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Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar to Visit Pakistan Today
International Desk
15 Oct 2024, 12:00
Photo: Collected
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is set to visit Pakistan today, October 15, to attend a meeting of the regional bloc, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). During his visit, Jaishankar will join a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
This visit marks the first by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan since 2015, when then-Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attended a conference in Islamabad focused on Afghanistan. In 2016, then-Home Minister Rajnath Singh traveled to Islamabad for a SAARC meeting, which was the last time India participated in a multilateral event held in Pakistan.
According to The Hindu, Jaishankar’s visit carries symbolic importance, as it reflects India’s intent to prioritize diplomacy and multilateral dialogue over bilateral disputes. While in Islamabad, Jaishankar will have no choice but to attend the dinner hosted by PM Sharif, which will also be attended by Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Though the official itinerary spans two days, Jaishankar’s actual stay in Pakistan will last less than 24 hours. Indian diplomats view this visit as a smart and strategic move by the Modi government. Recently, Jaishankar remarked that India seeks normal relations with Pakistan, just like with any other neighbor—but not at the cost of tolerating terrorism.
New Delhi emphasized that Jaishankar’s visit is rooted in India’s commitment to the SCO, sending a message that it prioritizes multilateral diplomacy over bilateral conflicts.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that no bilateral meeting between the two nations has been requested. "We have not received any request from the Indian Foreign Ministry, nor have we made any such request," Dar stated. However, as per protocol, Jaishankar will be welcomed along with other foreign dignitaries.
To ensure security for the SCO summit, Islamabad has implemented a lockdown and declared a three-day public holiday in Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi. Section 144 has also been imposed in five districts to maintain order during the event.
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Arvind Kejriwal quits as Delhi CM
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday resigned as Delhi chief minister after handing over the resignation letter to LG VK Saxena at the Secretariat. He arrived at the LG Secretariat along with his Cabinet colleagues to tender his resignation.
In a significant development, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday tendered his resignation as Delhi chief minister after handing over the resignation letter to LG VK Saxena at the Secretariat. He arrived at the LG Secretariat along with his Cabinet colleagues to tender his resignation. AAP leader Atishi, who was earlier in the day chosen as Kejriwal's successor at a legislature party meeting, was also accompanying him.
It should be noted that Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday his decision to resign from the post of chief minister of Delhi. He said then that he would only sit on the CM's chair when the people give him a "certificate of honesty".
List of facilities to be removed from Kejriwal:
Salary: The salary that a chief minister enjoys every month, will not be credited to Kejriwal's account anymore after he resigns as Delhi CM.
Free medical treatment: Every chief minister receives free medical treatment and reimbursement at government hospitals and other panel hospitals. Now this facility will also be removed from Kejriwal.
Tight security: The tight security that a chief minister enjoys during his tenure will now be removed from Kejriwal as he resigns.
Free accommodation: The chief ministers of every state receive free accommodation in government hospitals and other panel hospitals. Now, Kejriwal will not enjoy this facility.
Rent-free residence: In general, the chief ministers of every state receive a rent-free furnished residence, or the rateable value of their own house, or the rent they pay, whichever is the least. Now, he will not enjoy this facility after his resignation.
Travel reimbursement: The chief ministers of every state receive reimbursement for travel within India for themselves and their family members, up to a maximum of Rs. 1,00,000 annually. Now, this facility will be removed from Kejriwal.
Electricity: After taking charge of the office, Chief Ministers of every state can consume up to 5,000 electric units per month. Now this facility will be removed from Kejriwal.
Atishi to become next Delhi CM
Earlier in the day, it was decided in the AAP meeting that senior AAP leader Atishi will be Delhi’s new chief minister after Arvind Kejriwal proposed her name as his successor.
The 43-year-old who holds 14 portfolios, including finance, education, and revenue, and was amongst those holding the fort while Kejriwal was in jail, will be the third woman chief minister of Delhi after Congress’ Sheila Dikshit and BJP’s Sushma Swaraj.
Kejriwal met Lt Governor V K Saxena at Raj Niwas at 4.30 pm to tender his resignation as chief minister, paving the way for Atishi's appointment as his successor.
The BJP on Monday said Kejriwal's decision to resign as chief minister was borne out of compulsion and not driven by principle. The saffron party described his move as "drama" and a "confession of crime" and wondered if he had offered to quit because of infighting in AAP.
Source: INDIA TV
Women in Pakistan’s Agricultural Sector Suffer
Findings of a study carried out by Pakistan’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) confirms that women farmers in Pakistan are largely unrecognised for their vital contributions to the country’s agriculture sector, food security and the economy at large. The study, “Protection issues faced by women farmers in Pakistan”, says their labour tends to be undocumented and they are rarely referred to as ‘farmers’, unlike their male counterparts. According to the study, “Pakistan’s labour laws do not cover the agriculture sector and the country lacks a national law to safeguard the rights of women involved in agriculture.”
The study indicates that sexual harassment is frequent and persistent in agricultural workplaces across Pakistan, and both women workers and children are not safe in the fields.
The key findings of the study “Protection issues faced by women farmers in Pakistan” are troubling. It states, “Women farmers are often exposed to hostile working environments – including exposure to violence, harassment and verbal abuse, particularly while working in the fields.” Socioeconomic factors increase women’s risk of exposure to violence and harassment in the agriculture sector.
The findings indicate that, “women farmers are not clear about how to define gender-based violence or harassment in the workplace.” A lack of awareness of laws, reporting procedures and redressal mechanisms, coupled with personal fears – such as the fear of losing their livelihoods – cultural and economic pressures and a lack of support prevent women farmers from reporting incidents of violence and harassment to the authorities.
Departments of Agriculture and Labour in Pakistan do not monitor the working conditions of women farmers, and addressing violations of women’s rights in agriculture is not explicitly stated within their mandates. Departmental staff lack gender training on gender-related issues.
Pakistan’s Sindh province is largely agriculture-based, and in rural Sindh, almost 70% of the population is linked with agriculture activities. Banana, Cotton, mangoes, rice, wheat and sugarcane are the main crops produced in the Sindh area. The participation of rural women farmers has not been weighed to the extent they devoted.
The situation for women bonded in agriculture labour in Sindh is particularly deplorable. Women in bonded labour work under harsh conditions for minimal pay. They are trapped in a cycle of debt, making it nearly impossible to escape their situation. Many women face physical abuse and psychological trauma. They are often subjected to harsh treatment by landowners and supervisors.
Given the pernicious influence of the antiquated feudal system that dominates agriculture in Pakistan, concentrating land ownership in the hands of a few, this only ends up exacerbating existing gender inequalities in the sector, preventing too many hard-working women farmers from accessing much-needed benefits and services.
Despite laws like the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act of 2015, enforcement is weak. The non-implementation of pro-peasant and rural worker laws, has left women in rural areas vulnerable to social, economic, and political injustices. Because implementation of the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act remains weak, every year, peasants must approach courts to seek the release of family members held in bondage by landlords. District vigilance committees, which are supposed to operate under the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act fail to assist bonded labourers or those already freed by court orders.
Women’s role in various sectors including cropping, livestock rearing and dairy development, backyard poultry, backyard kitchen gardening, agro-forestry and fisheries are not acknowledged due to local customs and cultural norms of bonded labour in Sindh. Many women are unaware of their rights or unable to access legal help.
The conditions of women in districts such as Tharparkar, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Dadu, Jacobabad, and Badin is particularly dire. Despite promises made under the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act (SWAWA) of 2019, women receive a meagre Rs 5,000 monthly for their labour-intensive roles in agriculture, including chilli and cotton picking, date-processing, and wheat cultivation. The Sindh government has set a minimum wage of Rs 7,000 per month, agricultural and women workers still earn less than Rs10,000 monthly despite working 12-hour days.
The socio-economic conditions of peasants and rural women are extremely concerning, with the 2022 floods compounding their hardships. Many labourers lost their homes and livestock, and the slow reconstruction process has left millions of farmers homeless. Compounding their difficulties is the fact that women are also expected to primarily bear the responsibility of household work, doubling their work burden.
There had also been little progress in the implementation of the Sindh Tenancy Act 1950, which outlines farmers’ rights. It was recommended that permanent labour status be granted to farming and labouring women, along with access to social security, health care, education and insurance. Women registered under the Benazir Income Support Program invariably face humiliation while queuing at centres and banks. The Sindh government has also failed to implement the amendments it made in 2021 to the Sindh Water Management Ordinance (SWMO) 2002 for ensuring women’s representation at all levels of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA).
Challenges faced by women in Pakistan’s agriculture sector include gender-based disparities in daily wage rates and the working hours of women and men, women’s double burden of on-farm and off farm activities, a lack of clean drinking water and appropriate sanitation facilities, the limited availability and poor quality of health services, and an imbalanced intake of food which affects women’s health and leaves them prone to health problems. Health problems are common among women farmers due to the excessive use of pesticides.
Limited access to education in Pakistan keeps women and girls in a cycle of poverty and exploitation. Without education, their opportunities for better employment are severely restricted.
But most crucially women farmers in Pakistan are largely unrecognised for their major contributions to agriculture, food security and development at large.
Given that a significant 74 percent of Pakistan’s female labour force works in agriculture, the lack of attention women in the sector receive is highly troublesome, as this has led to poor knowledge about their plight and a consequent absence of policymaking that addresses their issues in a substantial manner. (Source: europeantimes)
China Calls for ‘Resolute Crackdown’ on Separatists in Tibetan Areas
Chen Wenqing’s four-day visit comes as security is tightened in sensitive Tibet region ahead of National Day on October 1
Maintaining stability and guarding against independence activities are the top priorities for security personnel in Tibetan areas, China’s security chief said during a trip to the western regions last week.
Chen Wenqing, head of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission – the ruling Communist Party’s top security body – said security forces must “resolutely crack down on separatist and destructive activities”.
They must also “resolutely manage religious affairs, while resolutely protecting normal religious activities”, so as to prevent risks, crack down on crimes, and maintain stability, Chen said on the trip that included stops in the Tibet autonomous region as well as the Ganzi Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province.
The four-day tour, which ended on Friday, was Chen’s first regional inspection trip since the party’s policymaking third plenum in July, and came in the lead-up to National Day on October 1.
China is preparing to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic and security is being tightened in the sensitive Tibet region.
The trip also came less than a month after senior American officials met the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, in New York.
Chen visited security units in the Tibetan cities of Lhasa and Chamdo, getting updates on operations in the region, Xinhua said.
In Ganzi, he presided over a meeting on “anti-secession work”, and gave instructions on maintaining stability, according to the news agency.
Nearly 80 per cent of Ganzi prefecture’s 1.1 million residents are Tibetan, the second-largest such community in the country.
Chen also ordered security personnel to carry out more propaganda and education campaigns to increase awareness of national identity among the people of all ethnic groups.
Beyond Tibet, there are 10 Tibetan autonomous prefectures across Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai.
Chen has cast the Tibetan security net wider in recent years to include more surrounding regions with large Tibetan populations.
China’s top judges and prosecutors have also made their rounds of Tibet.
Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People’s Court, visited Tibetan courts last week and said that it was necessary to hand down tough punishment to keep up the pressure on “violent terrorism, ethnic separatism and other serious criminal crimes”.
Ying Yong, head of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, also inspected public prosecutors’ offices in Tibet earlier this month.
He also stressed the need for prosecutors to “harshly crack down on all kinds of separatist infiltration, sabotage activities and crimes endangering national security in accordance with the law”.
(Based on the report written by William Zheng published in SCMP)
Baloch Activists Call for Unity Against China-Pakistan Alliance at 5th International Conference
Baloch activists gathered in Geneva for the 5th International Conference of the Baloch National Movement highlighted human rights abuses perpetrated by Pakistan and China and called for international attention and action.
Hammal Baloch, a central committee member of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), said that through the event, they want to show the world the real face of Pakistan.
"Through the event, we want to show the world the real face of Pakistan. Pakistan often attempts to portray Balochistan in a positive light, showcasing it as a region where infrastructure is developing and prosperity is flourishing. However, mainstream media is entirely banned there. Consequently, the Baloch National Movement strives to utilize every international platform available each year to project the voice of Balochistan to the global audience."
Emphasizing the severity of the crisis in Balochistan. Hammal further said, "A genocide is occurring in Balochistan. It's not just that people are being killed; rather, there is a genocide of everything. The education system is being destroyed, and culturally, people are being eradicated. Gwadar is being fenced off. Efforts are being made to prevent democratic voices from being raised there."
Outlining the key objectives and outcomes of the conference, Naseem Baloch, Chairperson of the Baloch National Movement, said that their primary aim is to unite these diverse groups in a coordinated effort to achieve liberation from Pakistan and China's control.
He said, "Today's conference focused on the policies of China and Pakistan, and we were joined by representatives from Sindhi, Kashmiri, Pashtun, and Uyghur communities. We addressed crucial issues such as the struggles for autonomy in Sindhudesh, Pashtunistan, and East Turkistan. Our primary aim is to unite these diverse groups in a coordinated effort to challenge the China-Pakistan alliance and swiftly achieve liberation from their control."
Highlighting the conference's crucial role in addressing human rights abuses, Faheem Baloch, Coordinator for the Baloch National Movement's Foreign Affairs Department, stated, "The primary goal of this conference was to bring to light the human rights violations committed by Pakistan and China. The speakers offered valuable insights and focused on the specific challenges faced by Baloch women. We are hopeful that such events will not only persist but also become more impactful and effective in the future."
The Baloch National Movement (BNM) is a political organization advocating for the rights and autonomy of the Baloch people, an ethnic group primarily residing in the Balochistan region. The movement seeks greater political and economic autonomy for Balochistan, often citing historical grievances, marginalization, and the exploitation of natural resources in the region.
The BNM aims to address issues such as the lack of development, human rights abuses, and political suppression faced by the Baloch community. Its goals include achieving self-determination and preserving Baloch's cultural identity. (ANI News).
Two European Firms in Focus of Hezbollah Pager Explosions
The Taiwanese company whose name appeared on the pagers that detonated across Lebanon has denied manufacturing the devices. That has put relatively unknown Hungarian and Bulgarian firms in the spotlight.
A Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, has been linked to the thousands of pagers that exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and leaving nearly 3,000 wounded.
The name of the Budapest-based firm first cropped up in a statement by a Taiwanese manufacturer, Gold Apollo, whose label appeared on the devices. Gold Apollo said it did not manufacture the devices and that they were made by its Hungarian partner, BAC Consulting.
"The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," Gold Apollo founder and president Hsu Ching-kuang told reporters at the company's offices in the northern Taiwanese city of New Taipei on Wednesday.
"We may not be a large company, but we are a responsible one," he said. "This is very embarrassing."
Gold Apollo said in a statement that the AR-924 pager model was produced and sold by BAC, which it said was authorized to use its trademark for product sales in specific regions. "The design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC," the statement said.
Hsu said there had been problems with remittances from BAC, the Reuters news agency reported.
"The remittance was very strange," Reuters and others reported him as saying at a press conference. He added that payments had come through the Middle East.
Hsu didn't elaborate further and didn't provide any proof of a contract with BAC showing that his company has had a licensing agreement for the past three years.
Meanwhile, Telex, a Hungarian media outlet, has reported that it was Norta Global, a company based in Bulgaria's capital Sofia, that supplied the pagers to Hezbollah. The Bulgarian company, owned by a Norwegian citizen, was reportedly behind the deal with Gold Apollo, although on paper it was BAC that signed the contract, Telex wrote.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that BAC was part of an Israeli front and that at least two other shell companies were created as well to obfuscate links to Israeli intelligence officers.
What does BAC Consulting do?
According to BAC Consulting's website, the firm develops "international technology cooperation among countries for the sale of telecommunication products." It adds that the cooperation involves "scaling up a business from Asia to new markets e.g. developing countries."
The company, which claims to have over a decade of consulting experience, lists telecommunication as one of its key areas of expertise, and says it integrates "the best past technological lessons and practices from different geographical areas."
BAC Consulting also lists the Nelkhael gold jewel collection as one of its businesses, saying it assists in the branding and marketing of the jewelry line.
According to the official company register in Hungary, BAC is involved in activities ranging from the manufacture of electronic medical devices and electronic components to the extraction of natural gas and crude oil.
Meanwhile, Hungary has officially responded to the pager issue. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said on social media platform X that BAC "is a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary." He added that the pagers in question have never been in Hungary.
China's Shanghai Hit by Second Major Typhoon in a Week
More than a hundred thousand people were evacuated from Shanghai as Typhoon Pulasan brought heavy rains that broke local records in parts of the Chinese megacity.
Streets and neighborhoods in Shanghai were again flooded on Friday as the Chinese megacity was battered by Typhoon Pulasan, just days after Bebinca, the strongest storm to hit the megacity since 1949.
Pulasan is the 14th typhoon this year. It made its second landfall in Shanghai on Thursday evening, after making its first landfall in Zhejiang Province earlier in the day.
The torrent of rain broke local records in parts of Shanghai. Two weather stations recorded more than 300 millimeters (almost 1 foot) of rainfall in six hours, the highest in their districts since records began, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. Overall, 151 of 614 weather stations recorded heavy or extreme rainfall, Xinhua added.
Videos posted on social media Friday showed Shanghai residents wading through calf-deep water in some neighborhoods, though there have been no reports of serious damage or casualties.
More than a hundred thousand evacuated
Because of the typhoon, the city evacuated 112,000 people, Xinhua said, and some ferry and train services were suspended.
The city's flood control office said 649 ships were either evacuated or returned to port to seek shelter, 54 train services were suspended and 26 ferry services were halted.
The storm is expected to gradually weaken as it moves inland, although rain continued to fall in the city on Friday morning, according to Xinhua.
Two typhoons in one week
On Monday, the stronger Typhoon Bebinca felled more than 1,800 trees and knocked out power to 30,000 homes. Authorities evacuated more than 400,000 people in Shanghai ahead of the storm.
Scientists say climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is making extreme weather more frequent and intense.
China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. But its per capita emissions pale in comparison to rival economic powerhouse the United States.
Heavy Snowfall Forces Road Closures in South Africa
Heavy snowfall caused major disruptions in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province on Saturday. Motorists were forced to spend the night in their vehicles as one of the country's main highways, the N3, was blanketed with unusually thick snow. Roads in the area have been closed, and traffic authorities have warned motorists to delay journeys and keep clear of the area.
Portion of N3 highway closed
"Heavy snowfall continues to blanket the busiest N3 highway, particularly between Warden and Tugela Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal, making travel extremely dangerous," South Africa's Department of Transport said in a statement.
"The ministry is deeply concerned about the situation, especially as many travelers spent the night stranded at filling stations and along the N3, unable to move due to the road closures," the department said, adding that various emergency services were being deployed to the area.
Authorities said that no deaths or injuries had been reported thus far. Road safety organization Arrive Alive warned that visibility along the N3 was poor and that the cold and wet conditions were set to continue. "The risk remains high for more snowfalls and the formation of black ice as temperatures drop into the night," the group warned and made a series of posts on X, showing the extent of the snowfall.
South Africa's Border Management Authority said three border posts with the kingdom of Lesotho had been closed as "the current conditions pose a significant danger."
Many road users posted videos on social media showing cars, trucks and minibusses stuck in deep snow. Motorist Muhammad Goolam told the Newzroom Afrika channel that he and his children had spent the night in his car outside the town of Harrismith, situated 270 kilometers (170 miles) southeast of Johannesburg. "Over 13 hours, food supplies out, I don't see us managing to drive out of here without any assistant from emergency personnel," he said.
