invitation of Russian President and striking multi million dollar arms deal, purchasing Russian Air Defence System and other equipment.
Against the backdrop of the Southeast Asian states’ growing tensions with China around its claim of the entire South China Sea, the recent maneuvers by US and Russia has made the situation more complex. General Bipin Rawat’s semi-neutral position against American interests, even over the disputes along the South China Sea involving China and countries of Southeast Asia has always remained a matter of criticism at White House and Pentagon. Growing strategic-military partnerships with the littoral states, Indian involvement in achieving long term strategic goals including oil exploitation in these waters and military and diplomatic discussions resulted in passage of disheartening signals at Washington. The escalating Sino - US tug of war with strategic engagement between Russia and India has created bad taste back at Washington. Russian closer ties with China and now Navy Exercise “ARNEX” with the bloc that comprises 10 countries including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei gave a strong negative message to the Western players in so called Indo - Pacific Command.
It is probably a matter of concern that both US and Russia conducted Navy exercises at the same time at Bay of Bengal and Strait of Malacca early this December. The US, during US-Bangladesh Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series, CARAT Bangladesh 2021, positioned combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) and embarked MH-60S Seahawk helicopter of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron while Bangladesh carried out real time trialed Scorpion II advanced radar electronic countermeasures system. On the other hand Russia positioned anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleev during Exercise “ARNEX”. A Bangladeshi participant of the exercise on the condition of anonymity claimed that they experienced locking by Indian Air Defence System and other monitoring equipment from the Western side of Bay of Bengal during the exercise.
It is too early to confirm if General Bipin Rawat helicopter crash was a retaliation or not. US US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said over the crash of Indian top military General, “My deep condolences on the deaths of Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat, his wife and colleagues who perished in today's tragic accident," and "He was a strong friend and partner of the US, overseeing a major expansion of India''s defence cooperation with the US military. His legacy will continue on.” If we carryout analysis of recent Indian helicopter crash, there is no doubt that crashed-helicopter’s voice recorder and a flight data recorder will give some idea but this should be kept in mind that India doesn't have capability to decode flight data recorder “Black Box” and have to rely on Western interpretation. The helicopter in question was Russian-made Mi17 fleet, acquired and inducted between 2008 and 2018.These are considered as highly reliable and well maintained. The ground position is that the helicopter carrying Indian top military leadership took off from Indian Airforce Station, New Delhi at 0847 hours on 8 December 2021 and landed at Indian Airforce Station, Sulur at 1134 hours. It took off from Sulur to Wellington at 1147 hours and was scheduled to land at Wellington but at 1222 hours, Air Traffic Controller (ATC) lost contact with the helicopter and at 1222 hours, 35 minutes after take-off, the helicopter crashed. Eyewitnesses claimed that they saw helicopter on fire and people falling down from the helicopter. Another witness said, the helicopter crashed at Khatri near Coonoor as it hit into a tree and immediately caught fire. But the other witnesses claimed that the helicopter was already on fir when it hit tree or the ground. Airforce authorities said the helicopter crashed less than 20 kilometers from Wellington Defense College.
A tri-service inquiry has been ordered by the IAF and it will be headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command. In a statement Air Marshal Manvendra Singh said, "uninformed speculation should be avoided as facts will be made public soon". There are allegations that Russian and Indian were monitoring US-Bangladesh exercise through testing and locking equipment from Indian land, sea and space. However, these allegations, apparently, are unfounded as so far other then communication intercepts there are no ground evidences. There are strong leads of sabotage as some witnesses claimed that they saw people strated falling from the helicopter. There are reports that an Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that jammed the controls of the helicopter and caused component failures including failure or loss of navigation system, that bars recognition of turbulence and other bad weather conditions, such as fog, dust, debris and other hazards. Meanwhile, the Airforce authorities tweeted, “IAF has constituted a tri-service Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the tragic helicopter accident on 08 Dec 21. The inquiry would be completed expeditiously & facts brought out. Till then, to respect the dignity of the deceased, uninformed speculation may be avoided”. It is too early to pronounce anything with confidence but some serious matter is pending that was shared by Israelis with Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane during his November 2021 visit to Tel Aviv. One wonders it is time to realize that we have to work for peace in Indian Ocean Region and world at large rather than converting battleground for world powers.
NEW DELHI, 8 December 2021, (TON): A military helicopter, reportedly carrying senior Indian defence crashed near the town of Coonoor in southern India on Wednesday, killing at least four people. There are unconfirmed reports about Indian Defence Chief General Bipin Rawat on board.
Indian Ministry of Defence was silent over the incident. In a statement it said, “We are trying to confirm status of the crash that took place near the town of Coonoor.
Reportedly, General Bipin Rawat was travelling from an Indian Air Force base in Sulur to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu to deliver a lecture.
By Usman Khan
Recently the Taliban chief issued a decree that women should not be considered ‘property and must be consent to marriage. Though the Taliban decree did not refer a minimum age for marriage. The Taliban has issued a decree stopping forced marriage in Afghanistan, by saying that women should not be considered “material thing” and her permission concerning marriage is necessary and mandatory and it reflect good omen of the fact Taliban that returned to power in mid-August willing to restore the women’s rights concerning work and education. The decree was announced on Friday by the reclusive Taliban chief, Hibatullah Akhunzada – who is supposed to be in the southern city of Kandahar. Both women and men are equal,” said the decree, added that “no one can force women to marry by pressure or compulsion”.
Although the decree did not indicate the least age for marriage, which previously was set at 16 years old. The Taliban also said a widow will now be allowable to re-marry 17 weeks after her husband’s death, selecting her new spouse liberally in contrast to the ancient tribal customs have held it compulsory for a widow to marry one of her husband’s brothers or relatives in the result of his death.
The Taliban leadership said that it has instructed the Afghan courts to behave women justly, particularly widows seeking inheritance as following of kin. The group, which came to power in August, also said it had asked government ministers to increase the consciousness about women’s rights across the populace. The development was welcomed as a momentous step onward from all spheres of life including the international community still remained the group would extend women’s rights about allowing work and education for females are yet to see.
At the moment the international community has withheld billions of dollars regarding supporting funds for Afghanistan and made women’s and human rights a key element of any future engagement with Afghanistan. It would be marvelous thing if this degree regarding consent of marriages and inheritance get implemented. Such steps would definitely ensure and protect the rights of the girls and will be not be suppressed by family members any more in the future.
It’s a very smart move on the part of the Taliban at this point because due to the rumors spreading across the globe those little girls are being sold as property to others in order to feed the rest of the family. During its previous rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban barred women from leaving the house without a male relative covering full face along with head and girls from receiving education. Even the then Taliban government forced men to grow beards and barred the playing of music but this time a change is in making.
Currently, nearly $10bn in Afghan central bank assets froze by the US as well as the international monetary institutions have postponed development funding for the country, plummeting the deeply aid-dependent economy into the abysmal of poverty, famine, and hunger leading towards a humanitarian catastrophe.
Although the Taliban relaxing more rules to elucidate women’s rights by issuing such degree it is still not known that it would conciliate the world powers — which have yet to accept the new Afghan government but indeed it is a welcome move on the part of the Taliban to take a notable step concerning the rights of Afghan women. The Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada categorically said that women and girls will not be pressed in married matters anymore and that a widow has the right to have a share in her husband’s inheritance. Since the decree has opposed coercion on women in matters of marriage, it makes it clear that a widow can marry a man of her choice.
Through the decree, the Taliban have ordered the entire government machinery to see to it that the rights of girls and women are safeguarded. All relevant organizations have been instructed to take “serious actions to enforce women’s rights”. It has ordered the ministries of information and culture to publish material on the rights of women and girls in order to raise general awareness about the important issue. This decree serves to clear the haze surrounding women’s rights under the new indulgence and shows that the Taliban leadership is aware of the rights of women — as in contradiction of a general impression in the world about them being too traditional in their dealing of women.
By issuing the decree on women’s rights, the Taliban have upheld their declaration made on the occasion of assuming power in August this year that they would safeguard that mistakes of the previous Taliban government would not be repeated. The decree will go a long way in addressing gender-based issues in Afghanistan where the male and female population is nearly equal. It has also magnified the expectation that the Taliban would soon let thousands of girls from grades seven to 12 to attend school moreover, a majority of women who have been banned from occupations will be permissible to restart their jobs.
By Afshain Afzal
To kill three not two birds with one stone; this time it was sectarian poster that took life of another innocent person in Pakistan. An attempt to ruin Pakistan Sri Lanka growing relationship. The sectarian posters pasted inside the Rajco Industry, a private sportswear manufacturer and exporter industrial concern located at Naul at Wazirabad Road in Pakistani city of Sialkot become a source of regrettable 3rd December incident. Senior factory manager, a Sri Lankan national namely Priyantha Kumara was ruthlessly killed on Friday over alleged blasphemy charges for removing sectarian posters. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the brutal killing of national in Pakistan and demanded justice. This is not the first incident of the nature as it has become important ingredient of crimes, where sometimes state sponsors them in the name of interfaith harmony to crate a balance between sects and faiths. The incident was a planned one to reach three objectives; firstly to badly damage growing Pakistan Sri Lanka relations; secondly to allow state machinery to formulate tougher laws on religious organizations and lastly to create international hatred against Islam and Pakistan.
The printed poster on the wall inside the factory bore written slogans, "Labbaik Ya Hussain" and an advisory to recite "Darood Shareef" in the morning. According to eyewitnesses present during the incident inside the factory, "The Ahle Tassiah Shia workers decided to teach Priyantha Kumara a lesson for removing the poster so that no body should ever dare try to insult Prophets again and started beating him". No body allowed Priyantha Kumara to explain and resorted to blows and kicks. Priyantha Kumara fled upstairs to the roof to save his life. Workers chased him and threw him from roof to ground. Despite serious injuries and requests by some workers, they kept beating him until his death and later dragged his dead body outside the factory before setting it on fire by angry mob at GT Road Chowk.
Where three main groups; Tehreek-e-Fiqah Jaffaria Pakistan, Majlis Wadhat-e-Muslimeen and Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan are being blamed for the incident, however, official statement to media did not come except Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan whose spokesman termed it unfortunate that the incident had been attributed to the Tehreek Labbaik and demanded that conspiracy should be investigated impartially, keeping in view all aspects including background actors." The fact cannot be denied that such posters are not permitted to be displayed on private and public walls, billboards, road side signs, bridges and wall chalking everywhere. Leader of the Deobandi school of thought and Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, Maulana Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, while condemning the incident termed it as an act of terrorism and demanded case be registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. He said, “Those who killed the Sri Lankan manager in Sialkot have committed an un-Islamic, inhumane act and I believe such an act have brought disrepute to Islam and to Pakistan. In fact, they have opposed the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his code of conduct.”
Police officials from Uggoki police station said, "The manager had torn down a religious poster and thrown it in the dustbin.” The video clip has showed many persons including two identified as Farhan Idrees and Usman Rashid seen in a video clip thrashing the deceased on the equal provocation of other factory workers. The witnesses said, "The foreigner, while inspecting the workers in a hall of the factory, asked the supervisor to remove the posters on reluctance, he removed some posters from a wall bearing slogan, "Labbaik Ya Hussain Alhe Salam" and put them into a dustbin, which infuriated the factory workers who attacked him." The witnesses added, "At no point of time any element of the Police, district management or law enforcement agencies tried to intervene to save the life of Sri Lankan manager."
The official mouthpiece of Pakistan Army, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, "The cold blooded murder of Sri Lankan citizen by a mob at Sialkot is extremely condemnable and shameful. Such extra judicial vigilantism cannot be condoned at any cost. COAS directs all out support to civil administration to arrest perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to justice." Concerned District Police Officer Omar Saeed Malik said the workers of the factory severely beat up the foreigner, leading to his death instantly. Later on his body was also set on fire by the angry mob." He added, "Upon receiving a report about the incident, a heavy contingent of police reached the spot and tried to control the situation and after successful talks with the angry group of protesters, traffic was restored on the road.”
There is no doubt that it was a display of bigotry and intolerance. One wonders what is the responsibility of state machinery in Islamic Republic of Pakistan, should it allow the general masses to interpret Islam and take justice system in their hands. Article 2 A of the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan states, "Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed." This means that it is the responsibility of the state machinery to enforce Islamic principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice in Pakistan. Why so far code of democracy and religious freedom has not been announced. Can any Muslim citizen or member of minority allowed to exhibit his religion in the manner he or she deem fit? Sri and Pakistan have centuries long relations, which is recorded even before Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 AD, when Arabs save Sri Lanka from Indian invasion. The people of Sri Lanka are very dear to Pakistani and the cold blooded murder by factory workers should not only be fully compensated but the sectarian group behind the posters and murder should be banned and punished. Legal frame work for handling such situation through district magistrate, Police and nearby military unit as provided under the law should investigated for not being enforced.
MALE, 30 November 2021, TON: The Supreme Court freed former president Abdulla Yameen from house arrest today after the court overturned a money-laundering and embezzlement conviction pronouncing that there was insufficient evidence in the original case and allowed him to potentially make a return to politics.
In November 2019, the Criminal Court sentenced that Yameen was guilty of laundering USD 1 million of the government through MMPRC by leasing GA. Vodamula. An appeal was made before High Court which announced that they will be upholding the verdict of the Criminal Court.
Former President Yameen made an appeal before Supreme Court and the case was being heard by a three-member bench, composed of Presiding Justice Mahaz, Justice Azmiralda Zahir and Justice Mohamed Ibrahim.
On 25 November 2021, the Supreme Court (SC) of Maldives scheduled the judgement hearing for the appeal trial of former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom for 30 November 2021.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed money laundering charges against the former President on 24 November at the Criminal Court regarding the lease of V. Aarah. The PGO also has another ongoing case against the Former President of accepting bribes worth MVR 117,000 during the lease of R. Fuggiri for the development of a tourist resort.
Hundreds of supporters of Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives gathered outside his residence in the capital Male after the verdict which allow him contest the next presidential election.
By TON Research Section
Hundreds of laborers are working to finish India's longest and highest tunnel connecting Kashmir Valley with Ladakh, which shares de facto borders with Pakistan and China. The tunnel is anticipated to open to the public on January 25, the eve of India's Republic Day, in 2024. India is stepping up efforts to make the strategic Zojila tunnel in Indian-administered Kashmir, aiming to reduce travel time to Ladakh, where China is increasingly pushing its territorial claims with the so-called Line of Actual Control (LAC).
High in a rocky Himalayan mountain range in the Indian-administered Kashmir, hundreds of people are racing on this strategically important project, drilling tunnels and constructing bridges to connect the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh, a cold, desert region isolated for half of the year because of a huge snowstorm. India currently rests on air supplies for about six months of the year. A 6.5-km (four-mile) tunnel, the first among the four, is already complete and will make the resort town of Sonamarg accessible during the winter months for the first time.
Indian and Chinese soldiers have been engaged in a sometimes violent standoff in the Karakoram Mountains in Ladakh for more than 16 months along their de facto border, called the Line of Actual Control. China and the Indian sides have deployed tens of thousands of soldiers there, backed by artillery, tanks, and fighter jets. Indian military architects vision the tunnel project as tremendously significant for Ladakh. It will provide logistics flexibility to the military and give it operational and strategic movement.
India has built a setup of tunnels, bridges, and roads in Ladakh to permit for quick deployment of troops in the antagonistic high-altitude region — where temperatures dip as low as -45 degrees Celsius (-49 F). The tunnel, the mass infrastructure project's last, will pass through Zojila in Indian-occupied Kashmir to Sonamarg, which marks the end of conifer-clad mountains before Ladakh begins across the rocky Zojila Mountain pass. The Zojila subway, estimated to cost $932 million (€815 million), will be India’s longest and highest tunnel, at 11,500 feet (3,485 meters).
The passageway would not only allow the Indian Army more elasticity in handling logistics — but it would also decrease the travel time on Zojila Pass from 3.5 hours to 15 minutes. The horseshoe-shaped, single-tube bidirectional tunnel would also short the space from Baltal to Minamarg from 40 kilometers (25 miles) to 13 kilometers. The time for the completion of the tunnel has been reduced by almost three years, to December 2023.
The Zojila Pass, which joins Kashmir's capital city, Srinagar, to Ladakh, is an international disputed territory that constitutes part of the larger Kashmir region. India forges ahead with the tunnel between Kashmir and Ladakh as it depends on Kashmir valley for most basic necessities, from vegetables to fuel to medicine and other essentials come through the Zojila pass, making life difficult for locals, who are forced to stockpile items for half of the year. The Zojila tunnel might open up Ladakh to tourists year-round and help facilitate the easier delivery of health care products and other basic amenities for the locals.
India looks to revamp Ladakh with an infrastructure overhaul to counter China and Pakistan. The Zojila tunnel will have inordinate prominence to India's security, as military activities increase at the borders in the Ladakh, Gilgit, and Baltistan regions. As both India and China have positioned tens of thousands of soldiers in those areas, backed by artillery, tanks, and fighter jets.
The tunnel will provide logistics flexibility to the military and give it operational and strategic mobility in case of emergencies and would make the movement of troops and weaponry to Ladakh through the tunnel. As India-China tensions have spiked in recent years as New Delhi accused Beijing of sending troops to the borders. In June last year, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese forces in Ladakh, marking the deadly clash in the border area in at least 45 years. The 13th round of talks between Beijing and Delhi in October to resolve the disputed Himalayan border broke down, with the sides blaming each other for the failure to make progress. Instead of take-out of troops from the border over the chilly winter, as many as 50,000 Indian soldiers will stay on the line for a second successive year.
The substitute routes between Srinagar and Leh are not only lengthy and hazardous in winters, but situated close to India's borders with Pakistan and China. The want for such a tunnel was first sensed during the 1999 India-Pakistan Kargil war. With China-Pakistan military collaboration becoming stronger in the region, India wants to speed up work on the tunnel to make Ladakh accessible to the Indian Army by road. India forms tunnels to connect Kashmir Valley with strategic Ladakh as it shares de facto borders with Pakistan and China and depends on air supplies for about six months of the year. Such a project will definitely increase the climate of war in the already tense South Asia regions due to India every now and then interferences into the internal matters of its neighboring countries besides working for its hegemonic designs in South Asia.
Unholy Indian Army Chief Visit to Israel - Disappointments but a test for Indo Israeli Relations
By Afshain Afzal
High level delegation led by Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane's November 2021-visit to Israel proved to be a bad show but with many hopes, although tied with ifs and buts. The Indian military leadership was really disappointed and had to return with a fatigue and disappointed face to report at New Delhi. Indian Army Chief visit to Israel also saw many surprises. Despite a number of military agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) as well as joint stance of counterterrorism, New Delhi is being asked very difficult questions that New Delhi may be hesitant to act upon. India basic purpose of visit to Tel Aviv was defence acquisition, support in surgical attacks on Pakistan through Israeli drones, recognition of Jammu and Kashmir as part pf India, help India in acquiring belt in Gilgit Baltistan to get connected with Afghanistan, funding and supplies against anti-Taliban groups in Afghanistan and Hindu Temple "Mandir" in Haifa, Israel.
As a follow up of November 2021, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar visit to Israel, Indian Army Chief visit held immense importance as this time secret agreement were ready to be signed and schedule to be chalked out to move farwad. If we recall, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel in July 2017 that mad the decades old secret relations between Israel and India public. Earlier India bluffed and projected herself as champion of Palestinian cause and leadership at New Delhi is even today anti-Israel being pagans. Earlier in August 2021, Indian Indian Air Force Chief R K S Bhadauria visited Tel Aviv while Indian Navy chief Sunil Lanba to visit Israel in February 2021.
There were apprehensions that some thing serious was cooking regarding the militarization of Indian Ocean but Indian for the first time realized that it is a trap around India's own neck. What Israel has asked New Delhi included:-
a. Recognition of State of Israel with capital at Jerusalem.
b. Freedom of transit and settlement from and to India and Israel for thousands of Indian nationals settled in Israel since long. Arrangement of more Indian "lost Jew tribes" to be immigrated.
c. Parting relationship with Iranian religious regime and help Israel to aid revolt in Tehran.
d. Seize Iranian settlement and movements in the Ladakh, especially Kargil.
e. Action against the military fundamentalist in India including Indian Muhjahideen (IM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba.
f. Mend fences with Pakistan as start peace talks.
g. Allow Israel to station its personnel at ports at Gujarat and Goa as well as establish listening posts in selected area.
h. Continue media campaign against Saudi Royal familiy and leadership in Saudi Arabia to bring democratic rev0lution there.
The Indian delegation visited that Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Headquarters and met IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi and Major General Tamir Yadai, Israeli Army’s Chief of the Ground Forces and exchanged views on various defense-related issues. The Indian side also visited Special Operations Unit of the IDF where briefing was given on various aspects of counter-terrorism operations. The Israeli senior military and civilian leadership as well as Intelligence personnel at Tel Aviv discussed joint strategy. India-Israel joint working group on defence cooperation also decided to set up a task force.
It was shocking for General Naravane when Tel Aviv agreed in principle to sell India additional Heron drones but set condition that these would only be deployed at Line of Actual Control (LAC) bordering China and not other Indian borders. Another shock was experienced when General Naravane visited the Indian cemetery at Hafia to paid tribute to the Indian army personnel who lost lives during World War l. It was revealed that when Hindu India was voicing against Israel and Western allies Muslims including those living in present day Pakistan sacrificed their lives for the defence and their graves stand as witness even today. It was a surprise for Israel when Indian Army Chief claimed that Hamas is assisting Taliban of Afghanistan in taking over the control of Afghanistan.
India offered its services to Israel and discussed “Hamas-led Change and Reform” after the general elections for Palestinian Legislative Council in Palestinian-controlled territories amid the fears that across the West Bank and Gaza today, Hamas would again garner the most votes. India is planning to bring a political gains in favour of Hamas as otherwise they are likely to win. It has been decided to offer Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel to win its support. However, same could not be confirmed from headquarters of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) in Ramallah. The issue of Pakistani Assistant Zulfi Bukhari visit to Tel Aviv in November 2020 to pass on messages from Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistani Army Chief to Mossad head Yossi Cohen was also discussed in detail.
Not all is open about visit but whatever has come to light is dangerous. No doubt, Israel is India’s largest arms supplier, accounting for more than 42% of the total amount expanded on defence procurement and present agreement and MoUs is worth more than a billion dollar. One wonders why New Delhi fails to comprehend that the far-flung military alliances is against the sovereignty and national integrity. It is equally strange that India is playing bluff game with many nations. The game it is playing with Iran and at the same time is realizing the US and Israel as their most trusted ally. It is high time that India must give up dangerous plans to weaponize Indian Ocean and struggle for peace in the whole region. No doubt, peace and development can bring peace and prosperity in the region.
By Afshain Afzal
Let us carryout an accountability of pledges and donations through official announcements by various countries. In majority of the cases, it is not the sweet will of these countries but the United Nations mechanism that compel them to extend humanitarian aid. However, as a thumb rule, all the world powers have denied extending any aid and relief to Taliban who are ruling Afghanistan. It is important to note that world nations have been unfair in helping Afghanistan during humanitarian crisis, rather they failed to even fulfill their previous pledges. Not sufficient to address a fraction of needy Afghan, but Turkey dispatched series of convoy, carrying tons of food supply through Pakistan and other means. There are many other countries which did the same but will this mere aid accounting only several hundred tonnes would be suffice for the people of Afghanistan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rightly and boldly pronounced, “The people of Afghanistan have been left alone; they were abandoned with the consequences of instability, and the conflicts that have lasted for more than four decades,” He said, “regardless of whether the West likes the Taliban or not, whether they can find some middle ground, or not, Afghanistan needs to be extended humanitarian and financial help”. Pakistan pledged over US $28m in immediate humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Islamabad dispatched over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid on 58 trucks to Afghanistan.
China announced 200 million RMB Yuan worth of emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The United States has prioritized support for Afghan refugees, refugee returnees, and other displaced persons for years. In mid September 2021, US announced that it will be providing nearly $64 million in new humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, however, in revised US Department of State statements it announced additional nearly $144 million in humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in the region to make nearly $474 million in 2021. The statement said that the aid will go directly to independent humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other short-listed international and non-governmental organizations to support all Afghan persons in vulnerable situations, including women, children, journalists, human rights defenders, persons with disabilities, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) and individuals, and members of minority groups.
The 27 member states European Union has announced a revamped humanitarian aid package worth €1 billion to deal with the aftermath of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The new package include pledges which had been already agreed to support the country's civilian population, protect human rights and advance the coronavirus vaccination campaign. The aid will be channeled through international organizations working inside Afghanistan. As a blackmailing tactics €450 million have not yet been earmarked and linked by a criteria that involve respect for the rule of law and human rights, including women's rights, and assurances that humanitarian aid operations are able to continue to Western favourites include ethnic minorities and LGBTQI. Likewise Canada has announced allocation of $50 million from Canadian international assistance resources but has set same conditions.
Humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) claim to have chalked out plan to provide support directly to the more than 18.4 million vulnerable Afghans in the region including Afghan refugees. This funding will allow designated organizations to provide lifesaving protection, shelter, livelihoods support, essential health care, emergency food aid, water, sanitation, and hygiene services to respond to the needs generated by recent conflict and compounded by the severe drought and other natural disasters, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In the recent development world governments including US, Britain, Canada, France and Germany announced aid for Pakistan and Iran to keep Taliban unstable and unrecognized. Major chuck of additional $144 million announced by the US in humanitarian assistance will be expanded under the same head. Germany has said it is ready to mobilize cash for neighbouring countries, like Iran and Pakistan, to help them host displaced Afghans and counter a new rise in terrorist activity and organized crime in the region. It is generally an official stance that humanitarian should go to 3.5 million displaced Afghans, including over 500,000 displaced this year alone. It was all planned to evict Afghan from Afghanistan and settle them elsewhere. In fact, evacuation was preplanned step to develop a centrifugal force abroad. Some evacuees claim facing a year of waiting in temporary locations in order to get resettled in their new home countries to begin in the new countries. One wonders which law allows a foreign occupying nations to evacuate nationals of the country under occupation; preventing them from their possessions, jobs, friends, family members, and culture and tradition. Many nations are behind this new trend of chose and pick slavery.
This time a new strategy has been more overtly adopted to exclude and settle aggrieved individuals and groups from target countries and vigorously support all persons in vulnerable situations. These include people including women, children, journalists, human rights defenders, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI and individuals, and members of minority groups to create pressure groups and act as instrument of instability and chaos. This would bring a constant instability and pressurize governments of those countries to bend knees in accepting dictates from developed of world to end sovereign self governments and create conducive environment that fulfil interests of powerful nations. One wonders the United Nations Organizations has become indirectly party to it and there are likely changes that it would become another League of Nations for which the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Quaid-e-Azam said in connection with its role in creation of State of Israel over Palestinian land, "Coffin thieves designated to distribute graves". It is time to think what we are doing to the needy people of Afghanistan? Are we not allowing to die in harsh winters of Afghanistan only because we donot like Taliban as ruling Afghanistan.
