Pakistan pledged its support to Sri Lanka yesterday to combat drug trafficking and human smuggling.

Visiting Pakistani Navy Commander Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi conveyed Pakistan’s willingness to assist the Government’s efforts to battle drug trafficking and human smuggling when he met Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne at the Defence Ministry yesterday.

While pledging Pakistan’s support for countering terrorism, Admiral Abbasi said that both countries should enhance existing cooperation to improve information sharing and defence ties.

“Pakistan will help to repair the Sri Lanka Navy’s hovercraft and also to develop a library at the proposed National Defence College,” Admiral Abbasi said. Expressing gratitude over Pakistan’s continuous assistance to Sri Lanka, Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said that he was looking forward to working closely with Pakistan in the future to strengthen military relations between the two nations.

Admiral Mahmood arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday (25), on an official visit made on the invitation of SLN Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva.

Maj. Gen. Gunaratne and Admiral Abbasi exchanged mementos to mark the occasion.

SHILLONG, 28 January 2020, TON: The United Democratic Party (UDP) expressed its apprehension over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and dubbed it as a wake up call for all North Eastern states to act against illegal immigration from neighbouring countries and influx of non-indigenous people. UDP top leadership is convinced that New Delhi is bent upon bringing demographic changes in their states.

The UDP General Secretary, Jemino Mawthoh said his party opposed the CAA in principleand everyone should wait for the Supreme Court of India’s interpretation in this regard.
He said people of North East and Meghalaya as well as other states should work together to find a solution against illegal immigration from the neighbouring countries and influx of non-indigenous people. He cautioned leadership in New Delhi and said, ‘We have been fighting over the and influx and illegal immigration for the last four decades and now it is right time to come up with something which is concrete for the protection and safeguard of the indigenous people. 

ISLAMABAD, 28 January 2020, TON: Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province of Pakistan over detention of Pakistani human and civil rights activists, Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir.

It is pertinent to mention here that cases against these activities were already filed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and were repeatedly summoned regarding response from Pashtun Tahafuz  Movemnet (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen, MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir in a case pertaining to maligning state institutions.

Manzoor Pashteen, a Pakistani youth leader who  remained vocal over foreign military operations especially drone attacks, killing hundreds and thousands of innocent, men, women and children as well as operations by Pakistani security forces and extrajudicial detentions in the northwestern tribal districts. He along with his activists were detained in the city of Peshawar, while court rejected their bail application on 28 January and sent them on 14-day judicial remand.
Manzoor Pashteenm leader of the PTM is accused of sedition, hate speech, incitement against the state, and criminal conspiracy.

Protesters took out rallies in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Tribal districts as well as Islamabad and Karachi, demanding immediate release of Pashteen, d PTM members, were among those detained during the demonstration outside the National Press Club in the capital.
Afghan nationals in Kabul also protested in front of Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and demanded immediate release of PTM leaders.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani while criticizing detention said, “Pakistan must support and encourage peaceful civil movements for justice and must not use coercive force to supress these movements." Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned President Ashraf Ghani for his comments as a clear interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

CAIRO – 28 January 2020, TON: Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb, the grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egyptian top religious authority, on Monday while addressing “Al-Azhar International Conference on Renovation of Islamic Thought,” announced establishing a new religious center, as part of the national efforts to renovate religious discourse, in a way that suits developments.

The conference  was attended by representatives of religious institutions from dozens of Arab and Islamic countries, El-Tayyeb  urged the renewal of religious discourse, calling it a “pure Quranic law,” which prominent scholars saw as necessary to cope with political and social developments. The stance taken by Al Azher came after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s demanded renovation of Islamic thought.

Afghanistan, 28 January 2020, TON: Militants attacked a police base in Puli Khumri, northern Afghanistan, killing 11, Mabobullah Ghafari, resident of Baghlan province said Tuesday.
The insurgents first overran a checkpoint near the base late Monday, and easily entered the compound using main gate. An Afghan police official claimed that some police personnel inside the base were accomplices of the militant who allowed the militant to easily enter from the gate. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

       28 January 2020: Saudi Arabia confirmed on Monday that Israeli passport holders were not permitted to enter the Kingdom.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the policy was unchanged despite Israel saying on Sunday that its citizens could now travel to Saudi Arabia.

“Our policy is fixed,” Prince Faisal told CNN. “We do not have relations with the state of Israel, and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the Kingdom at the current time.

“When a peace agreement is reached between the Palestinians and the Israelis, I believe the issue of Israel’s involvement in the region will be on the table.”

Analysts said the statements by both countries were significant as US President Donald Trump prepared to unveil his Middle East peace plan in Washington.

“Israel wanted to fool the Arabs, and to put Saudi Arabia in a difficult position, saying they had resolved the issue with the Kingdom and were ready for peace,” the Saudi political analyst Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri told Arab News.

“But the Kingdom is saying, ‘No, you cannot visit until there is a solution,’ and we will find out tomorrow if the Trump peace plan is that solution.”

The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, calling for normal Arab relations with Israel in return for its withdrawal from occupied land, was the benchmark, Al-Shehri said.

“If they are going to override the Arab Peace Initiative without a workable alternative, then of course the Kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations.” 

27 January 2020 (Courtesy of AFP): A United States military spokesman confirmed the loss of the E-11A communications plane in Ghazni province and said there was no indication the jet had been shot down.

Afghan officials had early reported the loss of a plane in the Taliban-held province, but had mistakenly reported the aircraft was a civilian passenger jet belonging to the national carrier, Ariana.

Pictures share by Taliban-linked social media accounts instead showed wreckage from a Bombardier E11 BACN emblazoned with US Air Force insignia. The aircraft is known to operate from nearby Kandahar air field in southern Afghanistan and helps boost communications among troops on the ground.

A statement from US forces in Afghanistan said: "A US Bombardier E-11A crashed in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. While the cause of the crash is under investigation, there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire."

There was no official indication of casualties, but Taliban reports said two badly burned bodies had been found in the wreckage and had  been handed over to local villagers.

Afghan officials had at first reported the crashed plane belonged to the national carrier, Ariana.

"At around 1:10 pm (0840 GMT) a plane crashed in Deh Yak district of Ghazni province. The plane is on fire and the villagers are trying to put it out. We still don't know if it is a military or commercial plane," Aref Noori, Ghazni's governor's spokesman, told AFP.

 27 January 2020, TON. In a diplomatic row New Delhi has censured European Union for stepping on the internal affairs of India. Calling the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),

an internal matter, India censured the European Union and asked to get engage with the government to have an accurate assessment of the “facts with respect to the legislation before proceeding voting the Resolution.

A powerful group of European Parliament lawmakers including the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D), Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) (PPE), Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance (Verts/ALE), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), Renew Europe Group (Renew) and European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Group will hold a debate and vote on a resolution against the CAA.Six groups have moved resolutions on the Citizenship Amendment Act and the clampdown on Jammu and Kashmir.  

Holding India flag and placards and chanting anti-India slogans they marched to India House through London’s iconic Trafalgar Square. As the march reached India House, the contained anger of the protesters expressed itself in more vigorous chants of anti-India and anti-BJP slogans. The marchers started with reading preamble of the Indian constitution and ended the protest with chanting anti-India slogans. Those who addressed the gathering included Labour MP from Ilford South, Sam Tarry who expressed deep concern at the growing fascism in India under Narendra Modi and said that this situation must be causing lot of hurt to the souls of founding fathers of modern India.

The demonstration was organized by Kashmir Solidarity Movement, South Asian Students Against Fascism, Newham Muslim Alliance, Ghadar International, human rights body South Asia Solidarity Group (SASG) and supported by Coordinating Committee of Malayali Muslims, SOAS India Society, Tamil People in the UK, Indian Workers Association (GB), Indian Muslim Federation (UK), Federation of Redbridge Muslim Organizations.

 A letter was also issued in which reads, the events of the last six months have been particularly disturbing. First the revoking of Article 370, the further militarization of Kashmir, highly militarized zone in the world, the imprisonment of leaders, continual curfews, torture, including torture of minors, and banning internet service and buying of land in the Kashmir valley by Indian agents.

27 January 2020, TON: Muslims peaceful protesters were charged of hurling stones to justify baton charging and lobbing of tear gas shells by police personnel in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur.

As per the details, the incident occurred near Anand Nagar bus stop when anti- Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters were challenged by Indian authorities’ organized a pro-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 'Tiranga March. 

While authorities were trying to prevent anti-CAA rallyists not to not move ahead to Raddi Chowk, when some unidentified persons hurled stones at the Police and security officials present there, leading to suspicion..

Police resorted to Lathi-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to restore order. CCTV footage of the incident was not made public to protect the identies of pro-CAA marchers.

The situation was tense and additional security personnel have been deployed at the site of incident to maintain law and order.