Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday said that Aditya-L1 spacecraft has travelled beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometres from Earth, successfully escaping the sphere of Earth’s influence. It is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This is a major milestone for the Aditya-L1 mission, and for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is the second time in succession that ISRO could send a spacecraft outside the sphere of influence of the Earth, the first time being the Mars Orbiter Mission. ISRO took to X to announce the update. “Aditya-L1…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amid the ongoing protest sit-ins, the civil society activists in Muzaffarabad city in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK) threw electricity bills into the river and appealed to the people that they should not pay their electricity bills, Dawn reported. Tens of hundreds of electricity bills were thrown into the water and an equal number of them were torched in Rawalakot on Thursday. Since September 20, the People Action Committee in Muzaffarabad has set up a sit-in camp with an appeal to the populace to stop paying their electricity bills, first at a roundabout in front of the Press Club and…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The finance ministry on Wednesday forecast inflation to surge by 3-4 percentage points to 31 per cent in September compared to 27.4pc in the preceding month mainly because of a major increase in fuel prices. Inflation was likely to ease due to the double-digit base effect in September, but the significant rise in fuel prices offset it, said the Economic Advisors’ Wing of the Ministry of Finance in its monthly economic update & outlook for September. Together with this, the upward adjustment in energy tariffs is further likely to intensify inflationary pressures in the coming months as these…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: At least 50 people, including a senior police official, were killed when a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up near a procession commemorating Eid Miladun Nabi (PBUH) in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday, confirmed police. Police officials confirmed that DSP Mastung Nawaz Gishkori was among those killed. Secretary Health Balochistan Asfandyar Khan Kakar said at least 100 people were injured in the attack. Officials expressed fear that the number of casualties may increase. According to Mastung’s assistant commissioner, the blast took place near Al-Falah Mosque, where people were gathering to participate in the procession. The area was cordoned…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A heavy exchange of firing resumed on Thursday between two rival groups of Mengal tribe in Wadh town of Khuzdar district in Balochistan, suspending vehicular traffic on Quetta-Karachi National Highway and badly disrupting normal life in the area. According to reports, the exchange of firing continued between the men, who were waiting in trenches for over one and half months following a ceasefire negotiated by Nawab Aslam Raisani, the chief of Sarawan tribes, and other tribal elders. The clashes between the two groups have killed at least three men and injured several others since they started in July…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Sindhi Foundation organized a day-long poster campaign in front of the United Nations office in Geneva to make people aware of the plight of Sindhis in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The campaign was held during the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Besides slogans criticizing Pakistan and China for exploiting the resources of Sindh, the posters depicted the pictures of several Sindhi political activists, journalists and other intellectuals who were forcibly abducted, tortured and brutally killed by Pakistan’s secret agencies. Speaking to ANI, Executive Director of Sindhi Foundation, Manawar Laghari said, “The message…

Rishi Suri: The Khalistan movement, a Sikh separatist movement seeking an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, has had a significant presence in Canada for decades. This essay delves into the historical context of the Khalistan movement in Canada, its evolution over time, the current state of affairs, and the potential future prospects. Understanding the movement’s past, present, and future is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of Sikh activism in Canada and its implications for both the Canadian and Indian governments. Canadian Police official looks on to a Khalistani protest in Canada. 1.The Roots of the Khalistan Movement in Canada The…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Three Ahmadiyya places of worship were allegedly desecrated by police in Sheikhupura district. The first incident occurred in the Kirto area of Narang Mandi, followed by the desecration of a place of worship in Nano Dogar in Sharqpur, late on Sept 23 and Bedaadpur Virkan near Muridke, all in the district of Sheikhupura. In each case, the minarets of the places of worship were demolished. Ahmadiyya people have accused the Sheikhupura district police of being complicit in the desecration, rather than providing necessary protection for their places of worship. They alleged Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) workers pressured the police…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Activists from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have called for the exit of the Pakistani government from the region. Sharing that they have been living as slaves, activists from the United Kashmir People’s National Party conducted a protest outside the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Speaking to the media, UKPNP spokesperson Nasir Aziz Khan stated that people in PoK have been protesting for the past six months against rising terrorism and inflation. The activists from UKPNP were accompanied by Pashtun, Sindhi, Baloch and Bangladeshi activists. Chairperson of the organisation – Shaukat Ali Kashmiri stated that people under…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) organised a protest rally in Geneva accusing Pakistan army for sponsoring terrorism and carrying out gross human rights violations. The rally started from Lake Geneva to Broken Chair in front of the United Nations and was attended by Pashtuns from Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the rally, the protesters raised slogans against Pakistan Army for carrying out genocide of Pashtuns by supporting terrorist outfits like Pakistani Taliban. The Afghans also accused Pakistan for targeting Afghan refugees and carrying out atrocities on them. Regarding the human rights violation and surge in terrorism in Pakistan, Pashtun…

INTERNATIONAL DSEK: Awami National Party central senior vice-president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Monday said his party was committed to fighting for the rights of Pakhtuns. He also demanded an immediate halt to power and gas outages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa insisting that the denial of electricity and natural gas to the residents is both unfair and unconstitutional. “We [ANP] are making a struggle to claim rights for Pakhtuns and will continue doing so. We have never fought for power and won’t do so in future as well,” Mr Hoti told a workers’ convention in the PK-81 constituency here. The ANP…

Antariksh Singh: The world of pop culture, with its pulsating beats and flashy visuals, often carries within it the strains of political undertones. In Canada’s thriving Punjabi music scene, rappers like Shubh don’t merely represent a contemporary hip-hop culture; they inadvertently echo sentiments of a bygone extremist movement, Khalistan, which has long lost traction in India. Yet, it has found resonance among a section of the Sikh diaspora in Canada. How has this ideology, once marginalized and isolated in India, become part of mainstream dialogue in another country? Canada has been home to Punjabi immigrants for generations. Through their trials…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In a strongly worded letter addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada (BHRC-Canada) has raised questions about the government’s uneven approach to two distinct cases. The organization expressed its concern regarding the apparent double standards in dealing with the deaths of Karima Baloch and Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Dr. Zaffar Jawaid, President of BHRC-Canada, underscored this contrast in his letter, stating, “Prime Minister Mr. Justin Trudeau’s conspicuous silence regarding the high-profile, unexplained death of Ms. Karima Baloch – a prominent Balochistan human rights defender – stands in stark contrast to his impassioned…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Seven years ago, in 2016, India had alerted Canada about Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s alleged involvement in “organising secret training camps for Sikh extremist groups associated with Khalistan movement in Milligan Hills in British Columbia”. The Indian authorities are said to have provided training videos to their Canadian counterparts, but no action was taken , officials told ET. Nijjar, whose killing in Canadian soil in June has snowballed into a row between India and Canada, was affiliated with separatist group by the name of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). ET takes a look at Nijjar’s journey from his involvement in…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In the hustle and bustle of New York’s United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders converge to discuss the globe’s most pressing issues, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau found himself standing alone, his once-dazzling smile now fading amidst the mounting pressures of international diplomacy. The spotlight had firmly fixed on Trudeau due to a startling allegation he made earlier in the week, one that sent shockwaves across diplomatic circles and raised eyebrows around the world. Trudeau claimed there was credible evidence suggesting the Indian government’s involvement in the extrajudicial killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. The…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: UK’s visiting professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University, Stefan Dercon, has said even elite in Pakistan are losing ground and legitimacy, and they will have to change to kick-start the economy and remove dependence on getting dollar inflows from abroad. “The elite will have to change to build up common grounds because there is no quick fix. It can be done through political bargaining among the military, politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, and journalists. There is no quick fix,” former economic adviser to the Department for International Development (DfID) said while speaking on the second day of a conference,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Opposition leader in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kazim Mesum has questioned the six-day visit of US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and expressed concern over what he called his ‘mysterious activities’, Dawn News reported on Sunday. During the six-day visit, US Ambassador visited different areas and met local representatives and Gilgit Baltistan government officials. As per the Pakistan-based news daily, the Ambassador’s tour was kept secret by both the embassy and local government as no details were provided to media about the visit. The only official information about the envoy’s visit came in a statement issued by the GB deputy speaker’s…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The three Indian martial arts athletes unable to compete at the Hangzhou Asian Games due to a politically-charged visa issue are “mentally broken” by the affair, team-mates told Reuters on Sunday. The absent trio – Mepung Lamgu, Nyeman Wangsu and Onilu Tega – come from Arunachal Pradesh, a state in the northeast of India which China claims as part of Tibet. The Wushu athletes were issued with stapled China visas instead of stamped ones, according to India’s foreign ministry, meaning they could not travel as India does not accept stapled visas as valid. “I trained in the camps…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A government report has attributed the plane crash involving a Yeti Airlines aircraft near Pokhara International Airport eight months ago to a combination of technical issues and human error. However, sources familiar with the situation argue that inadequate runway infrastructure, a lack of essential equipment at the airport, and delayed pilot instructions also played significant roles in the accident. The commission of inquiry tasked with investigating the crash submitted its findings to Sudan Kirati, the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. According to Buddhisagar Lamichhane, the commission’s member secretary, the final report has been submitted to the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday remanded journalist Muhammad Khalid Jamil in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for two days, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The development comes after Jamil’s arrest on Thursday night. According to FIA, Khalid Jamil was detained on charges of spreading a “provocative narrative” against state institutions through his posts on social media. ABN News, the TV Channel with which Jamil is affiliated confirmed his arrest in a post shared on X. The first information report lodged by the agency said the accused was “found sharing and propagating highly intimidating content/tweets…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In a recent development, the Philippines has accused Chinese vessels of engaging in what they describe as “dangerous manoeuvres” within the disputed South China Sea region. This incident is the latest in a series of maritime tensions between the two neighbouring nations, CNN reported. The Philippine Coast Guard on Friday reported that while conducting a routine rotation and resupply mission near Ayungin Shoal, also known as Ren’ai Reef in China, they encountered eight Chinese boats. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, these Chinese vessels posed a threat to the safety of their crew members, although specific details of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian Embassy in Nepal has announced that the India-Nepal development partnership is gaining momentum. The embassy highlighted this positive progress through a statement on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. According to the embassy’s statement, this momentum stems from the commitment made during the visit of Nepal’s Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, to India in June 2023. During his visit, both countries expressed their dedication to increasing the quantum of electricity imported to India from Nepal to an impressive 10,000 MW over the next decade. To facilitate this ambitious goal, an additional 180 MW of electricity export…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), which is the power regulatory body of Pakistan, has exposed Chinese coal-fired power plants to using lower-quality imported coal. According to reports, the plants had pledged to use coal with a calorific value of 6000 (CVs). Not a single imported consignment meets the required standards and still they claim multi-billion rupees of capacity payments that are being collected from the public, reports The News International. This revelation came to light during a public hearing conducted by Nepra on Thursday to review the existing mechanism, last revised in 2016, the newspaper reported.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to China on Constitution Day (Ashoj 3), it raised eyebrows as Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, was conspicuously absent from the visiting delegation. Even Kulman Ghising, the executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority, a key figure in the energy sector, was not included in the delegation. Prime Minister Dahal is all set to commence his week-long visit to China, starting Friday . Officials from the Ministry of Energy have clarified that the Energy Minister was excluded because there…